A warlord named Ichimonji Hidetora, who has survived the Sengoku period and come to rule three castles, declares that he will pass the position of lord to his eldest son and entrust one castle to each of his three sons. The eldest son, Taro, and the second son, Jiro, welcome the decision, but only the youngest, Saburo, warns his father that it will lead to brothers spilling each other’s blood and calls out his father’s foolishness. Feeling humiliated by his son, Hidetora banishes Saburo along with his trusted retainer Hirayama Dango. Before long, however, Hidetora is betrayed by his remaining two sons, and Taro and Jiro begin a vile struggle for power. Having lost everything, Hidetora descends into madness and wanders the fields.
Akira Kurosawa’s final period film, Ran, transposes William Shakespeare’s tragedy King Lear to Japan’s Sengoku era. Kurosawa described the film as his “life’s masterpiece” and “a testament to humanity.” Renowned for having the most grandiose visuals of all Kurosawa’s films, its vivid colors and extreme compositions at times evoke Expressionism. It is well known that during filming Kurosawa engaged in fierce disputes with his staff to achieve the images and sounds he wanted. When an actor complained that the costume was too heavy and asked for it to be changed, Kurosawa reportedly snapped that the actor should be replaced instead. He also demonstrated an almost dictatorial perfectionism, spending eight months shooting a scene that lasts only thirty seconds. Composer Toru Takemitsu even declared, after clashing with Kurosawa, that he would never again be involved in his films. Hidetora, who builds a great power only to be betrayed and isolated by those around him, can be seen as a character who strongly reflects Kurosawa himself.