Main Cast: Takuya Kimura, Rei Dan, Takashi Sasano, Ken Ogata, Kaori Momoi
Release Year: 2007
Country: JP
Run Time: 121 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG13
Plot
Yoji Yamada's torchy Japanese drama Love and Honor (aka Bushi no Ichibun) follows the heartbreaking plight of Shinnojo (Yoji Yamada), a young man employed as a "food taster" for the imperial family. Shinnojo's position comes to a sudden and tragic end when he consumes poisoned fish intended for the clan leader and is forever robbed of his sight. Forced to give up his job, Shinnojo thus heads home and sinks into a deep and seemingly inescapable depression. Contemplating suicide, Shinnojo is only stopped by the love of his wife, Kayo, who insists that she will also commit seppuku if he proceeds. Begrudgingly, he agrees to relinquish his self-destructive thoughts, but financial problems from his unemployment linger on. With no other recourse, Shinnojo must send Kayo off to the clan bursar to appeal for monetary assistance. Nothing, however, can prepare him for the bursar's demand for his wife's body in exchange for monetary help -- or for his wife's sudden complicity in this arrangement. Rei Dan, Mitsugoro Bando, and Kaori Momoi co-star. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
The final film in Yoji Yamada's acclaimed Samurai Trilogy (Twilight Samurai (2004) and Hidden Blade (2005)) Love and Honor(武士の一分,Bushi no Ichibun?, literally "Warrior's Honor") is a 2006 film set in Japan of the Edo period.
