The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail
1945 · Movie · Not Rated · 59 min · ★ 6.7 · 83% critics
A hunted noble and a small band of loyal followers pose as traveling monks to pass through enemy territory. Their journey builds toward a tense encounter at a guarded checkpoint, where quick thinking, loyalty, and nerve matter more than force.
Also known as The Men Who Tread on the Tiger's Tail (Series 23: The First Films of Akira Kurosawa)
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Details
- Original title
- 虎の尾を踏む男達
- Years
- 1945
- Release date
- 1952-04-24
- Language
- Japanese
- Rated
- Not Rated
- Runtime
- 59 min
- Critic score
- 83/100
- TMDB rating
- 6.7/10 (100 votes)
About
You may like this if you enjoy compact, old-school samurai stories with a theatrical feel and a key suspense sequence, especially if Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto or Throne of Blood appeal to you; Not for you if you want nonstop action or a fast pace.
Pros: tense checkpoint setup; loyalty and honor themes; brief runtime | Cons: uneven pacing; stagey presentation; broad comic relief
Themes
- jidaigeki
- heian period
Awards & recognition
- Kids' Choice Award — Favorite Movie · 2016 · nominated
Cast & crew
Denjirō Ōkōchi
as Benkei
Susumu Fujita
as Togashi
Kenichi Enomoto
as Porter
Masayuki Mori
as Kamei
Takashi Shimura
as Kataoka
- AK
Akitake Kōno
as Ise
Yoshio Kosugi
as Suruga
Dekao Yokoo
as Hidachibo
- HI
Hanshiro Iwai
as Yoshitsune
Yasuo Hisamatsu
as Kajiwara's Messenger
Directed by Akira Kurosawa