Your mother ran away?
When?
With a lover?
How could she leave her child?
Maybe drowned.
She eloped.
She couldn't live with a blind girl.
Saito, the druggist.
The streets were empty. I wondered why.
I heard voices from this hut.
You came at the right time.
We need a wise man like you.
Your name?
Age?
Orin.
Six.
You have a fine voice.
Your name is Orin.
I was told I was born In the Province of Wakasa.
I've never seen my parents.
I heard It was a beautiful place.
But I couldn't see it.
When I was six years old,
Mr. Saito took me to a house of "gozé."
"MELODY IN GRAY"
Producers Kiyoshi Iwashita and Seikichi Iizumi
Story by Tsutomu Mizukami
Screenplay by Keiji Hasebe and Masahiro Shinoda
Director of Photography Kazuo Miyagawa
Music by Toru Takemitsu
Starring Shima Iwashita
Tomoko Naraoka
Kirin Kiki
Yoshio Harada
Directed by Masahiro Shinoda
It was twenty years ago.
When I was 21, I was denounced as lewd.
I was expelled.
I've been alone.
So you were expelled from the gozé group?
Yes. We, blind itinerant singers, make groups.
We visit houses to sing.
We stay at inns for gozé.
But once expelled from the group,
we have to travel alone.
We must spend nights at deserted huts and shrines.
Isn't the errand man back yet?
The comedians can't cheer the party.
The gozé are late.
They promised to come.
The young master is going to war. We need music.
Good luck.
I got information.
Your regiment might be sent to Manchuria.
You know a man hanged himself at Shimosatose?
I heard the news.
A woodsman found the body in his hut.
It was hanging there.
I think the man was a deserter.
It was a shame to the regiment.
If captured, he'd be shot.
She's here!
We've a pretty gozé.
Master. Mistress. I've brought a gozé.
You have lice on you!
Really? Sorry.
She's pretty and talented.
She's going to sing many songs f or us.
Thank you, everybody. f or sending f or me.
Gozé, sing romantic songs.
Can she see?
No.
She can say she's blind even if she isn't.
She can make love.
Even if she can't see us.
Don't sneak in her bed tonight.
But she's a lone gozé.
She's lone. but not lewd.
I was born blind. I live in darkness.
When I was six. Mr. Saito told me
to join a group of blind girls,
so I'd become a good gozé.
"You're blind.
"A blind girl can live only as a masseuse or a whore.
"But a gozé can lead a decent life.
"You'll have a mother to teach you music."
Kaneko. don't stop!
All footsteps sound like your lover's to you?
It's Mr. Saito.
The druggist?
He came after the snow melted last year.
He's not alone.
Hello. I'm Saito. the druggist.
I'm back again. I'm glad to find you well.
Welcome.
Hello. Mitsuko.
You've grown up.
Thank you for coming so far.
Hello. Mistress of the House of Satomi.
I have a request to make.
Please come in.
The house of gozé smelled of incense and hair oil.
The mistress was a kind woman. When I kowtowed,
she gently stroked my hair and introduced me to them.
Yasuko gave me a rice cake.
It was warm and delicious. I remember it well.
Then...
You travel alone without anyone to guide you?
Where from?
I was in Nagano in March.
I came to this district in April.
Water here. Drink.
Thank you.
Are you really homeless?
Yes.
I came to work at the quarry.
The job was finished today.
You were walking in the mountains.
You must live around here.
No.
The sun was in the west. I decided to stay here.
I'm tired.
Thank you.
Are you asleep?
Tsugiko!
Why did you do that? Why hate me?
What do you mean?
You tried to trip me with that.
No, I didn't.
I'm just trying to sew a kimono.
Liar!
You're mean and wicked.
You blame me. but
I know your secret.
You had secret dates with Magoji.
How cold!
Orin.
Washing is like torture.
You're learning quickly.
There's one thing you mustn't forget.
The manners that gozé must respect.
Gozé dedicate their eyes, ears and limbs
to the Amitabha Buddha.
They must chant the sutra every day
so they won't disregard their important manners.
If they do. they'll fall into hell in this world.
You'll be feted In two years.
Receive a new name in seven years.
You'll be a regular apprentice the next year.
In eight years.
In three more years, you'll be Independent.
Then you'll be a full-fledged gozé.
Lovely girl.
You sang well, but do you know what the song means?
How old are you?
She joined us at age six. Now she's eight.
Maybe the socks caused the trouble.
We wear sandals on our bare feet.
We feel warm even walking on the snow.
She was right.
At first I felt I was freezing.
But as I walked, I began to feel warm.
It was strange.
I stopped wearing socks even in winter.
When will you stop following me?
Somebody's waiting f or you at home.
I'm alone.
Like you.
I have no parents. Nobody's waiting.
Nobody?
A lie.
Why?
Why else would I have come to work in the mountains?
Maybe there'll be a festival in Tokamachi tomorrow.
Let's go.
I'll guide you.
Let's go to town and eat something nice.
Don't waste money.
I'll carry you on my back.
I want to run with you.
You're funny.
Come on.
People will laugh at you.
Nobody's around.
We've just passed it.
Turn right and walk through the coppice.
Cucumber trees bloom in spring there.
How can you remember the road without a guide?
When I was eight.
Yasuko carried me on her back along this road.
Every night you sneak out to your man.
Do you think I didn't know what you were doing?
I've been taking care of you for years. What for?
Slut!
You betrayed my trust.
I'll expel you!
Go to your man and drop dead!
We had a poor crop last year. We have no rice.
Only dried taro stems.
I didn't know. I'm sorry.
