You'd be forgiven for thinking that 'Yojimbo (1961)' is familiar if you've already seen 'A Fistful Of Dollars (1964)'; Leone's western is pretty much a shot for shot remake of the Kurasowa classic. Its long stretches of silence before a duel, its grimacing faces of weather-worn goons and its brief flashes of stylish violence all clearly inspired the design of the entire 'Dollars' trilogy. This is only really relevant to the experience of 'Yojimbo (1961)' if you watch the two movies in reverse (as it were), as they really are almost identical in narrative and tone. It's a good thing, then, that they're about as good as one another. This samurai story sees a nameless wanderer work his way between two feuding gang bosses, making as much money as possible and maybe just saving the people who really matter along the way. Mifune's protagonist is a bit of a blank slate, his underlying morals hidden behind a facade of unflinching toughness. For as good as he is with a blade, he rarely has to use it. This lack of action isn't a problem, however, as it simply makes the few fights there are all the more impactful. They're fast, frenetic and dirty, stained with beautifully shot black-and-white blood. There's a coldness about the killing that mightn't sit right with a good chunk of the audience and that's a valid criticism. Still, the thing moves fast enough that no cruelty is ever lingered on, focused on delivering a tight and engaging plot right from the start. It's an entertaining film, even if it isn't as deep or emotionally impactful as some of Kurosawa's other work. It's carefully crafted and stands the test of time, too. 7/10
Review of Yojimbo
