The Hidden Fortress
is a 1958 Japanese jidaigeki adventure film directed by Akira Kurosawa, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. It tells the story of two peasants who agree to escort a man and a woman across enemy lines in return for gold without knowing that he is a general and the woman is a princess. The film stars Toshiro Mifune as General Makabe Rokurōta and Misa Uehara as Princess Yuki while the peasants, Tahei and Matashichi, are portrayed by Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara respectively.
Plot
Two bedraggled peasants, Tahei and Matashichi, sell their homes and leave to enlist with the feudal Yamana clan, hoping to make their fortunes as soldiers. Instead, they are mistaken for soldiers of the defeated Akizuki clan, have their weapons confiscated, and are forced to help dig graves before being sent away without any food. After quarrelling and splitting up, the two are each captured again and reunited when the Yamana force them alongside dozens of other prisoners to dig through the ruins of the Akizuki castle for the clan's secret reserve of gold. After a prisoner uprising, Tahei and Matashichi slip away, steal some rice, and make camp near a river.
Awards
More details
author | Akira Kurosawa Hideo Oguni Shinobu Hashimoto |
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award | FIPRESCI Prize at Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Director |
contentLocation | Japan |
director | Akira Kurosawa |
editor | Akira Kurosawa |
genre | adventure |
keywords | across the border akizuki clan arrest beat build capture carry on commanding officer deaf-mute fear of death forced to kill gather gold car kan lose march mysterious man nothing one night rid run ryō sing steal surround uprise yamana clan young woman |
musicBy | Masaru Sato |
producer | Akira Kurosawa Sanezumi Fujimoto |
productionCompany | Toho |
recordedAt | Japan |
theme | japanese jidaigeki |