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Tatsuya Nakadai, Akira Ishihama, Shima Iwashita, Tetsuro Tamba, Rentaro Mikuni ... see more see more... , Yoshio Inaba , Masao Mishima , Yoshio Aoki , Jo Azumi , Hisashi Igawa , Ichirô Nakaya , Kei Sato , Shouji Kobayashi , Shichisaburo Amatsu , Shoji Kobayashi

This well-regarded Japanese drama follows an aging samurai as he attempts to regain his family's honor. In 17th century Japan, a shift in the country's political structure has thrown the feudal Shogun... read more read more... system into disuse. Impoverished samurai wander the countryside, asking wealthy estate owners if they can commit hara-kiri, a grisly form of suicide, on their property. The usual and honorable response is an offer of some work for food or shelter. Into the house of a lord comes Hanshiro Tsugumo (Tatsuya Nakadai), an elderly warrior who asks chief retainer Kageyu Saito (Rentaro Mikuni) that the manor's three hired swordsmen serve as his seconds in the ritual. When the appointed hour arrives, however, the swordsmen do not appear, dishonoring the man. Hanshiro reveals himself to be the father-in-law of Motome Chijiiwa (Yoshio Inaba), a young samurai who had earlier approached Saito and been cruelly forced to go through with the fatal act, disemboweling himself with a dull bamboo blade, as his own had been sold to feed his family. ~ Karl Williams, Rovi

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96% liked it

5,170 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

5 critics

Unrated, 2 hr. 15 min.

Directed by: Masaki Kobayashi

Release Date: January 1, 1962

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DVD Release Date: August 23, 2005

Stats: 399 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (399)

  • DragonEyeMorrison
    September 4, 2011
    DragonEyeMorrison
    A powerful critique of the feudal system, the hipocrisy and the persecution of individuality. The parade of a false sense of "honor" that sacrifices human beings for the sake of a facade, an illusion of prosperity, of doing the "right" thing. Kobayashi's direction is impecable as... read more usual, and the cast is top-notch. Pretty much what cinematic perfection looks and feels, we watch with a great sense of sorrow for Tsugumo. never with pity. One of the jewels of japanese cinema.
  • Saxia
    November 29, 2008
    Saxia
    I've been waiting a long time to watch this movie, but now I've finally seen it!
    This movie is different from other samurai movies, because it criticizes the samurai code; Bushido, and doesn't romanticize it.

    Nakadai is as wonderful as ever with his colorful range of expression... read mores, nobody else can portray as much intensity as he does.

    Masaki Kobayashi (the director) definitely is a Master of Cinema!
  • binky013
    September 24, 2007
    binky013
    Seppuku

    I don't know if this is the best samurai project ever brought to screen, but I'm willing to bet that it is right up there. Actually billed as an anti-samurai film, this bare-bones black & white drama cuts to the core of the samurai way of life in an exa

    ... read moremination of the validity of the samurai code. Although the code ultimately stands up to close scrutiny, albeit unsteadily, it is finally only through revisionist manipulation that it does hold up at all. In short, the way of the samurai, or bushido, finally just survives this anti-samurai treatment, teetering upon a shaky foundation made up of lies perpetrated through sheer force of authoritarian pronouncement and will. This not only demonstrates how the myth and mystique of bushido survive, but it also gives good insight into the way those in power can turn fact into accepted self-serving fiction.

    As an aside, while watching Harakiri, Eastwood's High Plains Drifter, an American anti-western that performs a similar function of undercutting the perceived code, the collective bravado, of the gun-slinging West, kept coming to mind. That's another one I must watch again.
  • webalina
    June 30, 2007
    webalina
    A great example of the flaw in basing your opinion of an event on circumstantial evidence instead of the facts.
  • sanjurosamurai
    June 20, 2007
    sanjurosamurai
    This was a really good movie. its a samurai classic and tatsuya nakadai was amazing as always. he is definitely one of the finest japanese actors ever. i didnt like a few aspects of the way that the story was revealed, and too much of the pay off was given too early in the fil... read morem, but it was very good. the story was great and the message of corruption and hypocrasy in fuedal japan was strong, a great samurai film.
  • gator681
    June 28, 2010
    gator681
    [font=Century Gothic]"Harakiri" starts out on May 13, 1630 at 4:00 pm as a ronin, Hashiro Tsugumo(Tatsuya Nakadai), formerly of Clan Fukushima petitions Clan Iyi in Edo to use their forecourt for the purpose of comitting harakari(ritual suicide). Since the dissolution of Clan Fu... read morekushima eleven years before, Tsugumo has had to struggle for whatever food he can find and because this is a time of peace, samurai are not in any kind of demand. The senior counselor, Kageyu Saito(Rentaro Mikuni), considers his petition.(A similar event happened to another clan in Edo recently and they were so taken with the ronin's honor, that they made him a retainer. Ever since then, ronin have been making similar petitions and usually have been sent away with at least some charity.) But first Saito tells him about the fate of the last person, Motome Chijiwa(Akira Ishihama), who made the same petition to him. Undeterred, Tsugumo still wants to go forward. That is when things get complicated...[/font]

