FAQ for
Yojimbo (1961) More at IMDbPro »

The following FAQ entries may contain spoilers. Only the biggest ones (if any) will be covered with spoiler tags. Spoiler tags have been used sparingly in order to make the page more readable.

For detailed information about the amounts and types of (a) sex and nudity, (b) violence and gore, (c) profanity, (d) alcohol, drugs, and smoking, and (e) frightening and intense scenes in this movie, consult the IMDb Parents Guide for this movie. The Parents Guide for Yojimbo can be found here.

Japanese film director Akira Kurosawa [1910-1998] both wrote and directed Yojimbo [English: The Bodyguard] although he has admitted to basing it on The Glass Key (1947), an adaptation of the 1931 novel of the same name by Dashiell Hammett [1894-1961]. Some Kurosawa scholars argue that the inspiration was Red Harvest (1929), also by Dashiell Hammett. Both novels deal with corrupt officials and businessmen.

It's the silk-merchant (you already hear his prayer-drum at the beginning of the film, when Gonji does his exposition-speech to the newly-arrived rônin), going after the sake-merchant.

If you like this movie, try some of Akira Kurosawa's jidaigeki cinema, like Ran (1985), Kagemusha (1980), and Shichinin no samurai [Seven Samurai] (1954).