1964 samurai movie Rating: 15/20
Plot: Zatoichi is on the run from some hired assassins. He agrees to ride in a palanquin after receiving a discount, but being the nice guy he is, he gives it to a weak woman traveling with her baby. The assassins, who saw their target enter the palanquin, charge in and kill the woman. Zatoichi feels bad about the whole thing and feels it's his duty to take the baby to his father in a distant village as the assassins follow closely behind.
Confession: I only picked this up because I needed something for "Samurai Friday" at school and because it made the third movie in a week and a half or so that has the "____, Somebody, ____" title. There was more drama than samurai hijinks in this one with the Zatoichi-as-father-figure thing driving most of the plot, but it's still a worthwhile piece of the blind masseuse's tale. Some quick sword action (Zatoichi only seems really in danger in one scene featuring a pair of sumo wrestlers) and some of his typical wise dialogue even if this one was more serious and, at least at the end, slightly sad than fun. Although if you really want to see Zatoichi change diapers and get urinated on, this is the film for you. There was more of a focus on the acting in this one, and it forced me to notice just how good Shintaru Katsu is in these movies as the title character. Solid story with some really beautiful moments.
No camera at school=no picture of me on Samurai Fridays. Just picture me sitting in a dark, locked classroom eating from a tub of ice cream and trying my best to ignore the fact that I have a job.
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