故事发生在京都太秦,演员香美山(福本清三 饰)演了一辈子剑戟片,是专职饰演被杀死角色的“被杀役”,他一辈子勤勤恳恳兢兢业业,靠着努力和汗水,获得了同行和后辈们的尊重与信赖。然而香美山明白,剑戟片的没落之势早已经不可抵挡,喜爱和欣赏它的人越来越少,心中因此怀着满满的孤寂。 某日,一位名叫伊贺五月(山本千寻 饰)的年轻女演员找到了香美山,希望他能够成为她的武术指导,被五月的热情和真诚打动,香美山答应了她的请求,就这样,两人成为了师徒。在香美山巧妙的调教之下,五月的演技突飞猛进,很快得到了观众的喜爱,职业前景一片光明。而落寞的香美山,则决定返回家乡,了此残生。The film centers an aged movie extra who specializes to be killed in samurai movies without ever being lit by the limelight. Using Charlie Chaplin's film Limelight as an underlying theme, the admirable story of Seiichi Kamiyama dealing with a new generation and fading craftsmanship is told with melancholy and soul.