Bandits vs. Samurai Squadron (Japanese: 雲霧仁左衛門, Hepburn: Kumokiri Nizaemon) is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Hideo Gosha. It is based on the novel Kumokiri Nizaemon written by Shōtarō Ikenami.
Contents
Plot
Kumokiri Nizaemon, a former samurai, turns away from his warrior background and becomes the head of a band of thieves. He subsequently leads the group in a scheme to plunder the castle belonging to the clan he once served.
Cast
Tatsuya Nakadai as Kumokiri Nizaemon
Shima Iwashita as Chiyo
Kōshirō Matsumoto as Shikubu Abe
Takashi Yamaguchi as Tsugutomo Owari
Isao Natsuyagi as Kumagorô
Hiroyuki Nagato as Kichigorô
Rinichi Yamamoto as Shôzaemon
Kunie Tanaka as Rikichi Komadera
Shingo Yamashiro
Tatsuo Umemiya
Takuzo Kawatani
Hideo Takamatsu as Yamada Tobei
Tappie Shimokawa as Jihei
Tetsurō Tamba as Kichibei
Keiko Matsuzaka as Shino
Junko Miyashita as Menbiki Okyo
Ryōhei Uchida as Yomohichi Chiaki
Mitsuko Baishō as Omatsu
Mikio Narita
Go Kato
Production
Yoshinobu Nishioka – Art direction
Reception
Jason Buchanan at AllMovie says that director Hideo Gosha makes a "triumphant return to the samurai genre with this plot twisting, nerve shredding tale", but critic Alexander Jacoby calls it "a bland chanbara".
Awards and nominations
21st Blue Ribbon Awards
Won: Best Supporting Actress - Junko Miyashita
Other adaptation
Kumokiri Nizaemon