Keepers of Order (Seizoroi Kanhasshu)

Seizoroi kanhasshu (1962)

TOEI COMPANY, LTD.

KEEPERS OF ORDER

Produced by: Junichiro TAMAKI Screenplay by: Shinji KESSOKU

Photography by: Hiroshi MATSUI Lighting by: Yoshiaki MASUDA Sound recording by: Shigeji NAKAYAMA Art Direction by: Takatoshi SUZUKI Music by: Eiichi YAMADA Editor: Shintaro MIYAMOTO

CAST

Kunisada Chuji: Chiezo KATAOKA

Tomokichi: Kinya KITAOJI Omaeda Eijiro: Hiroki MATSUKATA

Mori Ishimatsu: Shingo YAMASHIRO Mitsugi Bunzo: Totsomasu SAWAMURA Nikko Enzo: Yataro KUROKAWA Omaeda Eigoro: Kenji SUSUKIDA Sasagawa Shigezo: Tomisaburo WAKAYAMA

Ofusa: Tetsuko KOBAYASHI Omitsu: Noriko KITAZAWA Mistress Shinobu: Shinobu CHIHARA Ohama: Chikage OGI Otoki: Naoko KUBO

Togami Gundayu: Kusuo ABE Shozo: Shin TOKUDAIJI Matsugoro: Yoshio YOSHIDA Togoro: Juro HOSHI Kichigoro: Koshiro HARADA Nizaemon: Ryosuke KAGAWA Sukegoro Iioka: Tatsuya ISHIGURO

Sakurabashi Minosuke: Kokichi TAKADA Hirate Miki: Jushiro KONOE Nakayama Seiichiro: Ryunosuke TSUKIGATA

Directed by: Yasushi SASAKI

Mt. Akagi sure looks gloomy today.

The Kunisada are trapped like rats.

It's execution time for Chuji.

Well?

They're surging on the mountain!

From all sides, by the hundreds!

There's no way out of the mountain!

So this is it.

What's going to happen to Boss Kunisada?

What did he do wrong?

All he did was give us rice!

And ask the sheriff to ease up on our taxes!

I know.

The sheriff's in cahoots with the Hasshu marshal!

His posse's made up of Onijizo's kin!

That two-faced Onijizo Matsugoro's after Boss Kunisada's turf!

That's right!

Calm down!

Calm down or you'll play right into the sheriff's hands.

That outlaw Chuji is finished.

Now we have the south Kanto provinces under control, Seiichiro.

We have to squeeze the peasants for all they're worth,

and put those outlaws in their place.

Got that, Matsugoro?

No need to remind me, Sir Nakayama.

I do have the law in my hand.

Good, good.

You'll be one of the biggest gambling bosses

in the Hasshu provinces, like Iioka of Shimogusa.

I have one more big rival to take care of, though.

You mean Omaeda Eigoro?

How is he, Seiichiro? I hear he's ailing.

Leave Omaeda to me.

I'll take care of him with Matsugoro when I'm done with Chuji.

Good planning.

The peasants are making a commotion.

Get out of control and I'll throw them all in jail.

Good idea. I'll warn the village squire tonight.

You do that.

Someone!

You..!

Want something with me?

It's Chuji, men!

You're wasting your breath.

You sent them all to Mt. Akagi.

I won't stay long. I just want to ask one thing.

The last 3 years have been lean ones for the peasants

and they can barely keep themselves fed.

What will you do about taxes this year?

Back off! I'm asking the sheriff.

Well, sheriff? What do you plan to do?

Kill him, Seiichiro!

It's Chuji! Arrest him!

You leave me no choice.

Kunisada Chuji is fiercer than the devil, someone said.

He kills with a smile on his face!

Are you the crack Hasshu marshal Nakayama?

If you're in cahoots with the likes of Matsugoro,

you're just another greedy, money-hungry louse!

Boss! The sheriff's posse's coming back.

I won't let you have your way around here,

not so long as I live!

