Screening as part of ACMI's 'samurai season', this early (1958) Kurosawa is much fun. It starts with, and follows, two peasants who are almost absurdly venal and selfish, and so hapless with it that they end up even calling to mind Vladimir and Estragon, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (Stoppard's not Shakespeare's), though without any of the tragic humanity of either of those pairs; equally enjoyable is Toshiro Mifune as the samurai general who quickly cows them - I wouldn't have minded more samurai action, but what there was, was satisfying enough - as they become entangled, together with a spunky princess in hiding, with an enemy army, a large stockpile of gold, and sundries.
(w/ David)
(w/ David)
