This film was screened at the Art estival in 1960.
LATE AUTUMN
BASED ON A NOVEL BY TON SATOMl
SCREENPLAY BY YASUJlRO OZU AND KOGO NODA
CAST
SETSUKO HARA YOKO TSUKASA
DlRECTED BY YASUJlRO OZU
That sounds delicious.
What does?
We're talking about where to get steak. He knows a good restaurant. Where is it?
Do you know the Honmoku-tei in Ueno? lt's right next to it.
lt's run by an old couple.
Really? l'd like to try it.
l usually go to the pork restaurant behind the Matsuzakaya.
You do, too, right?
l've been going there ever since it was just a little stall.
That was when we were students. We were always hungry, but didn't have any money.
We would pool our money, then go there together. Miwa used to come, too.
Really? You were friends with him when you were that young?
Yeah. We also lived in the same dormitory at secondary school.
Did you really?
You've been very kind to me, too.
He was an excellent manager, always very calm.
This is already the seventh memorial of his death.
Time flies.
How many years has it been for you?
What do you mean?
-Since you lost your wife. -our, almost five years.
Hey, the tea twig is sticking up.
The tea twig... Maybe something good's going to happen.
A twig sticking up in your tea while you're in the temple
could mean that your dead wife is coming to get you.
Oh, shut up! l'm not ready to go yet.
-Uncle Miwa is so late. -Yes. l wonder what happened.
Oh, here he is.
Hi. Sorry l'm late.
l'm Shizuo Miwa's brother. Thank you all for coming here today.
Being a country man, l got lost on my way here.
Good to see you, Mr Hirayama, Mr Taguchi.
lt's been a long time. Did you just arrive in Tokyo today?
No, l had other business to attend to, so l came a day early.
Thank you for taking care of my son last time he was there.
Don't mention it.
What happened?
My son went to Lake Haruna last winter to go skating with his friends.
They stayed at his inn.
Thank you for the present he brought me.
lt was my pleasure. Did you like them?
l pickled those spring vegetables myself.
lt was nothing special,
just a small token of my appreciation.
lt was a wonderful gift.
Were those the wild vegetables that we ate earlier?
They were delicious.
lt's interesting that as we get older,
we seem to enjoy these things more and more.
You're right.
Things like seaweed with carrots, mushrooms, dried radish and bean curd...
As well as steak and pork cutlets?
ls everyone here?
l think we can begin.
Please come to the main hall.
-After you. -Thank you.
-You're late. -Yeah, l got held up.
-We're just starting. -Then l got here too early.
The prayer was so long today.
Yes, it was quite long.
You're in no position to complain. You got here late.
Thank you all.
Mr Taguchi told me that shorter prayers were better,
so l asked the priest to keep it short.
lsn't that right?
The monk wanted to please you.
You must have paid him well.
l'm not that generous.
We had a nice, cool day today. The day of the funeral was so hot.
lt was really hot. l remember. l was wearing a winter coat.
How old were you, Ayako?
l was 18.
-And now? -Twenty-four.
That's a suitable age to get married, isn't it?
Yes. Please tell us if you know someone who would be good for her.
That shouldn't be too hard. Ayako is so beautiful.
What's your type? Don't be shy.
Come on, tell us.
How do you feel about my type, for example?
l like it.
Then how about me?
l like your type, too.
l'm confused. They're so different.
What do you think of me?
l like you, too.
-She only said ''you, too''. You're out. -l'm out?
You shouldn't have asked.
lt was a bad question to ask her.
Seriously, though, l might know someone suitable.
-Oh, please help us. -You know somebody?
Yes. Ayako, are you really interested in marriage?
Of course you should get married soon.
How old were you when you married Miwa?
l was 20.
See, Ayako? You should marry soon.
l think so, too.
l know a nice young man, Ayako. He's 29, l believe.
He graduated from the University of Tokyo and now works for the Obayashi Group.
He's a fascinating man.
That sounds too good for us.
l think he'd be perfect for her.
-Then please introduce us to him. -Sure.
Ayako, it's time for us to go.
Please excuse us.
Already? lt's still early.
l'm afraid we have to go.
Thank you so much for coming today.
Thank you for all your kindness.
l hope we haven't offended you with anything we've said.
ar from it. You kept us entertained. l hope to see you all again soon.
-See you later. -Goodbye.
-Bye. -Bye.
Please excuse us.
l'll say goodbye here. Ayako, you know what you're doing, right?
Yes.
-So beautiful. -Yeah.
l really enjoy talking to girls her age.
The girl is certainly pretty, but...
You meant her mother, didn't you?
She hasn't changed a bit.
-She's a beauty. -She is,
but l thought the daughter was charming.
Of course she is,
but Akiko is well over 40 and still...
lf l had to choose, l'd pick the mother.
She's a lovely woman.
She's fantastic.
-You really think she's that great? -Absolutely.
Maybe a man is bound to die young when he marries someone so beautiful.
Miwa used up his luck too fast.
She's developed a new kind of charm lately.
Yes, l agree. You really think so, huh?
You can just see it somehow.
And you, you're always slow to notice things.
l see it, too, just not as clearly as you do.
What's making you all so cheerful?
-Do you have any sake left? -Yes.
Your husband must be in good health, right?
Yes, he's perfectly fine, thank you.
l don't doubt it.
Of course. He's going to have a long life.
You never know what'll turn out to be a blessing in disguise.
Don't you agree?
-What are you talking about? -lt's nothing.
A long time ago, when we were at university,
there was a pharmacy near Aokido on the third block in Hongo.
lt's a fruit shop now, but there used to be a beautiful girl who worked there.
This man took a fancy to her and went to buy medicine there all the time.
What about you?
Who went to buy all those decongestants when he didn't even have a cold?
He bought other things, like antibiotics.
Yeah, l remember the package.
The woman who was just here was that girl.
That lady? l thought they were sisters, not mother and daughter.
She's very beautiful. So what happened after that?
-Oh, well... -lt ended badly.
lt's painful to tell, even now.
-Do you remember a man named Miwa? -No.
l think he came here once or twice.
ln short, Miwa stole the girl away from us.
My goodness.
You should have been buying love potions instead of cold medicine.
-You're right. -We weren't so wise back then.
