Toshiro Mifune Movies
Born in China to Japanese parents, Toshiro Mifune hoped to become an assistant cameraman after serving in World War II, but was deflected from this goal when he won a talent contest sponsored by Toho Studios. With no prior acting experience, he launched his movie career in 1946 and, two years later, worked for the first time with director Akira Kurosawa in Drunken Angel. In later interviews, Kurosawa said that, although worried about the untrained Mifune's lack of artistic discipline, he "still...did not want to smother that vitality." The director eventually came to realize that Mifune's willingness to do and try anything before the camera was -- for him, at least -- preferable to the introspection and motivation-searching practiced by other Japanese actors.Mifune's raw, unbridled masculinity was ideal for such Kurosawa films as Rashomon (1950) and The Seven Samurai (1954). But as he matured artistically, the actor proved he was no one-trick pony, as demonstrated by his low-key, carefully crafted performance as a tormented business executive in High and Low (1963). The first internationally popular Japanese film star since Sessue Hayakawa, Mifune was held in as high esteem by the film industry as he was by the public, winning Venice Film Festival awards for his performances in Kurosawa's Yojimbo (1960) and Red Beard (1965). Mifune's ability to shift from macho to subtle sensitivity was very similar to the work of Clint Eastwood, who, ironically, played the Mifune-character role in A Fistful of Dollars, the 1964 remake of Yojimbo.
In addition to his work for Kurosawa, Mifune starred in Hiroshi Inagaki's Samurai Trilogy, and was occasionally seen in English-language productions (often dubbed by his favorite voice-over artist, Paul Frees). The actor's non-Japanese efforts included John Frankenheimer's Grand Prix (1966) and Steven Spielberg's 1941 (1979); he also played Admiral Yamamoto in Midway (1976) and was teamed with another major male action star, Charles Bronson, in Red Sun (1971). Beginning in 1963, Mifune produced theatrical and TV films through his own company, and, in 1964, made his first (and only) attempt at directing with The Legacy of the 500,000. Mifune died in 1997. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1971
In what was billed as "The First East-Meets-West Western," Toshiro Mifune plays Kuroda, a samurai warrior who accompanies a Japanese diplomat to the United States. The diplomat has brought with him a golden, jewel-encrusted sword to present as a token of good will to the president, but as they travel by train through the west, they're ambushed by a pair of outlaws, Gauche (Alain Delon) and Link (Charles Bronson). Gauche and Link steal the sword, but Link leans the hard way about his partner's trustworthiness when Gauche double-crosses him and makes off with the booty. Since both Kuroda and Link have a grudge against Gauche, they warily join forces to track him down and return the sword to its rightful owner. Along the way, they have to deal with cultural conflict, Indian attacks, and encounters with beautiful women (played by Capucine and Ursula Andress). Given its cast and theme, Red Sun was predictably enough a major box-office success in Europe and Japan, but it passed through with little notice in the United States. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Charles Bronson, Ursula Andress, (more)
In Zatoichi vs. Yojimbo, one of many Japanese samurai films starring the blind swordsman Zatoichi (Shintaro Katsu), he has to battle Yojimbo (Toshiro Mifune), the title character from Akira Kurosawa's famous film. At the beginning of the film, Zatoichi is planning on retiring, yet his village is besieged by outlaws; eventually he fights, then befriends Yojimbo on his way to securing his village. The movie is a light-hearted parody of samurai films and a comic take on the genre, boasting a wonderfully funny performance from Mifune. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Shintaro Katsu, Toshiro Mifune, (more)
In this samurai tale, a brave warrior is told by the newly restored emperor that he must return to his home village and announce that there has been a tax cut. Unfortunately, it is a government ruse designed to ensure political control. When the warrior arrives in his home village, he discovers that it is being ruled by a wicked judge who has been forcing the people to pay incredibly heavy taxes. More trouble ensues leaving the warrior totally confused as to which side he should be one as neither seems to be very good. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1969
An aging master swordsman becomes the advisor of a powerful 16th-century warlord. Trouble erupts when the proud leader refuses to listen to his wise samurai's advice to work for a united Japan. More problems arise when the fighter and lord fall in love with the same woman. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
Furin Kazan (AKA Samurai Banners) is based on the bestselling Japanese novel of the same name, written by Yasushi Inove. Toshiro Mifune plays Yamamoto, a physically impaired 17th century Samurai, whose wife and child have been massacred in a war. He signs on to advise a warlord, believing that the fellow has the strength to kill off all of the rival leaders and unify the nation, but he quietly objects to the man's pompous arrogance, sadism and self-centeredness. The assignment succeeds triumphantly as the men, working together, vanquish every competitor across the land. The warlord then approves his request to wipe out a neighboring ruler with whom they've made a pact; Yamamoto kills him, and then stops the man's princess daughter from committing seppuku. He falls in love with the heiress, and she with him, but the warlord wants her as a concubine. Yamamoto agrees to this request out of devotion to his leader, and even convinces the young woman to obey the request. After she conceives an illegitimate child with the warlord, Yamamoto devotes himself and his life to strengthening the power and reach of Japan and spreading the belief that the child is the rightful heir to the throne. He thus ensures that the baby will grow up to become the ruler of a unified nation. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toshiro Mifune, Kinnosuke Nakamura, (more)
