You're late again.
Like last time, and the time before that.
You're always late.
Why? Tell me!
Why don't you say anything? Answer me!
You don't feel the need to see me anymore, do you?
If that's the reason, you can tell me.
I don't care.
But if you want to see me again, please, don't ever be late.
- I saw him. - Me too!
Mr. Sugino, from the high school. At the hairdresser's!
You know, at "Bonheur"!
The popular hairdresser in Sapporo?
Yes, and it's so expensive! A thousand yen for a haircut.
Mr. Sugino at the hairdresser's?
There's no reason for him to go there: He's a man.
Maybe I'm wrong, but that silhouette really looked like him.
Professor - telephone!
A certain Mr. Sugino, Professor!
Excuse me, hasn't Mr. Sugino left yet?
He left an hour and a half ago.
- He's not home. - He left in his car.
- Where did he go? - He went for a trip, two or three days.
A trip? Where?
He didn't say.
AFFAIR IN THE SNOW
A GENDAI EIGASHA production
Produced by: Akira ODA Saburô TAKEFUGI
Screenplay: Toshirô ISHIDÔ Kijû YOSHIDA
Cinematography: Yûji OKUMURA Set decoration: Kiminobu SATÔ
Music: Sei IKENO
Lighting: Yoshio UNNO Film editing: Kazuo ÔTA
Sound: Ichirô KATO
Mariko OKADA
Isao KIMURA
Yukio NINAGAWA
Miyoko AKAZA
A film by Kijû YOSHIDA
Bad luck. An over-heating issue.
I can't fix it.
We need to wait for the engine to cool down, anyway.
Don't you want to come out?
This never ending plain... so empty,
I love it.
Really, won't you come out?
Here you don't have to be afraid of other people looking.
You didn't like the idea of this trip.
Yes, I did.
Oh, no.
You would rather go back to Sapporo.
It's just an accident.
It's this old crate's fault.
You think I did it on purpose.
You have no luck at all.
Like that famous day.
You were drunk,
you stopped to help me, even though you didn't know me.
There was an accident that time too.
You like to dwell on stories that disgust the others.
- Who were you calling? - The hairdressing salon. I'm leaving.
- You're leaving? - It's better for you too, isn't it?
The car will soon be fixed. It's just a bad contact.
If you go back to Sapporo now, it'll be dark when you get there.
Don't worry.
I don't want to leave you.
This trip was meant to be the moment of our final split.
But it seems useless to continue this trip together.
Let's bid each other farewell now.
- Here? - Yes.
This car failure didn't happen by chance.
We will have no regrets.
Why do we have to split up?
We met each other, and now we leave each other. That's all.
How can you be so emotionless?
Take me in your arms!
When you made love to me in the car,
you hated me.
Didn't you? You can't make love so violently
to the woman you love!
What do you mean? I came along with you on this trip,
and yet you say I hate you.
You just have your own reasoning.
Now I understand too.
Because of what you said.
Maybe it's true that I hate you.
Yes. Deep in my heart, maybe I want to kill you.
Hold tight: It can be dangerous.
Why don't you say anything?
Why that look?
I know: You're setting a trap for me.
Very well. Now it's my turn to speak.
When we are far onto the lake, I'll throw you overboard.
There's nobody around.
Being this cold, you won't survive a minute longer.
Without you, I'll be able to free myself from myself.
Right?
Last summer, I was driving whilst drunk when, suddenly,
I saw your face in the beam of my car lights! I had to talk to you.
I stopped.
If only you hadn't gotten into my car!
Crazy with joy, I accelerated.
From the moment I ran over that man, I've been your prisoner.
I was no longer free.
Why did you prevent me from turning myself in to the police?
Would you have had the guts to do it?
A hit-and-run accident and drunk driving, by a professor!
Do you think you saved me from my own downfall?
Well, now drive this boat away from the shore.
I'm a troublesome woman, am I not?
Wait! Wait, please.
Listen to me before untying the boat.
I'm pregnant.
If this doesn't concern you,
do as you like. Push the boat out.
Why didn't you tell me before?
Don't stay here; this air is bad for you.
You just don't listen.
Can't you trust me?
If I were more submissive, you would suffer.
But you're pregnant!
Let's get married! Let's get married, right now!
It won't work.
I'm sure of it.
- I can feel it. - Why?
Tomorrow I will come with you. Agreed?