We were innocent compared to young people today.
Really? Do you have enough wine, Mr Hirayama?
l'm okay.
-Would you bring me some soda water? -Sure. Just a moment, please.
A man who marries a woman like that will live a long time.
What did you say?
Nothing. We were just talking. Where's the soda water?
Just a minute.
A man who marries a woman like that could still die young, though.
Have you seen the size of her?
You mean if they were wrestling?
Doing the head scissors?
He'd be overpowered,
totally crushed.
Want some more?
-Hello, dear. -Hi.
You're home early.
-l thought you were going to be late tonight. -Why?
Weren't you with Mr Mamiya and Mr Hirayama?
Yes.
And Akiko came, too, with Ayako.
Really?
-What's this? -lt's Yoko's.
-She's back again? -Yes. She just arrived.
-ls her husband out of town? -No.
They had another fight.
Living with a mother-in-law isn't easy on a young couple.
Did she quarrel with his mother?
No, she gets along fine with her.
But it's still very stressful.
lt's better for a young couple to live by themselves.
l've often thought so myself.
What shall we do with her?
She means to stay for a while this time. She brought a bigger bag than last time.
Do you think they'll sort it out?
They'll have to sort it out, just like we did.
l guess so. A husband and wife eventually get past that stage.
Yes, they learn to be content. Yoko needs to make an effort.
Right. That's how relationships work. You can't be too ambitious.
True. lt's not good to set your hopes too high.
-Would you like a snack? -No, l've eaten enough.
Hi, Daddy.
-What's up? -lt's happened again.
''lt's happened again''? You're always fighting.
What was the quarrel about this time?
lt's hard to explain. lt's basically the result of weeks of discontent.
What do you mean, ''discontent''? You chose to marry him.
-Yes, that's why l'm upset. -About what?
Daddy, don't try to intervene. l've decided to teach him a lesson.
You need to learn a lesson, too. On how to be more patient.
That's enough.
Daddy, you should take a bath. Let me heat up the water for you.
She's hopeless.
Oh, yes, you know the man... What's his name?
Who?
The man who works at the Obayashi Group. Your friend's brother.
You mean Shigeru lnoue?
Yes, him.
His father owns a music box factory in Kamisuwa, right?
Yes. What about him?
l think he'd be perfect for Ayako.
-Not him. He's already engaged. -He's getting married?
Yes. l'm trying to figure out what to give them as a wedding gift.
That's too bad. l said l would help them out.
Why?
l thought he would be perfect. What a shame.
Do we know any other suitable young men?
How about lkeda?
No way. He's too arrogant.
No? Then who else do we know?
You should worry about your own daughter, not someone else's.
But Ayako is so beautiful. l don't want her to marry some loser.
l see.
She's really a nice girl. Very sweet and well-groomed.
Does she look like Akiko when she was young?
Well, it's hard to compare.
They're very different. Mamiya says he prefers Akiko.
-How about you? -Me?
Who would you prefer, Akiko or Ayako? You'd prefer Akiko. l know all about it.
All about what?
The third block in Hongo.
You often went there to buy medicine, didn't you? To get cold compresses?
That wasn't me. That was Mamiya.
-So what did you buy? -l bought antibiotics and some other stuff.
Don't lie. You bought a cold compress. l remember it well.
-Who told you that? -You did.
l told you? When?
Not long after Yoko was born. You were drunk.
ls that right? l was being honest, l guess.
Yes, more honest than you are now.
Mum, l'm hungry. ls there anything to eat?
Dad, the bathwater's boiling.
-Okay. Did you turn off the gas? -No, l didn't.
You have to turn it off.
You're all hopeless!
-Don't you have anything for me? -What a headache!
Come in.
You can go on in.
Oh, hi. Nice to see you again.
Thank you very much for coming the other day.
Thank you for taking the time to come to the memorial.
You're welcome. Please have a seat.
-l came to thank you. -You shouldn't trouble yourself. Have a seat.
l stopped to see Mr Hirayama and Mr Taguchi on my way.
Did you?
Did Taguchi say anything about Ayako's match?
He said the young man is already engaged.
-The man he mentioned the other day? -Yes.
That's typical of Taguchi. He always does things like that.
Miwa always complained about him because he was never on time.
Although l was the one who showed up late to the memorial service.
Miwa would have been glad to see all of you there.
Have you had lunch?
Not really, but...
Shall we go out for lunch? Not that l know any great place to eat...
But l have to be back by 2:00.
Back where?
l'm helping out at my friend's dressmaking school these days.
With rench embroidery.
Are you a teacher?
Yes, though not a very good one.
lt must be a challenge.
Let's have lunch together. l'll drive you to the school afterwards.
Shall we go?
l'm leaving now. Have the car ready.
-Have another glass. -No, thank you.
No more?
Did you notice that man back there?
The man who greeted me at the elevator as we were leaving.
No, sorry. l'm not very observant.
He's a bit shorter than l am. He had some hair falling onto his face.
l really didn't notice him.
Well, he doesn't really stand out or anything.
He's a good man and an efficient worker.
When we were talking about Ayako's match, l thought of him immediately.
But Taguchi was so quick to offer help and he sounded so confident...
Mr Taguchi is a funny man.
He's so funny that everything else becomes funny when he gets involved.
He's a real character, isn't he?
l can't remember where this man graduated from.
He's been with us for four or five years.
He may not look like the athletic type,
but he's captain of our basketball team. What would you think of a man like him?
He sounds very nice.
Would you like to meet him,
or would you like to see his picture and background information first?
Maybe that would be better.
Here you go.
Thank you.
-l'll send them to you. -Thanks a lot.
-Could you get me a photo of Ayako? -Sure.
Do you always smoke a pipe?
l smoke both cigarettes and pipes.
My husband was fond of pipes, too. We still have a few at home.
You can have them if you like.
That would be great. l'd like to have one of his.
l don't know if they're any good, but some he bought in England.
They must be good quality. He was very particular about those things.
-Then l'll bring you one someday. -Thank you.
Please, help yourself.
-Thank you. -Enjoy.
Coming.
Here you are, Dad.
-l think he'd be perfect for her. -Who?
Mr Goto. He's a fine man.
You really think so?
He's great. lf it were me, l'd say yes in a heartbeat.
