Fine, I'll set him straight today.
It's actually a good opportunity.
I can't let it slip by.
It's 400 yen an hour, in advance.
She says it's 400 yen.
Thank you.
Shall I bring tea? - No.
I get like that once in a while,
but it's nothing serious.
My doc says it's my heart or something,
but sickness is all in the head.
I need to talk to you.
You mean... about Tokyo?
I knew it.
You want to go to Tokyo too.
Come on.
Let's not act like strangers.
Stop it. I need to talk to you.
Talk to me? About the baby?
I have to talk to you.
Don't start that again.
Let me talk.
No.
Stop it.
I got you a safety pin.
I lose my temper easily.
I know I shouldn't, but I do.
You're just the kind of woman I thought you'd be.
I wish you'd go to Tokyo with me.
I'll leave first.
I play drums at a joint called the Chicago in Imakitamachi.
If you decide...
to go to Tokyo with me, let me know.
Okay?
I'm going now.
I won't come by your place again.
This is good-bye.
What if the baby is his?
What if...?
Next stop: Hirose Bridge.
"Idiot! Running off in the middle of the day!
Father died this morning.
Bring Masaru and come quickly. Riichi."
Excuse me.
Mr. Riichi left work early for the funeral.
Mr. Watanabe asked me to bring this over.
Thank you very much.
Even a good man like him couldn't live forever.
He was a handsome man when he was young.
My condolences.
Thank you. Sorry I'm late.
- Where were you? - The yarn shop.
You've disgraced me.
Look, Grandpa's crying!
Masaru.
Where are Grandpa's false teeth?
Riichi.
Come here a moment.
Sadako, you too.
We've got to decide who'll look after Mother.
I really can't afford -
That's why we should all talk it over.
All he left was this house and one rice field.
If you come to live here,
I'll only ask for what's mine by law.
I won't mind if you take the rest.
When Mother dies, it'll all be yours.
Namie married into a rich family.
Right, Namie? - What?
About the house. You don't mind, right?
Fine with me.
Just make sure I get the big chest of drawers.
For our drawing room. It feels so empty now.
The thing is...
commuting from here to the library is a problem.
It's still closer to your work than to mine.
I'd like to move here, but I'd have to drum up new business from scratch,
and changing schools for the kids would be a pain.
Excuse me.
I understand all that, but what does Mother say?
I'm not a bachelor.
Masaru was put in the register as the rightful heir, wasn't he?
Yes. Mother insisted, so I registered him that way.
Sadako, you were raised in this house.
Wouldn't you be more comfortable here?
Shall we do it, Sadako?
Say, aren't you Sadako?
Yes. It's been a long -
What a surprise!
Wow, you've turned into quite a knockout!
If I'd known back then,
I'd have made you mine, even if your grandmother killed me.
You opened the window for me.
I thought I had it made, and I got careless.
You're a lucky guy, Riichi.
All the neighbors are here. Come say hello.
Well, I...
Don't worry about your pasty-faced husband.
Come on. Let's go!
Sadako, what's wrong?
What's the matter?
Sadako.
How are you feeling?
I'm fine now.
Is it morning sickness?
It must be. How far along are you?
I'm not sure yet.
Let me see.
Yes. I'm sure of it.
Does Riichi know?
Not yet.
You should see the doctor.
It's been six years, hasn't it?
Sadako, give us a boy.
Masaru's frail.
If something should happen to him, there'd be no heir.
You understand?
Try not to catch a chill.
Mother, I'll do that.
No, you just lie down.
But you must be tired.
Thank you.
A woman's lot is tough.
We struggle to raise our children,
but once they're grown, they think only of themselves.
All I want is to die here in this house
and not be a burden to anyone.
You're not stopping Riichi from moving here, are you?
Of course not.
You should be the one persuading him.
If it's all right with him, then I -
Really?
Thank you.
Now I'll go and tell Riichi
about the baby.
On the 50th anniversary of Matsu's death, you must visit her grave.
Sadako!
Sadako, can I come up?
All right? - But I...
All right? I'm on my way. Just wait.
Who's there? Who is that?
Had I forgotten?
That time...
I actually did open the window.
But why am I remembering it now?
- Why don't you go? - No.
I don't want to go to Akita.
Can you get by if you don't?
I'm turning in.
Where in Tokyo do his folks live?
I don't know. Why?
Seems the son of a bitch has a bum heart.
No one to notify even if he does die.
IN MEMORY OF MATSU INAZAWA
What about Masaru?
He's registered as the son of Seizo, recently deceased,
and his wife, Tadae.
And Riichi?
Riichi is Seizo's second son
and therefore an elder brother to Masaru.
