Attention!!
DEVILS ON THE DOORSTEP
Left!!
Forward!!
Little Thresher!
Er Bozi!
Sensei!!
Have you all been good?
Have some candy.
Good boys!!
Watch this.
Which hand?
Smart kid. Try again.
Which hand?
No.
This one!!
Clean water, no dirty water!
One, two, three.
Or I'll knock your block off. Understand?
Yes! You'll have clean water tonight!
1945, NORTH CHINA THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION
- Let me look at you! - What for?
Please, let me look!
At what? No!
Come on!
Be quick!
Don't stop!
- Who's there? - Me!
- Who? - Me!
- Hurry! - What'll you do?
The usual!
- Who is it? - Me!
Close your eyes!
Name!
Dasan Ma!
What's this village called?
Rack-Armor Terrace!
What are you doing up so late?
Thinking!
Well, think away!
Listen to me!
I'm leaving two things with you!
I want them both back! Both!
Don't let the Jap devils find out!
Any slip up
and you're a dead man!
But they've got a blockhouse here!
It could be hard!
It'll be all right!
"The darkest place is under the candlestick!"
- Understand? - Yes!
If there's trouble, who's responsible?
You!
Who was it?
Don't know!
It's alive!
I'll tell that guy!
Dasan Ma!
Listen! In your spare time, interrogate them!
We'll collect them on New Year's Eve
together with their statements!
Understand?
Yes!
Who'll collect them?
Me!
It was like this!
Just like this!
Then he jumped the wall and ran off!
So what was his name?
Didn't say! Called himself "me!"
So, what'd he look like?
Don't know! My eyes were closed!
How about his clothes? Was he tall?
With your eyes closed, can you see me?
How many were there?
I didn't dare open my eyes!
So what exactly did he say?
He said he'd leave 'em here till New Year's Eve,
when he'd come for 'em!
He sounded really fierce!
He said, "The darkest place is under the candlestick!"
I'll kill you, turtle-fucker!
You can talk family business later!
Dasan's been with your son's widow for some time!
We have to talk!
With these good-for-nothings?
Go to bed!
Dad, have some water!
Don't call me dad! Shameless slut!
A father-in-law can't talk this way!
Go for me, then! I'm fed up with you!
- I'll kill you, turtle-fucker! - Cut it out!
Good fortune is having no troubles, but misfortune can't be avoided!
Well, is it fortune or misfortune? What should we do?
Take 'em to the blockhouse! I'm in with their chief!
- What? - Hand 'em over!
That's no good! What'll I say when that guy comes back for 'em?
Tell him to see the Japs! What would he dare do?
You kidding?
This guy ties up Japs in sacks! What wouldn't he dare do?
- What are you? A collaborator? - Seems like it!
I'll throttle one with each hand and then we'll bury 'em!
That's it!
We'll just dig a hole! I'll do that!
You would? But that guy said
if anything happens to 'em or if the Japs find out,
we'd be killed!
- Killed? - Who'd be killed?
He said he'd kill everyone in the village!
Nothing!
- What? - What?
Forget it!
Speak!
I thought we could run away
and leave the sacks here! What could he do to us?
Sit down!
You made me say it!
If we all have to die anyway, why don't I just kill you?
Stop it! If you don't, I'm going!
Come back!
Sit down!
It's unheard of! He's threatening us all?
I'll throttle 'em, and we'll bury 'em!
Bury 'em!
No good will come from this!
Such deeds are not the work of idle men!
Provoke neither those who dwell in the hills
nor those who come from the sea!
New Year's Eve is five days away! On that day they'll come!
Steal away with them
and disaster will be averted!
San!
For the sake of the village, act with care these next few days!
- Er Bozi! - Yes, Old Uncle?
Don't tell your mother about this!
She's got a big mouth!
I'll keep it to myself, all right?
All right! We can go home!
Wait!
There's something else!
That guy said we should interrogate them!
Interrogate them?
About what?
Sensei!!
Have some candy.
Boy good!
Have another.
Er Bozi, come here!!
Coming! Sensei.
Late no good!
If you're late once more,
one, two, three,
I'll knock your block off!! Understand?
Now, go away!!
ORAL STATEMENT
Name?
Speak!
