Red Lion in the age of Brexit

"The only thing that's going to change is the flower on the Imperial crest."

I was blown away by Kihachi Okamoto's 1969 political comedy-drama Red Lion when I saw it. Beneath the veneer of broad comedy it had a strong political message that's relevant today. By the end of it you'll want to start chanting "Eijanaika, eijanaika, eijanai-ka!"

From 1600 to 1868, after a long history of clans warring with each other, the Tokugawa Shogunate ruled Japan, until the Emperor, along with several powerful lords, overthrew the shogunate after the Boshin war and started the Meiji Restoration.

Red Lion tells the story of a cheerful, not-too-bright foot soldier named Gonzo, who works under his commander, Sozo Sagara. Sagara's army, set up by anti-shogun forces, goes on goodwill missions across the countryside to rally people's support for the Emperor. Sagara tells his army that the new Imperial restoration will bring tax cuts to all, so Gonzo goes home to his village, sporting his captain's bright red wig, to proclaim of this wonderful news. There, he overthrows a corrupt official of the Tokugawa Shogunate who has been swindling the people and even tried to kill Gonzo ten years before, and he becomes a socialist hero among his village, feeding the hungry with stolen rice and freeing the women from the brothels, including the love of his life, Tomi. The people worship him like a god and declare him their "Red Lion" saviour.

However, poor, misguided Gonzo doesn't realize that he's being used, that his proclamation is a false promise to prevent an uprising from the working class. A cynical yojimbo named Hanzo who is sent by a Tokugawa loyalist to kill him tries to talk sense into him, but he refuses to believe it.
However, Gonzo isn't bad. He cares about his people and doesn't stop fighting for them.

As a result he is declared an imposter by the Imperial "White Lions", because the Empire's false promise was given by Sagara and his Imperial subdivision, the Sekiho Troop, which was denounced without Gonzo knowing about it. In a way, Gonzo is partly working for the Restoration and partly of his own free will, by giving away free rice, freeing the prostitutes and saving the lumberjacks, whether he knows it or not.

It can be said that Gonzo is the quintessential Brexiteer: someone who wants change but doesn't realize he's supporting a corrupt system which delivers false promises.

In 2016, politicians such as Michael Gove and former Mayor of London/current old-fashioned embarrassment Boris Johnson promised the masses that they would donate more to the National Health Service. However, this is a false promise, and the only tax cuts they aim to give are for the rich. They promise reform, but nothing will actually change, as demonstrated by the quote at the top.

Like with the Sekiho Troop, the UK government denounces promises on the fly if they have to.

We all know a Gonzo somewhere, maybe even someone who takes it upon themselves to give to their community when the government doesn't approve of it. They're not bad, just misguided, and when they're betrayed they fight back.

There's a subplot where Tomi betrays Gonzo and gives money to the loyalist, not realizing where it's going. This is vaguely similar to people donating to Conservative causes without realizing what they're doing with the money.

The film is very cynical but it has a heart underneath, and Toshiro Mifune gives a powerhouse performance as the foolish but kindhearted Gonzo. He's a lot like Kikuchiyo from Seven Samurai, only he has a stammer and he's not as much of a womanizer.

Anyway, I recommend it. The ending in particular is incredible.