An Actor's Revenge
1962
Perhaps director Kon Ichikawa's most stylistically inventive film, AN ACTOR'S REVENGE was adapted from a newspaper serial written by Otokichi Mikami and stars Kazuo Hasegawa as Yukinojo Nakamura, a celebrated "oyama," or female impersonator, working with the Ichimura kabuki troupe in 1836 Edo. During a performance one night, he .. Read more
| Starring | Kazuo Hasegawa, Fujiko Yamamoto, Ayako Wakao |
|---|---|
| Director | Kon Ichikawa |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, World Cinema |
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An Actor's Revenge
Perhaps director Kon Ichikawa's most stylistically inventive film, AN ACTOR'S REVENGE was adapted from a newspaper serial written by Otokichi Mikami and stars Kazuo Hasegawa as Yukinojo Nakamura, a celebrated "oyama," or female impersonator, working with the Ichimura kabuki troupe in 1836 Edo. During a performance one night, he catches sight of Sansai Dobe (Ganjiro Nakamura), the magistrate who ordered the murder of the actor's father years before. Despite the objections of his teacher, Yukinojo is intent on taking revenge not only against Dobe but against Kawaguchiya (Saburo Date) and Kokaiya (Eijaro Yanagi), businessmen who were also involved in the crime. He intends to begin by seducing Dobe's daughter Namiji (Ayako Wakao), but when she falls in love with him after seeing him on the stage, Yukinojo begins to approach his plan differently. With rice in short supply, Kawaguchiya has tried to corner the market to best business rival Kokaiya. Yukinojo uses the situation to play the two off one another, resulting in successive tragedies for Kawaguchiya. Kokaiya's next action takes everyone by surprise. Ichikawa weds visual and narrative elements of the Kabuki theater to the conventional revenge plot in a coruscating ballet of light, color, and action.
| Starring | Kazuo Hasegawa, Fujiko Yamamoto, Ayako Wakao |
|---|---|
| Director | Kon Ichikawa |
| Studio | BFI VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 48 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Action/Adventure, World Cinema |
| Language | Japanese |
| Subtitles | English |
| Released | DVD: 27 Jan 2003 Production year: 1962 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (2)
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Having starred in the 1935 version, veteran actor Kazuo Hasegawa reprises the dual role of Yukinojo the female impersonator and Yamitaro, the bandit who befriends him. Revelling in his scheme to destroy the triumverate responsible for the suicide of his parents — he starts by seducing the daughter of one of the men — Hasegawa gives a performance of rare immersion and control. While remaining faithful to Daisuke Ito's 1935 original, director Kon Ichikawa creates a nice sense of nostalgia and irony by recreating not only the conventions of Kabuki theatre, but also the look of Japanese painting and the films of the early sound era.
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Yukinojo, a female impersonator in a Kabuki theatre troupe, takes revenge on the three nobles who forced his parents to... read more on Time Out
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Most helpful member's review
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6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
beautiful and stylised
This Japanese movie from the sixties is about a successful female impersonating actor who is bent on revenge. The actor lives as well as performs in female dress and this contrasts with his skill with the blade - he is in fact a trained swordsman.
The sets and costumes are beautiful. It is shot in a quite arty way which is wonderfully atmospheric but slightly artificial.
The joy of the film is the interaction between the characters, a great number who seem to fall madly in love with the actor. In the midst of all this melodrama the actor is restrained, his movements careful and exact.
If you like period Japanese drama, you'll love this beautiful, slightly stylised example. -
Most recent members' review
View all -
6 out of 6 people found this review helpful
beautiful and stylised
This Japanese movie from the sixties is about a successful female impersonating actor who is bent on revenge. The actor lives as well as performs in female dress and this contrasts with his skill with the blade - he is in fact a trained swordsman.
The sets and costumes are beautiful. It is shot in a quite arty way which is wonderfully atmospheric but slightly artificial.
The joy of the film is the interaction between the characters, a great number who seem to fall madly in love with the actor. In the midst of all this melodrama the actor is restrained, his movements careful and exact.
If you like period Japanese drama, you'll love this beautiful, slightly stylised example. -
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Perhaps director Kon Ichikawa's most stylistically inventive film, AN ACTOR'S REVENGE was adapted from a newspaper serial written by Otokichi Mikami and stars Kazuo Hasegawa as Yukinojo Nakamura, a ... -