Go on!
Name?
Speak!
Don't kill us!
DON'T KILL US
- First tell me your name! - Hanchen Dong!
- Age? - 28!
- Occupation? - Translation official!
What sort of official is that?
I turn Japanese into Chinese and Chinese into Japanese!
So!!! what's his name?
Kosaburo Hanaya!
Have him tell us himself!
Shoot me. Kill me.
If you've got the guts. Cowards.
How come his name's so long?
Come on, we don't want to be killed.
We don't understand! Turn it into Chinese!
His name's Kosaburo Hanaya! He's 25!
Has he killed Chinese men? Violated Chinese women?
Have you killed Chinese men? Raped Chinese women?
Of course. That's what I came to China for!!
He's new to China! Hasn't seen any women yet!
He's killed no one! He's a cook!
What's all this talk? They kill me now or I'll kill them.
Why are you doing this?
I want to anger these cowards. I won't cooperate with swine!!
Will you two stop chattering? Speak slower!
Wait for the questions!
He begs you not to kill him!
What else?
Could you ask him who was that "me" person?
Who was "me"?
Listen!
I want you to tell me who is "me"?
You?
Now I'm stumped!
How would I know who you are?
Not me! The "me" who nabbed you!
Just tell us who brought you here!
If we knew, we wouldn't have let him get us!
You mean you don't know either?
Where are we anyway?
Who's interrogating whom! Stick to the questions!
Just do it.
He begs you not to kill him!
Don't be afraid! Listen!
I'll read it back to you!
"Don't kill us!
Hanchen Dong! Chinese!
28! Translation official!
Don't know!
Kosaburo Hanaya! 25!
Japanese!
Just arrived in China! Hasn't killed anyone!
Cook! Don't kill me!"
Is that correct?
Is it?
More or less!
Well then do what must be done!
Hold on! I've got more to say!
Kill me!! I'm not afraid to die!!
It's a small unit! There are five machine guns!
You can kill us, but never insult us!!
They have nine telephones, two radio sets...
I'll never surrender!! Or betray the motherland!!
An ammunition depot!
We'll be victorious!! Long live the emperor!!
- And 14 horses! - Shoot me!!
That's it!
Good! I'm old enough to be your grandfather!
To me, you're still kids!
This business, we were asked to do it!
Give us your fingerprint! We'll transfer you!
Old Uncle! He's wounded!
It's bleeding!
Escape.
We've got to escape.
We've got to.
No matter what it involves.
Fool. There's no escape. Better to die now.
These peasants won't allow it.
It's the guys who captured us
who'll decide our fate.
Idiot. I want to die.
You don't get it, do you? Pig-brain!
Bastard. What'd you say?
I said, "You're a clever man."
Bastard.
- Sensei. - Have some candy.
We're in here!! Hurry!! Help us!!
San, what'll we do?
Help!!
Shut him up!
Stop shouting!
Bastards!!
- San! - Help!!
- Yell, Dong, damn it!! - Help!
Don't smother him!
- Use Japanese!! - Help!
- Help!! - Try and shout now!
San, what'll we do?
Help!!
San!
Er Bozi!
San, are you crazy?
Get down!
- What are you doing? Get down! - Move!
Help!! We're in here!! Quick!! Help us!!
- Go on, shout! - Hurry!! Help!!
What's wrong? Shout!
I'll help!
Save us! Save us! Help!
A gunboat is passing by!
You think they can hear you?
I tried out front, and they couldn't hear!
How noisy is that!
It passes here every day! Shout your head off if you like!
It seems it passes here every day.
What were you thinking?
We'll try again next time.
Forget it.
Between the noise of the boat
and the band, they'll never hear us.
All right, enough talk! Eat!
Nothing beats a good meal!
But we'd better change your bandage first!
I'll change your bandage!
- I'll change your... - Move over!
It's for your own good, you idiot!
Dong, tell this woman
she may touch me now, but I'll touch her later.
- More than once or twice. - What did he say?
- And more than just touch. - Just ignore him!
Hanaya, she's helping you.
Don't you have a conscience?
It's the Chinese who've got no conscience.
- First they shoot, then they help. - Stop talking!
Mongrels can't even shoot straight.
If they could, you'd be dead.
I'll kill myself now.
San!
What the hell is going on?
What now? You faking it?
You want to kill yourself? Use a sharp stone, not wood!
You stupid fucker!
- Sister-in-law, ignore him! - I'm not your sister-in-law!
Shut up and eat!
Thank you, brother! Brother, do me a favor!
Let me go! We're both Chinese, after all!
Will you shut up?
- Hurry! - I am!
I was captured once before! Captain Eight let me go!
Don't give me that! I have nothing to do with this!
We'll be pals if you do me a favor!
Of course! Name it!
Come as you are, leave as you are!
Don't make trouble! And don't die on me!
All right?
I'm treating you well enough! Why are you so thoughtless?
He's coming to!
I'll tell you one thing! If you keep this up,
I could get nasty!
- Who's there? - It's me!
Wake up! It's dawn!
Was it cold last night?
It wasn't warm!
- What's happening in there? - Quiet so far!
If they don't settle down, they'll be the death of me!
Have a look!
Brother! I'm so hot! Can't you take this off me?
I won't kill myself, I promise!
Better hot than dead! Show some thanks, will you?
I'd be damn pleased if someone fed me and wiped my ass every day!
But why suffer like this, brother?
I heard you coughing all night!
You were freezing!
Let's make this simple! Release us!
I'm not putting your life in danger! So don't put mine in danger!
All right? If I let you go, I'm a dead man!
Why aren't you eating? You've got to eat something!
Why isn't he eating? Move over!
You!
Lighten up!
You can't live without eating! You're human!
Come on, have some! Eat!
That's good!
What the hell?
Bastard!! Humiliating an Imperial Army soldier!!
I'll kill you!! Chinese pig!!
- What's he want? - White flour!
White flour? Where am I gonna get that?
I wouldn't mind some myself! Just eat!
Don't try to act like a captain-san here!
If he doesn't eat, he'll starve!
Starve?
Don't eat, then! But this is it!
Let's go!
I sent them to get flour...
Bastard!! I'm not eating, and neither are you!!
They'll never find flour.
Without it, you can go on a hunger strike.
They're scared we'll die.
They'll let us go.
We'll be saved.
Fool.
What? Flour? Do I look like I'm made of flour?
- Eat me, why don't you? - Now that's silly!
Isn't it a capital crime to hoard that stuff?
Trying to send me to the gallows?
Auntie! This is a matter of decency!
Decency?
You've a mistress in your bed and Japs in your cellar!
You've got some nerve talking about decency!
Son of a bitch!
- You swearing at me? - No, not you! Er Bozi!
I'm his mother! Curses at him travel straight to me!
You don't understand! He swears at me too!
He hasn't kept his word! He said he wouldn't tell you!
If he lied to me,
he wouldn't be my son! He'd be yours!
Whatever you say!
But I really need your help!
Auntie! You're fond of me, aren't you?
I've done so much for these two men... for the sake of the village!
I've slept with my clothes on! I've spent nights in the cellar!
I've used all my bedding
to pad the walls and floors! I've wrapped those men in my blankets!
That's your fault!
I had no choice! The Jap's threatening suicide!
He won't eat
unless his food's made of white flour! Otherwise, he'll starve himself!
It's a mess!
If you care about me
you won't let me leave empty-handed, will you?
That's exactly how you'll leave today!
A man's going to starve!
Let him starve! Japs are monsters anyway!
That's no good! If they starve, our village is done for!
I'd rather die than be a collaborator!
What are you talking about?
This guy risks his neck to bring 'em, asks us to look after 'em!
And we let 'em starve?
What's a collaborator? That's a collaborator!
Keep talking, there's no flour!
Then!!!
What's in here?
- Nothing! - There's flour inside the chest,
in a cloth bag!
- Who told you that? - Who?
The one who keeps secrets! He tells me stuff too!
That damn son of mine! I don't care anyway! There is none!
Auntie!
How's this? I'll repay you double what I take!
- Triple it! There's none! - Four times!
Five times and there's still none!
How about six?
Seven and I'll give none!
All right, eight then!
Dong. Teach me some Chinese.
- Why? - I want to swear at them.
To use the most terrible words.
I'll infuriate them,
and they'll have to kill me.
The Chinese hate people
who curse their ancestors.
Bastard!! Teach me now.
Yes, sir.
Cut it out!
At a time like this, thinking of that!
You've heard them call us brother and sister-in-law!
Besides, when I saw Auntie, I told her all about us!
What'd you say?
I said!!! it is what it is!
Have you no shame?
She said no story, no flour!
She wasn't nasty about it!
Things are what they are! Why not just admit it?
Don't push it!
They've all been too busy to think about us!
After tonight, when those two leave,
how can I walk in the streets with everyone talking behind my back?
What can I do?
If a big man like you doesn't know, why ask me?
Well,
I'll!!! marry you!
You have to anyway!
- What are you saying? - You have no choice!
- Who's there? - Me!
It's him!
It's me!
Don't use that word! It scares me!
I've got their statement! When that guy comes,
give him this! I'm glad I didn't forget!
Anyway, we've done it!
Right!
Once they've left,
we can celebrate New Year's all over again!
They're here, Dong.
The time's come.
I hear their footsteps.
I can see them taking up their weapons.
I want to turn the curses you've taught me
into bullets to fire at them.
I want to enrage them.
Insult them.
Enrage them.
Insult them.
Dong.
Good-bye forever!!
Happy New Year, brother and sister-in-law!
You're my granddad, I'm your son!
Happy New Year, brother and sister-in-law!
You're my granddad,
I'm your son!
The words are nice! Why does he sound so angry?
Japs sound the same whether they're happy or angry!
Why do you think we call them devils?
Happy New Year, brother and sister-in-law!
You're my granddad,
I'm your son!
Enough, enough!
I get the message!
But your generations are mixed up! If I'm your granddad,
you're my grandson! Not my son! See?
How come they're not angry?
The Japanese are always cursing them.
They're used to it.
Happy New Year, brother and sister-in-law!
Okay, okay! Shush! Twice is enough!
We've made you dumplings!
Just what you asked for!
- Did you teach him that? - Yes! It's the spring festival!
I taught him propitious phrases to thank you both!
Nice of you!
Now, eat up! It's your last chance!
By tonight, you'll be on the road!
- Let's bring the table over! - Okay!
Hold on! We'll set this up! Eat heartily!
Hoarders.
I'll kill you for sure.
- No chance of that. - Why not?
"On the road" means "to die" in Chinese.
This is our last meal.
We're goners.
Why don't they act like they're gonna kill us?
Even when the Chinese kill someone, their expression doesn't change.
How are they gonna kill us?
- You afraid of dying? - Of course not.
I just feel stupid dying this way.
But I'm not afraid.
I won't beg for mercy. I won't.
Shall we do it?
Move aside!
Let 'em finish their meal!
Untie them!
Please, one favor!
Send my parents a message for me, in the northeast!
Of course! Don't worry!
You'll be on the road soon!
And whatever happens, happens!
Enjoy your dumplings!
All right! I will!
And then I'll go on the road!
I lived by my mouth! Now I'll die by it!
If only I hadn't learned Japanese!
In my next life, I'll come back a mute!
Eat up!
Or we'll be late!
Tell him we've still got to trouble you to get back into those sacks!
What?
They're putting us back into those sacks.
What now?
The Japs are like this! They cry, they sing!
Well, maybe,
before he goes, we should give him a drink?
I want a drink.
He'd like a drink!
Just what we were thinking!
Let's get some wine from old man Qi!
San!
Do you think they'll give us a reward?
Advance.
- It's time for lunch. - I'm not going.
Not going to the blockhouse for lunch?
No. We're having Chinese chicken today.
You serious?
Know how to get a chicken from a Chinese?
"Excuse me, may I have a chicken?"
Idiot. You wouldn't get a fart that way.
Watch me.
Bastard!! Hand over that chicken!!
You're pathetic. You'll get thrashed. Watch me.
You gotta stare 'em down. Act like a devil and scare 'em.
Get it?
Bastard!! Give me that chicken!!
Holy crap!
What the hell? Halt!!
Bastard.
You scared the shit out of me.
What you do?
I'm from the village!
No leave village!
- You go back! - Go!
Go over there.
Come here.
Head down.
Here, have another. Come here.
