Movie

Throne of Blood

Released: January 15, 1957 (1957)

Runtime: 108 minutes

Genres: Drama, History

Returning to their lord's castle, samurai warriors Washizu and Miki are waylaid by a spirit who predicts their futures. When the first part of the spirit's prophecy comes true, Washizu's scheming wife, Asaji, presses him to speed up the rest of the spirit's prophecy by murdering his lord and usurping his place. Director Akira Kurosawa's resetting of William Shakespeare's "Macbeth" in feudal Japan is one of his most acclaimed films.

Main Cast (Top 10 billed, oldest first)

Kokuten Kōdō as Military Commander
Age at release: 69
Takamaru Sasaki as Kuniharu Tsuzuki
Age at release: 58
Kichijirō Ueda as Washizu's workman
Age at release: 52
Takashi Shimura as Noriyasu Odagura
Age at release: 51
Gen Shimizu as Washizu samurai
Age at release: 50
Isuzu Yamada as Lady Asaji Washizu
Age at release: 39
Minoru Chiaki as Yoshiaki Miki
Age at release: 39
Toshirō Mifune as Taketoki Washizu
Age at release: 36
Hiroshi Tachikawa as Kunimaru Tsuzuki
Age at release: 25
Akira Kubo as Yoshiteru Miki
Age at release: 20

Show more cast

Eiko Miyoshi as Old Woman at castle
Age at release: 62
Shinpei Takagi as Commander
Age at release: 54
Takeo Oikawa as Miki party member
Age at release: 51
Ikio Sawamura as Washizu soldier
Age at release: 51
Chieko Naniwa as Old Ghost Woman
Age at release: 49
Akira Tani as Washizu soldier
Age at release: 46
Seijirô Onda as Miki party member #2
Age at release: 46
Nakajirō Tomita as Military Commander #2
Age at release: 45
Yutaka Sada as Washizu samurai
Age at release: 45
Shin Ōtomo as Washizu samurai
Age at release: 37
Yoshio Inaba as Military Commander #3
Age at release: 36
Sachio Sakai as Washizu samurai
Age at release: 31
Hitoshi Takagi as Tsuzuki guard
Age at release: 31
Yoshio Tsuchiya as Washizu samurai
Age at release: 29
Shōbun Inoue as Servant
Age at release: 29
Takeshi Katō as Guard killed by Washizu
Age at release: 27
Yū Fujiki as Washizu samurai
Age at release: 25
Asao Koike as Tsuzuki soldier
Age at release: 25
Masao Masuda as Commander
Age at release: Unknown
Mitsuo Asano as Washizu samurai
Age at release: Unknown