    [font=Century Gothic]"Harakiri" is an enthralling and powerful movie that starts out with a simple situation and uses flashbacks to support a complex and multi-layered story structure. There is very little action until the end. The film may be too long and does certainly bog down in the middle but it is utterly fascinating, none the less.[/font]

    [font=Century Gothic]The movie is about honor and pride but no matter how important those traits may be, they will still not put food on the table. Also, a higher status does not necessarily make for a better person.[/font]
  • fb100000496792525
    February 1, 2011
    fb100000496792525
    Magnificent!
  • fb208103125
    October 19, 2011
    fb208103125
    One of the most beautiful and emotional Samurai films I have ever had the pleasure of watching! The story actually goes in a uniquely different portrayal of the Japanese feudal system and even of the Samurai code. It has a very human touch that is truly inspiring and heart wren... read moreching all the same. With an intense and emotional buildup, the last half an hour really explodes into "an orgy of violence" as my good friend and frequent film watcher Brad said. The violence, unlike most modern films, is an expression of a means to an end and upholding personal honor for oneself and their family. It is justified and beautiful in it's savagery and blood lust. Tatsuya Nakadai does an amazing job and his portrayal of the down and out samurai is brilliant in it's complexity! This is truly a marvel to behold thanks to Criterion's stunning Blu-ray transfer of this gorgeous B&W film! Highly Highly Recommended!
  • lesleyanorton
    June 3, 2011
    lesleyanorton
    I'm rubbish at long, old, black and white slow-moving Japanese dramas..zzzzz. But this one's a gem.
    Unemployed samurai have started turning up at feudal lords homes, requesting to commit hara-kiri. In respect of their honour, they get offered a job instead... but this just e... read morencourages more samurai to turn up with the same request. What to do?
    One house decides to take the next samurai up on his offer and let him kill himself in the hope of discouraging others. However the samurai who comes after, has a hidden agenda ...
    The film reminded me of Twelve Angry Men. The whole drama is played out in the rooms and courtyard of the feudal lord (with a few flashbacks) and most of the time is spent in cat-and-mouse dialog as the lord and the samurai try to get the upper hand, one wanting an end to these perky samurai, the other having a story to tell and wanting it heard.
    Fascinating.
  • brandonklaus2
    June 21, 2009
    brandonklaus2
    I was a bit unsure until the climax, which was amazing. That and the greatest bamboo sword suicide made it for me.

View All Harakiri Reviews

Critic Reviews

Colin Covert
September 8, 2005
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune

A devastating, emotionally intense critique of the feudal system's hypocrisy and the warrior's code. Full Review

Jeffrey M. Anderson
October 29, 2011
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid

A masterful chess game, filled with many carefully constructed moves, each arranged to fit in a particular place. It's glorious to behold. Full Review

Anton Bitel
September 14, 2011
Anton Bitel, Little White Lies

even if Kobayashi's first period film is an exemplary tale speaking as much to our own times as to Japan's feudal era, it is also a ripping yarn, keeping the viewer gripped with its jigsaw structure a... Full Review

October 24, 2008
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Bosley Crowther
August 1, 2005
Bosley Crowther, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Emanuel Levy
June 19, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

No review available.

Michael Szymanski
July 9, 2003
Michael Szymanski, Zap2it.com

No review available.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Harakiri Trivia

  • Which actor appeared in all five of these "Samurai Cinema" classics; "Yojimbo", Samurai Rebellion", "Sword of Doom" "Sanjuro", and "Harakiri"?   Answer »
  • in the film "Harakiri" (Masaki Kobayashi, 1962), "Motome Chijiwa" must commit the act in which manner?  Answer »
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