I won't leave you alone.
Besides, you don't know any place but Sapporo.
Nowhere. You've traveled nowhere else.
Looking for a hospital...
Would you be able to do it alone?
Tomorrow, I'll go to Muroran.
Muroran. Do you know that town?
- Have you ever been there? - No.
But I know it. There's a port, a foundry...
- I know that too. - That's not all.
I know someone there.
Who?
An old acquaintance.
Are you going to tell him that you're pregnant?
He will take me to the hospital.
Why can't I take you?
I'm the father of this child.
It's my right to take you.
I just want you to be rid of me.
You know it's impossible.
We have to split up.
I won't leave you.
Not tonight, no...
Hold me tighter! Until I lose this child.
Hold me tighter!
Thank you for calling me.
I would have never believed I'd see you here.
But it's you. No doubt about it.
You haven't changed.
- You haven't either. - We can't talk here.
Let's go.
You wanted to talk to me.
It seemed like something serious on the phone.
I won't be able to do much for you.
My dear Imai Kazuo.
So, you got married.
And you, you're still alone.
Sometimes I go to Sapporo.
- Some people tell me about you. - You could have come and seen me!
I don't have that kind of courage!
It was me who ran away the first time.
You come here all of a sudden.
What for?
Is that your workplace?
No, I work for the factory that has a subcontract with this foundry.
- What do you do? - I'm the personnel manager.
So, I come here even on Sundays, when we have the shift change.
I'm sorry I bothered you during work hours.
I still have some time.
What did you want to tell me?
The longer you wait, the harder it gets.
It will stay between us.
I'd like you to take me to the hospital.
The hospital? Are you sick?
I... I think I'm pregnant.
You must think it's cruel of me to tell you this.
But you're the only person...
whom I can confide in.
I've really thought about it.
But you are the only one.
What do you expect from me?
I don't know. Only...
I don't want to go there alone.
It's humiliating.
So humiliating for a woman.
Very well: Let's go.
I don't know who the father is,
but it's your child.
I'll come to the hospital and pretend I'm the father.
And if you want the child,
you can declare that I'm his father.
What an idiot...
I have nothing, nothing at all.
A false pregnancy...
I really have a problem.
I'm crazy.
For the whole month... I haven't been feeling like myself.
I came from Sapporo to Muroran.
I even dragged you into this business...
I'm sure it's better this way.
But it's a pity anyway -
I missed my chance to become a father.
They have some room. I'll be back tonight if I can.
Thank you.
I've been looking for you in every hospital in this town.
- You came all the way here! - Of course!
I didn't want to leave you alone.
I wasn't pregnant.
It was a false pregnancy.
Really?
- You're relieved, aren't you? - Nonsense!
It's so sudden... what can I say?
I'm exhausted.
I'm worn out. Like my body was being dismembered.
Forgive me.
As far as I'm concerned, I'm relieved.
Knowing that you've been looking for me everywhere,
makes this a beautiful day.
Nothing's keeping you here any longer.
If we leave now, we'll be in Sapporo tomorrow morning.
What is it? Don't you want to go back?
I'm spending the night here.
Do you have a rendez-vous with him?
No, not at all.
But this is a good chance.
Let's split up here, right now.
Let's only keep the good memories.
For both of us.
If you stay, I'm staying.
Try to understand.
We must split up.
You must free yourself of me.
You must free yourself, at all costs.
It's him.
I'm answering.
Hello? Who are you?
I asked for Miss Yuriko Anzai.
Pass her to me.
Oh, it's you.
Yes, I know. No need to explain.
The famous young man...
No, I think nothing of him.
It's your story.
I had to come by, but... There was an accident...
I'm stuck here. Tomorrow morning.
Yes, tomorrow.
I'll come to the station for your departure.
I've come to say goodbye.
Do you like goodbyes?
Certainly not.
I don't like it when people come to me to say goodbye.
He's come.
That's him, isn't it?
Why don't you get on?
Are you waiting to see if he gets on?
You decided to get on the train.
I'm coming back with you.
What about the car?
Never mind that wreck!
Do I look funny?
Oh, yes!
I'm going to look for him.
It's you.
- Say something! - I've nothing to say to you.
But this is my chance to give you some advice:
Leave her.
Leave her?
I'm getting off at the next station.
You're free. Do what you want.
You are a coward!
