Kagemusha

Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha is the sort of movie in which its story offers proof that talent isn't necessary to be a leader. You just got to look the part.

In a 16th-century Japan embroiled in war, a petty thief is saved from execution by the lord of one of the armies, because of the thief's uncanny similarity to the lord. The lord and his brother (who also looks and acts like the lord - we'll get to that later) discuss the matter and it's decided the thief will be of some use.

It's not just any old use. The lord wants the thief to be his double - one who will play the role of the lord if anything should happen to the genuine article. This happens quite quickly in this story; the lord is shot during an attack in enemy territory, and dies a couple of days later.

The whole doubling concept is clearly strategic - the lord says in the film's beginning that he'll do anything to win, which obviously includes deceiving everyone about the truth of his death when it occurs. The lord tells his close and trusted advisors to keep the news of his death secret for three years. He also tells them to make sure the army holds its ground and stay in position for that time.

So the thief becomes the lord, but it's not easy. The thief wants to get away from the situation - he actually tries to steal from the lord's family until he opens up a large vase-type thing which turns out to where the lord's body is kept before it's drifted out to sea the next day. After coming face to face with death, the thief still wants to get out of there. But the next day he changes his mind after overhearing two spies hiding nearby making really close guesses as to what is being floated out to sea. The thief's need to protect the honour of those who spared his life makes him accept the position.

Incredibly, very few suspect this guy is a fraud. Once the impostor trots out on his horse, dressed like the lord, even stroking his mustache like the lord, all the soldiers are happy to see him having recovered from his gunshot wound and willing to continue leading the troops into battle. Even the spies are fairly convinced this is the real guy. (This is followed by a classic bit where the impostor falls off his horse, luckily out of view of both spies and loyal subjects)

I think it would have to take one enormous ego to actually want people to think you are still alive after your actual death. Most leaders would merely be content with a successor who possesses some of their ideals. But this guy wants everyone to literally think the new boss is really the old boss! It's essentially the old lord's way of staying in the game even after his factual death. His grip on the situation has loosened greatly now that he's dead, obviously, but that grip hasn't completely fallen apart. The soldiers think they are still fighting for him, while the opposition still tries to figure out his strategy (the opposition has its suspicions, but without proof they are just going to have to assume the lord's still alive and pulling the strings).

The person I immediately thought of when watching this film was Saddam Hussein, who also had his share of doubles. In his case, the doubles seemed to function as distractions for people who perhaps could be trying to assassinate him. Although after watching this film, I wonder... who is the guy on trial right now for war crimes? And, in general, if the doubles were successful in imitating Hussein, then could we tell them apart? Would we know who the real guy was? Would the double know who the real guy was - would he even know himself anymore?

These questions hover around Kagemusha as well. The lord's brother has also acted as a double at one time (during the first scene, he helplessly performs the same mannerisms as the lord who is sitting right beside him), and is more or less resigned to the fact his own identity has been subverted while he devoted himself to his more powerful brother. And the thief soon moves down the same path - he picks up enough that everyone is convinced this nobody is the leader of a powerful army. Even the people who know the truth about him find themselves moved when the impostor demonstrates how much of the old lord's mannerisms he's picked up.

Although Kagemusha is exactly three hours long, it is not difficult. Oh, I suppose there's a lot of history I'm missing and the story may in fact hold more significance if I knew that historical background. But otherwise, the basic drama is easily understood. The drama includes the lord's son, who knows of the deception and greatly resents it. For one, his father didn't name him heir, but rather his grandson instead. And secondly, he has to watch while this guy, who after all is nothing but a thief, takes all the credit for battles his father was involved in.

It seems, otherwise, that all the adults in this picture who don't already know the truth are quite willing to believe the lie. There's a great scene where the impostor, in a fit of frustration, tells the lord's mistress the whole truth - of course, all the women laugh and think the lord is just being silly.

However, the most pure of the world's creatures don't have all those psychological barriers to contend with. The lord's little grandson, in a funny scene, openly says this guy isn't his granddad. And don't get me started on the horses' reactions when this guy tries to saddle up on them...

Kagemusha is just as much about the visuals and pacing as it is about the story, which is probably why the story itself is not cluttered and complicated despite its length. Kurosawa was working on this film for years, making elaborate storyboards of many of the scenes, and it shows in the final product, which feels very meticulous and formal. There's many huge scenes with seemingly hundreds and hundreds of extras, lots of colourful, painterly images and a pacing which feels quite comfortable. The movie is long, doesn't go too fast, but it doesn't feel too slow either.

... although if you're an action buff, this may not be the film for you. There isn't a lot of violent content (the film is rated PG) - as I said, the movie is more about the visuals, and the quiet drama behind the scenes, than about action.

The Criterion DVD naturally looks good, and its extras in part reveal how Hollywood played a big part in this Japanese production. Kurosawa was doing badly at the time; he couldn't get any funding for his projects. George Lucas and Francis Ford Coppola wanted to support the guy, and convinced 20th Century Fox to pony up some funds so Kurosawa could finish the project.

That fact is certainly very remarkable to me, as Kagemusha is definitely not a 'Hollywood' production of any kind. It's akin to some of the classic epics - I'm thinking more along the lines of Lawrence of Arabia and The Bridge on the River Kwai, or even Kurosawa's The Seven Samurai - and is very entertaining. It's definitely just as good as any of Kurosawa's other great films - although my next task will have to be to watch Ran one of these days