The Last Samurai is an action/drama film starring Tom Cruise. It was co-produced and directed by Edward Zwick, who also co-wrote the screenplay based on a story by John Logan. It was released in the United States on December 5, 2003. The plot deals with American soldier Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) whose personal and emotional conflicts bring him into contact with samurai in the wake of the Meiji Restoration in the Empire of Japan in 1876 and 1877.
The film’s plot is based on the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion led by Saigō Takamori, and also on the story of Jules Brunet, a French army captain who fought alongside Enomoto Takeaki in the Boshin War. The historical roles in Japanese westernization by the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and France are largely attributed to the United States in the film, and characters in the film and the real story are simplified for plot purposes. It is not an accurate source of historical information.
Plot
Captain Nathan Algren, a disenchanted ex-United States Army captain (once under the command of George Armstrong Custer and a veteran of the Battle of Gettysburg), is tortured by the guilt of his past transgressions against Native American civilians. He is recruited by his former commanding officer Colonel Bagley on behalf of a Japanese businessman, Mr. Omura, to help the new Meiji Restoration government train its first Western-style army.
Algren, under the command of Bagley, trains an army of peasants and farmers in firearm techniques, and is forced to take them into battle, despite lack of sufficient training, against a group of samurai rebels led by Katsumoto, to defend Omura’s investment in a new railway. During the battle, the samurai slaughter Algren’s poorly trained and inexperienced soldiers, Bagley withdraws from the field, and Algren is captured. Algren, after killing some samurai himself with pistol, a saber and a broken spear, is taken as a prisoner to an isolated village, where he gradually recovers from his wounds (as well as his rampant alcoholism). He lives with the family of one samurai he killed, namely his widow Taka, her two sons and Katsumoto’s son Nobutada. Over time, Algren’s mental and emotional state improve as he learns “the way of the samurai” (Bushido), develops romantic feelings for Taka, studies swordsmanship from a skilled swordmaster (Ujio) and converses with the local residents, gaining their respect.
One night, as the people watch a comic play, a group of ninja assassins attack the village, intent on killing Katsumoto. The Samurai succeed in defeating the ninja, but suffer losses. Algren wins the respect and admiration of the samurai by fighting alongside them, and distinguishing himself in the battle by his defense of Katsumoto. Katsumoto confides in Algren that he believes that Omura is responsible for the attack.
With the arrival of spring, Nathan is taken back to Tokyo, where he learns that the army, under Bagley’s command, is now better organized and outfitted with howitzers and Gatling guns. He declines Omura’s job offer to lead the army against Katsumoto, to crush the Samurai rebellion. He also witnesses the brutality of the Japanese soldiers who enforce the new laws forbidding samurai to publicly carry swords and wear their hair in chonmage.
At the same time, Katsumoto offers his counsel to the Emperor, to whom he was once a teacher. He learns that the young Emperor’s hold upon the throne is much weaker than he thought, and that he is afraid to challenge men like Omura, who control vast wealth and political power.
The samurai leader Katsumoto is arrested and confined to his quarters in Tokyo when he refuses to remove his sword in the Emperor’s presence, but Algren, having learned that Omura has ordered his assassination, and narrowly escaping an assassination attempt on his own life (through judicious use of martial arts he learned in Katsumoto’s camp), decides to rescue him with help from several of Katsumoto’s loyal followers. During the rescue mission, Katsumoto’s son Nobutada is killed while allowing Algren, Katsumoto and the rest of the team to escape.
Katsumoto is still mourning the loss of his son when he receives word that a large Imperial army unit is marching out to battle the samurai. A force of warriors, numbering only 500, are rallied. Algren makes a reference to the Battle of Thermopylae where a small army can cause great collateral damage overwhelming odds by using the right tactics and terrain as force multipliers. Algren then receives a katana of his own. He is also given, by Taka, the armor of the samurai he killed. She dresses him into the armor, and they share a kiss just before Algren leaves.
The samurai plan, with the assistance of Algren, is to make their final stand, using a combination of superior close-combat ability and their enemy’s over-confidence. When a large Imperial Army, under the command of Omura and Bagley confronts the samurai’s forces to put down the rebellion, the samurai fall back to higher ground. Omura immediately orders the infantry to pursue them, as expected. The samurai lead them into a trap, setting a fire to cut off their escape routes. The samurai then unleash volleys of arrows on the infantrymen, killing many.
Drawing their swords, the samurai, Algren and Katsumoto amongst them, charge the confused and wounded infantrymen. A second wave of Imperial infantry follows behind and quickly joins the battle, as does the Samurai Cavalry. After a savage melee that leaves many samurai and infantrymen dead, the surviving samurai resolve to make a final charge. They charge on horseback, being cut down by Japanese cannons and then by another unit of infantrymen. During the battle, Bagley shoots Katsumoto but does not kill him, and Algren then throws his sword into Bagley, killing him and saving Katsumoto’s life. Against all odds, they manage to make it through the enemy lines. On approaching the imperial rear line, and progressing enough to scare Omura, the Samurai are suddenly cut down by the Gatling guns the soldiers had acquired from the Americans. Katsumoto and Algren are badly wounded from the encounter, and are seemingly the only survivors. The Imperial general (who was originally trained by Algren), against Omura’s wishes, orders the Gatling guns to cease fire, feeling the emotional pressure from the dying samurai. Katsumoto, obeying bushido in order to keep his honour, commits seppuku (ceremonial samurai suicide) with help from Algren, ending his life. The Imperial troops, many of whose comrades have also been killed, show their respect by bowing to the fallen samurai. Algren, who survives the battle heavily wounded, stays at Katsumoto’s side.
