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Poster for Sanjuro

Sanjuro

Seen it?

1962 | 96 min | Drama, Action, Comedy

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (100% on Rotten Tomatoes) and audiences rate it highly (7.9 out of 10). Make plans for this one.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who wants a laugh and action fans. If you loved The Apartment, start here. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Funny with heart.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 36 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1962: an older pace and style.
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

In this companion piece and sequel to "Yojimbo," jaded samurai Sanjuro helps an idealistic group of young warriors weed out their clan's evil influences, and in the process turns their image of a proper samurai on its ear.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    100% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesStrong

    7.9 out of 10

  • AwardsNot counted

    No major awards or nominations

  • Reach & staying powerSolid

    Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactSolid

    About 88K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Akira Kurosawa

  • Toshirō MifuneSanjûrô Tsubaki / The ronin
  • Tatsuya NakadaiHanbei Muroto
  • Keiju KobayashiThe Spy
  • Yūzō KayamaIori Izaka
  • Reiko DanChidori, Mutsuta's daughter
  • Takashi ShimuraKurofuji
  • Kamatari FujiwaraTakebayashi
  • Takako IrieMutsuta's wife
  • Masao ShimizuKikui
  • Yūnosuke ItōMutsuta, the Chamberlain