I'm blind, so I couldn't see. Forgive me.
They're having a hard time. Don't trouble them.
Please don't leave now.
My father is ill.
He wants to hear you sing before he dies.
He's been waiting for you.
Please accept this and sing for him.
Thank you.
I'm glad I've kept this job f or this moment.
Thank you.
Pregnant.
Can you feel it?
This pass is called Physician of Souls.
Mountains smell of young green leaves in spring.
The leaves wash our eyes with their tears of mercy.
People come into this world, thanks to their parents.
But Buddha mercifully made us blind
so we can't see the hell of this world.
Tsugiko, you're a girl.
I understand you wanted to be happy.
But why couldn't you feel the mercy of Buddha?
Orin, it's your first period.
Orin is a woman now. Let's celebrate it.
Orin, you've grown enough to have a baby.
Every woman has a monthly period. It's women's destiny.
But gozé aren't allowed to sleep with men.
We shouldn't have babies.
Remember?
Tsugiko had a baby and ran away when you were eight.
Orin, you're pretty. A nice woman.
Orin. the men are laying a trap.
The young men are drooling for your body.
It's fun.
I'll leave tomorrow.
Where to?
Fushimi?
To work at a brewery.
She's a child. Don't make her drink.
Don't be strict. Drink a lot.
I'll sing "Iso Song."
"The plane is taking off with the honeymoon couple."
"Darling, what's that place?"
"The shrine on Miyajima."
"What's that big open place?"
"Bakan Strait."
"Where are we?"
"In the cloud."
"Nobody's watching us, then?"
"That's right."
Don't sleep with a man.
If you do, you'll be expelled. That's the rule.
You were given a new name at thirteen.
It was your ceremony to marry Buddha.
Don't sleep with a man.
If you do, you'll be expelled.
Good! I'll sing "Wajima Song."
I couldn't help it.
I couldn't contain my excitement and joy.
It was fun.
I pitied the mistress who had refused the pleasure.
Gozé are on an endless trip led by Buddha.
We'll help them not get lost.
I'm a relative. I'll stay here.
You a virgin?
Take a good bath, gozé.
Thank you.
It'd been my secret desire to sleep with a man.
Making love made me feel warm. It was good.
I deserve divine punishment.
I was glad to work last night.
You were beside me while I sang.
I relaxed and sang well.
You made me happy, too.
Thank you.
Joking again!
The customers thought you were my guide.
You must have felt you'd burdened yourself.
You're wrong.
Your songs fascinate me.
You're pretty, too.
Why not make love to me?
We've been together since we met at Itsukodaira.
We slept side by side, but you didn't take me.
Any reason you can't love me?
After I was expelled from the gozé group,
I had a stranger to guide me for weeks.
It happened many times.
They all wanted to have me.
I couldn't refuse them.
They were big and strong. No use to struggle.
I let them have me and wished they'd pay me.
Some men tried to make fun of me.
I couldn't forget the warmth of a man.
I asked them to come to where I was staying.
I even begged them.
When I slept alone in winter. I was cold.
I was afraid I'd freeze to death by morning.
Don't leave me, please!
I'm old.
I don't mind.
Warm me with your body.
Please!
When I was lonely, I asked any man to make love to me.
A fire!
A rice dealer's shop.
The mistress said Buddha mercifully made us blind
so we can't see the hell of this world.
An old woman visited me with rice.
She said I was traveling like a priest
who saved people from damnation long ago.
Didn't you ever have a child living like that?
I had one. The baby died.
Where?
Noto.
Suzu Village.
It was winter.
I couldn't raise a child. My man ran away.
The baby froze to death.
It was my sin.
Let's save money and buy tools.
I'll mend clogs and give you hot rice.
My mother was good at it.
She worked at a clog shop. I helped her as a child.
She was a great woman.
What are you to her?
I'm her guide.
She picked me up.
She picked you up? You picked her up.
Don't eat anything you aren't given! I told you!
Even if you're hungry!
Why not tell me your name?
Tell me.
Tsurukawa.
It means a crane in a river. Senzo Tsurukawa.
I hear cranes come to swamps.
Do they come to rivers, too?
What are you doing?
Hold me in your arms. I want you.
Don't make love. If I do. we can't travel together.
Why not? What's wrong with holding me?
I want to travel with you.
I'm cold. Why not hold me and warm me with yourself?
You don't have to make love. Just hold me and warm me.
Orin.
Good girl.
You were born blind, and that's why you must suffer.
That's the hell of this world.
I can't take you.
If I do,
I'll have to leave you like all the other men.
I want to keep you company.
Let me guide you a little longer.
Be still.
You're like Buddha in the evening glow.
Don't stay away. Come closer.
You're Buddha.
It's as smooth as an egg shell.
If my business succeeds,
you won't have to work.
You'll polish clogs beside me.
I won't sing?
Not as a gozé anyway.
You'll be the clog dealer's sister.
"Sister?"
You know.
You're my sister. I'm your brother.
From tomorrow on call me brother.
You're not my brother.
You're the man I love!
Take a look at this!
This fine silk shirt is only a third the regular price!
Buy my medicine! It'll warm the lower half of your body.
It's good for women.
It's like a dream.
You made me an ordinary woman.
I don't have to slave for meals.
I can rest.
Not so loud.
But I'm so glad.
Don't be funny. Look like an ordinary woman.
The sea and...
...Mt. Yoneyama.
I'm happy for the first time in my life. It's like a dream.
Not a dream.
I wish you'd make love to me once.
I'd have no regrets if I died.
Then we'd have to part.
You're always Buddha to me.
I'm not Buddha. Nor your sister!