- 1969
In this Japanese film, the Shimoda police station gets a new judo instructor who soon finds himself in love with the previous instructor's daughter. This makes another student so jealous that he challenges the new sensei to a duel. The young upstart is quickly put into his place. Later the instructor loses his job for fighting with naval officers. The young man again challenges him, and this time he wins. He also wins the young woman's heart. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1969
This Japanese action movie is set in Kyoto during the 16th-century. At that time the town was in turmoil over a hefty food tax. The farmers and the wealthy townfolk were battling it out. To assist them, the townspeople hired samurai. That does not stop the determined farmers from defeating them all. One man is able to bring the factions together. A festival celebrating their new solidarity ensues. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
The entire cast of Hell in the Pacific consists of two high-powered international stars: Lee Marvin and Toshiro Mifune. The time is World War II. A downed American marine pilot (Marvin), is stalked on a remote Pacific island by a Japanese navy officer (Mifune). The Japanese officer captures the American, but this situation is reversed when he manages to wriggle free. The two enemies finally decide to live and let live, each moving to their own separate portion of the island. By and by the adversaries come to rely upon one another to survive; they set up living quarters in a deserted camp, get drunk together, and almost -- but not quite -- become friends. The present ending of Hell in the Pacific is greatly at odds with director John Boorman's original vision, in which the Japanese officer angrily kills two Japanese soldiers who have come across the American and decapitated him. As it now stands, viewers are left with an explosive "lady or the tiger" denouement. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lee Marvin, Toshiro Mifune, (more)
- 1968
The building of a dam provides the framework for this Japanese drama. The trouble is that the dam is to be built along a fault line. An engineer is assigned to dig a tunnel so supplies can be brought in. Realizing the grave danger, the engineer is most reluctant to do so. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1968
Lord Akashi (Toshiro Mifune) is a heroic warrior who comes to the aid of the needy and the oppressed. He is hired to guard a beautiful lady in waiting and the young crowned prince. The group is attacked by marauders who wish to depose of the princess and start a revolt against her father. Akashi never brings out his sword until the very end, content to dispose of his enemies with the least amount of weapons possible. He battles fierce samurai warriors and foreign insurgents who introduce the gun to Japan in their added arsenal of destruction. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toshiro Mifune, Somegoro Ichikawa, (more)
- 1968
In this sequel to the Japanese epic, Secret Scrolls, Part 1 (1957), the Samurai wizard and his brother finally find one of the three scrolls their evil employer needs to overthrow the Japanese government. Unfortunately, the two fight over it and tear it in half. Ashamed, the two separate, but find themselves pursued by angry members of the Yagyu clan. For most viewers, it is necessary to see Part I in order to fully understand the complexities of Part II. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toshiro Mifune, Koji Tsuruta, (more)
- 1968
In this Japanese costumer set in the 17th century, three powerful families endeavor to keep three sacred scrolls from ever being pieced together in one place, as they contain the necessary information to overthrow the government. These scrolls are coveted by several greedy, power-mad clans who will do anything to get them; one of these clans even hires a samurai wizard to work magic on their behalf. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toshiro Mifune, Koji Tsuruta, (more)
- 1967
In this moral drama, the captain of a Japanese trawler must make a difficult decision. The story begins as the boat returns to port after yet another unsuccessful fishing expedition. The company that he works for is most upset and on his next trip, assigns a company official to supervise their procedures. The captain is most displeased with his new passenger, but eventually comes to respect him. Finally, they discover an enormous school of fish. Just as they are bout to haul it in, the captain receives a distress signal from a foundering yacht. Now he must decide: the fish, or the people aboard the other boat? ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
A father and son prepare to die for their beliefs in this historical drama set in 18th century Japan. While Isaburo Sasahara (Toshiro Mifune) has been loyal to Japan's feudal system all his life, his beliefs begin to change when the local rulers demand that his son Yogoro (Go Kato) give up his bride, who has bore a child that will come to power upon the death of the current ruler. Yogoro dearly loves his wife, and Isaburo respects his daughter-in-law and does not want to be separated from his grandson. When Yogoro refuses to part with his wife and child, he and Isaburo are ordered to kill themselves. They refuse and instead challenge the forces of the feudal leaders to a fight to the death. Director Masaki Kobayashi's work on this film earned him the FIPRESCI Award at the 1967 Venice Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toshiro Mifune, Go Kato, (more)
