RedLion

Red Lion (1969)

Anyone that has followed the site should probably realize by now that I’m a big fan of Japanese cinema and specifically Samurai movies. I’ve already reviewed the Shogun Assassin series (Lone Wolf and Cub) and the Zatoichi Blind Swordsman series, as well as others from AnimEigo’s catalog. But when I saw that the legendary Toshirô Mifune (The Seven Samurai) had appeared in a movie where he pokes a bit of fun at himself and the sorts of characters he normally portrays I was hooked and had to see the movie.

To set the story a bit there is a wave of change sweeping Japan with the emperor coming back into power and sweeping away the corrupt Shogunate that has been leading Japan. In advance of the main army a unit of former farmers is given the honor of entering the villages along the way and drumming up support from the locals by promising the halving of taxes and the forgiving of debts owed to the local authorities. Gonzo is a member of this advance force and asks for permission to ride into his old village to tell them of the oncoming army and the good news. He is allowed to ride ahead alone into his village and immediately comes into conflict with the local officials who are at times terrified of him and at other times just annoyed. See Gonzo is a great fighter, but he isn’t that bright, which makes for some really funny moments. Still Gonzo, using the promises of the new emperor, manages to drum up support in the village for the oncoming army. The whole time he is doing this he manages, in some cases quite by accident, to avoid the spies and assassins of the Shogunate that are there to kill off the leaders of the army. This story alone would have made this an enjoyable movie. But Red Lion spends most of it’s runtime making Gonzo into a very likeable character that you want to root for, then pulls the rug out from under him and the audience. There is a twist that sets up the ending of the movie, which is incredibly poignant and powerful. The comedy suddenly becomes a tragedy in the last act, which makes it an even better movie.

Again I’ve never seen a Samurai movie quite like this. The story is at times very funny and Mifune as Gonzo pulls off some slapstick moments. I’ve never seen anyone ride a horse with quite the glee and reckless abandon that Gonzo does. The story also does a wonderful job establishing the characters and making them sympathetic, especially Gonzo. This is most important because if as an audience we weren’t’ invested in the characters the ending would lose all of it’s impact. And while this movie is really funny at times with the situations that Gonzo finds himself in it still delivers some great action and swordplay. The fights are choreographed nicely, especially as the movie gets more serious and winds down to the ending. An ending that carries with it an interesting political message that I think should speak to all cultures and societies.

This is a great movie that is at times funny, then serious and in the end conveys a powerful message about the state of the world. It also boasts one of the finest actors of Japan in Toshirô Mifune. How can you not love a movie like this? For my money it just can’t get any better, so for the first time in a long while I’m giving out a perfect score. For information on where to pick this classic up go to the AnimEigo website at http://www.animeigo.com/

4 out of 4

reviewed by John Shatzer