Isn't the name Sadako in there?
I don't see it.
But Sadako is Masaru's mother.
The family register says that Tadae is Masaru's mother.
Can you correct it to say that Masaru is Sadako's child?
You'd have to go to court for that.
Go to court?
You can't just let them take your son like that.
But I'm afraid to take it to court.
Don't be. Stand up for yourself
or they'll treat you like a maid again when you move in there.
I know a lawyer. Shall I ask him for you?
No, please don't. I couldn't -
Don't feel you owe me. I'm doing it for selfish reasons too.
I could rent some space on their grounds for a branch of my school.
You know, there's no knitting school near their house.
If there were, a lot of people would go.
I'd be causing trouble.
Your socks stink. Take them off.
Don't hand over your child, no matter how angry your husband gets.
There's plenty of other men out there. - Mommy!
Mommy!
I'll be done with the sweater in four days.
Fine. Oh, wait a minute.
Here's the money for the last one.
- Sadako! - Thanks for the tea.
I'm coming.
KARIHARA KNITTING SCHOOL
A strange man asked me to give this to you.
A strange man?
"I need to talk to you. Meet me at the Hirose Bridge."
- Where did you get this? - Over there.
- He gave you this too! - He did not!
Liar! Hiding things from your mother!
Masaru!
Stop!
Give it to me! - He gave it to me!
You idiot!
- You're a liar too! - What?
You know that man!
You little idiot!
How dare you!
- Get in the house! - No! Liar! Fatso!
What did you say?
You're a bad boy!
Sorry to bother you, but is Eiji in?
Yes. What is it?
- He's not there, is he? - I think he is -
What is it?
What's this?
How did it get torn like this?
I was in the Higashi district a couple days ago.
I fell and caught it on a hook.
I know everything.
Tell me the truth.
I am telling the truth.
Listen, Sadako...
you know that man, don't you? - Who?
Don't play dumb! Who threw those stones just now?
What kind of signal was it? Tell me!
I really don't know.
Dumb bitch!
Stop pretending and tell me the truth.
You met him last month at the department store, didn't you?
Isn't that true?
You met him again somewhere a couple days ago.
He tore your skirt.
Speak up! Say something!
Well? Isn't it true?
It's true, isn't it?
He threw those stones just now, didn't he?
Damn you!
How can I be sure whose baby you're carrying?
Say something! Tell me the truth!
You're awful! How can you say such things,
while you do whatever you want?
What?
Watch your mouth! Don't try to make a fool of me!
I only let you stay here out of pity!
Mother doesn't want you in the family either.
Not in front of the child!
Don't forget your place!
You're just a maid, damn you!
Damn you!
Stop it!
I said stop it!
Masaru, stay where you are!
What could I do?
There was nothing I could do.
What did I do to be so unhappy?
Good morning.
What's the matter? You're late.
Something came up.
Congratulations.
What?
It's practically decided. They're making you head librarian.
Really?
Mind if I bring some of the guys by tonight?
Tonight's not so good.
But you leave tomorrow for a week at Kyoto University.
- So how about tonight? - All right.
Stop telling tales.
About Sadako.
What I told you isn't proof enough?
It's one thing if you have hard evidence,
but stop spreading baseless slander.
Mr. Takahashi, your wife's on the line downstairs.
Congratulations on the news.
See you later.
It isn't slander...
and I'll prove it.
Is that you, honey?
Hisako and Mr. Hara stopped by a while ago
with a petition protesting the rent increase.
Is it all right to sign?
Of course it is.
My name, of course.
Listen, I leave on business tomorrow, so buy some sake for tonight.
Nitta and the gang are coming over.
What? The cheap stuff.
Around 6:00.
Thank you.
I'll pay him to go away.
If I plead with him, I'm sure he'll understand.
Mr. Hiraoka...
a large woman is here to see you.
Hey, Hiraoka!
Son of a bitch.
Hope you drop dead of a heart attack.
It's all right. No one will see us here.
I'm sorry about last night.
I really didn't mean to go.
So it was him after all.
It's taken me three years to save this.
It's yours if you'll never come by again.
Here, take it.
You even tricked my son. You monster!
You're just a thief.
You broke in for money. Why don't you take it now?
Wasn't it money you were after? You idiot!
Wait!
You're wrong. It's not money I want now.
Let me go!
Please wait. I'm dying.
I don't want to hear it! Let me go!
No! I don't want it to end like this!
I won't do anything.
Please just stay with me one more minute.
Take this back.
I know you need it. You'll be in a fix.
I'll be in a bigger fix if you don't stop coming by.
Please forgive me.
I'm a fool, a madman.
But I can't help it.
There's nothing left for me in the world but you.
