Veteran director Nakajima Sadao examines the appeal, background, context and transition of chambara, or period sword-fighting and samurai films, in Kyoto. Not only interviews with actors, choreographers and critiques are included, but the director orchestrates an original chambara scene for the documentary.
『極道の妻たち』（야쿠자의 아내들)은 1986년 토에이 쿄토 촬영제작소, 토에이 배급이 공개한 야쿠자 영화 이다. 감독은 고샤히데오로 계속 되는 호평으로 여 주인공 감독이 교체되면서 시리즈화 되었다. 통칭으로 『極妻（ごくつま）』。라고도 한다. 최신작은 『極道の妻たち 情炎』（15번째 작품）이다. 극장 개봉용으로는 1998년 발표한 10번째 시리즈 『極道の妻たち 決着（けじめ）』으로 일단락 지어졌다.
This story is based on the novel "Jo no mai" by Tomiko Miyao which is based on the life of painter Shōen Uemura (1875–1949), the first woman to be awarded the Order of Culture. The title refers to the masterpiece bijinga ("picture of a beautiful woman") that Uemura painted at the age of 61. The main character, Tsuya Shimamura, is born in Kyoto as the second daughter of a tea trader who dies before her birth. Tsuya, who loves painting more than anything and is hopeless at housework, attends art school and at age 15 receives the name Shōsui (from the characters for "pine" and "green") from her teacher. The crown prince of England purchases one of her works, propelling her to fame overnight. The novel portrays the remainder of her stormy life, during which she is impregnated by her teacher and raises a fatherless child; through it all she devotes herself to her painting, undaunted.