You're wanted!

Don't bother with these small fry! Run!

Everyone here?

All of us.

Come on!

After them! Round up a posse!

After them!

The boss won!

The sheriff's dead!

Be quiet!

What if the officers hear you?

Let's all go home.

So what happens now, dad?

I don't know.

I know what drove Boss Chuji to do what he did,

but this is bad.

Brother..? Where were you?

Dad, I killed Onijizo Matsugoro.

What?

I never dreamed Boss Kunisada would make

the first move and attack the sheriff's office.

I figured he'd be arrested,

the village would fall prey to that sheriff and Matsugoro,

and I had to do something.

I took this sword I had hidden away,

and snuck over to the sheriff's office.

That's when Boss Chuji came out after killing the sheriff,

and in all the commotion, I killed Matsugoro.

You didn't!

Did the officers see you?

What are we going to do, dad?

I can't stay in this village, dad.

I don't want to cause you and Omitsu trouble.

Disown me right now.

The officers can't hold you responsible for

a son you've disowned.

I have to go now. Forgive me, dad.

Take care of dad, Omitsu.

Wait, Tomokichi.

I won't try to stop you. You do what you have to.

But don't you ever forget the toiling peasants.

I won't.

I loaned out money to struggling villagers, so this is all I have.

You take it.

Dad..!

Now go. Don't worry about us.

Don't let anyone see you. Boss Chuji once told me

where he goes when he leaves Mt. Akagi.

Let's see. Let's see.

It says Kunisada Chuji's wanted.

He slew the sheriff and fled. Now that's a yakuza for you.

Chuji really did it. I'm so proud of him.

I gave that guy food to eat.

We shared drinks as sworn brothers.

Those were the days.

Bet that Chuji's thinking about us somewhere.

Beat it.

What do you want?

Now what was that you were just saying?

Boss, that was just...

Since you remember Chuji so well, come tell me about it.

We meant Chuji, the greengrocer.

That Chuji.

Right!

Get serious?

Sorry, sir!

Who are you?

You must be a man of the law and an important one.

Don't bother with these jokers.

That's right, sir. Excuse us.

Tell me something.

What is it?

Do you know where Kunisada Chuji went?

Why do you want to know?

I have to see Chuji.

And what?

I want to give him a hand.

What?

But if a lawman like you doesn't know,

I'll have to go ask at the sheriff's office.

What's your name and where are you from?

I'm just a vagrant samurai, no one important.

But I'll tell you anyway. I'm Hirate Miki.

Hirate Miki?

Please.

Long time no see, Hirate.

Fancy office for a Hasshu marshal.

Only for now.

I'm the acting sheriff until his replacement gets here.

I heard Kunisada Chuji killed him.

News spreads fast along the highway.

I just gave a lawman a ribbing about it.

The cornered rat bit the cat.

I heard you were right there.

I don't know how good a swordsman Chuji is,

but surely you could have saved the sheriff.

Did you stand there and watch so you could be the next sheriff?

What do you think?

Well, never mind. Give me wine instead of tea.

I know. I heard you left Chiba Fencing School,

but I didn't expect you to look me up.

I traveled throughout Kanto but got bored,

and that's when I thought of you.

And mooching off me for wine?

You could say that.

You were the best fencer at Chiba Fencing School,

and now you're just a vagrant samurai.

That's how it is.

You can't get a commission without connections.

I was your rival and look at me.

I'm still a lowly Hasshu marshal,

patrolling Kanto for outlaw yakuza, bums, and peasants.

Making money on the side with two-faced lawmen?

Say what you like.

That's how I can afford to give you an allowance.

Here's 10 ryo, Miki.

But I could give you twice or three times as much.

What do I have to do?

Kunisada Chuji can take on any Hasshu officer.

I think you could kill him.

Not for small change.

What?

No deal necessary. I'll kill Chuji.

I have a purpose now,

something I lost when I left Chiba Fencing School.