AFTER THE RAIN (AME AGARU) Official Selection

In Akira Kurosawa’s last screenplay, a group of travelers is stranded at a small country inn after heavy rains. Among them are lhei Misawa, a poor ronin, or masterless samurai, and his wife Tayao. As the rain continues, tensions mount among the guests. The well-meaning lhei takes it upon himself to cheer everyone up with an elaborate feast. Lacking the money to pay for the celebration, he must enter a local prize-fight, although it is considered far beneath the dignity of a man of the samurai class. His skill impresses Shigeaki, the lord of the domain, who offers to make lhei the fencing master of the fief. When lhei is given an opportunity to demonstrate his skill, ultimately by fencing Lord Shigeaki, he defeats the leader by inadvertently knocking him into his pond. The lord’s embarrassment, along with the jealousy of the other fencing masters, proves a challenge that is difficult to overcome.