Where did he graduate from?
Waseda University. He studied Economics.
-Where is he from? -ushimi. His family runs a brewery.
Can't you be quiet for a while?
-Go to your room. -Why?
Just do it.
Dai, you go upstairs, too. Now.
Waseda, Waseda, Waseda.
l think Mr Goto's the best candidate that we know.
l think so, too. l'm going to invite him over.
Please talk to him and ask for his photo and background information.
l will.
l wonder what Akiko will do once Ayako is married.
She'll be alone.
She'll be fine. She has to be.
ls Akiko as beautiful as ever?
Yes, very beautiful.
But l like Ayako better. She's so pure.
Do you really?
Taguchi said he prefers Akiko.
l think you do, too.
-Do what? -Prefer Akiko.
No way. That's not me. That's Taguchi.
He's liked her ever since he was a young man.
Really? And you haven't?
Not really.
Oh? Which medicines did you buy?
-What? -l'm asking about the medicine.
-Whose medicine? -Yours.
Was it a cold compress or a decongestant?
Who told you this nonsense?
Taguchi's wife?
l know why you never catch a cold.
You took too many decongestants back then.
l'm home.
Hi, Mum. Have you had supper?
Ms Sakai treated me to supper.
-l've been waiting for you all this time. -Sorry.
l bought some sweets on the way home.
-Do you want to eat it now? -l'll eat it a little later.
l'm tired. l went lots of places today.
Mr Taguchi's matchmaking failed.
Really? Why?
The young man already has a fiancée.
He's always doing stuff like that.
lt's so true. But now there's another candidate.
Another one? l'm so popular all of a sudden.
-Who's arranging it this time? -Mr Mamiya. He sounds nice.
-They work at the same company. -l see.
He's going to send us this young man's photo and information.
l'm going to boil some water.
Mr Mamiya thinks very highly of him.
He wanted to mention him the other day.
He says he wants a photo of you.
-You know, Mum... -What?
-Could you decline? -Why?
lt'll be harder to say no once we have his picture and information.
And don't give him my photo, either.
-Do you want some black tea? -Sure.
ls there somebody you like?
Not yet.
Then why won't you consider this man?
So many people are concerned about your well-being.
You should be grateful.
l know, but l'm fine with things the way they are.
But...
Really, l don't want to get married yet.
My goodness. Will you sit down and listen to me?
What?
-Tell me the truth. -What?
You really don't have anybody else in mind?
l'd tell you if l did. l wouldn't hide something like that from you.
Okay.
l feel fine as l am for the time being.
Make sure to decline him.
Are you sure?
l'm sure. Let's live together like a happy family.
The water's boiling.
But once l fall in love with someone, l'll probably change my mind.
Let me see.
-Do it like this. -Okay.
That's all for today.
lf you have any questions, feel free to ask me anytime.
-ls your class over? -Yes.
Do you have a minute?
Hi. Please have a seat.
-Have you told her? -Not yet.
-Could you? -You should do it yourself.
Okay, l'll talk to her.
Akiko,
what do you think of this man?
Who is he?
What do you think of him for your daughter?
But isn't his nose crooked?
That's just the photo. lt's the lighting.
-Sorry. -ls there a problem?
Thank you very much,
but Ayako says she doesn't want to get married yet.
-But... -He's not suitable, anyway.
But he's from a good family.
The man is more important than the family. l thought we discussed this last night.
lt's a real shame to pass him up.
lt's no shame at all. He has no chance of succeeding.
That's not the point, really.
Just the other day,
Ayako declined a match that Miwa's friend wanted to arrange.
-Why? -She says she doesn't want to marry yet.
Really? Maybe you can't let her go, either.
No, that's not it.
But you need to give her away soon.
lf she waits, she may end up with someone who's not right for her.
We can't all be as lucky as l was.
-Yes? -There's a call for Mrs Miwa.
-A call? Switch it to this line. -Yes.
-Thank you. -You're welcome.
Hello. ls this Ayako? Yes, it's me.
Yes, l can come.
What time? Okay, no problem.
Then l'll meet you at the corner of Wako.
l'll leave early and stop by Uncle Mamiya's on the way.
Okay. Bye.
l heard lshii couldn't get the time off.
He'd bought the maps and everything.
-Why? -His boss is nasty.
-So there'll only be seven of us? -Right.
l want to go shopping for hiking boots. Can you come with me after work?
Not today. l have an appointment.
A date, huh? What's going on with you?
No, with my mum.
How boring. Do something more exciting!
Come in.
Please go ahead.
Hello. Welcome.
Hi. l've brought you the pipe.
The pipe? Oh, yes. Thanks a lot.
Come in.
What is it?
Here.
Yes, this looks right. Let me see the file you showed me earlier.
Of course.
Wait a minute.
Yes?
This is the young lady who turned you down.
Really?
Ayako, this is the man you declined.
My name's Goto. Please excuse me.
-You're so mean. -Why?
You shouldn't have said that.
l was just telling the truth.
-But... -But what? Will you reconsider?
No.
Here's the pipe.
Wait, Ayako.
-l heard you work at Toko Trading. -Yes.
Say hello to Sugiyama in Accounting. We went to school together.
l will.
Excuse me.
Come in.
Here you go.
-l'm so full. -You still have some beer left.
We shouldn't let it go to waste. l'll drink it.
Not very much.
Here you go.
You know, once you get married,
we won't be able to go out like this.
Yes, we can. l'm not getting married.
Eventually you will.
Until then, we should go out together once a month or so
and eat at nice restaurants.
Let's do that. Even once every other month would be fine.
Yes, or once every three months.
-l'll pay the bill today. -No, l'm paying.
You'll be short of funds for the hiking trip. You bought such a lot of things.
Don't worry.
l watch how l spend my money.
What a great idea, to go on a farewell hiking trip before your friend gets married.
No one thought of these things when l was young.
They both like climbing. That's why we thought of it.
Wasn't it Yuriko's idea?
Be careful not to fall, like in the film we just saw.
Don't worry, l won't. lt's a safe place.
That's good.
You still have some shopping to do, right? Shall we go now?
You wanted to buy needles for the sewing machine.
And another thing. Your favourite.
What? Oh, caviar.
-Could you bring the bill, please? -Sure.
-Mum, l'll pay today. -No, why don't you pay next time?
-You must be tired, Mum. -A little. But l had a good time.
-Oh, l forgot. -What?
The soup mix. Hopefully someone else will think of it.
Don't we have some here?
Only this much.
You're just like your father.
You think so?
You have to prepare everything perfectly when you go travelling.
Your father was like that.
He couldn't do without even one pumice stone when he went to a spa.
The pumice, to rub his heels with? Yeah, l remember that.
l want to go to a spa with you, Mum.
Remember the time we went to Shuzenji?
We saw a lot of fish in the big pond at the inn.
Yes. l threw buttered peanuts to them and they ate everything l gave them.
Then the next morning, we found the fish floating belly-up.
l was shocked when l saw them, but Dad looked like he found it funny.
That was the last trip we took with your father.
The budding maple leaves were so beautiful.
We should save some money and take a trip.
To where?
Let's visit a bunch of places on a tourist pass.
We can visit Uncle at lkaho, too.
Good idea. Let's do that.
We won't be able to do that after you get married.
Mum, why are you so eager to marry me off?
lt has to happen eventually.
No, l'm not going to get married.
But when l do find someone l really care for, what do you think, Mum?
About what?
Will you feel lonely?
l will, but l'll have to bear it. l'll be fine.
l'm sure my mother bore it, too.
That's how it is with mothers and daughters.
Mum, shall we go to bed soon?
Okay. We need to get up early.
l had a good time today.
-Pong. -Pong?
-There you go. Reach! -Reach? That was quick.
-This is what you want, right? -Yes.
-Then l'll give you this. -Okay, l'll take it.
Gun. A continuous three.
Can't you be a little bit nicer to the bridegroom-to-be?
Don't worry. l gave you a gift just recently, didn't l?
Why did you have to come here and play?
Your husband-to-be is crying.
Don't be too hard on him.
You sound like a wife already.
What's the Chinese character for ''fresh''?
lt should be ''gloomy'', not ''fresh'', if it's about your bridegroom.
resh is...
l wrote it out in letters.
Miwa, l heard you rejected Goto.
What?
Goto, who works at Sanwa Trading. l saw him in Shinjuku last night.
He said you rejected him.
l didn't. lt's not how it sounds.
He's a good man. You shouldn't reject him.
l said l didn't...
What are you talking about?
You just mind your own husband.
Why would you reject a man like that?
Shall l reintroduce you to him?
No, thank you.
l will. Count on me.
lt's time.
Right.
Today feels like a lucky day. The train is probably full of young couples.
l wonder how Shigeko's doing right now.
Are they sitting face-to-face or shoulder-to-shoulder?
Whichever they like. lt's none of our business, l guess.
There it is!
She said she would wave flowers to us from the window.
Maybe she forgot.
How could she? She mentioned it so many times.
Then she must have been feeling shy.
Besides, they could have invited us to the reception today.
They should have.
Maybe they forgot about us.
We joined the company together, and we've always been such good friends.
We'll all be separated eventually.
That's what l don't like about marriage. ls it the same for men?
l don't know.
lf our friendship is just a temporary filler until we get married,
what's the point of all this?
You're right.
l don't like that.
-Here you go. -Great.
lt looks like we'll have a fine Sunday tomorrow.
-l hope so. Goodbye. -Thank you very much.
Welcome.
-A glass of water and a cup of coffee. -Certainly.
-What a coincidence, seeing you here. -Yes.
Where did you go, Ayako?
To the cinema.
-Did you? Please have a seat. -Okay.
-But... -Her, too.
-Thank you, but... -Are you going someplace else?
No, l'm going home now.
Please excuse me.
Ayako, don't you want to go with him?
No, l'm fine.
-Then please sit down. -All right.
Here's your coffee.
-Would you like to order something? -No, thank you. l'm full.
What's going on?
-What do you mean? -With Goto.
l met him for the first time today. Somebody else introduced us.
l introduced you, too. l did it first.
-But... -But what?
A friend of Mr Goto's, Sugiyama, works at my company.
So...
orget about Sugiyama. What do you think?
-About what? -What do you think of Goto?
-l met him for the first time this evening. -You already said so.
Stop teasing me.
l'm not teasing you. l'm serious.
Don't you think he's a nice man?
What do you think of him?
l don't know.
You don't know? Really?
l have no idea.
No idea, huh? That's a problem.
But he's certainly a nice man,
and if you like him, it's so simple.
-What's simple? -Marriage.
-l don't know about that. -Don't you want to?
Supposing l fell in love with somebody.
l might still not be able to marry him for any number of reasons.
Really? What reasons? Economic reasons?
-That's one of them. -What are the others?
Like in my case, the girl may be living alone with her mother.
That's not an issue.
You'll never marry if you insist on staying with your mother.
l don't need to get married.
That's not right. Women should, you know.
Listen, l separate romance and marriage.
What do you mean?
Well, how shall l explain?
You mean you could put up with your husband's love affairs?
No, l'm not silly like that.
Oh, sorry.
Of course, if you could combine romance and marriage,
that would be ideal.
But l don't think you're unlucky if you don't have both.
You can still enjoy life.
l think that's the case for most couples.
You think so? Wouldn't you feel sad?
No, l wouldn't. l belong to a different generation.
You're right.
l'm happy living with my mother.
l'm very fortunate. l'd rather keep living this way.
You love your mother so much.
Do you think so? We often quarrel.
That proves that you love her.
A mother and a daughter wouldn't fight unless they were very close.
-You think so? -Yes, l think so.
She really is a good mother, and you're a good daughter, too.
Young people these days are really something.
Some are strange, of course.
-l think what she says makes sense. -What?
Separating romance and marriage.
l think it's because the world is getting more difficult to live in.
And what do you think? Do you think Ayako likes that man?
l think so.
She tried to make excuses, though.
That was a bit suspicious.
Who's this Sugiyama she mentioned?
He's out of the picture.
-The issue is her concern for her mother. -Yes.
-That's easy to deal with. -How?
-We'll have the mother marry first. -Have her remarry?
Yes, then her daughter will get married, too.
-You really think that would work? -lt depends on how we persuade them.
