Goyokin ['Government Gold'] concerns a shipment of the precious metal that is transported by boat from its mining location to the Capitol on a regular basis. At the beginning of the film, the ambitious chamberlain Tatewaki, (Tanba) whose clan has fallen on hard times, steals the gold with the help of a small fishing village. When the deed is done, he has his men kill all the villagers and make their bodies completely disappear. His lieutenant Magobei (Nakadai), who is also his best friend and brother-in-law, opposes the crime and leaves the clan in disgrace. Later, when Magobei learns that Tatewaki is planning on repeating his little trick, the clanless samurai plans to return - to kill or be killed, but at all costs to keep the slaughter from happening again.

Like most of director Hideo Gosha's films, Goyokin swings between longer, more thoughtful scenes and ones that suddenly explode into chaotic violence. Although the bulk of the film rests upon the powerful characters and the results of the choices they make, the whisper of violence is always hissing in the background. Nakadai is a fine actor and also a fine swordsman; it's a bit unfair that he is usually thought of (at least in the West) and a second banana to Toshiro Mifune. Had their paths not crossed so often on film, or if their careers had not overlapped so much, perhaps Nakadai could have been an even bigger star than he has been.

Indeed, Goyokin was supposed to have been the fifth Yojimbo film; but Mifune reportedly quit early on due to the extreme cold (which is clearly demonstrated on screen; nearly every scene takes place before a snowy backdrop). As it is, his absence is certainly not noticed: Nakadai is absolutely perfect in the role of the master samurai with the guilty conscience; likewise Nakamura as the devil-may-car swordsman who becomes his sidekick, and good old reliable Tanba as the clan leader willing to do anything to keep things intact. (Also, fellas, keep an eye out for Ruriko Asaoka, who is stunningly beautiful.) Naturally, with Gosha directing and these three top stars featured prominently on the promo posters - and the fact that this was also supposedly the first Japanese film in Panavision - and Goyokin became a huge boxoffice hit.