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The Hidden Fortress 1958

The Hidden Fortress

A general escorts a defeated clan’s princess and treasure through enemy territory, accompanied by two unreliable peasants. The mission has a clear goal and a persistently awkward human complication.

Catalogue reference: 139 min (Criterion Collection spine 116 catalogue presentation).

Listed catalogue duration, not a measured runtime. Exact cut and matching disc or stream have not been established.

1958 · Directed by Akira Kurosawa

What to expect

The mix of adventure and self-interested companions gives the journey more than a heroic viewpoint. Loyalty and greed keep testing the same escape plan.

How to ease in

Follow the practical problem of getting the group across hostile ground. Keep an eye on how the peasants’ priorities differ from the general’s.

For viewers seeking a clear adventure with competing motives.

Less suitable if comic side characters quickly wear on you.

Heads-up

Expect danger and conflict alongside broad comic behaviour. The peasants’ bickering is part of the journey, not a temporary interruption.

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