That may be a good idea.
lf it worked out, it would be ideal.
lt will work. Akiko is so pretty. Who wouldn't marry her?
Then why don't you ask her if she's interested in remarrying?
-Do l have to do it? -Of course. lt's your idea.
lt's right that you do it.
Will you try? Will you?
-Okay. l'll try. -Good.
But l don't have anyone for her.
How about Hirayama?
Me?
Yeah, that could work.
No way. l can't do that.
She's the widow of my good friend Miwa.
Don't be so uptight.
No, no way. lt's immoral.
There's nothing immoral about it. You're a widower and she's a widow.
l can't be so detached about it. l don't like to do things like that.
Well, so much for that.
Go ahead and ask her anyway.
Okay.
Don't you dare mention my name, you hear?
What a pity.
You've been a widower all these years and what do you have to show for it?
l agree completely. l wish l were in his place.
Yeah, l wish l were in his place. l do.
-Hello, sir. -Hi.
-Hi, Dad. -You're home.
-Have you had supper, sir? -Yes, l have.
How about you?
l ate already. l couldn't wait for you all night.
That's fine.
What were the scores like? Did you guess right?
airish.
What's the matter?
-What? -You seem down.
-Has something happened? -No. Nothing.
-l have to ask you something. -What?
l've declined it, but my friends are trying to play matchmaker.
-or me? -No, for me.
-or you? -Yes.
Who's the woman?
Aside from who the woman is, what would you think of my remarrying?
lt all depends on who you're marrying. Do l know her?
-Yeah. -Who? Tell me. Don't hide it from me.
-l'm not hiding it. -Then tell me who.
Yes.
You know Mrs Miwa, don't you?
Yeah, she's great. l'd be fine with her.
So you approve?
Of course. You declined her?
Sort of.
What a stupid thing to do!
-Really? -Of course.
-So you'd accept? -Of course.
Dad, l've always hoped that you'd get remarried.
Why?
l'm going to get married someday,
and if you're still alone, you'll come live with us.
My wife wouldn't like that.
Wretched boy!
And you wouldn't like it, either.
So you'd better marry Mrs Miwa.
-This is a great opportunity. -ls it?
ls she really willing to do it?
l don't know yet.
You don't know yet? You need to be more confident.
So you like the idea?
Yes, very much.
Really?
Dad, you look so much happier now.
Come in.
Please go on in.
What's going on?
lt's a beautiful day today.
lt's been like this for a few days.
Yes. There was an earthquake last night, though.
Really? l didn't feel it.
There was. A small one.
What's the matter?
-About what we discussed the other night... -What's that?
What we talked about at the golf course.
About employing students?
No, at the clubhouse.
-What was it? -About Miwa's wife.
Did you think of a good man?
l gave it some thought.
-And? -Well...
Do you remember what you suggested? My son likes the idea.
What did l say?
Don't you remember?
No, l don't.
Don't lie to me.
l'm serious. Do you think Taguchi has already asked her?
l don't know.
But you didn't seem at all interested then.
Yes, l know,
but life is inconvenient in a lot of ways for a widower.
What do you mean, ''inconvenient''? You have a maid.
l know, but l just thought...
You mean there's a type of itch that your maid can't scratch?
Sort of.
And you've suddenly developed such an itch.
Maybe.
l don't know what's going on with your itch, but what do you want me to do?
l'd like you to talk to her about me.
l think you should let Taguchi do that.
That man talks too much.
-l want you to do it instead. -Me?
Yes. Would you do it for me?
Well...
Will you connect me to Mr Taguchi at Nitto Electric?
Do you think he can handle it?
He can. We agreed that he would go.
-When he gets involved, things tend to... -all apart?
Yes. What's that? He's away?
-He's not there. -l see.
-l'll talk to him. -Please do, and soon.
-So your itch is urgent. -Yeah.
l'm no good at this, no matter how old l am.
-Where are you going? -To the toilet.
Welcome.
Where's Hirayama?
He's not here yet. So did you talk to her?
How did it go?
l got a bit sidetracked.
Could l have a glass of whisky with water?
Certainly.
-l'll have another of the same. -Of course.
What's the matter?
She has no intention of getting remarried.
She talked about her dead husband from start to finish.
Did you mention Ayako and Goto?
-l did. -What did she say?
She just smiled and said, ''Really?''
So what about Hirayama?
l couldn't mention him. lt was like l went there to hear her brag about Miwa.
l was touched by her story, too.
-You didn't say anything about Hirayama? -Nothing.
Here you go.
But Hirayama is serious.
She's too good for Hirayama. She's as lovely as ever.
l wish you had been there to see her moved to tears.
Yeah?
She was like a beautiful flower in the rain.
She peeled an apple for me with her white hands.
Did you eat it?
lt tasted great.
She gave this to me, too.
What did you go there for?
What?
What about Hirayama?
There's nothing l can do. orget about him.
-But he's in a hurry. -There's nothing we can do.
Tell him to apply some ointment to his itch.
l guess we'd better leave him alone.
Yes, that's all we can do.
Welcome.
He's here.
-Hey. -Hi.
Sorry l'm late.
What would you like to drink?
-Anything is fine. -All right.
You can have this one, too.
Taguchi, did you go see her?
Yeah, l did.
-Did you talk to her? -Yeah, l did.
How did it go?
You need to be patient.
ls that right?
l feel sorry for Mr Hirayama.
l know. They're having fun at his expense.
They're both so bad.
Your husband is a bit better. Mine asked me the other day,
''lf l died, would you get remarried?''
And l said, ''No, l've had enough.'' Then he said, ''l would.''
l asked him, ''To whom?'' He said, ''To Akiko, of course.''
-Really? Mine is probably the same. -Pretty women always have the advantage.
That's so true. l'm jealous.
Akiko can't just suddenly decide to get remarried, you know.
She won't say yes right away. l wouldn't, either.
Me, neither. Even if l were interested.
-Right. They're so tactless. -They really are.
-Mum, l'll see you later. -Are you going on a date, Michiko?
Yes, from the evening till late at night. Good guess.
-See you. -Bye.
What's to be done with young people nowadays?
Mine's a headache, too.
Things were simpler in our day. All we wanted was to go see an opera.
Yes, Mon Paris or When Lilac Blooms.
