Kokushi muso (1932)

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1. 

   monty

   Sadly, only a 21 min fragment survives of this lengendary silent jidaigeki directed by Mansaku Itami and starring Chiezo Kataoka & Isuzu Yamada.
   The plot goes as follows: In the midst of the depression, two ronin rack their brains to come up with a dishonest scheme. Taking a man from the countryside, they fashion him into Ise Isenokami, the finest swordsman under the sun. Pretending to be his followers, they visit various sword fighting dojo. Out of fear upon hearing the name Isenokami, they pay him off and do not let him enter their training halls. The scheme seems to be working well.
   The impostor eventually comes face to face with the real Isenokami after rescuing his daughter, Oyae, who is caught up in a minor incident. The impostor refuses to give way to Isenokami, and they agree to a contest at the dojo, which the impostor promptly wins. The real Isenokami, having been defeated, retreats into the mountains for three years. He then challenges the impostor again, but once more he is defeated.
   This being the case, Isenokami asks the impostor to become the real Isenokami. The impostor replies that for him there is no real or fake, winner or loser, but only the self. Taking Oyae's hand, they leave the town.
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   This was the ninth film to have been directed by Itami Mansaku, following after Hanabi, and it is ranked number six in the best ten. It is regarded as one of the definitive works of Itami. There are eight period satires altogether, but only incomplete versions remain.
   
   The term "kokushi muso" comes from a mahjong strategy, which, in practice, is virtually impossible to implement successfully. But just imagine if you could pull it off! That is the origin of this work. 7 years 2 months ago

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