On the journey to her father – a governor, exiled for his idealistic values – the siblings Zushio and Anju are violently separated from their mother and sold into slavery. As property of the merciless and brutal Sansho, their only hope is the slave song, which their mother sings about them. Through his long takes, which invite the audience to reflect about the tragic fable, Mizoguchi engraved himself into cinema history.
Sansho the Bailiff is an emotional captivating depiction of the Buddhist concept of transience, depicted through extreme social ascension and descension. In a world, where a priestesses lures helpless people into slavery, the wife of a governor turns to prostitution and children are seen as workforce, one looses easily faith in humanity. Yet Mizoguchi teaches us, how ideals overcome human cruelty, social misery and defeat evil. A film, whose gripping force cannot be put into words.
Emilie Rolland-Piegue
