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Poster for Yojimbo

Yojimbo

Seen it?

1961 | 110 min | Drama, Thriller

Friday Night Flick

Why it’s a Friday Night Flick

Critics loved it (96% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences rate it highly (8.1 out of 10) and it's still drawing plenty of interest. 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 likes to be kept guessing. If you loved The Silence of the Lambs, start here.
The mood
Tense.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 50 min.
What might put you off
  • It's in Japanese, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Made in 1961: an older pace and style.

A nameless ronin, or samurai with no master, enters a small village in feudal Japan where two rival businessmen are struggling for control of the local gambling trade. Taking the name Sanjuro Kuwabatake, the ronin convinces both silk merchant Tazaemon and sake merchant Tokuemon to hire him as a personal bodyguard, then artfully sets in motion a full-scale gang war between the two ambitious and unscrupulous men.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    96% on Rotten Tomatoes, 93 on Metacritic

  • AudiencesStrong

    8.1 out of 10

  • AwardsBelow par

    Nominated for 1 Oscar.

  • Box office & staying powerBelow par

    $3 million worldwide; still draws a steady audience long after release

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 279K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Akira Kurosawa

  • Toshirō MifuneSanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
  • Tatsuya NakadaiUnosuke, gunfighter
  • Yōko TsukasaNui
  • Isuzu YamadaOrin
  • Daisuke KatōInokichi
  • Seizaburō KawazuSeibê - brothel operator
  • Takashi ShimuraTokuemon, sake brewer
  • Hiroshi TachikawaYoichiro
  • Yōsuke NatsukiKohei's Son
  • Eijirō TōnoGonji, Tavern Keeper