Sansho is a savage. Beautiful cinematography in parts. Remember Zushio’s father’s words.
Discussion
“Without mercy, man is like a beast. Even if you are hard on yourself, be merciful to others. Men are created equal. Everyone entitled to their happiness.”
Wise words, indeed! Glad you enjoyed it!
In relationship to the story, Zushio’s father is speaking on how to govern. With this context “Everyone is entitled to their happiness” is an interesting contrast to the suffering Zushio and his family had to endure.
There’s a short essay by Mark Le Fanu you might enjoy here:
https://www.criterion.com/current/posts/2678-sansho-the-bailiff-the-lessons-of-sansho