Rashomon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rashomon is a 1950 drama film directed by Akira Kurosawa, starring Toshirō Mifune, Machiko Kyō, Takashi Shimura. It drew a wide audience and shaped its genre.
Plot
In Heian-era Kyoto, a woodcutter and a Buddhist monk, taking shelter from a downpour under the Rashōmon gate, have just returned from giving evidence in a trial about the murder of a samurai, and are baffled at the conflicting stories they have heard. They are joined by a commoner, who asks to hear what happened. The film intercuts the discussions of the three men at the gate with flashbacks of witness testimonies and reconstructions of the events described. The woodcutter gives evidence that he had found the body of the samurai three days earlier, alongside the man's cap, his wife's hat, pieces of rope, and an amulet. He had been killed with a sword.
Production
Written by Shinobu Hashimoto and Akira Kurosawa, the film was produced by Daiei Film. Fumio Hayasaka composed the score. Kazuo Miyagawa handled the cinematography. The film runs 88 minutes. The crew and editing refined every shot.
Reception
On a budget of $250,000, Rashomon grossed $117,668 worldwide at the box office. A critic consensus praised its screenplay and score.
Legacy
The film's influence spread across the century; its narrative and tone echo in much later cinema.
See also
References
- "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time". topfilms100. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- Ebert, Roger. The Great Movies. Broadway Books.
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