When an idealistic governor disobeys the reigning feudal lord, he is cast into exile. His wife and children, left to fend for themselves, try to join him but are separated. The kids will therefore grow up amid suffering and oppression.

Among cinephiles, Sansho the Bailiff looms large, and for good reason: Shakespearean in its sweep and unrolling like a dream, Kenji Mizoguchi’s epic tragedy is an unforgettable fable of good, evil, and the world in between. Emotional, spiritual, and provocative, this is one of the masterpieces.