Sansho the Bailiff

As much as I hate the nickname, Kenji Mizoguchi is considered one of "three masters of Japanese cinema" alongside Kurosawa and Ozu. I've read that his films are most diverse when compared to the other two and it becomes very apparent when I compare his Sansho the Bailiff (1954) to Ugetsu: while Ugetsu is extremely poetic and otherwordly, Sansho the Bailiff is rougher and more direct and gripping in its depiction of the world. The film concentrates on the tragedy of a family breaking apart: the wife and children of a former governor are captured by slave traders and we, the viewers, witness their struggle to reunite.

The most accomplished aspect of the film's content is certainly its narrative. It is incredibly dense - and it seems like there is no limit for the amount of plot development that takes place. The storytelling is not only dense, but also well structured: it's one of the best tragedies I've ever seen. There are a few moments of redemption here and there, but the slow descent into the tragic ending is as painful as it should be. At its core, the movie is about perseverance and integrity during hard times. Naturally, this includes Mizoguchi's observations on the position of women in Japan.

Mizoguchi's form works well as well - although I'm not sure if it is as great as in Ugetsu. His camerawork is very precise and striking, but there are moments when it is too simple when compared to the rest of the film. However, his cinematography and editing form unforgettable scenes in the film, like the moment the children are separated from the mother: it's a masterful scene even by Mizoguchi's own standards.

In the end, Sansho the Bailiff is a fascinating film that deserves its praise, but I do not appreciate it as much as his earlier film, Ugetsu.

Score: 9 out of 10