Ultimateserge’s Block

Harakiri-1962 June 6, 2010

Rating*****

Directed by:  Masaki Kobayashi

Starring:

Seppuku, or Harakiri, is a form of ritual suicide by disembowelment, reserved for those who would rather die with honor than live with shame. Originally reserved for Samurai, it later crept through many other parts of Japanese culture-even though it may have fallen out of popularity(is “popular” the correct label for suicide?), due to the rise of easier methods for ending one’s own existence.

Due to the peaceful times of the film, samurai are left without Lords or Houses to honor and defend which has led to them being unemployed. In such unfortunate times samurai are forced to participate in menial tasks just to feed themselves. These conditions have obliged disgraced samurai to approach certain Houses for aid in committing seppuku-for every person committing this act requires a second to behead him after disembowelment. As daring as samurai may be the Houses are not enthusiastic to grant such a wish, and to avoid such commotion have on many instances offered aid to the distressed samurai in  return; however, many have taken advantage of this situation to garner money as an excuse for seppuku.

 The story of Harakiri is set upon an accomplished samurai, Hanshiro Tsugumo, who in dire straits want to commit seppuku within at the house of a Lord, Kageyu Saito. Kageyu admires Hanshiro’s composure, determination, and honesty and is more than welcome to grant his service to such a deserving samurai. However, before he grants him his wish, he tells a tale of a man from the same House as Hanshiro Tsugumo, named Motome Chijiiwa-whom Hanshiro denies remembering. Kageyu tells of this foolish young samurai’s attempt to commit seppuku with a bamboo sword, and the pain and anguish that the process carried for him and the onlookers. Hanshiro assures Kageyu that he will not back down from his decision, regardless of the pain and misery that will undeniably follow.

 As the clan readies itself to see such an honorable samurai commit suicide, Hanshiro asks the Kageyu if it is possible to choose his own second. He recites name after name, but unfortunately all his choices have taken leave of absence for one reason or another. Kageyu respectfully sends a messenger to see if it is possible that any of Hanshiro’s desired seconds attend the ceremony. In the meantime, to engage the samurai, Hanshiro chooses to tell the tale of his daunting life which turns to be a stimulating experience and shocks Kageyu who ends up with more than one dead samurai on his hands by the time Hanshiro’s suicide is complete.

 Harakiri is in its true form an anti-authoritarian film, which vivid symbolism such as a hideous complete set of samurai armor that displays the honor which is so dearly  held by all samurai; such a piece of honor freezes the entire army of samurai as they feel this set of armor is threatened. Harakiri, however, is not about honor, as much as it is opposed to honor, displaying the utter sham that it is, and the lives that such an unnecessary concept destroys.

 The beauty of Harakiri lies in the fact that it simply allows the audience to infer its philosophy rather than enforcing it upon the audience. Hollywood films such as Clint Eastwood’s The Unforgiven could be classified as having similar anti-authoritarian, anti-violence, peaceful messages as Harakiri, but with a more obvious and enforced personality. . The film gains its edge by always challenging us, and making the audience wonder what other trick could Hanshiro have up his sleeve? The films relationship with samurai is quite brutal, labeling their attitude and antics as excessive, unordinary, and simply barbaric.

 The blatant force of Harakiri lies in its surprise, condemnation, and provocation that it lends toward its subject. Director Kobayashi shows his resent and distaste for the samurai way, its acceptable violent nature, and its delusional code of honor that not only makes the life, and death of a samurai, a surreal experience, but it asserts possession over the samurai’s individual life in a way that he is not his own man even in death; even at the last moment of death, he is prisoner to his Lord and his House. Harakiri condemns the institution for degrading the samurai to such a condition that even in peaceful times he cannot be responsible for his eternal end; but further so, criticizes the samurai for allowing the institution of feeding him such empty concepts. Hanshiro’s suicide is not a mere disembowelment, but a noble mission that tears open the defected heart of the seemingly noble duties that men swear to protect, respect, and admire.

 In addition to its philosophical beauty, Harakiri is masterfully acted by a group of talented actors, among whom Tatsuya Nakadai’s portrayal of Hanshiro Tsugumo, known for his long relationship with Akira Kurosawa and Kobayashi himself, leaves the most impression; as he says himself, in the bonus interview segment-offered by the Criterion Collection-Hanshiro seems to be automatically fit a method actor such as Toshiro Mifune, but Nakadai pulls of his job with great compassion for the main character. Besides the flashbacks of the past, that dominate much of the film, the rest of the film is set in the open boundaries of the House, with Hanshiro placed in the center of the field while all the samurai, including the Lord are seated in a distance, almost forming a fence around him to insure that there is no chance of escaping the conditions set for him. Considered a front runner by many, including the cast members, for the Palme d’Or, Harakiri rightfully garnered the Special Jury Prize, as the top prize went to another masterful film, Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard.