The Temple of Wild Geese
雁の寺
Synopsis
Satoko is a mistress by trade or fate: when her master, the silkscreen artist of the Kohoan Temple in Kyoto, dies, she is given to the temple's lascivious head priest Kikuchi. She is drawn to a melancholy young acolyte, Jinen, who has observed the profligacy of his cruel master and Satoko's utter dependence on the man. Jinen is both fascinated and disturbed by Satoko's interest in him; he is similarly caught between loathing of Kikuchi and of the dark circumstances of his birth and his own moral weakness. The story unfolds in a dreamlike manner—a flashback inspired by a now-infamous image on a silkscreen in the souvenir shop at the so-called Temple of the Wild Geese.
Top Cast
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Ayako Wakao
Satoko Kirihara
Masao Mishima
Jikai Kitami
Isao Kimura
Atsumichi Uda
Kuniichi Takami
Jinen Horinouchi / Sutekichi
Ganjirō Nakamura II
Nangaku Kishimoto
Mineko Yorozuyo
Tatsu Kirihara
Yoshiko Kamo
Masumi Fujimoto
Shoichi Ozawa
Kuniitsu Takami
Kō Nishimura
Mokudō Kida
Shinobu Araki
Dokuseki Sugimoto
Kōichi Katsuragi
Takemine Matsuyama
Ryōnosuke Azuma
Shōan Kawaguchi
Yūsaku Terashima
Izaburō Asano
Kin Sugai
Kan Horinouchi
Shōzō Nanbu
Kaio Takeda
Seishiro Hara
Mori (as Seijiro Haro)
Ichirō Amano
Sukezō Hisama
Saburo Date
Heikichi Hisama
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Yūzō Kawashima
- Screenplay & Story
- Kazuo Funahashi, Yūzō Kawashima
- Original Score
- Sei Ikeno
- Original Title
- 雁の寺
- Country of Origin
- Japan
- Spoken Languages
- Japanese
- Runtime
- 1h 38m
- Production Studios
- Daiei Film
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Yūzō Kawashima
Kazuo Funahashi, Yūzō Kawashima, Tsutomu Mizukami
Sei Ikeno
Hiroshi Murai
Mitsuzō Miyata
Masaichi Nagata
Department Leadership Roster
Yūzō Kawashima
Director
Kazuo Funahashi
Screenplay
Yūzō Kawashima
Screenplay
Masaichi Nagata
Producer
Sei Ikeno
Original Music Composer
Hiroshi Murai
Director of Photography
Mitsuzō Miyata
Editor
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Temple of Wild Geese.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Temple of Wild Geese
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Temple of Wild Geese about?
Satoko is a mistress by trade or fate: when her master, the silkscreen artist of the Kohoan Temple in Kyoto, dies, she is given to the temple's lascivious head priest Kikuchi. She is drawn to a melancholy young acolyte, Jinen, who has observed the profligacy of his cruel master and Satoko's utter dependence on the man. Jinen is both fascinated and disturbed by Satoko's interest in him; he is similarly caught between loathing of Kikuchi and of the dark circumstances of his birth and his own moral weakness. The story unfolds in a dreamlike manner—a flashback inspired by a now-infamous image on a silkscreen in the souvenir shop at the so-called Temple of the Wild Geese.
Who directed The Temple of Wild Geese?
The Temple of Wild Geese was directed by Yūzō Kawashima.
Who stars in The Temple of Wild Geese?
The principal cast of The Temple of Wild Geese includes Ayako Wakao, Masao Mishima, Isao Kimura, Kuniichi Takami, Ganjirō Nakamura II.
When was The Temple of Wild Geese released and how long is it?
The Temple of Wild Geese was released in 1962 with a total runtime of 1h 38m.
Who composed the musical score for The Temple of Wild Geese?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Temple of Wild Geese was composed by Sei Ikeno.
Is The Temple of Wild Geese based on a book or true story?
The Temple of Wild Geese is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Tsutomu Mizukami".