Let's get off too!
- You're really a coward. - A coward?
What did I do?
I already told you, and I'm telling you again:
Do whatever you want.
You think you can leave like that,
but you will still remain between us.
Remain?
Enough!
And don't deceive yourself: There is no us.
I want to travel alone. Leave me now!
Where do you think you're going? This train isn't headed to Sapporo.
- I'm going to Niseko. - Niseko?
With this kind of snow, the access must be closed!
We've been there before during this time of the year.
"We"?
This hotel, what memories...
Nothing has changed.
The room is available, apparently.
And for the two of you...
We are in the same room. There are no other rooms available.
It doesn't bother me.
Do you know where the room is?
So this is the room...
You've come here with that man.
What happened?
Nothing.
Nothing?
We split up.
Just like us.
I'll never leave you.
No, don't touch me!
- It's him. - Yes.
Why didn't you get married, then?
He couldn't make love to me.
It's a humiliating story.
You still don't understand?
He couldn't make love to me!
You mean he's impotent?
You know everything now.
Everything you wanted to know.
Get out.
Get out, please!
Where were you? You weren't in your room.
I thought I would go back alone.
But the bus didn't come, because of the snow.
It's not you who should go back.
I should.
The two of you share some memories here.
A memory is just a memory.
Now my place... is the smoking foundry of Muroran.
Can you really separate the past from the present so precisely?
I brood over my past every single day.
I thought you were like me.
Leave me alone.
Your issues don't concern me.
It seems so.
Staying here, the three of us,
doesn't make any sense. It's pointless.
I'll leave you alone.
The bus is stuck because of the snow.
I'll walk back, if I have to.
They need me at work.
At work?
What's so funny?
So you really care about your workers?
That's not your business.
- You're just a coward! - Sugino!
What are you trying to say?
I'd like to know the real reason for your presence here.
I'll leave it to your imagination.
My imagination?
If I hadn't been here, you would have made love to her, right?
In that room, so precious to both of you!
And, unable to satisfy your desire, you would have gone back.
Your work is awaiting you?
You're lying! It's just an excuse.
That's what I imagine.
So what?
You're building up your jealousy.
And this jealousy justifies your relationship with Yuriko.
It's you who should be ashamed.
I'm not jealous of you.
Between you and Yuriko, it's just platonic.
Despite you, it has become a platonic relationship.
Jealous of a teenage love?
Right now, I would expect you to be jealous of me.
How could your love have lasted?
You were so lucky to experience an innocent love!
Impotence, how wonderful!
Edgar Allan Poe was like that during his old age.
Why don't you leave me alone?
I'm bothering you.
I'd better clear off.
It's hard to think of you as a stranger now.
The bus won't come.
Leave me alone. You said it,
we are perfect strangers to each other.
Not any more.
Because you hit me?
I came to apologize.
There's only hate between us.
Where are you going?
He left alone for the mountain.
He's mad because he thinks that between him and me
it's just a physical thing.
He's jealous of our past.
That's why...
I told him that between us
there was nothing,
not even anything physical.
Don't worry about it.
But at that time...
Was there ever anything between us?
Even though we haven't had any physical relationship,
I want to believe there was something.
But we split up before we could be sure.
Could we find out now?
Is there something between us that justifies his jealousy?
You and me,
here,
we are together again, alone.
We are here again.
It took a long time!
Let's go.
We can't leave him alone.
He's not here any more!
We have to catch up with him!
Why?
I can't ignore him any more.
Yesterday night, he told me how you met.
He must be anguished.
We can't let him do something stupid.
Tell me,
do you have any children?
Ah...
I understand the meaning of your question.
My wife had a miscarriage.
She's become very weak since.
I was the father, of course.
So, this means...
you have no problem now, right?
It happened three years after I left you.
I was already in Muroran.
A workmate invited me to an interesting bar.
"Interesting" means a bar with girls.
I didn't have any reason to refuse.
So, finally,
I told myself: "Why not?"
After drinking quite a bit of alcohol,
I managed to make love to one of the girls.
After that, I burst out in laughter.
I guess I startled the girl.
I became addicted to girls.
I didn't need anything else any longer.
- Has the girl become your wife? - No.
My wife worked with me.
Before I realized it, we were already a couple.
She's a simple woman.
She's not very demanding.
He was here.
But he left for the mountains,
right away, with three girls.
