During the civil wars in 16th century Japan,two cowardly peasants chance upon a noble Samurai(the great Toshiro Mifune)protecting a beautiful,spirited princess as they undertake a perilous journey through enemy territory.The memorable wide-screen compositions, distinctive landscapes and exciting plot make for an extremely entertaining and enjoyable adventure.Though relatively neglected (compared with several other Kurosawa films),Hidden Fortress was,incidentally, an acknowledged inspiration for Star Wars,and should prove accessible to viewers less familiar with foreign language cinema.