Fighting Elegy (けんかえれじい)

A NIKKATSU PICTURE

FIGHTING ELEGY

Screenplay by KANETO SHINDO From the novel by TAKASHI SUZUKI

Photography by KENJI HAGIWARA

Art Direction by TAKEO KIMURA

Music by NAOZUMI YAMAMOTO

Cast

HIDEKI TAKAHASHI JUNKO ASANO, YUSUKE KAWAZU

CHIKAKO MIYAGI, TAKESHI KATO

ISAO TAMAGAWA JUN HAMAMURA, ASAO SANO

SEIJIRO ONDA MITSUO KATAOKA, KEISUKE NORO

HIROSHI MIDORIGAWA

Directed by SEIJUN SUZUKI

BIZEN, OKAYAMA – 1935

OKAYAMA PREFECTURE SECOND MIDDLE SCHOOL

Attention!

Bow!

Hey, Nanbu! You got a girl or something?

Well...

You're going soft! I'll toughen you up. Come tomorrow.

But tomorrow's Sunday.

Come anyway.

We'll train you good.

I can't on Sunday.

Why not?

- I have things to do. - Do 'em today.

What do you have to do?

Gotta go to church.

Church?

You a Jesus freak or something?

Is Christ more important than your fellow seniors?

Don't insult my religion!

No point in discussing this.

We'll have to rough you up a bit. Come on.

What's with the attitude these days?

I've been thinking recently you need a little lesson.

Grit your teeth.

You bastard!

Shit!

You bastard!

Please forgive me in advance.

Wait!

Hey, wait!

Wait!

Who's there?

I'm home!

I hear you pulled a funny trick by the river the other day.

What for?

The boarding house I'm at is Catholic.

And they have a daughter.

Hang on.

The cute one from Seishin Girls School?

Yes.

So you're at her place?

Lucky bastard.

I had my sights set on her too.

Tell me the rest.

Well, Michiko was –

She was to give a piano recital after mass.

I was supposed to give her flowers after she played.

Not yet!

So, you have a crush on Michiko?

Well...

I mean, no.

Don't get excited.

They say that heroes always fall in love.

Yes, I think so too!

Idiot!

You'll never be a hero getting all love-struck while still in training!

Forget your desires. Women will only get you in trouble.

I'll teach you good. What do you say?

Yes, sir.

People call me Turtle.

You may call me that as well.

"Thou shalt not commit adultery."

What's wrong?

"Looking lustfully is committing adultery..."

Have some.

Turtle, sir.

What?

Are you Catholic too?

Yeah. So what?

Isn't drinking this a sin?

Take it easy.

It's not the communion wine. I hid my own stash here.

Now take a swig. Let's swear to our brotherhood.

Wow, that's really something!

Kiroku, I will teach you the secrets of fighting.

Please!

Look into the mirror.

Never blink!

What's wrong?

There's something funny about Kiroku.

Well, he always was a funny boy.

But it's worse than usual today.

He's been staring in the mirror all day.

Maybe he's got pimples.

Punch the bag 1,000 times, morning and night.

As you progress, put beans in the bag, and later, small stones.

Walk with your weight on your heels, thrusting your feet forward.

This will give you grit.

Kiroku.

If he were this determined at school, he could become something.

I like his passion. It's so masculine.

You think it's masculine, huh?

Shouldn't we let his father know?

Just leave him. He's like a barrel rolling downhill.

He'll stop when he reaches the bottom.

Yes, men are like that.

So, you do understand, Mother.

The rest is courage and how fast you can run.

Courage comes in battle.

And you'll run when you have to.

So a loss can become a gain.

Kiroku, you must find a different group to continue your training.

Our passwords are OS and MS.

They're short for Okayama Second Middle School.

And I'm Takuan, head of the group.

Yes, sir.

You must break school rules one by one to become brave.

Got any money?

A little bit.

Good. Come with me.

Welcome. Come in.

Careful of Kappa from Kanchu, Takuan. He was talking about you.

Filthy bitch!

He said, "I'll cut him down!"

He couldn't even cut through a lump of fish paste.

What do you want?

Just bring anything.

How am I supposed to know what?

Then just bring me some broth.

This is ridiculous!

Kappa!

Stay back!

Give him more!

Father.

You can punish me.

I won't hit you. You're not a child anymore.

But Kiroku...

you're not in school to get into fights.

The principal wanted to kick you out.

But he agreed to a one-month suspension.

Now, don't get so down over this.

You're just a little too hot-blooded.

Let's go have some steak.

Kiroku.

What an easy life you have, sleeping all the time.

Why don't you study?

Shall I help you with your English while you're suspended?

Your dad's nice.

He's very sweet.

Do you enjoy fighting?

Yes.

How barbaric.

You just don't understand men!

Let me teach you the piano, Kiroku.

You need to cultivate your aesthetic side.

Now you try.

Once more.

Oh, my. Your fingers are stiff as logs.

You have to relax.

You have to sit up straight.

"Michiko is a saint. She's Joan of Arc.

I wish to be her faithful servant and bow at her feet.

My blood throbs at the sight of those white hands."

It's been a lovely Easter.

I walked down this same street with Father last Easter.

This year, it's Kiroku.

And next year?

You're easily scared, aren't you?

Somebody hanged himself here the other day.

A man like you shouldn't be afraid of that.

"My blood throbs at the sight of those white hands."

OS!

MS!

Who's that, Kiroku?

She's my sister.

Your sister, huh?

Well, then, that's okay. But don't be messing with girls.

You'll stain the pride and honor of the OSMS club.

Pleased to meet you.

My name is Takuan, head of the OSMS club.

OSMS?

It's well-known in Bizen, Okayama,

as a club for young men like Kiroku

who train hard to make their bodies strong.

I'd like to treat you to a bowl of noodles.

Let's go home, Mr. Nanbu.

We can eat noodles at home.

"Mr. Nanbu," huh?

Is she really your sister?

Yes. No. I mean –

You lying to me?

She's like my sister –

No bullshit!

I thought it was strange that you'd hold hands with your sister.

What's wrong with holding –

You keep quiet, young lady.

We'll settle this at school.