Third phase of the works
at the sea base of the Marines of War.
SEISAKU’S WIFE
Production: Nagata Masaichi
Based on the novel of Yoshida Genjirô Scenario: Shindô Kaneto
Okane, what have you done?
I’ve been looking for you all over!
Okane!
What have you been doing?
Where you with someone?
Tell me. Who was it?
Talk! Answer me!
Have you forgotten all the things I’ve done for you?
I’ve spent a fortune for you.
Why don’t you answer me?
Why don’t you obey me?
Me, I’ve done everything you said.
You have everything you wanted.
You can take all the kimonos
you want from my shop.
I love seeing you beautiful and elegant.
It’s the greatest pleasure I can have.
You have been mine for three years now. Since you were 17.
I’ve made you into a woman.
And I’ve given your parents money every month.
Even more if they needed it.
You changed my life.
My son and all the others have accepted
our relationship for a long time already.
Listen to me.
Stay by my side for as long as I live.
You are my treasure.
If nothing happens to me
you will receive a large part of my inheritance.
Delivery!
I’ll leave it at the door.
Okane!
Camera: Akino Tomohiro
Montage: Nakashizu Tatsuji
Asistant director: Okazaki Akira
Is it you, my child?
I haven’t seen you in a long time.
What’s wrong with you?
I have a terrible pain in my back. I can’t move.
Did you push yourself too much?
Yes.
I fell with the iron plate I was carrying.
I’m too old to work at the docks.
Omaki! Change my pyjamas.
Omaki!
Let me pray in peace for Kôtarô.
She spends her days praying.
It will not bring your son back.
It’s you who killed him!
What? Say that again!
You’re a good for nothing.
If we could have fed him correctly, he wouldn’t have died.
Not at all! He was sick.
Underfed, he died of pneumonia.
It’s you, sir!
Okane, your husband!
What is it that brings you here?
I want Okane.
Has she done something wrong?
No, nothing.
Kôzô, are you sick?
It’s his back.
A hydrotherapeutic cure will do him good.
I’ll talk to him about it.
Thank you.
You are so good to us.
Tell him how grateful we are, to you as well.
Thank you, sir.
I have some business to attend at the shop. I’ll go there since we’re close.
Go home.
Master was so generous to come and pick you up.
Your business is going well.
Go home, Okane!
Tea, madam?
For you as well, madam?
I started out with nothing. Now, I’m rich.
You can have everything you want.
Right now, I’m hungry.
You too? Let’s eat?
We have some sashimi.
There’s also some meat. Would you like to have some fondue?
Would you like that?
I’m going to take a bath. I’ve been sweating a lot.
Sir...?
My father has had a great life. He accomplished everything he wanted.
People treated him like an old pervert or some horny monkey.
It no longer matters now.
It looks like he really loves Okane.
His will states that he leaves her a thousand yen!
She already got a lot every month.
That’s not even counting all the kimonos he gave her.
I want everything to be dealt with among us.
Her father is sick. I no longer want to have anything to do with them.
Come here.
As my father wanted, I am giving you one thousand yen.
That’s a lot!
Use it to buy a house and some land.
In return, we will be strangers to each other from here on.
Tomorrow, relatives are coming to prepare for the funeral.
Your presence will be inconvenient for us.
Leave tomorrow morning.
I will already leave this evening.
Your life was full of hardship.
Okane has returned with some money.
You would have been able to benefit from it.
If only you had lived a bit longer.
Okane, let’s go back to our village.
Why?
I want to bury him in the village cemetery.
You want to return to the village that chased us away?
But now we can return with our heads raised high.
We payed back our debts. We can get back at them.
I was 13 when it happened.
We had to put all our furniture on a cart.
And it was your father who was pulling it.
Kôtarô had just been born. I carried him on my back.
Is our house still standing?
It is used as a warehouse now.
But it’s once again ours.
If you want, let’s return.
I don’t want to end my life here.
I want to die in my village.
