NIHON KYOKAKU-DEN (TALES OF CHIVALRY IN JAPAN) | 日本侠客伝 (Japan, 1964)
Directed by: Masahiro Makino
Starring: Ken Takakura, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Hiroki Matsukata

The first of the long-running Tales of Japanese Chivalry (aka Legends of the Yakuza) franchise chronicles a bitter feud between two rival yakuza clans in the late Meiji era over local lumber rights that brews and finally erupts. Masahiro Makino’s direction is clear and straightforward: free of visual gimmicks and fancy flourishes, it puts the spotlight squarely on the actors, and here you really get the goods. Ken Takakura gives the kind of performance that would stick with him for the next decade as a paragon of Japanese manhood, drawing us into the beating heart of his appeal as the ultimate old-school leading man: the very picture of deadpan, rock-steady, and disdaining outward display. Kinnosuke Nakamura also turns in a great performance as the emotionally tortured gambler Takakura’s character looks up to for guidance. Chivalry and honor are tainted, tattooed chests are bared, swords and guns are drawn, and blood is shed. Print courtesy of the Japan Foundation.