The Hidden Fortress (1957) Akira Kurosawa   Unquestionably the most lighthearted of Akira Kurosawa's many excursions into the samurai genre, The Hidden Fortress is more escapist than the majority of his work and is a terrifically entertaining, old-fashioned fairy tale. The story begins with two bickering peasants, Tahei (Minoru Chiaki), and Matakishi (Kamatari Fujiwara), who wander, destitute, in the aftermath of a clan war. Overjoyed when they stumble upon a gold treasure, their joy is soon dimmed by the appearance of Samurai General Rokurota Makabe (Toshiro Mifune). Makabe serves the clan defeated in the war and is escorting the clan's only survivor, Princess Yukihime, along with the remains of the clan fortune, across enemy lines into friendly territory-with the gold-hungry Tahei and Matakishi tagging along. Chiaki and Fujiwara display hilarious comedic chemistry. Cowardly, self-pitying, and, by turns, best friends and greedy rivals, Tahei and Matakishi embody the lowest, most ignoble depths of human behavior-and furnish some truly sidesplitting laughs as a result. Mifune delivers his usual high standard of performance and although his character is more of an archetype than others he has played, he skillfully keeps Makabe from becoming too stiff. The Hidden Fortress also features a spectacular naginata duel as Makabe stumbles upon an old but admired foe. The film also delivers a truly nail-biting climax, as the four fugitives try to escape through a misty alpine pass with enemy troops hot on their tail. A major inspiration to George Lucas when writing Star Wars, The Hidden Fortress contains many plot elements and characters which would later resurface in Lucas' space opera, such as the feisty princess transported to safety by a heroic warrior, with the help (and hindrance) of two bickering servants. The 1950s saw much of Akira Kurosawa's finest work, including Rashomon, Seven Samurai, and Throne of Blood. In the wake of these deeper, more serious works, The Hidden Fortress seems a comparatively lightweight endeavor. But it is also a cut above the average adventure movie, owing to the guiding hand of a master filmmaker. The DVD comes with some good features, too, including the original film trailers-and an interview with George Lucas-which all add up to a first-rate package. —Paul Andrew MacLean

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