Yojimbo

Yojimbo is a 1961 film about a crafty ronin who comes to a town divided by two criminal gangs and decides to play them against each other to free the town.
 * Directed by Akira Kurosawa. Written by Akira Kurosawa and Ryuzo Kikushima.

Sword or pistol? The fateful showdown!

English opening text

 * The time is 1860... the emergence of a middle class has brought an end to power of the Tokugawa Dynasty... A samurai, once a dedicated warrior in the employ of Royalty, now finds himself with no master to serve other than his own will to survive... and no devices other than his wit and sword.

Sanjuro Kuwabatake

 * [family he has just saved is crying with gratitude] Stop it. Stop it! I hate weaklings! [they keep crying] Stop crying, or I'll kill you!
 * [Sanjuro has just killed two men and cut the arm off a third] Coffin maker. Two coffins... No, better make it three.
 * [after the gamblers have challenged him] Well, they say medicine can't cure an idiot. [draws sword and kills two of them]
 * You haven't seen the last of me yet. There's a few dozen people I want to kill before I die.

Unosuke

 * If I don't have my pistol, I feel almost naked.

Orin

 * Whether you kill one man or a hundred, you're just a man who can only be hanged once.

Dialogue

 * [Sanjuro's talking with three men]
 * Sanjuro: So you've no objection to being killed?
 * Gambler: Hit me if you can! If you think you can do it, try it!
 * Sanjuro: You know, that might hurt a little.


 * Gonji: I hope that you are not afraid of ghosts.
 * Inokichi: Who, me? Of course I'm not afraid of ghosts; they don't exist!


 * Hansuke: What's the matter? Why are you looking so gloomy, huh? It's a good chance for you to make a lot of money.
 * The Cooper: You're mistaken. When the fight gets too big, nobody thinks about coffins.

Cast

 * Toshirô Mifune - Sanjuro Kuwabatake / The Samurai
 * Tatsuya Nakadai - Unosuke
 * Yôko Tsukasa - Nui
 * Isuzu Yamada - Orin
 * Daisuke Katô - Inokichi
 * Seizaburô Kawazu - Seibei
 * Takashi Shimura - Tokuemon
 * Eijirô Tôno - Gonji
 * Kamatari Fujiwara - Tazaemon
 * Susumu Fujita - Homma