- Was it really him? - According to what they told me,
there's no doubt about it.
Let's just forget about him.
No, we must find him!
It will make matters worse if we find him.
I'm exhausted.
- I can't walk any more. - I made a mistake.
I should have come alone.
If I don't move,
will I be buried by the snow?
Stop talking nonsense!
The snow will get lighter.
It's odd.
It seems like he is neither
in the mountains, nor elsewhere.
It seems like he's gone far away,
very far from here.
So, you really don't love him?
I met him in the city.
I was just an old girl that he picked up in the street.
But still,
you thought he could offer you a new world,
and you let him pick you up.
Yes, sure.
During this trip,
for the first time,
we had a vague desire to kill each other.
At the Shikotsuko lake,
we both felt it.
I would have never believed
you could be in such a state.
After our split,
I thought that, unlike me,
you were living your life to the full.
Where has the girl I knew gone?
Why is my life different from yours?
I recognize your smell.
It hasn't changed. It's still the same.
You too.
You too...
Nobody.
There's a fire burning. Somebody has been here recently.
- Maybe it was him? - It's possible.
He has certainly crossed the mountain, going toward Kucchan.
Next spring,
let's meet here again.
Do you believe so much in yourself?
When I was 30, I still believed in something.
But now it's over.
I can't believe in anything any more.
For me it's the same.
I have no purpose any more.
When two such people meet,
what happens?
No love can last forever.
Maybe we are just living
a repeat of our past.
By chance, thanks to a young man.
Maybe everything is just an illusion.
When you left Sapporo,
I went to Tokyo.
During those three years in Tokyo,
I don't know exactly what I did or what I thought about.
But, when I came back to Sapporo to start my current work,
a few men followed me from Tokyo.
I can't even remember their faces now.
Later on, I've worked a lot.
And now I'm 35.
I don't even feel ashamed
when an unknown man whistles at me.
Why didn't I decide to have a child alone!
You and me,
we go on following the same path.
You are finally back!
Come and dance with us!
You must be surprised to see me in such a good mood!
Don't be surprised.
I took some sleeping pills.
These girls gave them to me.
It's very nice!
I saw you!
While you were kissing!
It was beautiful.
Love's grip in the soft snow.
You kissed like this!
So, won't you to do it again here?
It would be nice, wouldn't it?
Wait! Are you refusing?
Because of the others?
What a nerve!
I picked you up in the street!
Stop! You're completely crazy!
I know.
You want to hit me.
Hit me, then! Hit me as much as you like!
Get out of here!
I don't want to see you ever again!
What are you doing?
I have the right to make love to you, just like him.
You are so untactful.
You like platonic love. Leave sex to me, then.
We agreed on that, didn't we?
If you want to make love to me,
do it.
But don't get it wrong.
I'm not yours.
Certainly not. Never!
You are mine!
Your flesh is mine!
It's his fault. Because he's here!
I, impotent?
It's ridiculous!
In the end, you're still here.
What else do you want?
That look. I know it.
You hate me so much that you want to kill me.
No, I don't feel any hatred.
Hate is possible between two human beings.
You don't even deserve to die.
Aren't you going to hit me?
Don't you want to kill me?
I will hit you, then!
You impotent man!
So? You still don't want to hit me?
On the contrary, I'm grateful.
Thanks to you,
something incredible has been rekindled between us.
- Something incredible... - That's it.
Even if I explained it to you, you wouldn't understand.
You're right.
I don't believe in anything but myself.
What I'm searching for...
is my own freedom.
Look at me: I'm a bird!
A free bird!
A hawk that flies with spread wings, against the wind, in the immensity of the air.
You can't fly.
Why not? At this moment, I can even die.
I can free myself of boredom,
and attain the ultimate freedom!
You wouldn't be capable of it.
Why?
You still think we'll prevent you from doing it.
But you're wrong.
She won't prevent you either.
We can bet on it, then. Let's make a bet!
If I jump, you will split up.
I don't want to make a bet with you.
I'm not talking to you.
I'm asking her.
You,
you only passed through my flesh.
We'll never meet again.
You'll come back to me. I'm sure!
You are like this!
Look at me! Now!
Wherever we go, we'll be tied to one another!
It was written!
You'll come back. You'll come back to me.
Please, don't go!
I bet!
THE END Subtitles by talpaleone and lordretsudo