Jigokumon aka Gate of Hell, play by Kan Kikichi - 8.7 out of 10

Jigokumon aka Gate of Hell, play by Kan Kikichi
8.7 out of 10


Like all of the best Japanese motion pictures, Jigokumon has become a landmark, winning an Oscar and more importantly, the Grand Prize of the 1954 Cannes Film Festival, a competition that rewards value much more than the glitzier,  but less worthy Academy Awards.

Gate of Hell has been included on The New York Times' Best 1,000 Movies Ever Made list.
It has an ending which we could never see in a Hollywood movie, with tragedy all along the line.

It is therefore a compelling drama, the sad story of a romance that could not be, an intense, passionate love that scorches everything in its path, beginning with the hero who is both admirable for his dedication and loathsome, as an antihero, for the abominable depths to which he is taken by his infatuation.
Moritoo Endo is a warrior loyalty the emperor and he does not fight in the camp of the enemy, even when his brother switches sides.

Since this is a dangerous, potentially fatal situation for the emperor and his family and entourage, a volunteer is called for to play the role of the sister, who would flee and place the lady in waiting in peril instead.
Kesa offers to put her own life at risk, in order to allow Her highness a more protected passage and she meets with Moritoo Endo , following the battles that appear to be won against the emperor.

When this unknown lady is in peril and an intruder appears ready to offend her, the hero gets ready for a fight to the death, with swords and all he has available.
Eventually, his loyalty to his camp is to be acknowledged and rewarded.

When asked by his protector what he wants, Moritoo states that he would like the patron to be godfather at his wedding and this request seems to be accepted.
Nonetheless, an insurmountable problem is immediately discovered:

The woman in question is already married!

Therefore, the increasingly impatient, absurd and enamoured Moritoo acts with irresponsibility and fury.
He still wants Kesa and he is granted a meeting with her.

If she accepts his request, the lord of the land would agree to take her from her husband, Wataru Watanabe, and give her to the one who is an antihero now.
However, Kesa is loyal to her husband and would not agree to any devious plan that this febrile, mad admirer concocts.

Instead, when he blackmails and threatens to kill her spouse, aunt and whoever he would find, the woman who had already proved she is willing to sacrifice, when she volunteered to play the sister of the emperor for the enemy, seems to be ready to take all the pain on herself.

Sublime story of valor, self sacrifice, love and destruction!