激動の時代をコミカルに描く人情物語

[From March Issue 2012]

201203-7

Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate © 日活

 

Sun in the Last Days of the Shogunate (Directed by KAWASHIMA Yuzo)

This movie was originally released in 1957. Nikkatsu movie studios, which produced and distributed this work, is now celebrating its 100th anniversary. To mark the occasion, since May last year, this film has been screened as part of a tour of America, Asia and Europe. It was re-released in Japan in late December. More than 50 years have now passed since the movie was made, but it is still quite popular; in 2009 it was ranked fourth by a movie magazine in a list of “all-time best” movies.

Set 150 years ago in 1862, the Edo era – which had lasted for 265 years – is about to end. The location is Sagamiya, an inn in Shinagawa which actually existed. Sagamiya was the first stop for travelers on the Tokaido Road that linked Nihonbashi in Edo to Sanjo-Ohashi in Kyoto. The plot, which mixes in historical fact and fiction, is a fast-paced comedy based on several classic rakugo (comic stories).

Even though he’s broke, our hero, the merchant Saheiji visits Sagamiya. Ignoring his friend’s concerns, he orders lots of alcohol and delicious treats, and encourages his pals to fool around with prostitutes. That night, he lets all his friends return home. The next day, Saheiji honestly confesses that he does not have any money. Angered by Saheiji’s attitude, which is not at all contrite, the owner throws him into a small room full of spider webs.

However, Saheiji slips out of the room and, by doing things like serving customers and solving problems involving prostitutes, manages on each occasion to make some cash. Although some employees consider Saheiji to be a threat to their livelihood, nobody can match his sharp tongue and quick wit. After some time, the owner, prostitutes, and customers of the inn start to ask him for advice.

In this milieu, Saheiji hears about two big plots. One is cooked up by the samurai TAKASUGI Shinsaku and his followers, who have been staying at the inn for a long time. Aiming to prevent the country from opening up to the West by any means necessary, the group plots to set fire to the British legation. This part of the drama is based on historical fact: on December 12, 1862, Takasugi and his men did actually leave Sagamiya in order to set fire to the British legation.

Another plot involves a girl who plans to elope. To pay off her father’s debts, the girl has been sold into a life of prostitution at Sagamiya. In order to save herself from such an intolerable fate, she encourages the owner’s son, a notorious playboy, to elope with her, despite the fact that she does not really like him. When the girl asks him for help, Saheiji gets the girl’s father, who works at the British legation, to draw a plan of the building. In exchange for the plan, Saheiji gets the samurai group to help the couple run away.

One of the attractions of this movie is that the cast features many stars of that period. Though many big stars, like ISHIHARA Yujiro (who plays Takasugi) had supporting roles, in contrast, the lead part of Saheiji was played by Frankie SAKAI, an actor who despite being popular as a comic actor, was not considered to be particularly handsome. This creative casting is one of the factors that continues to attract movie fans of today. 

[2012年3月号掲載記事]

幕末太陽傳(川島雄三 監督)

201203-7

 

1957年に公開された映画。製作・配給した日活の創立100周年記念作品の一つとして、昨年5月からアメリカ、アジア、ヨーロッパで巡回上映された。日本では12月下旬から各地で再上映された。50年以上経った現在も人気は高く、2009年に映画雑誌が行ったオールタイム・ベストの第4位に選ばれた。

時代設定は今から150年前、265年間続いた江戸時代が終わろうとしている1862年。日本橋から京都三条大橋を結ぶ東海道の最初の宿場街である品川に実在した相模屋という宿が舞台になっている。いくつかの古典落語を基にし、歴史的な事実を織り交ぜた、テンポのいいコメディー作品に仕上がっている。

主人公の町人、佐平次と仲間たちは、金もないのに相模屋に出かける。心配する仲間たちをよそに、佐平次は酒やごちそうをたくさん頼み、彼らを遊女と遊ばせる。その夜、佐平次は彼らだけ家に帰す。翌日、佐平次は金がないことを店に打ち明ける。反省していない佐平次に怒った店主は、彼をくもの巣のはった小部屋に追い払う。

ところが、佐平次は勝手に部屋を抜け出すと、接客したり、遊女が巻き込まれたトラブルを解決したりして、その都度、小銭を稼ぐようになる。そんな佐平次に仕事を取られてしまうとじゃまに思う者もいたが、彼の話のうまさや頭の回転のはやさには誰もかなわない。いつしか店主や遊女、客までが佐平次に相談を持ちかけるようになっていく。

そんな中、二つの大きな計画が佐平次の耳に入る。一つは、相模屋に入り浸り、日本が開国に向けて動き始めたことを何としてでも止めようとする高杉晋作ら侍たちによる英国公使館の放火計画。これは、1862年12月12日、計画の中心人物であった高杉らが相模屋から公使館の放火に向かったとされる歴史的事実を基に描かれている。

もう一つは、大工の父親の借金返済の代わりに遊女として相模屋に売られた娘の駆け落ち計画。娘は、遊女にさせられるよりはましと、好きではないが遊び人で有名な相模屋の息子に駆け落ちしようと誘う。その手助けを頼まれた佐平次は、英国公使館で大工仕事をしている娘の父親に設計図を描かせる。それと引き換えに、侍たちに駆け落ちを手伝わせる。

この映画の見どころの一つは、当時のスター俳優たちが多く出演していることにある。さらに、高杉役の石原裕次郎など、多くのスター俳優を脇役に配し、喜劇俳優として人気はあったが二枚目ではないフランキー堺に主演の佐平次を演じさせるなど、配役の面白さでも多くの映画ファンを今なお魅了し続けている。

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