In 17th Century feudal Japan, master-less samurai Hanshirō Tsugumo requests to commit harakiri at the manor of Lord Iyi, but he is dissuaded when he is told the story of another soldier who made the same request.

Japanese master Masaki Kobayashi took home the Cannes Special Jury Prize in 1963 for this hard-hitting, subversive samurai film. Acting legend Tatsuya Nakadai (Yojimbo) stars and famed composer Tôru Takemitsu handles the score so unforgettably that even Takashi Miike’s 3D remake pales in comparison.