Principal cast
Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiaki Hanayagi, Kyōko Kagawa, Eitarō Shindō and Ichirō Sugai
Film 159 of 498 on the Screen Path
Sansho the Bailiff
Without mercy, man is like a beast.
About the film
Sansho the Bailiff at a glance.
Screen Path places this 1954 film at stop 159 in one curated journey through cinema. The learning experience adds context before you watch and deeper analysis after.
In 11th-century feudal Japan, following the exile of an idealistic governor, his wife and children are separated by slave traders; the children, Zushio and Anju, are sold into brutal servitude under the cruel bailiff Sansho.
Key craft credits
Kazuo Miyagawa (director of photography), Mitsuzō Miyata (editor), Fumio Hayasaka (original music composer), Kanahichi Odera (original music composer) and Tamekichi Mochizuki (original music composer)
- Director
- Kenji Mizoguchi
- Release
- 1954-03-31
- Runtime
- 124 minutes
- Genres
- Drama
- Country
- Japan
- Quiz
- 50 questions
The Screen Path journey
Before. After. Remember.
The featured film is watched outside Screen Path. The app provides the learning experience around it: a guide, an analysis, and a quiz with explanations.
01
Before you watch
Start with a spoiler-free video guide to the context and filmmaking choices worth noticing.
Spoiler-free02
After the film
Return after watching for a deeper video analysis of craft, meaning, and legacy.
Contains spoilers03
Quiz yourself
Answer 50 questions with clear rationales designed to make the ideas stick.
50 questions in this journeyCitizen Kane is the complete public example: both learning videos and a five-question sample quiz are available below.
Start the example →Full cast
Full cast
- Kinuyo TanakaCharacter: Tamaki
- Yoshiaki HanayagiCharacter: Zushiô
- Kyōko KagawaCharacter: Anju
- Eitarō ShindōCharacter: Sanshô dayû
- Ichirō SugaiCharacter: Minister of Justice
- Bontarō MiakeCharacter: Kichiji
- Yōko KozonoCharacter: Kohagi
- Chieko NaniwaCharacter: Ubatake
- Kikue MōriCharacter: Priestess
- Ken MitsudaCharacter: Prime Minister Fujiwara
- Masao ShimizuCharacter: Masauji Taira
- Ryōsuke KagawaCharacter: Ritsushi Kumotake
Full crew
Full crew
- Kenji MizoguchiCredits: Director
- Masaichi NagataCredits: Producer
- Fumio HayasakaCredits: Original Music Composer
- Tamekichi MochizukiCredits: Original Music Composer
- Kanahichi OderaCredits: Original Music Composer
- Mitsuzō MiyataCredits: Editor
- Shozo TanakaCredits: Assistant Director of Photography
- Mori OgaiCredits: Original Story
- Kisaku ItoCredits: Art Direction
- Tokuzō TanakaCredits: Assistant Director
- Akira NaitōCredits: Assistant Art Director
- Ken'ichi OkamotoCredits: Gaffer
- Kazuo MiyagawaCredits: Director of Photography
- Shima YoshizaneCredits: Costume Design
- Iwao ŌtaniCredits: Sound Designer
- Fuji YahiroCredits: Screenplay
- Yoshikata YodaCredits: Screenplay
- Hisakazu TsujiCredits: Production Design
Film data and images provided by TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.