Directed by Yôji Yamada
Written by Yôji Yamada
IMDB

Seibei Iguchi is a petty samurai who is taking care of his two young daughters and his sick mother. His wife has recently died of consumption. He finds out his childhood friend Miss Tamoe's husband has been beating her. Then she shows up at his place and helps with some chores. He takes her home and her husband is there and strikes her and challenges Tamoe's father to a duel, but Seibei volunteers instead. He fights Tamoe's husband (ex-husband really) with a wooden practice sword and defeats him giving him a new mysterious reputation. Soon his clan is going to war when the emperor dies and Seibei is expected to fight.
A very great samurai film that focuses heavily on emotion instead of violence. I highly recommend this, it's on Netflix Instant Watch (as most movies I watch will be until I can no longer afford internet or Netflix) right now, but it gets taken off on October 1st, so act quickly.

9/10