A Spectacular Showdown (1959)
One of the great stories from Japan’s rich history comes to life in this true tale of the bloody showdown between two rival yakuza gangs in the 1840’s. The battle between Boss Sukegoro of Iioka and Boss Shigezo of Sasagawa has been portrayed many times, most notably in the first Zatoichi film, where the blind man befriends the tubercular ronin Hirate Miki, before cutting him down in one of the great duels in cinema history. This all-star extravaganza pulls out all the stops, with appearances by virtually all of the great actors and actresses from Toei’s studio at the time. Ichikawa Utaemon’s portrayal of the kind-hearted, noble yakuza boss Shigezo of Sasagawa contrasts sharply with the devious Sukegoro of Iioka. Corrupt as he may have been, his men were all willing to give up their lives for him.
Cast
- Utaemon Ichikawa - Sasagawa no Shigezo
- Chiyonosuke Azuma - Kiyotaki no Sakichi
- Kinnosuke Nakamura - Sunosaki no Masakichi
- Koinosuke Onoe
- Kōtarō Satomi
- Tomisaburō Wakayama
- Sentarō Fushimi
- Keiko Yukishiro
- Satomi Oka
- Keiko Okawa
Screenplay
- Hajime Takaiwa (Screenplay)
Themes
Martial Arts Showdown, Martial Arts and Action
Keywords
samurai
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is A Spectacular Showdown about?
- One of the great stories from Japan’s rich history comes to life in this true tale of the bloody showdown between two rival yakuza gangs in the 1840’s. The battle between Boss Sukegoro of Iioka and Boss Shigezo of Sasagawa has been portrayed many times, most notably in the first Zatoichi film, where the blind man befriends the tubercular ronin Hirate Miki, before cutting him down in one of the great duels in cinema history. This all-star extravaganza pulls out all the stops, with appearances by virtually all of the great actors and actresses from Toei’s studio at the time. Ichikawa Utaemon’s portrayal of the kind-hearted, noble yakuza boss Shigezo of Sasagawa contrasts sharply with the devious Sukegoro of Iioka. Corrupt as he may have been, his men were all willing to give up their lives for him.
- Who directed A Spectacular Showdown?
- A Spectacular Showdown was directed by Yasushi Sasaki.
- Who stars in A Spectacular Showdown?
- A Spectacular Showdown stars Utaemon Ichikawa, Chiyonosuke Azuma, Kinnosuke Nakamura, Koinosuke Onoe, Kōtarō Satomi, Tomisaburō Wakayama.
- How long is A Spectacular Showdown?
- A Spectacular Showdown has a runtime of 1h 54m (114 minutes).
- What genre is A Spectacular Showdown?
- A Spectacular Showdown is a Action film.
- Where was A Spectacular Showdown produced?
- A Spectacular Showdown was produced in Japan.
- What are the themes of A Spectacular Showdown?
- The themes of A Spectacular Showdown include: Martial Arts Showdown, Martial Arts and Action.