During the harsh Edo period of the seventeenth century, a ronin left to face starvation and destitution asks for permission to perform an honorable seppuku in the courtyard of a wealthy clan. Directed by Masaki Kobayashi, this drama steeped in history lays bare the harsh realities behind samurai laws with jarring detachment. As the clan leaders question the sincerity behind this request, the dark shadows of the past slowly begin to lift. The sharp contrast created by the black-and-white imagery deepens the chasm between the rigid rules of the feudal order and the individual’s helplessness. Woven with flashbacks, this complex narrative leaves the viewer face-to-face with the brutal power struggle behind the clan’s walls, while laying bare the hypocrisy hidden behind the concept of honor and the true value of human life.