The Hidden Blade is a beautiful film about a noble samurai near the end of the feudal period. He is a man of low samurai ranking, and is finding many aspects of his life being questioned in the fast-changing world. The changes affect him in a profound way, from his personal life, to his respect for the way of the samurai.
The film does not move very fast, and in that regard I did have some trouble staying with it as it it takes some time before the story comes into focus. There are a couple of threads that weave their way through the film. Both have Munezo Katagiri at their center. First there is the feelings that Munezo has for Kie, a girl from a lower caste, unfit to be a samurai's wife, and her mistreatment at the hands of her husband. The other sees the return of an old friend to his life, but in a vastly different way than he had left.
The world is changing in such ways that Katagiri and those like him are being left behind. While he struggles to deal with his bachelor life, and his feelings for Kie, he and his fellow samurai are being forced to switch from the sword to the weapons of the West. A teacher from one of the larger towns has come to instruct them in the ways of the gun, and a new way of running. This leads to some rather humorous sequences.
As troubling as the new weapons are to Katagiri, he seems to take solace in returning home to Kie, after he saves her from her abusive relationship. That is, until the town starts to talk. The relationship is subtle; never do they come out and state their feelings for each other. This would not be in line with the codes and traditions of the time, things that he holds very dear.
As if he did not have enough troubles in his life, Katagiri is chosen to face off with his old friend, Hazama, who is an escaped prisoner, after being discovered plotting against the Shogunate. This, and the holier than though attitudes of the upper class clan members who hand down their choice, bring Katagiri to a crossroads, where he questions his way of life and if those above him respect the traditions.
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