The Last Samurai (2003)

"The Last Samurai"Directed by Edward Zwick

Plot Overview:

            Set in the 1870s, "The Last Samurai" follows U.S. Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a bitter alcoholic caused by his traumatization from his participation in the massacre of the Native American people during the Indian Wars. He is employed by his former commanding officer, Colonel Bagley, who had led the massacre of the Native Americans, by Omura, a wealthy Japanese businessman to train the Japanese army in order to suppress the samurai rebellion in Japan. Despite Algren's hate towards Bagley, he accepts for the pay and sails to Japan, and starts training the Japanese army. When Omura's railroad is attacked by the samurai, he forces Algren to go out with his untrained army to engage the Samurai. The Japanese army is forced to retreat and Algren is left to fend for himself and is eventually captured after killing a number of samurai. While in captivity at the samurai village, he is still given a lot of freedom and he eventually comes to appreciate the samurai culture and way and he learns the way of the samurai (i.e. swordsmanship and martial arts) as well as their culture and language. He learns from Katsumoto, the leader of the rebellion, that the samurai were rebelling against Japan's Westernization. He also learns that he had killed the husband of Taka, Katsumoto's sister, and he attempts to apologize to her, and they eventually get closer together. At he village he overcomes the traumas of his past and his alcoholism.
             Afterwards, Katsumoto, along with Algren and some samurai (including Katsumoto's son), goes to Tokyo to meet with the Emperor, his former student, to get him to make the right choice, however, they find that the Emperor's advisers were calling the shots, including Omura, who supports the Westernization of Japan and plans to use the Westernized army to crush the rebellion At a council meeting between the advisers and the Emperor, Katsumoto is arrested for honoring the traditions of the samurai by carrying his swords. Algren and the other samurai go to rescue Katsumoto from his imprisonment, however, in the act of doing so, Katsumoto's son, Nobutada, is killed.
              At the village, Algren and the samurai prepare for the army's imminent attack. Before leaving to fight, Taka dresses Algren in the armor worn by Taka's husband and is given a samurai sword that was forged specifically for him. On the battlefield, the samurai lures the first regiment of the Japanese Imperial Army away from the rest of the army and ambush them with fire and arrows and then meets them with swords, forcing the remaining soldiers to retreat. Then Katsumoto and Algren lead a charge on horseback, breaking through enemy lines with slomo explosions from western artillery given to the army, only to be stopped by two Gatling guns, completely decimating the samurai. Algren then helps Katsumoto, who is on the brink of death, commit sepuku so that he has an honorable death. In response to this, the soldiers of the army kneel and bow, recognizing and honoring the death of a samurai.
             In the middle of a meeting between Omura, the Emperor, and Western diplomats over a treaty with the US opening up trade with the US, Algren limps in bearing Katsumoto's sword. He then presents the sword saying that Katsumoto would have wanted the Emperor to have it and honor the traditions of the Japansese. The Emperor takes the sword, stating that while Westernization is helpful for the country, it is not the right thing for Japan. Omura rejects this but the Emperor threatens him and takes away his family's money to give to the people and he rejects the trade offer. In the end, Algren returns to the village to live with Taka and the other widows and children as the "Last (white) Samurai."

Cast:

• Tom Cruise as Captain Nathan Algren
• Ken Watanabe as Lord Moritsugu Katsumoto
• Koyuki as Taka
• Seizo Fukumoto as the Silent Samurai
• Shin Koyamada as Nobutada
• Hiroyuki Sanada as Ujio
• Tony Goldwyn as Colonel Bagley
• Shichinosuke Nakamura as Emperor Meiji
• Masato Harada as Omura
• Timothy Spall as Simon Graham
• Billy Connolly as Sergeant Zebulon Gant
• Sosuke Ikematsu as Higen
• Shun Sugata as Nakao
• Scott Wilson as Ambassador Swanbeck

Historical Accuracy:

             This movie is inspired by the Satsuma Rebellion of 1877 that was led by Saigo Takamori during the 19th Century Meiji Restoration Era of Japan. It was also inspired by stories of Jules Benet, who was a French captain who fought with Enomoto Takeaki, who fought against the new Meiji government during a previous rebellion called the Boshin War and Frederick Townsend Ward, and American soldier who created and trained a westernized Chinese army called the Ever Victorious Army. The actual events that transpired in the movie never actually happened. They did have a decent depiction of the Meiji government, which was corrupted by the Emperor's advisers, however, it did not show how they were all previous samurai who put down their swords for the sake of a Westernized Japan. However they did have an accurate depiction of village life and how women had specific roles that were different from the duties of men. In the movie it depicts Taka putting wood in the fire, and Algren goes to help her but she tries to refuse, saying that it wasn't the job of men. They also have an accurate depiction of Bushido, or the way of the sword, in that they find it honorable to die in battle by the enemy's blade or one's one blade (sepuku).