Lone Wolf and Cub: Baby Cart at the River Styx

Many Americans' first exposure to the exploits of Ogami Itto was in 1980's SHOGUN ASSASSIN, which was a re-edited distillation of the first two in a series of six movies with the LONE WOLF AND CUB heading.  1972's BABY CART AT THE RIVER STYX is our focus this time out.  It was the second of director Kenji Misumi's Japanese martial arts dramas, which were based on a famous manga.  I had glimpsed SHOGUN ASSASSIN a few times but it wasn't until The Criterion Collection remastered the original films that my interest was sufficiently piqued.  I wasn't sure where to begin, as the entries have fairly diverse reviews.  I thought of going chronologically, but RIVER STYX had the most intriguing description.

And it is quite an eyeful.  Possibly the only one you need to see.  I can't really say that it this point, of course.  I do plan on seeing at least one or two more of them.  I would think the idea might wear a bit thin eventually?  How many battles can we witness, those of Itto (Tomisaburo Wakayama) as he pushes his infant son Daigoro (Akhiro Tomikawa) ahead of him in a cart, one rigged with blades in its handles and axles? Here, the duo travels the countryside and meets up with a variety of would-be assailants. This time, many are female, part of the Akari Yagyu clan, led by Sakaya (Kayo Matsuo).  You can learn why on your own.  I will say that it leads to a variety of colorful clashes with swords (and even radishes!), though most are over before we even realize. Body parts hurl across the sky.  There goes a wrist, a severed ankle.  A fountain of blood.

Itto, who makes his living as a hired assassin, takes a job finding a traitor to a clan that produces a profitable indigo dye.  He will have to get through a trio of brothers, each a master of weapons like a flying mace, entrusted to protect the turncoat long enough to spill trade secrets to the shogun.  After his successful dispatch of a seemingly endless array of killers, Itto will eventually also come face to face with Sakaya, in a series of rather surprising outcomes.  The most interesting to me involves what promises to be another unwatchable '70s rape scene that instead turns into something quite sweet and gentle.

The kid is cute, yeah. He is most expressive and seems to take direction well.  And/or he really understands what is required of him.

LONE WOLF AND CUB: BABY CART AT THE RIVER STYX manages to be meditative and exciting during its short running time.  There are other films with more skillful samurai choreography but Misumi's visual palate is always pleasing and commanding.  The philosophical and theological implications are what I found to be the most valuable aspects of this film, which I guess could essentially be deemed as exploitation.