Fires on the Plain (野火)

OFFICIAL ENTRY 1959 FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS

DAIEI STUDIOS

FIRES ON THE PLAIN

You idiot!

The hospital sends you back and you obey?

There's no room here for consumptives like you!

Go back! Tell 'em you have nowhere to go.

They'll have to take you.

Why can't you grasp the situation?

We landed to the west under enemy fire

to reinforce units at Tacloban.

We lost two-thirds of our men.

Our artillery was sunk in transit.

We tried to reach Burauen airfield

by crossing the central mountains,

but without artillery, it was impossible.

The enemy's counterattack

forced all companies to fan out across the valley.

You know all that.

We brought 12 days' rations from Ormoc.

You really think there's any left?

Soldiers are taking turns foraging for food.

You're coughing up blood and can't even lift a sack of potatoes.

In the thick of war,

your comrades gave you five days' food to take to the hospital.

Three days later you returned,

saying they'd pronounced you cured.

TB cured in three days?

With five days' food, you should've stayed that long.

I sent you back to complain, but the doctor claimed

it wasn't five days' worth, and it was all gone anyway?

What kind of imbecile are you?

I don't begrudge you the food.

If you could work like the others, then no problem.

This company's shrunk to the size of a platoon.

But we still have to eat!

The unit has split into three groups

taking turns foraging for yams and bananas.

They eat what they find and bring some back for the others.

Then the next group goes. Like goddamn beggars!

This is the Imperial Army!

It's a disgrace, but what can I do?

We all have to pitch in.

You're nothing but a burden. You should be ashamed!

All I can do as your squad leader

is send you back to the hospital before everyone starts hating you.

If they don't admit you, sit there until they do.

If they still refuse, then you must die!

You weren't given a hand grenade for nothing.

If they send you away, blow yourself up.

That will be your final duty.

I, Private First Class Tamura, will return to the hospital.

If they do not admit me, I will kill myself.

Good! Now buck up and go!

Don't bother reporting to the commander.

I, PFC Tamura, will report to the hospital as ordered.

Fall in!

It's not easy for the squad leader.

He can only order the men to dig air-raid shelters.

They don't even have shovels.

Just sticks and old worn-out pans.

I fill out supply requisitions

with nowhere to send them.

The enemy doesn't even bother with us anymore,

yet we still dig air-raid shelters.

You're better off at the hospital.

The company CO can't help you.

I'm sure he heard the squad leader's hollering.

Here are some rations.

I'm grateful.

Kill yourself only if you have to.

Damn it, I'm starving.

Hey!

Where are you going?

I didn't think anybody was around.

This is the entrance to our camp.

Where there's an entrance, there have to be sentries.

It's so hot we went in the shade.

Where are you going?

I, PFC Tamura, am reporting to the hospital.

The hospital again?

I won't be returning to the company.

Why not?

It seems there's no room here for sick men like me.

Who said that?

The CO?

The squad leader?

Who knows who's better off anyway, you or us?

They'll order us to attack soon.

But will the hospital take you?

I'll stick it out until they do.

Don't give up.

Produced by MASAICHI NAGATA

Based on the Novel by SHOHEI OOKA

Screenplay by NATTO WADA

Cinematography by SETSUO KOBAYASHI

Production Design by TOKUJI SHIBATA

Music by YASUSHI AKUTAGAWA

Starring

EIJI FUNAKOSHI

OSAMU TAKIZAWA MICKEY CURTIS

HIKARU HOSHI MANTARO USHIO

MASAYA TSUKIDA KO SUKIDA YOSHIHIRO HAMAGUCHI

ASAO SANO, SHIN DATE

YOSHIO INABA, JUN HAMAMURA

Directed by KON ICHIKAWA

Good day, sir.

Good... day.

This way. Please come in.

This way, sir.

Please eat.

What's this?

That's salt, sir.

Is this your house?

No, sir. My house is on the other side of the river.

Please eat.

What's that?

Yams for my parents and siblings

out working in the jungle.

Would you like some yams?

You mean those?

No, these aren't for you. But wait a moment,

and I'll get some nearby.

God, it stinks!

That bastard!

The hospital!

I'm saved.

You idiot!

They throw you back here like a baseball.

Go back and tell your leaders:

This hospitaI's overflowing with seriously wounded men.

There are only two doctors and seven medics.

I don't care if you're coughing blood. If you can walk, you're not a patient.

Tell 'em that!

What kind of degenerate comes in for something so minor?

But you've come a long way, so if you've brought food,

you can rest here for a few days.

I have no rations, sir. Sir, no excuse, sir.

Those are 25cm guns.

Ormoc's getting hit with long-range shells again.

You back again?

Looks like another new man arrived.

He wasn't here this morning.

There are three new guys, including you.

Only one went away.

Pops, that one had crazy diarrhea.

He left 'cause guys with diarrhea don't get fed.

Shape he's in, he'll be dead 'fore he even walks a mile.

No point staying here.

You can say that again, pops.

They've still got rice.

We might as well eat too.

Gimme your yam. I'll steam it with mine.

No appetite?

Or out of yams?

You've got malaria. You can't even move.

They really should admit you.

Wily bastard.

Everything's falling apart, and the fucker's steaming yams.

He got lots of tobacco from somewhere. Wraps it around his belly.

He traded some for yams at the hospital earlier.

He could return to his unit but stays to do business here.

He helps us out. You jealous?

You think if you side with him,

he'll give you half his yams?

He's a tightwad. Won't even give you one.

I have my own.

You've got it good.

I've only got one left.

Don't worry. I won't ask you for yours.

We've been chucked out of our units. No point fighting now.

I hope the Yanks take us all prisoner.

They'd kill us.

Nah, they think being a POW is honorable.

They'll say, "You guys fought hard,"

then fill us up with corned beef.

Thanks.

Go ask your buddy for some.

Didn't you say you had some yams?

I won't forget your kindness as long as I live.

That won't be long.

That's for sure.

I'll swipe some hospital food tonight and pay you back in the morning.

Don't. You'll get caught.

Don't you feel sorry for the patients?

What's wrong?

Looks like he pissed himself.

Tell us when you gotta pee. We'll hold you up.

It's hopeless. He won't last long.

You're all deserters!

A career soldier, as gung ho as ever.

- Fucking bastard! - What's going on?

Stealing yams!

Where's the candle?

Hold him down!

Son of a bitch!

- Is he a patient? - No, one of the squatters.

Drop dead, you worthless shit!

We're gonna chase you all off tomorrow!

Aren't they shelling your company?