Nowadays, they listen to rockabilly and Elvis Presley.
No wonder things like painted tin flowers are in fashion.
You're right.
-Good afternoon. -Hi.
We're talking about the match for Mrs Miwa's daughter.
Oh.
We think you should take care of Ayako's marriage first.
You don't have to worry about Akiko's remarriage.
Well, your husband came up with that idea.
Really? He said it was your idea.
No, it was your husband's.
-Whose is it, l wonder? -lt's Taguchi's, of course.
l heard you saw Akiko in tears and thought she was stunningly beautiful.
He said that? He reserved our roles.
Did he also say l ate the apple?
Yes.
-l heard it was delicious. -You're silly.
Anyway, we'll take care of Ayako first, if you think that's better.
Of course we do.
Right.
l'd better leave you alone.
Welcome.
ls Mr Mamiya here?
Yes, he's waiting for you.
l'm over here, Ayako.
Please come in.
l'm sorry l'm late.
-Was the place difficult to find? -No.
Please have a seat.
Make yourself comfortable.
We don't have much time, so l'm going to get right down to business.
lt's about your marriage. What do you think of Goto?
What?
Do you like him or not? Tell me.
l wouldn't say l dislike him.
Then you like him. He said he likes you, too.
Well, go ahead and marry him, will you?
-But... -What?
l haven't decided yet if l'll ever get married.
That's what you said last time.
So l can't answer you right now.
lf you like him, why not get married?
But what would my mother do if l got married?
-You're concerned about your mother? -Yes.
We've thought of her happiness, too. We won't let her down.
What do you mean?
or instance, what do you think about your mother getting remarried?
ls there talk of that?
Sort of.
What do you think about it?
Here you go.
What's wrong? You look like you're deep in thought.
ls it definite?
-You mean your mother's remarriage? -Who is he?
-The man? -Yes.
Since you and your mother both know him, l thought Hirayama might be good.
Mr Hirayama?
What do you think of him? You don't like him?
Well, it's not definite yet.
What do you think?
Hi. Are you hungry?
We're having a very plain supper tonight.
l meant to buy something on my way home, but l was late, too.
What's wrong?
What's the matter? l wonder what's up with her.
l saw somebody on the train today who l hadn't seen in years.
l wonder if you would remember her.
She often came to our house to sell rice in the years after the war.
She looked so elegant that l hardly recognised her.
Mum.
Yes?
ls there something you've been keeping from me?
What?
Uncle Mamiya told me the whole thing today.
What did he tell you?
Mum, are you going to get remarried?
What? What are you talking about?
Don't hide it any more.
l haven't the faintest idea what you're talking about.
-l know. -What do you know? What is this?
l'm at a complete loss.
There's no sense in denying it. What about Dad? Didn't you think of him?
Wasn't Mr Hirayama a friend of Dad's?
What about Mr Hirayama?
l can't believe you're still denying it. Why would you hide it from me?
What do you mean, ''hide it''?
Never mind. l never thought you'd do something like this.
l hate all this secrecy.
What are you talking about, Ayako?
lt's filthy. l hate it!
Ayako, where are you going?
Answer me!
Leave me alone! l don't like you doing these things.
Here you go.
-Give me some cuttlefish. -How about you, miss?
-l'd like some more of this. -Okay.
Welcome.
Hello.
l came to see Yuriko.
Yes, she's home.
Yuriko. Miss Miwa is here.
l'm coming.
Please go on in. She's upstairs.
lt's nice to see you. Come on up. My room's a mess, though.
Please.
Here you go.
Would you like some more clams?
Yes, l'll have some, please.
You're so fond of clams, sir.
Clams are delicious.
They're poisonous, though.
How about some octopus?
-l already have some octopus. -Do you?
l want some clams, the softest part.
-And some red shellfish. -Okay.
So what did you tell her?
l hate it all the more because he's my father's friend. lt's not right.
That's why you stormed out of the house?
Yes, because l think it's filthy.
l see. So that's what you think.
l still remember my dad so well.
Why does Mum behave as if she'd forgotten him?
l can't stand this.
l understand how you feel, but don't you think you're being a bit selfish?
Why?
You need to look at things from her perspective.
What do you mean?
She's a woman, too, like you.
What are you saying?
You have a boyfriend.
Why shouldn't your mum be allowed to have one?
lsn't that selfish of you? lf it were me, l'd just stay quiet.
So you'd be fine with it if you were me?
Yeah, l'd be okay. l'd let my mother live her own life.
You'd feel differently if you really were in my place.
No, that's not true. l didn't act like you when my father got remarried.
lt didn't mean l'd forgotten my dead mother.
Even now, when l close my eyes, l can see my mother's face.
My father's a sloppy type of person, but that's okay.
He has his own life, you know?
But l don't think that way.
You have no choice.
You can't expect things to be perfect in this world.
You're acting like a baby.
Yuriko, l brought you this.
Thank you.
Do you want something to eat?
Come here. Let's eat.
l'm going home.
You're going home? l thought you were staying over tonight.
No, l'm going home.
Okay. Will you eat something before you go?
No, thanks.
You're really going home?
Go home, then. What a baby.
Go home, you baby!
Where were you?
l was worried. You should've told me where you were going.
Where have you been?
What are you so upset about? There must be a misunderstanding.
What did Mr Mamiya tell you?
What do you think l'm hiding from you?
l have no need to hide anything.
You're the one who's hiding something.
What are you talking about?
l'm talking about Mr Goto. You haven't told me about him.
You like him, don't you?
l've been waiting to hear from you about him.
l've heard he's a wonderful man, and l've been having to enjoy it by myself.
Why didn't you tell me?
-Good morning. -Good morning.
Good morning.
-Good morning. -Good morning.
What did you do after you got home? Did you make up with your mum?
Are you still upset? Okay, fine. Stay upset.
Go on. Stay like that forever.
Thank you.
Here you go.
-Welcome. -Welcome.
That's not good. You shouldn't quarrel with your mum.
l lost my mother when l was quite young. Sometimes l think back
and wish l didn't have any silly fights with her.
Sometimes l'll have a sudden flashback and regret what l did.
l'm from ushimi.
We had these traditional dolls made of clay.
They were all on a shelf in the kitchen...
Are you okay?