When I first went to your house, I wanted money for medicine.
That was the day the doctor told me I was going to die.
I wanted to live no matter what.
But I don't care anymore.
I just want you to be nice to me for a little while.
Let's go up on the roof. I won't do anything.
People are coming. You want them to see you?
In Tokyo I got by pretty well playing the trumpet.
But my bum heart put an end to that.
I've been here eight years now.
They send me to places like Akita and Aomori.
I'm not very bright, and I can't do anything else.
I didn't even go to junior high.
My old man was killed in the war,
so my mom became a hooker to raise me.
I remember one time...
I saw her kill her own baby.
Well, I didn't exactly see it -
Why am I here, listening to him like this?
Why should I feel sorry for a thug like him?
I have to give him the money and hurry home.
I made some money playing trumpet,
and I bought women - women like my mother.
When I had that attack on the train,
and you gave me my medicine,
it made me really happy.
I haven't cared about anything but you since.
Come with me to Tokyo!
We'll get our own place, and you can have your baby.
You'd never manage.
Yes, I will. I have friends in Tokyo.
- You're full of lies. - It's true.
They'll find me a job. I'll do anything for you.
You can't, not in your condition.
What do you know? I'm telling you I can.
That's enough.
I'll forget what happened, and you do the same.
Here, take this.
- You're going home? - I'll leave it here.
Wait.
Please!
There's something else I have to tell you!
Hey!
It's over now. He's just a common thief.
What a relief.
I'll never see him again.
I don't have to see him ever again.
Please! There's something else I have to tell you!
Why feel sorry for him? All he does is lie.
Hirose Bridge.
I don't have to listen to what he says.
That fool!
Fool!
I knew you'd come back.
You're just the kind of woman I thought you'd be.
Only because you said
you had something else to tell me.
I couldn't help it.
This is the last time, the very last.
I'll never let you go.
Let's go to Tokyo.
Tokyo...
It's Tokyo.
No, it's not!
It's not the Tokyo I know!
Let's go to Tokyo.
No! I won't!
I see. Then go home...
to the family you care about more than yourself!
Go home!
No!
I won't go!
Stop it!
No, I won't let them have Masaru.
I won't give him to anyone.
Daddy!
You'll be late for kindergarten.
See you later.
Morning.
There's no other way to save my family.
I'll kill him
and get as far away as I can before I kill myself.
Only when I'm gone
can Masaru and Riichi be happy.
Why is my life so miserable?
He buys new clothes with my hard-earned money - what nerve!
You look beautiful. Just beautiful.
Two for Tokyo.
We're sorry for the delay.
The snow has caused a derailment.
The train ahead is disabled, so we'll be here for some time.
At the moment we do not know
when service will be restored.
A bus can't make it up the hill to the hot springs.
How long would it take on foot?
It's only two miles, but it would take a long time in this snow.
Well, we can't just sit here.
Have any messages come through? I have a special delivery package -
Let's go.
- I can't say for sure. - Why can't you?
I have to do it soon... before we get there.
Now.
I'll get him to drink it now.
Is that tea?
Would you like some?
No, don't!
I was ready to die anyway.
The way you were shaking gave it away.
You couldn't kill anyone.
Do you hate me that much?
I guess you do. I understand.
Where have I brought us?
This was supposed to be a happy elopement.
But I couldn't help it.
Hey...
come over here.
Come here!
The ampule!
The pain!
The ampule!
Hurry!
Please!
I don't see one!
I don't want to die.
Get me the ampule!
I don't see one anywhere!
The pain!
I don't have it!
No, don't!
Let me go! - Give it to me!
Bitch!
Fat cow!
I don't have it!
I'm begging you... the ampule.
There is no ampule!
I don't know what to do!
Stay with me...
I beg you.
I love you...
I love...
Please...
Let's get her to the hospital.
What's the matter?
Watch out!
They have to acknowledge it.
It's just a formality.
Once that's done,
register your marriage at city hall and-
Hello, Mr. Takahashi.
How are you feeling?
They say my test results are normal.
The doctor says she can go home soon.
You're fine, aren't you?
Your son and mother just left.
Well, I'll be going.
I'll take care of that matter.
Excuse me.
What matter?
It's about Masaru.
Don't ask her for favors. It'll cost a fortune.
Boss, you're already here?
I was waiting for you at the station.
I wrapped up my work there in four days.
I was worried, but I couldn't make it any earlier.
Quite a shock, wasn't it?
Miss Masuda was brought in just minutes after your wife.
When I got here, she was bleeding heavily.
She landed on her head right here.
She was all purple and puffed up and wouldn't stop bleeding.
- I heard she died. - Yes.
