The Hidden Fortress is a great action comedy movie that puts all others to shame. It’s scandalous that today’s audiences have to tolerate clichéd Lethal Weapon-type dialogue and excessive explosions; this film shows that a director can do both well, along with the usual Akira Kurosawa theme of how does one act morally in an immoral world.
Is the ultimate goal profit or the greater good? Each character tries to discover this during the film. Is the ultimate goal DVD sales, audience enjoyment, or greater a work that stands out as one of the greatest of all time? Kurosawa accomplishes all three.
Action and comedy are perfectly balanced. When this film was made, Kurosawa had already proven his ability to conceive great action sequences, build suspense over the course of a film, create emotional close shots between characters, and manipulate light and shadow expertly. In this work, he displays that he can write and direct humourous comedy scenes. He also permits the audience to infer certain details, rather than dumbing down the plot to the lowest common denominator.
The story is told from the point of view of a hapless duo (Tahei and Matashichi) engender audience sympathy despite their crooked nature because of their hilarious exchanges. The protagonists continually argue with each other yet each is enitrely dependent on the other. Those scoundrels walk the line between complete cowardice, utter idiocy, and giddy greed. They move from one misadventure to another following a selfish quest to profit by any means necessary during an ongoing war.
I believe that Kurosawa pioneered the idea of screen wipes as a transition from one scene to another. Unlike George Lucas, he makes the wipe part of the scene, allowing the briefest snapshots (such as when the two jackanapes are pursued for stealing rice) to make the film more dynamic. The score suits the action beautifully. The scene when a mob of destitute prisoners of war escape and overwhelm the organized Samurai army is a great example of Kurosawa’s grand vision, as is the sword fight on horseback.
Tahei and Matashichi follow a general (Toshirô Mifune) and a princess through enemy lines, although they are unaware of their stature at the time. The beggars initially join the gang and face danger for the promise of gold but at the end receive self-satisfaction because they contributed to a good cause, despite the lack of reward.
This film should be screen at the Bloor Cinema; I think the audience would feel comfortable laughing at the many light-hearted moments. Although I complimented Mifune during a previous post for his great range, he seems to find a way to work the same laugh into every film. The Hidden Fortress is highly recommended (and totally ridiculous). ****