A kind of samurai weepie, Love and Honor focuses on the marriage of Shinnojo (Takuya Kimura), a samurai bored with his job as a food-taster for the emperor, and Kayo (Rei Dan), his dutiful and supportive wife. The pair enjoy a rather modern-looking relationship full of teasing and conjecturing about improving their lives (Shinnojo thinks about starting his own dojo to teach martial arts to kids in a supportive, non-punitive way). But everything changes when Shinnojo ingests bad shellfish intended for the emperor—which leaves him blind. Feeling useless and bitter, Shinnojo stays at home while Kayo appeals to his family for help, but all she receives is advice to seek assistance from another samurai (Mitsugoro Bando), who takes sexual advantage of the situation. The fallout sours Shinnojo and Kayo's marriage, giving the former a new reason to carry on as a more authentic samurai: defending Kayo's honor. Based on a story by Shûhei Fujisawa, this domestic drama from filmmaker Yôji Yamada is imbued with a slow, formal tone that evokes a sense of medieval ritual and veiled tragedy behind closed doors. Unfortunately, however, Love and Honor becomes less cinematically interesting the more it turns to melodrama that tugs at the heartstrings. Still, a climactic fight scene is stirring, while the hope of reconciliation between husband and wife remains moving. A strong optional purchase. (T. Keogh)
Love and Honor
Funimation, 125 min., in Japanese w/English subtitles, PG-13, DVD: $24.98, Nov. 11 Volume 23, Issue 6
Love and Honor
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