Chuji's Travel Diary

A Japanese film from 1927 (Showa 2). Written and directed by Daisuke Ito. A silent period drama consisting of three parts, each part was released separately. Part 1 is "The Battle of Koshu", Part 2 is "The Bloody Smile of Shinshu", and Part 3 is "The Service of Chuji". This masterpiece, which can be called a monumental milestone in silent period dramas, breaks away from the tradition of sword fighting films and depicts the human Chuji (Kunisada Chuji) in a novel way, as conceived by Daisuke Ito. The first part tells the story of Chuji, who escapes to Koshu, defeating the villains who are embezzling the family fortune after the death of the head of the family, and then sets off on a journey with no known whereabouts. The second part is an episode in which Chuji with his child laments the suffering of poverty in Shinshu, and the third part depicts the events in which Chuji, who is being pursued, is finally captured when he returns to his village. Not only is Okochi Denjiro's passionate performance as Tadatsugu a highlight, but Ito Daisuke's skill in moving the roles is also impressive.

[Tadashi Iijima]

Source: Shogakukan Encyclopedia Nipponica About Encyclopedia Nipponica Information | Legend

日本映画。1927年（昭和2）作品。脚本・監督伊藤大輔(だいすけ)。三部からなるサイレントの時代劇で、それぞれ独立して公開された。第一部「甲州殺陣篇(へん)」、第二部「信州血笑篇」、第三部「忠次御用篇」。チャンバラ映画の伝統を破棄し、伊藤大輔創案の人間忠次（国定忠治）を斬新(ざんしん)な手法で描いたサイレント映画時代劇の金字塔ともいうべき傑作。第一篇は、甲州に逃げ込んだ忠次が、家長の死後旧家の財産を横領する悪人たちを退治して行方も知れず旅立ついきさつ、第二篇は、子連れの忠次が信州で落魄(らくはく)の苦悩を嘆く挿話、第三篇は、追われる身の忠次がやっと村に帰ったところを捕らえられる顛末(てんまつ)を描く。大河内伝次郎(おおこうちでんじろう)の忠次の熱演はもとより、伊藤大輔の流通自在の技術が見ものである。

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