The Loyal 47 Ronin (1932)
Original title: 忠臣蔵
The Loyal 47 Ronin is a 1932 Japanese-language drama movie directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa, with a running time of 2h 19m. It stars Jusaburo Bando, Kazuo Hasegawa and Utaemon Ichikawa.
This 1932 adaptation is the earliest sound version of the ever-popular and much-filmed Chushingura story of the loyal 47 retainers who avenged their feudal lord after he was obliged to commit hara-kiri due to the machinations of a villainous courtier. As the first sound version of the classic narrative, the film was something of an event, and employed a stellar cast, who give a roster of memorable performances. Director Teinosuke Kinugasa was primarily a specialist in jidai-geki (period films), such as the internationally celebrated Gate of Hell (Jigokumon, 1953), and although he is now most famous as the maker of the avant-garde silent films A Page of Madness (Kurutta ichipeji, 1926) and Crossroads (Jujiro, 1928), Chushingura is in fact more typical of his output than those experimental works. The film ranked third in that year’s Kinema Junpo critics’ poll, and Joseph Anderson and Donald Richie noted that 'not only the sound but the quick cutting was admired by many critics.
Quick answers
What is The Loyal 47 Ronin about?
This 1932 adaptation is the earliest sound version of the ever-popular and much-filmed Chushingura story of the loyal 47 retainers who avenged their feudal lord after he was obliged to commit hara-kiri due to the machinations of a villainous courtier. As the first sound version of the classic narrative, the film was something of an event, and employed a stellar cast, who give a roster of memorable performances. Director Teinosuke Kinugasa was primarily a specialist in jidai-geki (period films), such as the internationally celebrated Gate of Hell (Jigokumon, 1953), and although he is now most famous as the maker of the avant-garde silent films A Page of Madness (Kurutta ichipeji, 1926) and Crossroads (Jujiro, 1928), Chushingura is in fact more typical of his output than those experimental works. The film ranked third in that year’s Kinema Junpo critics’ poll, and Joseph Anderson and Donald Richie noted that 'not only the sound but the quick cutting was admired by many critics.
When was The Loyal 47 Ronin released?
The Loyal 47 Ronin was released on 1 December 1932.
How long is The Loyal 47 Ronin?
The Loyal 47 Ronin runs 2h 19m.
Who made The Loyal 47 Ronin?
The Loyal 47 Ronin was directed by Teinosuke Kinugasa.
Cast
- Jusaburo Bando as Kuranosuke Ôishi
- Kazuo Hasegawa as Asano Takuminokami and Yoshida Sawaemon
- Utaemon Ichikawa as Awajinokami Wakisaka / Gorobei Kakimi
- Yukichi Iwata as Kurobee Ōno
- Hideo Fujino as Hyobu
- Sôjin Kamiyama as Kozukenosuke Kira
- Kōkichi Takada as Sezaemon Oishi
- Masao Hori as Soemon Hara / Kusama Katsunosuke
- Eigorō Onoe as Heihachiro Kobayashi
- Kōtarō Bandō as Shinzaemon Katsuta
- Shoichi Nodera as Yahee Horibe
- Hideo Takeda as Gon'uemon Ōkubo