One day, when l was nine years old,
l got angry about some stupid little thing.
l broke all those dolls.
l still remember the shocked look on my mother's face.
l had no good reason.
l got home hungry and found that supper wasn't ready yet.
She died in autumn that same year.
Really?
Yes, so you'd better not quarrel. You should make up with her.
You're right.
Yes? Who is it?
Good evening.
Hi, Yuriko. lt's good to see you.
-ls Ayako here? -She's not home yet.
Come in.
Okay.
-Please have a seat. -Thanks.
Do you know where Ayako is?
l don't know.
l sort of know.
l heard all about what happened last night.
So she was at your house last night?
Yeah. And l heard... You're getting remarried, aren't you?
What? What's going on with you girls?
So l told her
that it's childish to get upset about something like that.
You have lots of reasons for making a certain choice.
l do.
Ayako isn't being fair.
She's just blaming you without really thinking about it.
l had a long talk with her last night, but she didn't talk to me at work today.
Goodness.
That's why l came over.
The truth is that she's out of line. Don't you think so?
Why's that?
lf l were Ayako, l'd rather you get remarried.
Would you? Why?
No offence, but l would feel less burdened if you were married.
You may be right.
Of course. Everyone thinks so.
Ayako's the only one who doesn't see it. She's so silly.
l will be a burden to her, won't l?
No, of course not. Well, maybe just a little burden.
l'm sorry. Will you be lonely?
l can't do anything about that.
l'll be happy if she's happy.
You're really something.
l'm glad you've decided to get remarried,
because otherwise Ayako would never get married herself.
-You think so? -Definitely. She's said so.
Has she?
lf you decide to get married, Ayako will quickly follow suit.
She's so stubborn.
She certainly is.
l wonder what she's upset about. lt's perfect.
What is?
Mr Hirayama. He's a college professor.
And he was a friend of your husband's, so he'll understand everything.
But, Yuriko, you've misunderstood something.
No, l haven't. Everything's fine.
What's fine? l think you're mixed up.
l know nothing about a match with Mr Hirayama.
Don't deny it. There's no need to be shy!
Honestly, l know nothing about it.
Believe me.
Really?
ls that possible?
So you know nothing about the match?
l've never heard of it.
That's terrible. Why is everyone talking about it?
You didn't know?
That's right.
Really? That's so ridiculous!
Hi. Where have you been?
Are you still upset? l came to see how you're doing.
lt's none of your business. You should go home.
Okay, l'll go.
Yuriko, won't you stay here tonight?
No, Mum, l won't sleep in the same house as her.
-Ayako! -No is no. She has to go.
l'm leaving now, you baby.
Excuse me. Good night.
You're really leaving? l'm sorry.
lt's okay.
Baby Ayako.
-Bye. -Bye.
Sorry.
lt's okay. She's just being childish.
Come in.
Mr Hirayama is here to see you.
What's up?
There seems to be a bit of confusion.
-What do you mean? -A strange girl came to see me.
What?
Anyway, can you help me? l need you to meet her.
Who?
She's waiting for you in the parlour. Taguchi is with her, too.
Who are you talking about?
-Hi. -Hi.
What's the matter?
Well...
Here she is. She's a friend of Ayako's.
My name is Yuriko Sasaki.
My name's Mamiya. Please have a seat.
Please.
Let me ask you a question. Why do you say things that aren't true?
What do you mean?
l'm talking about Mrs Miwa's remarriage.
l see.
Why did you tell Ayako something that Mrs Miwa herself knew nothing about?
Why would you disturb a perfectly happy family?
Ayako has suffered a great deal because of you.
Why would you disturb their peace like that?
l've come to ask you this. Please explain it to me.
Can't you tell me? What's so funny about upsetting them?
We don't find it funny at all.
Then why?
Your name is Yuriko, right? Please have a seat.
l'm fine standing.
But...
-Sit down, please. -No.
lt's nice that you've got a parlour here.
She did this to me at the college.
-By the way, Miss... -Please call me Yuriko.
Excuse me.
l can explain how it happened.
l'm not asking you.
Okay.
But what do you think about the idea of Mrs Miwa remarrying?
l think it's a good idea, but that's beside the point.
Actually, it isn't. lt's how Ayako is.
She'll never get married unless her mother does first.
Why didn't you say so in the first place?
Mrs Miwa doesn't know anything about him, does she?
She said the same thing to me earlier.
What's going on? Didn't you mention my name to Mrs Miwa?
You stay quiet for now.
-But... -Don't speak now.
We seem to have made a procedural mistake.
But for Ayako to be happily married, her mother must be married, too.
Can't you understand that?
Yes. But then why did you...
l'm so sorry for the mistake we made. Please forgive us.
l apologise to you, too.
-Please sit down. -Please.
Now the question is whether Mrs Miwa is willing to be remarried.
l asked her about that.
-ls she? -Yes.
Well, that's good news.
l know.
We'd like you to help us.
We'll take care of the mother first, and then Ayako.
What do you think?
That's fine with me.
That makes sense to me.
You've brightened up again.
You think so?
ls it already decided that he's to be her husband?
Well,
it's not definite yet.
Do you object?
l have no objection. l think he's fine.
He's fine?
-Charming. -He's charming?
So, Hirayama, we should celebrate.
No, that's okay.
lt's not okay. You owe us a big meal.
Me?
ine, fine.
-Where are you going? -To the toilet.
Thanks for coming.
Welcome.
We came pretty far. ls this the good sushi restaurant you mentioned?
-Yes, it is. Please give us some hot sake. -Sure.
These shabby, humble little places often have surprisingly good food.
Sorry about the humbleness. Aren't the master and his wife here today?
They stepped out.
What about their daughter?
She's...
Their daughter's very pretty. l wish you could see her.
Yuriko, are you okay? Can you make it home from here?
l'm fine. l can make it home. l'm more concerned about you.
What would you like?
-Where's the sake? l want a drink. -Just a moment.
And what would you two like to eat?
What do you recommend?
Everything is good.
-Just make lots of kinds, please. -Sure.
We can't eat much, you know.
Yes, we can. The sushi here is really good.
-Serve us as many as you want. -Yes.
Hirayama, l'm going to try to help you persuade Mrs Miwa.
