FIGHT, ZATOICHI, FIGHT
(Japanese Title: Zatôichi kesshô-tabi)(1964 - Japan)
With Shintaro Katsu, Hizuro Takachiho
Directed by Kenji Misumi
Reviewed by JB
Feeling responsible
for a
mother's death, Zatoichi
journeys to reunite her baby with its father. Needless to say,
there are yakuza gang members
on his trail
trying to kill him, kid or no kid. At this
point, I seriously doubt they even
remember why they want to kill him any more except that it is expected
of
them. It leads to fun scenes scenes where Ichi kills off six or
seven in a row while changing diapers.
Shintaro Katsu is as throroughly
convincing in his love
for the child as he is in every other situation he and his
screenwriters invent for the character. He remains a subtle actor
whose every movement seems to emanate from his character, making nearly
every Ichi film so far worth sitting through. (But I could do without
the
"pee" gags and the scene of Ichi nursing the little tot.)
Of course, this is an Ichi adventure,
so there are fights, many fights,
as Master Ichi tangles with sumo wrestlers and hired killers, at one
point having to do battle with an entire gang while his clothes are on
fire. But
the yakuza goons in this film
are relegated to secondary status, popping up every now and then to be
slaughtered by Ichi, who shushes them after they scream their screams
of
death - we wouldn't want to wake up the baby now, would we? The
emphasis is always on Ichi the man, the proud godfather, and his
journey.
As usual, there is a woman, only this time
she's not the usual icky little Ichi-worshipper but a feisty
pickpocket who joins up with Ichi to steal his moneybag but winds up
learning to love Ichi and the little boy. Played by Hizuro Takachiho,
she's the best Ichi-sidekick yet. With the nanny posing as Ichi's
wife, the film gives us a glimpse of the happiness Ichi could have as a
family man had he not condemned himself to a life of
eternal wandering atonement. As good as the domestic
scenes are, they are tinged with sadness, as we know that by the end of
the film, Ichi will be on the road again, alone, no wife, no baby, only
a makeshift toy in his ragged pocket, just another memento of a few
fleeting moments of bliss he once had.
Directed by Kenji Misumi, who helmed the
first Zatoichi film, FIGHT, ZATOICHI, FIGHT is beautifully shot, with
Misumi taking advantage not only of the widescreen format but also the
gorgeous natural scenery of Japan. Although this film is the
seventh in two years, with an eighth to follow before 1964 was over,
FIGHT, ZATOICHI, FIGHT never feels like it is rushed or filmed on the
cheap. It is a finely polished film that can be enjoyed on its
own or as part of the series. 
- JB
http://thestuffyougottawatch.com
Copyright © 2008 John V. Brennan, John Larrabee