Later, as American ambassadors prepare to have the emperor sign a treaty that would give the US exclusive rights to sell firearms to the Japanese government, the injured Algren offers Katsumoto’s sword as a present to the Emperor and urges the emperor to turn away the American ambassadors’ offer. The Emperor agrees and tells the American ambassador that the deal is not in the best interest of Japan. Omura objects, and the emperor - realizing he does not need to live in fear of Omura - confiscates his estates and fortunes. Omura is greatly distressed at this, so the emperor offers him Katsumoto’s sword to commit seppuku if the dishonor is too great to bear; Omura however, lowers his head and stumbles out. Algren then returns to the samurai village where he was imprisoned earlier, and to Taka.
Cast
- Tom Cruise as Captain Nathan Algren, a Civil War and Indian Wars veteran haunted by the massacre of Native American civilians at the Battle of Washita River. He has a penchant for languages and drinking alcoholic beverages, especially whiskey, to drown his guilt and sorrow. He decides to help the new Meiji Restoration government train its first Western-style conscript army for a hefty sum. During the army’s first battle he is captured by the samurai Katsumoto and taken to the village of Katsumoto’s son, where he soon becomes intrigued with the way of the samurai and decides to join them in their cause. His journal entries reveal his impressions about traditional Japanese culture, which almost immediately evolves to admiration.
- Ken Watanabe as samurai Lord Katsumoto, a warrior-poet who was once Emperor Meiji’s most trusted teacher. He is displeased with Mr. Omura’s bureaucratic reform policies which leads him into organising a revolt against the Imperial Army.
- Tony Goldwyn as Colonel Bagley, Capt. Algren’s commanding officer in the 7th Cavalry Regiment, who was to train the Imperial Army. Algren dislikes Bagley for his role in the Washita River massacre of the Native Americans that Algren cannot get over. His facial hair is very similar to the way Custer wore his and is intended to evoke that image. Bagley is then killed by Algren in the climactic battle.
- Masato Harada as Omura, an industrialist and pro-reform politician who dislikes the old samurai and shogun related lifestyle. He quickly imports westernization and modernization while making money for himself through his railroads. Coming from a merchant family that was like many repressed during the days of Samurai rule and cause for his extreme dislike for their nobility, he assumes a great deal of power during the Meiji Restoration and takes advantages of Meiji’s youth to become his chief advisor (wielding power similar to those of the Shoguns). Masato Harada noted that he was deeply interested in joining the film after witnessing the construction of Emperor Meiji’s conference room on sound stage 19 (where Humphrey Bogart had once acted) at Warner Brothers studios.[citation needed]
- Shichinosuke Nakamura as Emperor Meiji. Credited with the implementation of the 1868 Meiji Restoration, the Emperor is eager to import Western ideas and practices to modernize and empower Japan to become a strong nation.
- Shin Koyamada as Nobutada, Katsumoto’s only son who is lord of the village that the Samurai are encamped in. Shin Koyamada joined the cast on the suggestion of a friend, and later learned that Tom Cruise would be acting. Along with Seizo Fukumoto, he expressed surprise at the caliber of Cruise’s acting abilities.[citation needed]
- Hiroyuki Sanada as Ujio, one of the most dedicated, loyal and fierce samurai under Katsumoto. He teaches Algren the art of Samurai swordfighting, and is not too gentle.
- Timothy Spall as Simon Graham, a British interpretator for Captain Algren and his non-Japanese speaking soldiers. Initially portrayed as a typical practical-minded Englishman, he later comes to understand the Samurai cause.
- Seizo Fukumoto as the Silent Samurai, an elderly man assigned to follow Algren (who later calls the samurai “Bob”) as he travels through the village. Ultimately, the Samurai saves Algren’s life by taking a fatal bullet for him. He bears a marked resemblance to Kyuzo from Seven Samurai.
- Koyuki as Taka, Katsumoto’s sister and the wife of the red-masked Samurai Hirotaro, whom Nathan Algren kills earlier.
- Billy Connolly as Sergeant Zebulon Gant, an ex-soldier who served with Algren and talked him into coming to Japan. He is later killed in the opening battle by Hirotaro (Taka’s husband).
- Shun Sugata as Nakao, a tall judo and naginata-skilled samurai, who takes part in Katsumoto’s rescue, and says the Algren is ugly. He dies in the final battle.
Production
Filming took place in New Zealand, with Japanese cast members and a Amercian Production crew. Views of Mount Fuji were superimposed using CGI. Several of the village scenes were shot on the Warner Brothers Studios backlot in Burbank, CA.
Soundtrack
Composed by Hans Zimmer, the score for The Last Samurai makes use of traditional Japanese instrumentation and compositional techniques, as well as the Western equivalent. The Taiko drum features prominently in the action cues. Vocal shouts and chants are featured in the “Red Warrior” cue. The score was nominated for several awards, including a Golden Globe (Best Original Score), and won an ASCAP award.
Track listing
- A Way of Life
- Spectres in the Fog
- Taken
- A Hard Teacher
- To Know My Enemy
- Idyll’s End
- Safe Passage
- Ronin
- Red Warrior
- The Way of the Sword
- A Small Measure of Peace