She was always so careful. I wonder how it happened.
Boss...
may I have a word?
I was going to give you this at the station.
Miss Masuda's camera.
She kept insisting it be given to you until the moment she died.
I wonder why.
Me too.
They just came out, so they're still wet.
Some are double-exposed.
Isn't that you?
Who took these?
Never mind that.
Look. This one's very clear. It's definitely you.
No, it's not.
Yes, it is.
It's your kimono. And not many women are that fat.
Still, it's not me.
What were you doing at the station?
Isn't it a little strange?
Isn't it?
Why did you go to the station?
Why?
You had so little faith in me.
I decided to go far away.
Alone?
You couldn't have come up with that idea on your own.
This guy asked you to, didn't he?
I just met him at the station.
He said he was going to Tokyo too.
Who is he?
Just someone from Tokyo.
I didn't care who he was.
I decided to go to Tokyo with him,
but the train was held up in the snow,
and I don't know why, but he died.
I got scared and came home.
And your abdominal pains started at the station?
Then this is you in the pictures.
No, it's not.
These are too small, but I can enlarge them.
I'm telling you, it's not me.
Even if it were, what would you do?
I wouldn't let a woman like that stay in the family.
Why not?
Why not? Isn't it obvious?
A married woman having a cheap affair.
I wouldn't do such a thing.
Who can believe you? I have proof right here.
But it's not me. Who took those?
Never mind. We're talking about the pictures themselves.
Then maybe I should just leave,
since you mistrust me so much.
I'll take Masaru with me.
He'd just be a burden to your next wife.
Idiot! This isn't about you leaving or not!
I want the truth! - Doctor's rounds.
So you'd like to know if you're the father of the fetus?
Yes.
If you could run a blood test or -
In some cases we could,
but this fetus was disposed of five days ago.
There's the station where the choo-choo comes in.
I know that.
It was right around here.
Miss Masuda was hit by a truck right around here.
Why was she taking pictures outside the station?
Boss, did you get the film developed? What was on it?
Nothing at all. Maybe it got exposed when the camera fell.
You think so?
Such a careful person running into the street like that.
She was an odd one.
I hear you're moving to your mother's house over spring break.
I'll bring a few friends to help.
It says to come before 9:00 a.m.
It'll take Mother half an hour to walk to court.
We have to leave here by 8:30 at the latest.
She said it's just a simple formality.
I hate green onions. You take them.
Masaru, that's bad manners.
You should talk. You used to steal food.
He has much better manners than you did.
The nerve, taking your own family to court.
It's unbelievable.
That's enough, Mother.
There's nothing we can do.
We registered Masaru as our son for his own sake.
What's wrong with that?
I'm sorry it had to come to this.
Then why don't you withdraw the suit?
Should I go ask Hisako
to get the lawyer to withdraw it?
Don't be stupid.
It wouldn't do any good now. The hearing's already scheduled.
The mourning period for Father isn't even over yet.
I really had no idea it would go to court.
How stupid can you be?
Stop that racket!
Just a little longer.
I have to earn money for Masaru's school things.
Sadako...
are you happy I've been promoted?
Of course. Very happy.
Listen...
quite a while back,
didn't you say you had something to tell me?
Well? Didn't you?
I wonder what it could have been.
Sadako.
Mother was very understanding about things today.
Shall we move in with her?
I guess.
I can stop going to the hospital next month,
and the family register will be fixed by then.
That would be a good time.
If we move there, we'll have the field and the silkworms.
We can rent out some space for knitting classes.
We'll be pretty busy.
What's the matter?
What's that?
It sounded like you were laughing.
Honey, isn't it time for your medicine?
Yeah.
Here.
Let's take your temperature.
Don't bother with that.
You caught a cold. Here.
It was cold in that courthouse.
Sadako.
Later.
Soon you'll officially be a member of the family.
Later, honey.
That hurts.
Produced by MASAYUKI TAKAGI and JIRO TOMODA
Original Story by SHINJI FUJIWARA
Screenplay by KEIJI HASABE and SHOHEI IMAMURA
Cinematography by SHINSAKU HIMEDA
Production Design by KIMIHIKO NAKAMURA
Music by TOSHIRO MAYUZUMI
Edited by MUTSUO TANJI
Starring
MASUMI HARUKAWA KO NISHIMURA SHIGERU TSUYUGUCHI
YUKO KUSUNOKI RANKO AKAGI
TANIE KITABAYASHI KAZUO KITAMURA SHOICHI OZAWA
SEIJI MIYAGUCHI YOSHI KATO
HIROSHI KONDO FUMIE KITAHARA TAIJI TONO YAMA
Directed by SHOHEI IMAMURA
THE END