Miyamoto Musashi was the greatest samurai and swordsman in the history of Japan. Originally born in 1584, he ran away from home, age 13 ,to join fight at the battle of Sekigahara, then drifted around until he began studying Zen, which in terms lead to him devoting the rest of his life perfecting his two-sword style. He had 16 official duels, many fought with the bukken (the wooden sword), and his lifework was the book “Gorin no Sho” (book of five rings), a treatise on bushido and Zen.

In 1954 two Musashi films were made. One by Toei, the first of six, where Musashi was portrayed as a wild rebel, an opportunist and rapist, another by Toho, first of three, where Musashi was depicted as a rebel without a cause, finding one in Zen and becoming a noble samurai. Where Musashi in real life was quiet a rebel, dressing as a peasant, using the bukken rather than the katana, history is more interested in telling the story of a wild animal transformed to the noblest of creatures thru Zen and bushido. Legend simply is more fascinating that reality.

In this, the first of the Toho films, we follow Musashi from when he runs away to join the battle of Sekigahara. Deserting, he and his friend, Matahachi, find shelter with a widow and her daughter, who seduces Matahachi and eventually leads him astray. Musashi returns to his home, but Matahachi’s mother has turned everyone against him, so he is captured and treated like a criminal. Escaping, he is finally given the option to study bushido and Zen. The film ends with Musashi asking his love, Otsu, to give him up, to consider him dead, because his path is different than the one she is walking.

Alone it is rather abrupt, as it is the first of three and it really cannot be seen on its own, but as a whole, this trilogy represents some of the finest studio work Toho ever has made. This the first is perhaps the weakest of the three. It spends a lot of time introducing characters, especially Musashi, Matahachi and Otsu, and it sets up strings of fate which the later films will play upon.

What strikes one first is Toshiro Mifune as Musashi. Where most only are familiar with his superb acting thru the films of Akira Kurosawa, his role as Musashi is some of this finest work. Mifune has this amazing ability to range from raging animal to humble samurai.

One also cannot avoid to notice the stunning cinematography. Again, this is the weakest in cinematography. A lot of shots are outdoors, as we deal with first Sekigahara, then the peasant house, then later on Musashi’s escape into the mountains, but later on, as the films begin to explore its characters, it picks up. The use of especially medium shots vs. long shots are beautiful, and at times the use of colours and medium shots remind me of Douglas Sirk.
 

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