Episode 383: SANSHO THE BAILIFF (1954)

Help the Trylon afford a 4K projector! https://trylon.org/4K A governor in 11th century Japan is exiled, and his wife (Kinuyo Tanaka) and two children are sold into slavery. And it only gets crazier from there! The young boy (Yoshiaki Hanayagi) and girl (Kyōko Kagawa) come of age in the service of the local administrator Sanshō (Eitarō Shindō). Disgraced, each member of the shattered family survives unending cruelty with only the belief that good will triumph over evil. Which, as this episode proves, isn’t everybody’s cup of tea. Kenji Mizoguchi’s SANSHO THE BAILIFF is recognized as one of the greatest films of all time, a heartrending narrative of the indomitable human spirit in the face of systemic adversity. It’s kind of like Superman. Give to these causes in need during ICE’s occupation of Minnesota: Support Minnesotans defending their communities from ICE: https://www.standwithminnesota.com/ @sanctuarysupplydepot: Mutual aid group in Mpls getting basic necessities to our houseless neighbors https://linktr.ee/sanctuarysupplydepot @mplsmutualaid: Clearinghouse of mutual aid for our neighbors: https://linktr.ee/mplsmutualaid ISAIAH, an interfaith group fighting for racial and economic justice in MN: https://secure.everyaction.com/G8TCnxFlE0qd9zlUEYjjeg2 Show love to North Minneapolis families in crisis: https://www.gofundme.com/f/show-love-to-north-minneapolis-families-in-crisis References: “The Golden Age of Repertory Cinema Is Now” by Alison Foreman for IndieWire “Dismantling a Monolith of Misery: Finding Hope Amid State-Protected Violence in Kenji Mizoguchi’s Sansho the Bailiff” by Chris Polley for Perisphere, the Trylon blog Trylove Episode 190: FOREVER A WOMAN (1955) (aka THE ETERNAL BREASTS) Trylove Episode 192: LOVE LETTER (1953) Trylove Episode 193: GIRLS OF THE NIGHT (1961) Check the calendar, preview upcoming series, and buy tickets Contribute to Perisphere, the Trylon blog #TheBalladOfKinuyoTanaka #35mm Follow us on Twitter at @trylovepodcast, Bluesky at @trylovepodca.st, and email us at [email protected] to get in touch! Show art by Emily Csuy. Theme: "Raindrops" by Huma-Huma/"No Smoking" PSA by John Waters. Outro: “Sanshō the Bailiff Theme” by Fumio Hayasaka from the SANSHO THE BAILIFF soundtrack. Timestamps 0:00 - Episode 383: SANSHO THE BAILIFF (1954) 3:35 - The Patented Aaron Grossman Summary 5:33 - Whadja Watch This Week? 14:20 - Why the movie’s named after a bad guy 36:22 - Is goodness actually its own reward? 56:06 - Zushiō after the time jump 1:02:37 - What if it’s NOT all gonna work out? 1:08:28 - The ending 1:17:23 - “Obvious” moments that still work well 1:25:59 - The Junk Drawer 1:32:04 - To All the Loves We’ve Tried Before: 1954 1:34:26 - Sanshō the ‘Boxd Fiend (over/under for movies above or below the Letterboxd ranking of SANSHO THE BAILIFF)