Cast:
Wakao Ayako (Okane) Tamura Takahiro (Seisaku)
Hayakawa Yûzô, Narita Mikiko, Ushio Mantarô
Chiba Nobuo, Sasaki Takamaru, Tonoyama TaiJi
Directed by: Masumura Yasuzô
That girl, she never works in the fields.
I saw her yesterday.
She was the poorest child in the whole village.
Now she has the nerve to dress up like that.
Looks like she was taken care of by some old guy. She must have been.
But none the less, she’s a pretty girl.
You there, do you like this kind of thing?
My wife works in the mud all day long.
It’s nice to have such an elegant lady here.
If you wife lives in dirt, it is because of you!
It’s the man who makes his wife elegant.
Seisaku is coming back tomorrow.
Did he finish his military service? Time passes quickly.
Oshina, it’s almost time. Seisaku is coming back.
You felt like it took forever.
Are you jealous?
Stop teasing me!
It seems like the boy from next door, Seisaku,
is coming back from the army tomorrow.
The villagers are going to welcome him at the dock.
I’m not going.
They will still talk about us.
They treat us like outcasts.
Why should I join them?
He’s here.
There he is!
Three hurrahs for Kamikaji Seisaku!
Congratulations!
Thanks.
Did you see that?
I thought they would never stop eating and drinking.
Their appetite would have been a lot smaller if they would have had to pay for it.
It’s the only fun they’ve had.
Mother, come see.
Sister Oyuki, you too. I told you about this before.
What is it?
A bell.
Yes, a bell.
What are we going to do with it? This isn’t a temple.
You will see tomorrow morning.
I had it made.
I payed for it with the money I saved up.
It sounds great.
What is that?
It doesn’t come from the temple.
What’s going on?
What is it?
It’s coming from up there!
There, up on the hill!
It’s Seisaku!
The bell woke them up.
He sets a good example for the young ones.
I’m so tired.
Seisaku wants to pull you out of your idleness.
You still like him don’t you? Do you want to marry him?
Yes. Oshina is going to marry him.
MARRIAGE AT THE IKEDA VILLAGE
Seisaku has awakened the village from its sleep.
His bell wakes us early.
He’s a role model for the young ones.
In the army, his good behavior has caused him
to be congratulated by his superiors often.
He spent all his money to be able to buy that bell.
He’s a role model for us all.
He taught us new ways of working,
farming, and breeding animals.
He works hard.
Everyone is happy, thanks to him.
Everyone except for one person.
Who?
Okane.
Don’t get up.
You’re a bad person. That’s why they hate you.
It’s they who are bad.
All our enemies!
Don’t you hear the bell?
How dare you?
We live our lives, we don’t need to take orders from anyone.
Do you think you are setting a good example?
Even Seisaku has noticed her behavior.
She’s right for once. Seisaku is acting like a colonel.
Mother do you want some tea?
Mother!
Whats wrong with you?
My chest. I’m suffocating!
Mother!
What’s the matter?
It’s my mother...
Where’s the doctor?
He lives far away. I’ll go get him. Stay with your mother.
The doctor is coming.
I’ll look for your father and brother.
Don’t say that!
You have to live comfortably. Take advantage of it.
I have something to ask.
Tell me.
My brother passed away,
but he has a son in the village next to ours.
Are you talking about Heisuke?
Yes. I’m worried about him.
I’ll take care of him from here. I promise.
Really? I’m counting on you.
Mother!
Come in, doctor!
I’m going to look for the priest.
Stop!
The villagers don’t want me here.
I don’t want to see anyone.
We have to arrange the funeral, and declare her dead.
You’re back late. Where have you been?
Okane’s mother passed away.
Because they never visited her, the villagers
are embarrassed.
Okane is all alone now, without support.
Forget about her. Let her remain in her corner.
Oshina prepared a bath for you at her place. Why don’t you go there?
I don’t want to.
Aren’t you eating?
No!
No matter what they say about her, she’s one of the village.
Preparing for the funeral, she will need help.
The imperial administration speaks of brotherhood.
We need to follow its example.
But this girl never took part in the villagers’ lives.
I don’t see why we should help her.
Why do you support her?
Did she not wind you up?
