Silence (1971): Cast & Plot
Silence is a 1971 historical drama directed by Masahiro Shinoda, starring Don Kenny as Francisco Garrpe, Tetsuro Tamba and MAKO. It is based on Silence by Shūsaku Endō and William Johnston. It runs 2 hours 9 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 2h 9m (129 min)
- Director
- Masahiro Shinoda
- Original language
-
Japanese - Studio
- Hyogensha-Mako International
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Silence About?
The premise of Silence without spoilers, adapted from Silence by Shūsaku Endō and William Johnston. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Two Jesuit priests encounter persecution when they travel to Japan in the 17th century to spread Christianity and search for their mentor.
Silence Themes & Keywords
· 28 tags- bare chested male
- screenplay adapted by author
- priest
- persecution
- japan
- christianity
- 17th century
- crisis of faith
- loss of faith
- oppression
- belief in god
- portuguese
+16 more Show fewer
- martyrdom
- martyr
- renouncement
- missionary
- padre
- religion
- belief
- faith
- torture
- literature
- japanese
- reference to god
- christian
- betrayal
- 1640s
- based on novel
Silence Cast & Characters
Don Kenny leads the cast as Francisco Garrpe, with Tetsuro Tamba as Cristóvão Ferreira and MAKO as Kichijiro. Directed by Masahiro Shinoda; 19 actors are credited in all.
- Director Masahiro Shinoda
- Don Kenny as Francisco Garrpe
- Tetsuro Tamba as Cristóvão Ferreira
-
MAKO as Kichijiro - Eiji Okada as Inoue Chikugonokami
Also Starring in Silence
· 15 more- Shima Iwashita Kiku
- Yasunori Irikawa Okada Saemon
- Taiji Tonoyama Prison guard
- Yoshio Inaba Prisoner official
- Yoshi Katō Old man
- Rokkō Toura Interpreter
- Yoshiko Mita Woman in Maruyama
- Masaya Takahashi Narrator (voice)
- Kappei Matsumoto Prisoner official
- Kikue Mōri Old woman
- Tomo'o Nagai Prisoner official
- Yūsuke Takita Ichizo
- Noboru Matsuhashi Mokichi
- Junshi Shimada Prisoner official
- David Lampson Sebastião Rodrigues
More from Masahiro Shinoda
More films directed by Masahiro Shinoda: Spy Sorge, Owls’ Castle, Moonlight Serenade and Sharaku.
Silence Plot Summary
What happens in Silence from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 5-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
In the 17th century, two Portuguese Jesuit priests, Rodrigo and Francisco Garrpe, undertake a perilous journey to Japan to spread Christianity despite a formal crackdown on the faith. They are determined to rendezvous with their mentor, Cristóvão Ferreira, whom they have not heard from in five years and who they believe may be imprisoned. One priest exudes a self-assured warmth, while the other moves with caution; together they navigate a land where their beliefs are met with warning glances and painful restraint. Their arrival is met with a mixture of awe and fear from a community of persecuted Japanese Christians who long for support, comfort, and the familiar rituals of home, and the priests find themselves pulled between duty, hope, and the harsh realities of their hosts’ fear.
Full summary
The whole story of Silence, scene by scene
Silence Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Silence.
How Well Do You Know Silence?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
In which century is the story of *Silence* set?
Silence Also Known As
8 alternative titles, including “Chinmoku” and “Тишина”.
- Also known as
-
- Chinmoku
- Тишина
- Silencio
- Молчание
- 沉默
- Ticho
- Silêncio
- 沈默 SILENCE
Seen Silence?
Movies Like Silence
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Silence, The Silence and The Eyes of Asia.
Silence FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, the book behind it, post-credit scenes and language of Silence, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Silence?
Silence runs 2 hours 9 minutes (129 minutes).
When was Silence released?
Silence was released on November 13, 1971.
Who directed Silence?
Silence was directed by Masahiro Shinoda.
More films by Masahiro Shinoda Who is in the cast of Silence?
Silence stars Don Kenny as Francisco Garrpe, Tetsuro Tamba as Cristóvão Ferreira and MAKO as Kichijiro, among 19 credited actors.
Is Silence based on a book?
Yes. Silence is adapted from Silence by Shūsaku Endō, William Johnston and Martin Scorsese.
Does Silence have a post-credit scene?
No. Silence has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Silence in?
The original language of Silence is Japanese.
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