Red Lion (Akage, 1969)
Okamoto Kihachi
Japan
116 min, color, Japanese (English subtitles)
Satirical quasi-socialist take on the "glorious" Meiji restoration in late 19th century Japan, in which lighthearted comedy gradually gives way to startling disillusionment, and ends up in outright doom. Although not relentlessly bleak as some of his other films with characters displaced by the changing times (e.g. the nihilistic SWORD OF DOOM), Okamoto's depiction of the "new life" coming to a remote rural community makes RED LION badly concealed criticism of a traditionally sensitive history. For some strange reason, Okamoto never really gained the popularity of his more illustrious colleagues, even though he repeatedly casts stars like Tatsuya Nakadai, Toshiro Mifune, and Shima Iwashita. Must be the lack of optimism, or the politically incorrect viewpoints he expresses, I don't know.
When the Imperial Army marches on Edo, the generals designate a clan to act as advance corps and befriend villagers on the way to dampen resistance. Gonzo (Toshiro Mifune), a somewhat dim stuttering ex-farmer, is a member of this group and when they approach his village, he asks to be sent as the envoy to talk the villagers into surrendering. He dons a goofy red mane (apparently a symbol of power, but to me the weirdest hair ornament ever) and gallops off. The story revolves around his efforts to persuade the farmers that changes are coming and new life is just around the corner. He frees his girlfriend Tomi (Shima Iwashita) from the brothel, where she's been sold for unpaid taxes (along with many other women), stirs up the rebellious youths, and gradually his simple enthusiasm begins to make believers out of the doubting farmers.
The contrast between the simple Gonzo and the pessimistic Hanzo (Etsushi Takahashi), the yojimbo of the local magistrate, is startling. The latter has no illusions, no passions (except, perhaps for his wife Oyo (Jitsuko Yoshimura), who, unfortunately, is involved in a plot to assassinate the general of the Imperial Army), no goals, and maybe no will to live. He is not fooled by "the changing times" and declares that the only difference between the empire and the shogunate will be the flower on the official crest. He is right: the promises that the generals had authorized the advance units to make, turn out to be bogus, and then Gonzo's unit is executed by their own comrades. Still, it is Gonzo the simpleton, Gonzo the recklessly naive, and Gonzo the foolishly brave, who becomes the hero of the farmers. It is only for three brief days, but they all taste the sweetness of new life, and all thanks to him. Curiously, even the jaded Hanzo sacrifices himself just to be next to his dying wife. In the end, both transcend their own "wisdom" or "foolishness" to become immortalized.
Despite all this great stuff, RED LION did not quite do it for me. Certainly Toshiro Mifune carries the entire film on his shoulders, much like he does every feature he stars in. I have always been partial to Shima Iwashita ever since I saw her incomparable performance in DOUBLE SUICIDE. Etsushi Takahashi was also excellent and reminded me a whole lot of Tatsuya Nakadai (this is a good thing). So it wasn't the acting. As I said, the story had all the trappings of an epic. Even though the direction was nowhere near Kurosawa, it was competent too. Maybe I wanted more tragedy and less comedy? Yes, I think this is it. I am used to seeing Toshiro Mifune is dignified roles, and although he plays the stuttering dimwit without any effort whatsoever, I think the seriousness of the subject matter required less hilarity, especially of the slapstick variety. On the other hand, maybe I am just getting too conservative.
May 18, 2001. BLS