Stand back.
- No go out, understand? - Yes!
- No go out! - I understand!
Understand? Son of a bitch.
- Understand? - Yes!
- Good. - Yes!
Let's go.
See? That's how you deal with them.
I see.
Hold on. Get it.
Don't let it get away.
Halt.
You're back?
What's wrong? Speak!
What's all this? Say something!
I'm going to eat you.
Look, it's him.
You. Damn it. What are you doing here?
I ordered you to stay inside the circle. Bastard!!
Japanese.
You must be dreaming.
No step out! Understand?
- Yes! - Maruyama. The chicken.
Captain-san! This what you're after?
- Bastard. Hand over that chicken. - Forget it, moron.
Captain-san!
Want me to kill it?
- Now you're talking. - Let's sit over there!
- No! - Bastard!!
I heard it. "Bastard."
It's for real.
Japanese speaking Japanese.
Soldiers of the Imperial Army.
You stay here! I'll get some kids to make noise!
The Japs want more water!
It's true. There are Japanese up there.
Thank heavens.
- How'd they get here? - I ran into them!
- You idiot. - Knock your block off!
Captain-san!
Go fan the fire!
Our chicken is nearly ready!
I'm going to scream.
They still won't hear you.
Hanaya. I've got an idea.
Don't worry about us.
We've got our own lunch.
We'll save you the bones.
It's goddamn delicious.
Why did he hit you?
- I said "knock your block off!" - Can't you say the opposite?
Well, you try!
I can only say bakayaro. It's worse!
Say baka-no-yaro.
Cut the crap! I'll watch them! If they head for the cellar,
I'll take 'em on!
Please save us.
Please save us!!
Attack!!
Son of a bitch!
Sensei.
San, he's gone inside!
Move! Move!
What are you doing with that?
Captain-san! It's for killing the donkey!
- Donkey? - Eat donkey!
This moron is terrified at the very sight of us.
He thinks we can eat a donkey.
Idiot.
'That pretty maid.'
'Is a bird on high.'
'I'm going to do my best...'
Maruyama. Get your gun.
What are you doing?
I'm getting you another chicken!
This guy... very good!
Save it! We eat next time!
- Understand? - Yes!
- We should be at our posts. - Right. Playtime's over.
Two telephone lines to set up.
Why's he always waving a knife around?
Go back! No move!
- You scared? - Course not. Not with you around.
Sensei.
Look at this!
Damn it!
What now?
That idiot is still inside the circle.
You're something else. You've got these mongrels worked out.
My respects.
I can teach you a few things. I'm still learning too.
- You? Still learning? - You're never too old to learn.
How was that chicken?
Delicious.
- Fucking bastards! - What are you doing?
Where's he going?
Japanese soldiers!! They're coming!!
Fuck you, Jap! Fuck!
Fucking bastards!
Move! Turtle-fuckers!
What the fuck is this about?
So you pull this on me?
Trying to get me killed?
Get this straight!
You try and get me killed and I'll kill you first!
I left the village,
crossed the river,
climbed the mountain,
entered the town,
went to ask for Pockmarked Li!
- Get to the point! - This is the point!
You always leave the village, cross the river!
If I didn't leave the village, how could I cross the river?
- Give me some water! - Go on!
- Where was I? - Crossing the river...
Get to the point!
- You saw Pockmarked Li! - I didn't say that!
- Yes, you did! - I said I saw Captain Five!
What did Captain Five say?
He said, "Didn't I tell you what to do?"
I said, "No, I've never met you before!"
He said, "Are you from Lower Village?"
I said, "No! I'm from Rack-Armor Terrace!"
He said, "Rack-Armor Terrace?
We've never left anyone there! Do whatever you have to!"
I said, "Like what?"
He said, "Isn't there a blockhouse there?
What are you waiting for? Do the deed!"
So this captain said "do the deed!"
Yeah! He gestured like this!
"Do it!"
Tell us again! What was that gesture?
Was it like this? Or like that?
- Show me again! - Like this? Or like that?
- Like this! - So he meant kill 'em!
- No! - What do you mean?
Like this! Like this!
Of course he meant kill 'em!
Looks like it!
There's an old saying: Better to obey than have respects to pay!