She’s also a human being.
There’s some sake. Please have some.
No thanks. I’m going back.
They didn’t want the drinks I made.
Some other time.
My sake is not poisoned.
I didn’t say that.
Please have just a little. I beg of you!
It’s for thanking you.
If you go back without drinking, I will feel bad.
Don’t leave me alone.
Did you drink? You don’t usually do that.
Where have you been?
At Okane’s?
How many times do I have to tell you? Stay away from her.
I feel sorry for her.
Are you talking about that witch?
Good for her that she’s feeling bad.
Seisaku’s been helping a lot with the funeral.
He’s a model soldier, but he couldn’t resist her charms.
Thanks for the bath.
Seisaku is serious. He thinks with his head.
Exactly, that’s what worries me.
Marry him quickly,
before he’s bitten by someone else.
Now that Okane is alone she might leave.
It seems like she took her cousin Heisuke in with her.
They’re going to live here.
I’m going to take my bath.
Heisuke lives in the mountains like a bum. He’s a bit of an idiot.
In short, he’s mentally handicapped.
Heisuke! It’s time to eat.
Stop! Seisaku has won.
That’s all for today.
The war against Russia could begin any day.
Prepare yourselves for the worst, mentally and physically.
You will be called without excuse.
Move!
Why are you waiting to marry Oshina?
Before the war breaks out.
Get married and benefit from the good life.
You’re not going to die a virgin.
What’s wrong?
My chicken escaped. I was looking for it.
Watch out for the weasels!
They all hate me. Why are you so nice to me?
It would be better for your reputation if you just ignored me.
I don’t care.
Because...
I love you.
A girl like me is no good for a role model soldier like you.
How can you love me?
Because I’m telling you I do.
If you really love me,
embrace me.
Touch my breast.
Can you not?
Is it because I used to be the woman of that old man,
that you find me impure?
You can’t stand me like the others.
Believe me, I truly love you.
I love you too.
You’re lying.
You never woke up from the sound of my bell.
I have no future like the other village girls.
When I see people as happy as you,
I become angry.
For your own good go to Oshina.
She’s ready to get married.
It will benefit you a lot more.
I don’t want to get married yet.
You are the best man of the village.
Do not tease me.
In the mountains with her?
It can’t be! My son would never do such a thing.
Two people say they saw them together.
I’ll be back.
Great weather, isn’t it?
It seems they saw you with Okane in the mountains.
What’s wrong with you? She’s a bad woman.
I want to marry Okane.
Please accept our marriage.
You idiot! You can not marry a girl like her.
She’s already been of service!
You’re a good boy.
You can pick any girl from the village.
We are both poor.
I have made up my mind.
Are you serious?
Yes.
What about Oshina?
I never promised her anything. So what is the problem?
Did you forget about the medal you got as commander?
You are a role model for this village.
Okane will be a good wife.
There is no way she will come here. If you marry her, leave this place.
Okay.
I will marry her and live with her.
You will be the laughing stock of the village.
There’s no use insisting.
I can’t stop seeing her.
She has bewitched you.
I heard she has 800 yen
in a bank account in the city.
I don’t care about that.
Aren’t you ashamed talking about money?
I have the right to know if she’s doing well.
With 800 yen, we can live without worries.
So you want Okane to marry my brother?
No!
I beg of you. Don’t become the laughing stock of the village.
What a surprise. Seisaku and Okane together?
I knew she was going to cause trouble for the village.
See, Okane has won.
That Okane! I’ll make her pay.
I’m so angry!
Stop crying!
That’s enough!
Seisaku will go and live with her.
He’s made up his mind.
Seisaku’s sister is against it.
She doesn’t want her at their place.
They are getting married today. Without a ceremony.
The model soldier has failed us. She charmed him with her ass.
She’s going to wear him out.
He’ll no longer have the strength to ring the bell.
You have a great chest.
He keeps on ringing the bell every morning.
That bell hurts my ears. I’m having a nap.
Okane works the field with him.
People change.
It’s because of Okane’s money.
He hit the jackpot with her.
I know what you mean.
