In 1865, the militia is taking on a few new recruits from the best young local swordsmen. Unfortunately one of the two latest ones they choose is Kano, a very beautiful young man. (He actually looks very feminine.) Kano’s beauty, combined with his inexhaustible willingness to take on male lovers from within the militia, sets the scene for disaster.

Kano causes dissent within the ranks of the militia, as various persons vie for his attentions. One suitor ends up murdered, and the commander reckons that the killing was committed out of jealousy because the dead man was, um, having relations with the young man. Kano is ordered to lure the prime suspect, Tashiro (played by Tadanobu Asano) to a remote spot and kill him. The lieutenant-commander (played by Takeshi ‘Beat’ Kitano) is sent to observe the duel; but as he watches, only then does he begin to wonder: did Tashiro actually do it? Or is he taking the rap for someone else’s crime?

Gohatto (better known in the West as Taboo) relies quite a bit on atmosphere and mood to convey the drama of its story. The music is discordant; the final scene is filled with fog and lit eerily blue. I guess what I’m trying to say is that this film is a bit of a downer in that at the end the situation is not satisfactorily resolved, and the viewer is left wondering whether justice has been served. There is no reason not to think that Kano will go on seducing men (or allowing himself to be seduced by them) and that more tragedies will be created. At the same time we can’t help feeling sorry for him: after all, he’s not a bad guy. He’s actually an honest young man and a brave and steadfast samurai. But he’s cursed by his own good looks. And the curse hasn’t been lifted yet.

This wasn’t a bad movie, really; it’s just not my kind of film. It’s more of a traditional drama, with the thrust of the story coming from the characters’ emotions and fateful decisions. (This was from the same director as In the Realm of the Senses). If not for the strong homosexual element, this could probably play pretty well in Peoria. But it won’t. The gay theme and the foreign language see to that.