Sleepy Eyes of Death 10: Hell is a Woman
                                      
Director:  Tokuzô Tanaka
Year: 1968
Rating: 7.0
Aka - The Ronin Called Nemuri (title on the print)

It is amazing how much plot they stuff into this 80-minute film. The tenth in the Sleepy Eyes of Death series. There are almost too many characters to keep track of and lots of twists and turns to keep straight. The filmmakers don't give Dashiell Hammett any writer's credit but I would be surprised if his novel Red Harvest wasn't influential on this even if it came through Yojimbo on its way. Like most of these directors from Daiei, Tokuzô Tanaka went from genre film to genre film covering the likes of Zatoichi, Sleepy Eyes, Hoodlum Soldier, Shinobi No Mono. I really enjoyed how this one was filmed - especially the fights - in the finale the camera stays up close on Kyoshiro's face as he fends off and kills numerous attackers during a gentle snowfall.



No matter where Kyoshiro goes, trouble finds him. He is on an open field when he sees a lone swordsman stand his ground and kill a rider on a horse. Before the man dies, he asks Kyoshiro to deliver a letter to one of the two Chamberlains of the Saeki Clan. Kyoshiro has no intention of doing so - staying uninvolved is his motto - with women, with politics. He tells one of the bar girls (Yaeko Mizutani) who wants to be with him to stay away for her own good. People who get close to me die. She doesn't listen. Kyoshiro takes a red cloth that is in the dead man's pocket. He goes on his way and later stops two rascals from robbing a woman and her young brother. They are street performers. He gives her the red cloth for her hair. But by talking to her and handing something to her - he has sentenced her to death.



When he comes across her dying body, she whispers to him "Please, don't let my brother kill his father". He has no idea what this means but also realizes that the red cloth has a message on it - "Princess Sayo has escaped from Edo Castle. Stop her". She (Miwa Takada) happens to be behind him with two swords - she wants to get to her father's bedside - he is the ruler of the Saeki Clan and is dying. She asks for his help and he refuses. Not my business. The two Chamberlain's of the Clan are both vying for power and have built up a small army of men. They are just waiting for the leader to die and want to use the Princess for their own purposes. Each has a master ronin in their ranks.Both Jinnai (Yûnosuke Itô) and Naruse (Takahiro Tamura) each get their own large killing scene. Kyoshiro ends up in the middle of this with both sides thinking he is on the other side and try to kill him. Women of course attempt to seduce him and then kill him. By this time, I would think he would stay away from women. Or have some sexual performance issues. Usually there is someone below the floor ready with a sword - this time one has a cobra.