No one in the village can believe it.
I’ll do anything with you.
I want to work as much as possible to become the best of the village.
I felt a voice call me from this place.
It was you.
You brought me happiness.
A woman can only love one man in her life.
It’s the same for men.
Don’t ever leave me.
I don’t want to be alone anymore.
I decided to marry you, I don’t care what the others say.
We’ll be together forever.
You had a troubled youth.
Cry as much as you want. I won’t stop you.
All I want is your love. It’s my only desire.
Your chest, your hands.
Your body is mine.
War will be declared.
The call for arms will be inevitable.
Are we going to fight Russia?
We’re going to waste those Russians. It’s time for vengeance!
What are you thinking about?
We work hard without knowing what will come the year after.
We will see what next year brings.
Aren’t you worried?
Doesn’t war scare you?
What good does getting worried do?
There’s nothing we can do about it.
You seem calm.
What if you had to leave?
If we don’t work now, you’ll be in trouble later.
If I could have a child...
Why can’t we?
It’s my fault.
Because of my miscarriage.
We have to meet tonight at the mayor’s house.
Is it urgent?
They received a telegram from the army.
It’s here, the war.
The Emperor has declared war against Russia.
The entire army has been mobilized.
They can call you in anytime now.
Are you ready?
Yes but, we’re worried
about our families.
The old Gosaku lady hung herself. When her son died in China,
she had no more reason to live.
The mayor let her die in poverty.
The mayor did what needed to be done.
What needed to be done?
A pension of misery!
Right, so...
I’ll visit all the families of those sent to war
and watch out for them.
Promise me.
Not only the rich families, the poor as well.
That’s it!
But don’t go
see the young married women. That’s too risky.
Especially those of little virtue.
The mayor is a fast one.
What are you doing here?
I came looking for you. It’s late.
Why do you cry?
I have a bad feeling.
You’re such a fool!
The war will not last long.
I’ll be back soon.
But what if something happens to you...?
Being called to war, doesn’t mean I’ll die.
But what if you do...!
I’m afraid I’ll be alone again. I wont be able to stand it.
I’d die!
I’ve been called to war.
Okane will be alone again.
Mother, little sister!
Put Okane’s name in our Family Register.
And be nice to her.
I don’t want her in my family, that girl.
If she wants to be my daughter-in-law, she should act as one.
She’s always glued to you.
I’m going to fight for my country. Help her, please.
Fight and become a good soldier of the Imperial Army.
For our village.
Three hurrahs for Seisaku.
Be strong!
Fight with all you have.
They’re leaving.
"Even a great enemy..."
Don’t die.
Don’t leave me alone.
They say if you leave without looking back, you will return safely.
I’m leaving.
Stay here. You will dishonor him.
Great offensive at Port Arthur.
Battle is hard at Port Arthur.
Three hurrahs for Tanimura Yûzô!
Come back soon. I’ll pray for you.
Good day.
Oh, good day.
Is Oyuki here?
She’s inside.
Excuse me.
Good day.
I don’t know if you like them...
but if they please you, I would like you to have them.
Your old kimonos?
I never wore them more then once or twice.
Take them, if you like.
It must be hard, sleeping on your own.
Without Seisaku.
Don’t forget you are the wife of a role model soldier.
Seisaku is fighting at Port Arthur.
At Port Arthur?
Lots of soldier have already died there.
There’s continuous battle there. Soldiers are dying like flies.
Every day, thousands of them die.
Their wives have to be serious,
otherwise their souls will not rest in peace.
It’s not allowed to have such a nice ass.
She used to be the mistress of an old man,
she wasn’t able to stay a virgin for long.
Hasn’t she given you some yet, Heisuke?
A whore is capable of anything.
She ought to get married with Heisuke.
They’d make a great couple.
It’s a message for you...
about Seisaku.
He was wounded at the front, and sent back.
What happened to him?
I don’t know.
But if they sent him back, then it must have been serious.
Where is he?
We’ll know soon. He’s alive, at least that’s something.
He should be at the military hospital.
The mayor is going to visit him soon.
