The Hidden Fortress

Also known as Hidden Fortress, The Three Villains of the Hidden Fortress

1958 film by Akira Kurosawa

Film · TMDB

8.0

In feudal Japan, during a bloody war between clans, two cowardly and greedy peasants, soldiers of a defeated army, stumble upon a mysterious man who guides them to a fortress hidden in the mountains.

Released: 1958-12-28139 minDir: Akira KurosawaDrama, Action, AdventureBox office: $57,673

▶ Watch trailerStream on: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max

Cast

Toshirō Mifune as General Rokurota Makabe
Minoru Chiaki as Tahei
Kamatari Fujiwara as Matashichi
Misa Uehara as Princess Yuki
Susumu Fujita as General Hyoe Tadokoro
Takashi Shimura as General Izumi Nagakura

Themes

Article

The Hidden Fortress (Japanese: 隠し砦の三悪人, Hepburn: Kakushi Toride no San Akunin; lit. 'The Three Villains of the Hidden Fortress') is a 1958 Japanese epic jidaigeki adventure film directed by Akira Kurosawa, with special effects by Eiji Tsuburaya. It tells the story of two peasants who agree to escort a man and a woman across enemy lines in return for gold, without knowing that he is a general and she is a princess. The film stars Toshiro Mifune as General Makabe Rokurōta and Misa Uehara as Princess Yuki, while the peasants, Tahei and Matashichi, are portrayed by Minoru Chiaki and Kamatari Fujiwara respectively.

The Hidden Fortress was the fourth highest-grossing film of the year in Japan, and Kurosawa's most successful film up to that point. It influenced the 1977 American film Star Wars.