Best swords are kept in their sheaths

Sanjûrô (椿三十郎, Japanese; 1962)

Director: Akira Kurosawa

This film is actually a sequel to Kurosawa's 1961 release of Yojimbo. In fact, this one is more entertaining than the former. It is not as violent, and the samurais here use wits and trickery to outbid their opponents rather than brute force. It also showcases many meaningful dialogues like the one stated above - that the best swords are the ones kept in their sheaths.
After watching this offering do you understand why samurai movies were so popular back in the days?

The story is basically about 9 young hot-blooded samurais who are disgruntled with their chief (lord chamberlain) who did not entertain their petition on organised crimes. They think that he may be corrupt. Whilst discussing their predicament, one of them informed that their Superintendent will look into it. Out of nowhere, a rōnin appears at their rendezvous suggesting that it may be the Superintendent who is the corrupt one after all. The rōnin (a samurai without a master), a 30 something who just coins a name for himself (Tsubaki Sanjûrô, after noticing Camellia flowers in the garden; meaning thirty-year-old camellias!)

The young ones were not convinced of his suggestion until they were surrounded. The following story is how these 10 warriors rescue the kidnapped lord chamberlain from the mighty Superintendent and his mighty band of warriors, using wits and dodges rather than might, mostly!
An entertaining flick.

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