Gambler Tales of Hasshu: A Man's Pledge
This is one of the many films based on the legend of Chuji Kunisada, a wandering gambler and a defender of the weak in the Edo period. In other words, he was the Japanese Robin Hood. In this film Kunisada (Chiezo Kataoka) arrives to a small town terrorized by an evil gang. He insists that he is not Kunisada, as the word is Kunisada has been executed, but of course the audience know better. Sonny Chiba plays an unusual supporting role as a helpless young man unable to defend himself from the gangsters. He does, however, get to play taiko drums and dance with Junko Fuji (who makes her film debut here). Chiba's father, an old judge who helps Kunisada, is played by Takashi Shimura. The film hardly anything exceptional, but it's a pretty decent jidai geki / yakuza drama.
Cast
Chiezo Kataoka
as Genji The Fighting Top
Sonny Chiba
as Sataro
Takashi Shimura
as Tobei
Sumiko Fuji
as Ochiyo
Yachiyo Ōtori
as Oshino
Kensaku Hara
as Matsugoro of Kuroiwa
Michitarō Mizushima
as Koto Juheita
Jotaro Togami
as Sagara Denjuro
Hiroshi Kato
as The Dragon of the Bush-Dead
Shunji Sakai
as Mameroku
