''Machibuse'' ( ja, 待ち伏せ) is a 1970 Japanese drama film directed by

Hiroshi Inagaki was a Japanese filmmaker best remembered for the Academy Award-winning '' Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto'', which was released in 1954. Career Born in Tokyo as the son of a shinpa actor, Inagaki appeared on stage in his childhood before joining ...

Cast

Toshiro Mifune was a Japanese actor who appeared in over 150 feature films. He is best known for his 16-film collaboration (1948–1965) with Akira Kurosawa in such works as '' Rashomon'', '' Seven Samurai'', '' The Hidden Fortress'', '' Throne of Blood'', a ...

− 'Yojimbo' * Yujiro Ishihara − Yataro *

Ruriko Asaoka , born 2 July 1940 in Xinjing, Manchukuo (now Changchun, Jilin, China), is a Japanese actress. She won the Medal with Purple Ribbon (2002) and Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette (2011). She married actor Koji Ishizaka in ...

− Okuni *

Shintaro Katsu was a Japanese actor, singer, and filmmaker. He is known for starring in the ''Akumyo'' series, the ''Hoodlum Soldier'' series, and the ''Zatoichi'' series. Life and career Born Toshio Okumura (奥村利夫 ''Okumura Toshio'') on 29 Novemb ...

− Gentetsu *

Kinnosuke Nakamura (November 20, 1932 – March 10, 1997) was a Japanese kabuki actor. Born , son of kabuki actor Nakamura Tokizō III, he entered kabuki and became the first in the kabuki tradition to take the name Nakamura Kinnosuke. He took on his guild name ('' ...

− Heima Ibuki * Chusha Ichikawa − Unknown Samurai

Plot

A ronin (Toshiro Mifune, often referred to as "yojimbo") is instructed to go to a mountain pass and await further instructions. On the way he rescues Okuni (Ruriko Asaoka), a woman abused by her husband. While at a roadside inn, the ronin meets several characters including the disgraced doctor, Gentetsu (Shintaro Katsu), a pompous police constable, and a criminal he has arrested. The ronin uncovers a plot for bandits to steal gold as it is being transported along the mountain pass. As Mifune's yojimbo had done in previous plots, he plays all sides and pretends to aid the bandits. At the end another layer to the scheme is uncovered, and the mastermind who dispatched the ronin and informed the bandits about the gold is the same person. There was never any gold, and it was all a ruse to have the bandits killed.

Release

''Machibuse'' was produced by Toshiro Mifune's production company and released in Japan by

Toho is a Japanese film, theatre production and distribution company. It has its headquarters in Chiyoda, Tokyo, and is one of the core companies of the Osaka-based Hankyu Hanshin Toho Group. Outside of Japan, it is best known as the produc ...

on April 29, 1970. It was released by Toho International in the United States with English subtitles as ''The Ambush'' on December 18, 1970. The film was re-issued in 1971 under the title ''Machibuse''. It is also known in English under the name, "Incident at Blood Pass." Actors Toshiro Mifune and Shintaro Katsu performed in movies produced by each other. Earlier, in January of 1970, another film starring Mifune and Katsu was released,

Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo is a 1970 Japanese drama film directed by Kihachi Okamoto. It is the 20th of a series of films featuring the blind swordsman Zatoichi. The main character is based on a fictional character, a blind masseur and swordmaster. He was created by nove ...

. That film was produced by Katsu's own production company.

Reception

Despite its big budget and the appearance of four of the country's biggest stars, the film was not a success.

References

Footnotes

Sources

External links

* 1970 drama films 1970 films Films directed by Hiroshi Inagaki Films with screenplays by Hideo Oguni 1970s Japanese-language films Films scored by Masaru Sato Toho films 1970s Japanese films {{1970s-Japan-film-stub