Well, better obey then!
Old Uncle, if he wanted us to kill 'em, why didn't he say so?
Why say "do the deed"?
Men in high positions can't always say what they mean!
It was so clear! First those guys yelled out to the brass band!
Then, today, they tagged the chicken!
What's next? Our necks are on the line!
Did he say how to do it?
No!
Or who should do it?
No! He doesn't know us! How could he?
He knows you!
He thought I was from Lower Village! I never saw him before!
- This is a hard one! - What's so hard?
There's "peeling the skin!"
Japs are all bastards! More water!
You peel one, I'll throttle 'em!
Twist their necks and bury 'em!
Shut up!
Bury 'em? That's an idea!
So!!!
- San! - Old Uncle!
It's not that I'm afraid! How can I put this?
It's just not right!
We were told to look after them!
We can't just decide to kill them! It's not good!
Besides, that Captain Five who Liu Wang found
didn't drop 'em on us!
His orders don't count!
What if Captain Four or Captain Seven comes for 'em? What then?
So why don't you go yourself? Go find Captain Four or Seven!
Don't be stupid!
It's up to you really! You got them here! Shouldn't you do it?
What? I got them here?
You think I went to their homes and invited them round?
I had a gun to my head! That's how I got them!
He forced me to look after them! If we don't, he'll kill us all!
These last six months, I've eaten badly, hardly slept, and I'm in debt!
While you all slept soundly,
I haven't been under a quilt all winter!
Why? Isn't it for our whole village?
Give me that water!
Slurping all over the place!
Dasan's got a point!
- Of course I do! - Well!!!
- Er Bozi? - Don't look at me like that!
I'm not a coward! You must have a good reason to do that!
I've got a big mouth! Just like my mother!
One slip of the tongue and we're all done for!
We are still here because I've kept my mouth shut!
I sensei this and that all day long to keep from talking!
That's my contribution!
Some contribution! Sensei. You collaborator!
- You do it then! - Well, Liu Wang?
Me? I could do it! What am I afraid of? But let's get this straight!
You know the saying "stick your neck out"? That's me!
I was nearly killed today!
Why do I go on about the village, the river? Because it makes me sick!
In my dreams it's leave, cross, leave, cross!
And you scold me for slurping? Give me that!
I'll throttle 'em and we'll dig a pit and bury 'em!
Shut up! Shut up!
If none of you will do it, I will!
- That's not right! - No?
We'll draw lots then! Fate will decide!
Whoever gets the red bean is it!
Old Uncle, it's too big a job for one person!
Well, add a second one!
Forget it! I've got both!
Give me some water!
Give him some water!
Here you go, San!
San!
What can I say?
What's there to say? Leave 'em to me! I'll throttle 'em...
Shut up!
I need two people! Helpers!
- I'll dig the pit! - So will I!
Good!
You two dig the pit! Dasan will do the deed!
Let's not put it off! Let's move tonight! Agreed?
Yes!
San! The hole's ready!
It's right here! We'll wait down there!
They've brought this over for you!
To help you over the shock!
Er Bozi's mother says
don't worry about repaying the flour!
She says try and put it out of your head!
- Eat up! I'm off! - Yu'er!
What is it?
Yu'er!
Don't touch me! Whatever you do, don't touch me!
If for nothing else,
for the child in my belly!
- Are you all right? - Don't touch me!
- Who's there? - Me!
Stop saying "me!"
Here's some food!
- Where's your mom? - She's not coming!
No?
This is terrible!
Uncle San!
I'll kill you, turtle-fucker!
I didn't kill anyone!
That's it!
Advance!!
- You! - What's with you?
Anybody see you?
No one!
Quick! Shut the door!
Ma, I'm back!
So you are!
Only one candy today! What's with Uncle?
Nothing! Don't worry!
- I'm going to Grandpa's! - Off you go!
Yu'er!
Let's!!!
Run away!
We'll take Little Thresher
and the old man!
Well?
Starting tomorrow, don't take them any food!
What?
If I don't, who will?
There are Japanese captives inside the Great Wall.
Too long. The kid'll never remember it.
True.
Nihonjin means uncle!
Chojo is candy!
Iru yo is give!
Repeat after me!
