Samurai I: Musashi Miyamoto

Miyamoto Musashi ? released in the United States as Samurai I Musashi Miyamoto is a 1954 color Eastmancolor Japanese film by Hiroshi Inagaki starring Toshiro Mifune. It is the first film of Inagakis Samurai Trilogy of historical adventures. The film is adapted from Eiji Yoshikawas novel Musashi. The novel is loosely based on the life of the famous Japanese swordsman Miyamoto Musashi. The film won a SpecialHonorary Award at the 1955 Academy Awards for outstanding foreign language film.

Following the battle of Sekigahara, Takezo Toshiro Mifune and his friend Matahachi Rentar Mikuni find themselves on the losing side. Instead of the grand victory and glory Takezo had anticipated, he finds himself a hunted fugitive, having to assist a severely injured Matahachi. The pair seek shelter with a widow and her daughter who unknown to them are connected to local brigands. The brigands soon show up and ask for tribute from what the women have stripped off dead samurai, and Takezo has to fight them off. Both women attempt to seduce Takezo but are rejected. The widow then tells Matahachi that Takezo tried to assault her and convinces him to escort her and her daughter to Kyoto. Matahachi agrees even though he loves and is betrothed to Otsu Kaoru Yachigusa, a woman from his village.Takezo thinks his friend Matahachi has deserted him, and as he goes home breaks through a road block injuring several of the local lords men manning it, and returns to his village to tell Matahachis family that he is still alive but will not reveal why Matahachi has not returned. Matahachis mother does not believe him and she is arrested for treason along with many members of her clan. There is a village wide search for Takezo, organized by the lord. Even after using his relatives as bait, the villagers cannot catch Takezo. Otsu, meanwhile gets a letter signed by the womans daughter saying that Matahachi has gone off with her and to forget him, which leaves her devastated. ........

Source: Wikipedia