THE FUGITIVE (1963)

 








PHENOMENALITY: *uncanny*
MYTHICITY: *fair*
FRYEAN MYTHOS: *drama*
CAMPBELLIAN FUNCTION: *sociological*


With the fourth installment of the Zatoichi movie series, the formula's getting a little stale. Once again Zatoichi has a price on his head. Once again he seeks out a new town, and once again he meets an old love. But this time there are fewer references to old-time Japanese cultural practices, which is one of the things that made the series distinctive from many swordsplay films.

After Zatoichi earns a little money in a wrestling-bout, a clumsy assassin attacks the blind masseuse. After defending himself by killing the man, Zatoichi learns that a new bounty has been placed on his head, and that the dying would-be assassin leaves behind a sole relation, his mother. Zatoichi travels to the town to inform the parent of her son's passing. Though the mother forgives the swordsman, the local Yakuza, who seem to be the ones who placed the new bounty, try to nerve themselves up to attack the formidable hero.

Two romantic arcs dominate the drama. A B-plot is devoted to a young girl (Miwa Takada) in love with a same-age Yakuza leader, who wants him to give up the criminal life. The A-plot involves a woman named Tane (Masayo Banri) who was once Zatoichi's lover but now lives with the Yakuza's pet samurai. Guess which plotline has an unhappy resolution.

There are snatches of decent dialogue but it's very talky. In the film's most notable scene of "superlative skill," the blind man demonstrates his sword-skill by cutting a bottle in half-- lengthwise from top to bottom, and while a Yakuza is still holding the item.

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