Nihonjin chojo iru yo.
"Japanese inside the Great Wall."
You say it!
Japanese inside the Great Wall.
He can do it!!
Japanese inside the Great Wall.
Japanese. Japanese.
Japanese.
Japs?
Sensei.
The great Japanese.
The great Japanese have no candy for you today.
- Chop off my head! - What are you doing?
Me too! Go ahead!
I can explain!
- Those guys are at Fenghuotai? - Yes, inside the wall!
You taking them food?
They still alive?
- Yes! Listen... - Why?
Enough's been said!
First they shout out to the brass band,
then they tag the chicken!
Now they're using Little Thresher! Three times unlucky!
We're going to lose our heads!
No doubt about it!
- I ask you! Should they be killed? - Sure!
So why didn't you do it? It's either them or us!
Where'd those guys come from? Who brought them?
What are you saying? I don't know who brought 'em here!
You don't? It would take at least two men
to drag those two sacks! Even four!
Four? Try five or six!
And you saw nothing?
- Don't you have eyes? - They were closed!
Really? You opened the door? You did it with your eyes closed?
No, I closed 'em after!
I say you saw everything!
I didn't! It was dark! I couldn't see a thing!
Cut it out! Tell us what you're getting out of this!
Nothing!
Nothing? I don't believe it! If not, why protect them?
You said you'd pay me back eightfold! Where's that coming from?
Yes, we all see through it now!
You're just bullshitting about the threat to the village!
Who is this killer? Let him come!
I'll sit at home and wait! Is he going to kill me? Would he dare?
Only your life's in danger!
- Can you pipe down? - Pipe down?
What am I afraid of? The Japs have been here for eight years!
Eight years!
And have they touched a hair on my head?
My behavior is right and proper!
Wherever I go, they look up to me!
Ma! Enough!
Little Thresher, don't hide! You speak Japanese?
You can go to the blockhouse,
but first show Uncle San what you've learned!
Go on!
The Japanese are inside the Great Wall.
Don't hit him! Hit me if you dare!
Come on!
I'll be frank!
The child in my belly was conceived the night those men came here!
If Dasan kills 'em, it will curse my baby!
You want us to kill 'em? And then you ignore us?
Dasan looks like a ghost!
Now that they're still alive, you come at us with this business!
We can't do anything right! You know all the answers!
We didn't kill anybody! We can't kill and we won't!
We can't!
I'm afraid! I couldn't do it!
Yu'er, how can you talk like that?
We all see what's going on between you and Dasan,
but have we said anything?
You defend him like he's your husband!
If you can't kill anyone, why should we?
You're scared to bear a cursed child! And us?
We'll all be cursed souls soon enough!
Dasan! I want my flour back! Eightfold! Pay me back now!
Look at yourself! Do you look like a man?
Whether Dasan's a man or not is for me to say!
Don't tell me you'd know better than me!
Wanna go to the blockhouse? Go then!
I'll lead you there!
No big deal!
I'll tell you this, though!
If they come down after us, no one will escape!
We'll all pay with our lives! Who are you threatening?
If we go, we die,
and if we stay, we die!
If it's all the same, just behead me now!
Please, get it over with! Otherwise, I'm not moving!
Say something, Old Uncle!
Good fortune is having no troubles, but misfortune can't be avoided!
I'm the youngest! Kill me first!
I'm in this too! Let him kill us all! Here!
Don't push me!
If you push me, I could do anything!
Fine! It's not too late for action!
- I'll help you dig the trench! - Me too!
- Let's do it! - Me?
Do it?
I'll run away!
Next.
Come here.
- It's all beans. - All right.
- Move. - Hold on!! Halt!!
Show me.
This way.
Beard, different with photo!
Cut short.
Understand?
- Cut short. - Short!
- Understand, you? - I understand!
Move it.
Next.
Bearded guy, come here.
Welcome the Japanese to the neighborhood!
800 years ago, we were all one brood!
We all write with characters
and our soups use pickles!
When they beat us, it really tickles!
If they call me bakayaro, I think it's good!
The Imperial Army gives us "mixi" food!
We love the Imperial Army like family...
- Where you from? - Rack-Armor Terrace!
- Name? - Dasan!
- Who sent you? - Old Uncle!
