少年杜心五生性顽劣,后为徐矮师收为门徒,结识了安玉兰和关雪,也认识了宿敌龙渊,大婚当日,杜赴京刺杀慈禧。安自此留在杜家伺候婆母。刺杀失败后,龙渊带官兵穷追猛打,杜在关雪的帮助下逃亡日本。在日本杜加入同盟会,结识了一些革命党人,关雪和杜互生情愫。龙渊一路追到日本,和山本勾结,要置杜为死地。清政府瓦解后,杜和关雪等人学成归国。杜内心愧对安,却还是放不下关雪。龙渊用计让杜参加国术比赛,导致杜受伤,在关和安的照顾下渐渐恢复。 山本来到北平,再次和龙渊勾结,抓了关雪,以引出杜。为了救出安和关雪,杜被迫答应和龙渊比武……。山田日後承認在開拍此片之前,已心諳渥美清的肺病步入末期,決定此章為最後一章,並安排由淺丘瑠璃子演的莉莉送寅次郎踏上人生的最後一程。分別15年後,兩人於如詩如畫的奄美大島重逢,感情依舊,鬥氣繼續,沒完沒了似的。正如山田所想,雖然系列必須完結,但始終不想為寅次郎的故事/人生劃上句號。結局如常開放,代表寅一直繼續他的旅程,日本人依然有夢。
公映後翌年,渥美清病逝,享年68歲,本片亦成為他的遺作。
Yamada knew before production began that Atsumi's health has deteriorated to such an extent that Tora-san to the Rescue would be the last film in the series. He decided to let Lily accompany Tora on his last trip. The lovers reunite after fifteen years in the picturesque Amami O Shima, and the affections as well as the bickering remain. Although the series must come to its conclusion, Yamada has deliberately left the film's ending open, so as not to let the curtain fall on "Tora-san". Atsumi Kiyosh passed away at the age of 68 in the year following the film's release, making this film his last.。