Tokijiro Lone Yakuza, originally titled Kutsukake Tokijiro - Yukyo Ippiki, is a gangster drama based upon a famous novel by Hasegawa Shin. The film was directed by Kato Tai whose career lasted from the early fifties until his death in the mid-eighties. Veteran lead actor Nakamura Kinnosuke has been starring in about one hundred fifty movies throughout his career such as the famous Sorcerer's Orb film series from the fifties.
The story revolves around a lowly criminal named Tokijiro who travels from inn to inn and accepts at times controversial missions in order to receive lodging and food in return. When he refuses one such mission, his subordinate companion feels the need to take this responsibility and gets murdered in cold blood. Tokijiro thus swears to never refuse such missions again in the future and is soon forced to kill a surviving clan member who he respects very much. He accepts his victim's final wish to take care of his surviving widow and son. As Tokijiro takes care of them, he slowly realizes that he is falling in love with the widow and that she has similar feelings for him. They have to figure out whether they should accept their reciprocated feelings despite the gruesome circumstances or go their separate ways despite the widow's sickness and the criminal's lack of money.
This overlooked gem convinces on multiple levels. The script comes around with a few surprises as it mixes historical drama with slapstick comedy and personal melodrama with action-thriller sequences. The acting performances are compelling throughout and veteran actor Nakamura Kinnosuke shines most brightly in one of his most diversified, profound and realistic roles. The film's criticism of conventions, laws and traditions offers a most interesting perspective. The historic settings blend in very well. The fight sequences are gripping throughout and should please chanbara or sword fighting movie fans in particular.
However, this little gem isn't without a few minor flaws. The contrasting shift from the humorous opening twenty minutes in the exposition to the melodramatic rising action is quite jarring. The film's middle section overstays its welcome and suffers from at times exhausting repetition. Despite a few creative twists and turns, the movie's story from the climax until the resolution is quite predictable and thus reduces the impact this movie could have had.
At the end of the day, Tokijiro Lone Yakuza, originally titled Kutsukake Tokijiro - Yukyo Ippiki, is however a very good mixture of action, comedy, drama, melodrama and thriller that offers food for thought, soul and heart. Fans of chanbara or sword fighting cinema should most certainly watch this movie. Cineasts interested in Japanese culture, history and traditions should also give this film a fair try.