Old Uncle?
No wonder you called me brother-in-law!
What's up?
Well, where to start?
You want to hire an assassin!
Am I right?
Didn't Old Uncle tell you about my marksmanship?
He said you can hit a fly at 100 paces!
That's right... but with a gun! A nine-chamber automatic!
The further the target, the more accurate the shot!
Naturally!
There's a blockhouse at Rack-Armor Terrace, yeah?
Yeah!
- The village is as small as an ass cheek? - Yeah!
How can you use a gun then?
This is a job for a sword!
But Old Uncle is asking you! You can't say no, can you?
- Can't do it! - You can't do it?
Can't do it!
All right!
- What are you doing? - Going home!
You can go, but you gotta leave the beans!
What? You won't help, but you want the beans?
I can't help you out, but you gotta leave them!
You want to kill a Jap
but don't want anyone to know, right?
Right!
- It's a secret, right? - Yeah!
So, I'll keep your secret! It's like this!
If I don't take something as payment,
how can you trust me to keep quiet?
I don't need your beans! I just want you to feel okay about this!
Silly man! You've simply come to the wrong place!
I make tofu! If you throw in sorghum, would it still be tofu?
The more sorghum you put in, the less it'll be like tofu!
In the future, remember: If you want a swordsman,
don't go to the one with the gun! Do you get my logic?
- No! - No?
Let me show you what I mean!
Attention!!
What'll we do? Take a detour!
Halt! What are we afraid of?
Running means we've done wrong!
Sensei.
Get down!
They must have lost this battle! They usually kowtow before me!
They're back. Yayoi. Look.
They've been gone so long.
At last they're back.
Yayoi, what's wrong?
Matsuno?
Matsuno!!
Idiots!! Go back Inside!!
What's all this fuss? Shameless hussy.
Look at him!
You need wits and bravery!
Silly man!
It's not just a family matter!
Besides, I've got a Chinese heart too!
So you do!
Let's go!
Brother-in-law! Where are you taking me?
- To the military police! - What?
To the bathhouse!
You know the empress Tz'u-hsi?
Yeah!
How about the eight ministers?
Yeah! Uh, no!
Didn't think you would!
Darlings of the court! All beheaded!
Know who wielded the sword?
No!
- Old man Liu! - Really?
The day of the beheadings, a sea of people surrounded North Gate!
It was packed!
- South Gate! - Right, South Gate!
Did they come to see the eight ministers?
No!
They cheered at every head old man Liu cut!
Watching him use his sword was like tasting the finest wine!
They even celebrated it in poems!
Old man Liu, does he worry that people will hate him?
No! They never hate him! They're grateful!
The descendants of those he's executed bring him gifts
every day, every year, every generation!
Old man Liu, which generation are we up to?
See? The fifth generation!
Do you know why?
No!
Because he's helped them up to heaven!
His blade is like a passing breeze!
Before they know it, they're in the land of the immortals!
Their last vision is of Liu with his sword!
Gratitude wells up within them!
You know how they show it?
No!
Their head rolls exactly nine times,
looks back at him and blinks three times!
The corners of their mouths turn up!
You've heard of "greeting death with a smile"? That's it!
Say no more!
What can I give you to do this job?
Oh! If old man Liu likes you, he won't take a cent!
If he doesn't, mountains of gold won't move him!
Say no more! Old man Liu,
I can't even offer you beans!
But I'll kowtow on behalf of my whole village!
"The Great Wall still stands,
yet the emperor Ch'in Shih Huang is no more!"
Few Imperial Army soldiers get taken prisoner.
Fewer still are the prisoners of peasants.
I might be the only one.
Oh, Fate.
At least I've killed about 20 Chinese.
Worthless though their lives were.
Aren't 20 lives worth your one?
Sure.
The Chinese are people too.
It's a pity.
A soldier should die in battle.
To die at the hands of these peasants
is so unheroic.
Heroic?
I can help you.
How the hell can you help me?
I could eat your flesh
like sashimi.
Shut your traps! For fuck's sake!
What do you think?
I'm speechless! You're a master!
How's the time?
The moon is bright, the stars are few! Perfect!
And how are they?
- They've eaten their last meals! - Let's do it!