A member of his family should come along.
You will leave in the morning, and return at night.
Who will go?
Let me go.
You’re not married officially.
Legally, you’re not even his wife.
His mother will go.
I want to see him.
I want to see his face.
Let me go.
Don’t you want me to come along?
No! Let me be alone with him.
That’s out of the question!
A representative of the village, and a family member.
That’s how it should be.
I’m his mother. It’s me who should go.
That seems the right thing to do.
I beg of you. Let me go!
I have to go!
Don’t be so stubborn! I’m not surprised everyone hates you!
Tell me, when will you be back?
I’m going to die.
My mother came back from the hospital.
Seisaku volunteered to be part of a suicide mission.
They will reward him.
He regained his honor.
Is he hurt?
He was hit in one arm and leg.
It doesn’t seem to be that serious.
The bullets went through his body.
Will he be able to walk again?
Yes, two weeks from now.
He will recover at the hospital of Sandan.
He’s got two days off and can spend the night here.
We need to organize a party for his return. It will cost us.
I’ll get my money.
Congratulations.
Three hurrahs for Kamikaji Seisaku, our hero!
Mother!
Big brother.
Are you okay, little sister?
You see, I’m back.
Seisaku did good. Wounded, and honored.
We missed him.
In what suicide mission did you participate?
The hilltop 203?
Shut up. That’s classified.
Anyway, you’re the village’s hero.
What hero? Only those who died at the front are heroes.
How does dying make you a hero?
What has he done, General Nogi?
Attack, attack! It’s the only word he knows.
Always ordering us to attack!
Does he even think one second about those who will die?
Shut up, idiot!
He’s a great general!
They say he gives his orders against his will.
You weren’t there!
What do you know about it?
When you have recovered, won’t they call you again?
I want to go back as soon as possible.
Your right. Without you Port Arthur is impregnable.
Be sure to die, this time.
Be happy that you get to see you wife.
Don’t talk like that to my son.
Love your wife tonight until your back hurts!
She took a bath and made herself pretty.
Give her a night of love.
And leave her a child.
If you die, he will assure your name.
If you were wounded more severely,
it wouldn’t have mattered if you returned.
But none the less, you weren’t lucky.
I missed my home.
As if I was gone forever.
These six months seemed like ages.
This war made me crazy.
I thought about you every night.
I dreamt about you non-stop.
In joining this suicide mission,
you wanted to leave me and die?
I’m a role model soldier. I have to set a good example.
I can go back to the front in a week.
You’re only staying for a week?
Now that we’re finally together again.
We have to part again tomorrow.
I don’t want to! I won’t let you leave!
I want to make time stand still.
If we could die tonight, I would be happy.
You’re already getting up?
I have to ring the bell.
Forget about the bell! Stop playing such a good soldier.
I have to.
Love me during these few hours that we have.
Let me get out of bed.
No!
You’re crying again.
Will you stop it?
I’ll be back soon, you can wait another six months.
Patience, another six months.
I don’t want to wait anymore.
I’ll come back safe and sound.
How can you be so sure about that?
Run away with me.
Don’t say crazy things!
She still sounds as good.
There’s lots to do today.
I have to go wave them off at the station at 4 o’clock.
And there’s the party.
Seisaku needs to get ready.
It’s 1 o’clock. There are 3 hours left.
But it takes two hours to get to the station, even if we hurry.
It’s time, Seisaku. Hurry up and finish your drink.
I thank you for everything.
I asked the mayor to only take me to the bridge.
We’re saying goodbye here.
A toast to Seisaku, let’s wish him good luck!
Good luck!
It’s time to go, I bid you farewell.
I might never see you again.
Don’t say that, it brings bad luck.
Seisaku is a great man and a great soldier.
He said he was going to die this time.
A role model soldier for the army.
What’s wrong with you? Your face is all white?
She’s been fooling around this night. She can’t stand up anymore.
Everyone in front of the house to salute Seisaku.
Isn’t he ready yet?
Stop, Okane!
Okane has poked out his eyes!
Stop!
You foul woman!
Witch!
Demon!