This star-studded and relatively lavishly produced fact-based war drama, set in 1945 Japan during WW II, chronicles the attempts of Japan's War Minister, (played by Toshiro Mifune), to prevent Emperor Hirohito from publicly broadcasting the declaration of surrender. The War Minister rallies those officers around him who also want to keep the war going. The conspirators murder the leader of the Imperial Guards and storm the palace. Fortunately they are stopped by the palace guard. On learning of this failure, the War Minister commits suicide. At least one Western reviewer of this 1967 film (for Variety) still bore very harsh memories of the war and attributed all sorts of face-saving propagandistic intent by the Japanese to this relatively innocuous movie. He was particularly distressed that the aura of sanctity surrounding the Emperor remained intact and was even enhanced by this film; even so, he praised it as expertly acted and entertaining in its own right, despite being an apparently "official" film. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toshiro Mifune, So Yamamura, (more)
In this epic Japanese samurai adventure, a bloodthirsty young fighter (Tatsuya Nakadai) kills a man in competition and is pursued by the slain warrior's brother. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tatsuya Nakadai, Toshiro Mifune, (more)
- 1966
Toshiro Mifune stars as a shipwrecked sailor who joins a Japanese priest in his search for the bones of Buddha in this children's adventure. The duo are hounded by the forces of a nearby king from his castle fortress. The heroes show the king the error of his ways and even provide him with a pretty woman to take as his queen. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toshiro Mifune, Mie Hama, (more)
There's a few million dollars' worth of star power and a nickel's worth of plot in the lavish race-car melodrama Grand Prix. Among the participants in this annual cross-continent competition are characters played by James Garner, Yves Montand, Brian Bedford, and Antonio Sabato. Interested parties include Toshiro Mifune (his voice dubbed by Paul Frees), Adolfo Celi, and Claude Dauphin, while the women who agonize on the sidelines include Eva Marie Saint, Jessica Walter, and Françoise Hardy. The racing sequences are top-rank, cleverly utilizing those 1960s devices of helicopter angles and multiple screens. Oscars went to editor Frederic Steinkamp (among others) and the sound-effects supervisor Franklin E. Milton. Filmed on location, Grand Prix made back its cost about half a week into its run. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- James Garner, Eva Marie Saint, (more)
- 1966
In this Japanese epic, set in the Muromachi era, the leader of a group of Kaga, refuses to help their master, a samurai, fight a battle. In order to convince the Kaga leader, the samurai Lord orders his own daughter to seduce the other's little brother. It doesn't work, and the enraged Lord kills the lad, causing all the Kaga to stand against him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In this Japanese war movie, a rebellious war hero disobeys orders. For his punishment, the fellow is sent to the Chinese front. He goes there and finds that his brother was killed for desertion. This enrages the soldier who explodes and finds himself in deeper trouble, and he is faced with a difficult choice: he can either be court-martialed, or he can perform a kamikaze mission. He chooses the latter, and along with a cadre of freed prisoners, must capture a Chinese fort. They do succeed in their mission, but unfortunately the brave fighters are overpowered by the sheer numbers of the Chinese who continually bombard the fortress. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1966
In this martial arts film, a Japanese Samurai warrior returns to his home village after being gone for two years. He is appalled to discover that it has been taken over by an uncaring government. His sister is attacked by one of the officials. She is deeply ashamed and kills herself. The samurai keeps his emotions under control, choosing instead to patiently wait for the perfect moment to exact his revenge. Instead he begins stealing rice from a government warehouse and smuggling it to the hungry farmers. He does this for three years before he can get his revenge. The samurai then leaves the village with the promise that he will return. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
In 1820, young Noboru Yasumoto (Yuzo Kayama) completes his medical education in Nagasaki and returns to his native Edo hoping both to marry the daughter of a wealthy man and to achieve affluence himself through his medical practice. He happens to visit the famed Koishikawa clinic for the indigent, which is run by the autocratic Dr. Kyojo Niide (Toshiro Mifune), better known as Red Beard. To his intense displeasure, he soon finds himself assigned to the clinic for his internship. At first, the young intern is arrogant and rebellious, intent on displaying his knowledge of medical innovations and contemptuous of the older doctor for spending his life among the poor. But as time passes, he gains an intimate knowledge of the kind of suffering that is endemic to the impoverished, and at length, becomes an acolyte of this seemingly dictatorial physician, who heals his patients with gentleness and humility as much as with his medical skill. ~ Michael Costello, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toshiro Mifune, Yuzo Kayama, (more)
A ronin seeking to redeem his wandering status by gaining entry into one of the great houses takes part in a plot to assassinate a Shogunate Elder in this classic tale of swordplay directed by Okamoto Kihachi, starring Toshiro Mifune, and based on actual events. Niiro Tsuruchiyo (Mifune) is a samurai without a master, though he longs to gain the status and respect of a true warrior. Fate has never been particularly kind to this steady handed swordsman, and now, as he waits at the gates of Edo Castle on a chilly morning in March of 1860 and the snow begins to fall, he is about to discover just how fragile life can truly be. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Toshiro Mifune, Keiju Kobayashi, (more)
