MOVIE REVIEWS

When a train travelling across the United States carrying the newly appointed Japanese Imperial Ambassador is robbed by "Gauche" (Alain Delon) and his gang, they steal a samurai sword that is to be a gift from the Meiji to President Grant. It now falls to the perfectly attired warrior "Jubei" (Toshirô Mifune) to retrieve the weapon and luckily, they have one member of the gang who was accidentally left behind - "Link" (Charles Bronson) - to help. Gradually, the two men (and their cultures) begin to bond and it is soon clear that both men have a grudge against "Gauche". This beef leads them to the brothel of his gal "Cristina" (Ursula Andress) and to a series of frequently quite entertaining combat scenes that allow Mifune to demonstrate his classy - though not always suitable - sword skills and associated flummery. There's quite a fun dynamic between the two principals here, but the film itself is a bit long, slow and it has something of the downbeat spaghetti western to it (Maurice Jarre not Ennio Morricone this time, though). Watchable, Bronson looks like he is enjoying himself, but I'd have to say entirety forgettable fayre with dialogue that is straight out of the "Janet & John" book of third grade screenplay tips.

**A Merging of Western and Samurai Flick** Which weren't too far apart to begin with. A rather good movie too.