THE GREAT DUEL (1964)

The story could've used more character development and clan politics at the outset -- the first reel seems rushed -- but otherwise this is a solid chambara from the reliable Kôsaku Yamashita. Hideji (Hashizô Ôkawa) of the Katsuba clan leaves town after killing a rival yakuza boss and returns three years later to find the Katsuba's territory and lucrative silk market targeted for takeover by former partner Boss Kamezo (Tatsuo Endô) of the Akaiwa clan, and that both clans are being manipulated by Boss Joshu-ya (Nobuo Kaneko), who has hired a rōnin (Tetsurô Tamba) to help escalate the tensions. The original title is ODEIRI and it opened in Honolulu as QUARREL in September '64. Also known as GIANT RUMBLE, the version reviewed here is called THE GREAT DUEL, a title I've also seen attached to Eiichi Kudô's A GREAT KILLING from the same year.