Japanese historical action epic directed by Akira Kurosawa. Knowing that bandits are planning to attack their village after the coming harvest, its inhabitants hire a group of seven samurai to protect them. Led by Kambei (Takashi Shimura), the group includes four hardened warriors, Kambeis new disciple and Kikuchiyo (Toshirô Mifune), the orphaned son of a farmer who is posing as a samurai and is determined to prove his worth. The samurai begin arming and training the villagers as well as fortifying their homes as they prepare for the coming attack, fully aware that the odds are stacked against them. The cast also includes Yoshio Inaba, Daisuke Katô and Seiji Miyaguchi.