But can you truly love her with all of your heart?
Yes, l can.
Always and forever?
Yes, l can.
He looks so happy, doesn't he?
He's very lucky.
Here are the hot ones.
l'm so happy for you, Hirayama.
Thank you so much. l'm so grateful to my friends.
lt's not guaranteed yet, you know.
-Don't say that. -Here you go.
But honestly, can you really love my auntie forever?
Yes, l can.
Always and forever?
Yes, l can.
You're sweet. Count on me, all right?
What a lucky guy.
Welcome.
You're back.
-You're late today. -Yeah.
-Yuriko, they seem to know you well. -Yeah.
-Do you come here often? -Yeah, every day.
Every day?
-Yuriko, did you take the day off work? -l left work at noon.
-Mr Sugiyama called for you. -What did he say?
He said he would talk to you tomorrow.
So you live here.
Yes, that was my mother. And l'm the daughter.
She fooled us.
You can eat as much as you like, as long as you pay the bill.
Of course l'll pay the bill.
-Serve us everything you can, and sake, too. -Sure.
Young ladies nowadays are far above us.
They're something, all right. Please give me the tuna belly.
Okay.
-l'd like some clams. -Okay.
But you really promise me?
Yes, l promise. l will love her.
Not that. Don't forget to pay the bill.
l will. Sure l will. l'll be glad to.
-Give me some red shellfish. -Okay.
l see. That's why Miwa's taking a vacation.
Yes, they're travelling all over together.
l'm glad they made up.
Ayako was upset at first, but she managed to get over it.
Seeing them, l wished l had my real mother back.
You have a very nice stepmother.
She is nice, but it's not the same thing.
l'm trying hard to be a good daughter to her.
Really?
Can't you tell? l must be acting well.
-Here you go. -Thank you.
l wonder where Ayako is today? l'm a little envious of her.
Should we go mountain-climbing again for the farewell party?
We can invite Goto, too.
Okay, let's do it.
lt's a beautiful time of year for hill-walking. We shouldn't be in the office.
You're right.
Ayako, aren't you sleepy?
Not yet. l'm okay.
lt's too bad it's so crowded today. lt's so noisy.
There are groups of students everywhere. The hotel in Nikko was packed with them.
They'd often take our slippers or come into our room by mistake.
Did they? Then it wasn't very restful for you.
But we had a good time.
That's good.
Excuse me.
Sir, the teachers of the student tour group want to talk to you.
Really? Okay, l'll be along soon.
l'm so glad that Ayako's found a good bridegroom
and that you've decided to get remarried.
l was concerned about you, even more than l was about Ayako.
Thank you for thinking of us.
Not at all. l'm so happy for you.
Sleep well.
l'll see you.
-Good night. -Good night.
Good night.
Shall we go to bed now?
Ayako, will you please come here?
Sure.
lt's much quieter now. Maybe the students have gone to bed.
School trips were always so much fun,
but l never liked the last night.
l was always so sad that the trip was about to end.
Did you feel that way, too?
Mum? What's the matter?
Ayako.
Remember when you said it was filthy for me to get remarried?
Please forget about that.
l'm sorry for what l said.
To tell you the truth, l feel the same way.
l've decided not to get remarried.
But, Mum...
l'm still happy with your father.
l'll continue to live with him.
That's all l want.
l have no desire to start all over again.
But, Mum...
l'm fine.
Don't worry about me any more. Please marry Mr Goto.
Nothing gives me more pleasure than seeing you happily married to someone you love.
You can forget all about me.
l won't feel lonely at all.
But how can l leave you alone in that apartment?
Don't worry.
What kind of prospects will you have if you stay with me in the apartment?
You're young and blooming. You have a bright future.
There's so much happiness waiting for you.
Please get married to Mr Goto.
l'm sure l'll enjoy the rest of my life.
Please do the same.
And please don't think that l'm lying just to convince you to get married.
Do you understand me?
l really enjoyed this trip.
Do you remember when we were living here during the war?
Dad would come home every Sunday. Although we were penniless at the time,
he'd always find something to bring back for you.
He was a wonderful father.
l'm afraid this will be our last trip together.
l wish you a happy marriage.
You have so much ahead of you, and so do l.
l'll always remember eating sweet beans with you here.
GOTO AND MlWA WEDDlNG RECEPTlON
Please get ready.
Bridegroom, please turn a little more this way.
Ready?
Don't move. We'll take another shot.
Could you bring more sake to that room?
lt went well today. We had good weather and everything.
lt went really well.
lt was sort of a rocky road, but we all had fun.
Yeah, we had fun. Let's toast to Ayako.
And also to Miwa and Akiko.
-Cheers. -Cheers.
lt was no fun for me.
Just remember that we achieved our goal.
Ayako is now happily married.
l'm glad about that, but l was the victim.
At least you guys got pipes.
You mean this? But you had a good time, dreaming pleasant dreams.
l dreamt in vain.
We tend to do things to make life more complicated.
Maybe it's simpler than we think.
Speak for yourself.
What did you think of the daughter from the sushi restaurant?
She was lots of fun.
lt's refreshing to see a girl like that. Sentimental girls are so cumbersome.
Overly practical isn't good, either, though.
My daughter is almost that age, and it's a rollercoaster ride for the parents.
l wonder what Akiko will do by herself.
Are you still hoping?
No, l've given up.
So your itches are gone now?
No, they're still there.
But we had a good time together.
We have to think of something else to bring us together.
What about your daughter? lsn't she at the age to get married?
She's too young. And l'll never ask for your help.
Let's have some more.
-There's whisky, too. -This is fine.
That was fun.
Hi, Mrs Miwa. Are you still up?
ls that Yuriko?
l just wanted to see how you were doing.
We all went to Ginza after the reception. Here you go.
Thank you.
Ayako looked so beautiful today with her hair in the traditional style.
You think so? She said she didn't like it.
lt suited her perfectly.
l wonder, can l come over here sometimes from now on?
Of course. l mean it.
Promise me?
l'm so glad that you look happy.
Yes. l'm very happy today, thanks to you and everybody.
Ayako is so blessed.
She is.
She's blessed to have you as a mother.
l have to go now.
lt was sweet of you to come.
-Good night. -Good night.
-Bye. -Bye.
THE END