The Loyal 47 Ronin

This 1932 adaptation is the earliest sound version of the everpopular and muchfilmed Chushingura story of the loyal 47 retainers who avenged their feudal lord after he was obliged to commit harakiri due to the machinations of a villainous courtier As the first sound version of the classic narrative the film was something of an event and employed a stellar cast who give a roster of memorable performances Director Teinosuke Kinugasa was primarily a specialist in jidaigeki period films such as the internationally celebrated Gate of Hell Jigokumon 1953 and although he is now most famous as the maker of the avantgarde silent films A Page of Madness Kurutta ichipeji 1926 and Crossroads Jujiro 1928 Chushingura is in fact more typical of his output than those experimental works The film ranked third in that years Kinema Junpo critics poll and Joseph Anderson and Donald Richie noted that not only the sound but the quick cutting was admired by many critics