Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters 1985

The film opens on November 25, 1970—the final day of Yukio Mishima’s life. After completing a manuscript, he dons a uniform of his own design and meets with four of his most devoted followers from his private army, the Tatenokai.

As the story unfolds through flashbacks, we witness Mishima’s transformation from a frail child into one of Japan’s most celebrated writers of the post-war period. In his adulthood, he dedicates himself to honing his body to perfection, driven by a deep fascination with masculinity and physical culture. This morbid obsession leads him to develop a profound disdain for modern Japan’s materialism, which in turn drives him toward an extremist notion of traditionalism. He founds the Tatenokai, fervently advocating for the re-establishment of the Emperor as the nation’s leader.

The biographical narrative intertwines with dramatizations of three of Mishima’s notable works. In The Temple of the Golden Pavilion, a stuttering aspirant feels utterly overwhelmed by the temple’s beauty, prompting him to set it ablaze in a fit of desperation. Kyoko’s House illustrates a tragic sadomasochistic affair between a middle-aged woman and her younger lover, ultimately leading to devastating consequences due to financial dependency. Meanwhile, Runaway Horses portrays a group of zealous young nationalists plotting to topple the government and zaibatsu, culminating in the tragic suicide of their leader. These dramatizations, coupled with the frame story and flashbacks, are elegantly segmented into four distinct chapters titled Beauty, Art, Action, and Harmony of Pen and Sword.

The film reaches its climax as Mishima and his followers stage a hostage situation involving a General of the Japan Self-Defense Forces. He delivers a passionate address to the soldiers, imploring them to join his cause in restoring the Emperor’s sovereignty over Japan. However, his impassioned speech is met with derision and apathy. Following this, Mishima retreats to the General’s office and carries out an act of seppuku, sealing his fate in a display of ultimate loyalty to his ideals.