Crazy woman!
Let me go! Let me go!
I want to die.
Kill me!
Seisaku!
What’s going on?
My eyes, my eyes!
Okane! You monster!
What’s wrong with me?
I can’t see! I’m blind!
Okane poked his eyes out with a nail.
That demon!
Get the doctor, quickly!
Did she hit you in the eyes?
I closed my eyes and she hit me.
Couldn’t you avoid it?
I didn’t have time.
You can’t see from both eyes?
No, nothing.
This isn’t some trick to avoid going to war?
Not at all.
His commander honored him.
He volunteered to participate in a suicide mission.
It’s all his wife’s fault.
She used to be a mistress.
He will have to be court-martialed.
Getting your eyes poked out by a woman.
What a humiliation!
Since our armies are suffering at the front.
We need every man we can get.
It’s unforgivable!
She needs to be punished.
Seisaku picked a bad woman.
Why did you do this to me?
She dishonored me.
I’ll kill her.
Okane! I’m going to kill you.
Seisaku has been discharged. But he lost his eyes.
What misery!
Just how far can a woman go? Mutilate a husband to protect him...
It’s high treason!
She dishonored our village.
You have been sentenced to two years in jail.
For battery and attempted murder.
Who’s there?
I am Okiyu, Tanimura’s wife.
My husband died in battle.
Three years ago, in Port Arthur.
Thanks to Okane, you have been branded a traitor.
A role model soldier, you?
Dirty traitor!
The death of her husband made her go crazy.
Traitor!
Hide yourself, Seisaku!
It’s Okane, who provoked this hatred.
It’s all her fault.
I’m going to go visit her.
How can you do such a thing?
Do you know what the villagers will say?
My being here causes you trouble.
And what is it you’ll do there? Are you going to wait for her?
Didn’t you say you hated her? That you wanted her dead?
Yes, I did.
She destroyed your life.
Not only yours, ours as well.
She deserves to be hanged!
She didn’t want him to die at war.
Not everyone dies at war.
She reacted like a monster.
I have to return to her.
Idiot!
Have you gone crazy?
Where’s the bell?
It’s no longer there.
It fell down.
Dirty traitor.
Heisuke! Get the bell.
January 1st, 1905. The fall of Port Arthur.
Hurray! Port Arthur has fallen!
We’ve won! Bring out the lanterns!
Everyone to the sanctuary!
They are celebrating the victory.
How’s Okane? She must be cold, in prison.
Okane left prison. What are you planning to do?
It’s time to prove to the village that we weren’t partners in crime.
You have to divorce her, to show your good faith.
Don’t think about revenge, or killing her.
If you divorce her, we can banish her from the village.
Okane is my wife.
I don’t plan on leaving her nor do I plan to kill her.
It’s my business.
Where do you plan on going now?
I don’t know yet.
The people from your village hate you.
Think about it.
Okane has returned.
I have returned.
You have returned?
I know, I don’t have the right to do it.
But I would like to see you once again.
I can no longer see your face, your body.
Do you feel my pain?
I ask for your forgiveness.
I destroyed your life because of my idiocy.
You can see. Can you imagine what it’s like being blind?
I accept any punishment.
Cut out my eyes or kill me.
Do what you like with me.
You loved me like no one could ever love me.
I regret nothing.
I’ll die happy.
Really?
Kill me.
You are so skinny.
Did you suffer?
I’m glad you came back.
I’m so happy.
At first, I hated you.
But when they started treating me as a traitor.
And started rejecting me.
I understood what you had to go through yourself.
I understood what it was to be alone.
From now on. I’ll stay by your side forever.
Thanks to you. I became a normal man.
Without you I would have remained a stupid role model soldier.
Who cares what others say?
The villagers say
that you’re a whore and I’m a traitor.
That we’re both traitors.
They will never forgive us, until the end of our lives.
But if we were to go for away, we would
cut loose from them.
We would be nowhere to be seen.
We would stay and live on this earth.
I would go anywhere to be with you.
One day,
when we’ve become only bones in our tombs,
the villagers will finally understand us.
THE END