Tsumasaburō Bandō

Early life

Bantsuma, birth name Denkichi Tamura, was born in Kodenmachō, Nihonbashi, Tokyo. Bantsuma's father, a cotton wholesaler named Chōgorō, lived till the age of 71 but his mother, older brother, and sister died when he was young. He attended Jisshi Elementary School (which stands next to the former site of Denma-chō Prison where many the loyal supporters of the Emperor, whom he frequently played in his films, were deeply involved). At school, he was often the leader of the pack and was actively involved in plays. While performing in a school play, Bantsuma froze on stage, unable to recite his lines. Embarrassed, he ran off and stayed in his room, weeping for 10 days. It is said that during this time, he vowed to become someone who would be admired by all.

After the death of his mother, his father's business soon went bankrupt and Bantsuma was unable to continue his education. After finishing elementary school, he became an apprentice and pupil to Kataoka Nizaemon, a famous kabuki actor. However, in the world of kabuki, lineage was extremely important and Bantsuma struggled to gain fame. He soon changed his artistic direction by joining small theaters and taking small roles at Kokkatsu production firm. In 1922, with Kichimatsu Nakamura, he formed the “Bando Tsumasaburo Troupe,” but it was disbanded very quickly. In 1923, Bantsuma and Kichimatsu were scouted into the film industry by Makino Film Studio.

Early film career

Once he joined Makino Film Productions, he began to build a celebrated career as an actor. It was during this period that he became best friends with Rokuhei Susukita, a script writer who wrote almost a hundred scripts for the Makino studio. He introduced complex plot lines, exhilarating action sequences, and unruly anarchy to jidaigeki films, very much in the style of American films. Rokuhei subsequently selected Bantsuma to debut in his film Gyakuryu in 1924, a story about a poor, low-rank samurai whose life is turned upside down by his enemy. In 1925, Bantsuma starred in Kageboshi, another screenplay written by Rokuhei, this time depicting the life of the ‘jovial thief’, Kageboshi.

Later film career

It seems that Bantsuma's sensitivity was beginning to make its way into the work he was producing. A year after entering Nikkatsu, Bantsuma co-starred with Kataoka Chiezo in the all-star film, Chushingura (1938). Playing the role of Kuranosuke Oishi, Bantsuma displayed his perfected acting skills with his powerful performance. Then in 1943 he starred in the film Muho matsu no Issho, playing a poor rickshaw man. It was a role that would not normally have been taken on by such a great star but director Hiroshi Inagaki, whom Bantsuma had previously worked with, was determined to get him on board. After initially turning down the role, Bantsuma finally agreed and went on to play a role with a profound humanistic approach that lent great depth to both the character and the movie. In preparation for the role of the poor rickshaw man, Bantsuma stayed in character even whilst at home. His first son, Takahiro Tamura described watching his father eat dried fish and drink sake in the style of the character of the film.

During this period of his career, Japan soon lost the war and the US army began to restrict Jidaigeki as a ‘hotbed of feudalism.’ Thus, the stars of Jidaigeki formed troupes and traveled around the country. During this time, Bantsuma perfected his skills further and in 1948 he peaked once again with his performance in the film Ōshō. Director Daisuke Itō spoke of Bantsuma's wide range and depth, his convincing and humanistic portrayal of the protagonist, and stated that despite his big status in the film industry, Bantsuma was the obvious choice for the part of Sankichi, a man of the lowest social ranks.

On 7 July 1953, Bantsuma died at the age of 51 of cerebral hemorrhage while filming Abare-Jishi. A grave has been built in his memory in Nisonin, Kyoto and Bantsuma lives on through the continued popularity of his films and the impact he made to the history of Japanese cinema.

Family life

Bantsuma and his wife Shizuko Tamura had four sons together — Takahiro Tamura, Masakazu Tamura, Ryō Tamura, and Toshima Tamura. Three followed in their father's footsteps, launching careers in the movie industry. Toshima became a businessperson.

His first son, Takahiro Tamura (who died on 16 May 2006 from a cerebral infarction), often spoke fondly about his father in interviews and gave valuable insights.

The family often spent their summers at the beach in Amanohashidate and, as Takahiro recalled, Bantsuma would splash around in the water, even more excited than his brothers. He also spoke of the memory of his father's reaction to the results of his junior high school examination. Too nervous to go to the school and check, the good news was delivered by the teacher. Takahiro distinctly remembered his father bounding down the stairs and bowing in front of the teacher till his forehead touched the floor, almost as if shooting a scene from one of his jidaigeki films.

Many people think that Bantsuma's true nature can be seen in Yabure Daiko (1949), where he plays the role of a tyrannical man feared by his family. He was the complete opposite, always putting his family first. The role he played in Abare Jishi of a father who would do anything for his children is a more accurate representation of Bantsuma, who was an affectionate and well-rounded family man. However, Bantsuma's dedication to his work was also strong, and he returned to the set, ready to work, the day after his wedding.