Review – The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail

This work from early in Kurosawa’s career is unique among his “samurai” productions for three reasons: it’s the first, at right around an hour it’s the shortest, and the casualty count is remarkably low. Fleeing his brother’s wrath, a feudal lord and a handful of his retainers attempt to escape across a well-guarded frontier by faking their way through a border checkpoint. The story is mostly a matter of subtle touches not easy to capture in a capsule summary. However, the real draw is the visual mastery the director shows here for the first time. Virtually every frame of the entire picture features a masterful use of line, shape and composition worthy of a Japanese print or ink drawing. Thank goodness it wasn’t completely destroyed by the American occupiers who prevented its release in 1945. Worth seeing