The Crucified Lovers (Chikamatsu monogatari) (近松物語)

Selected for the Festival of Arts 29th Year of the Showa Era (1954)

Daiei Productions Presents

CHIKAMATSU MONOGATARI

Produced by Masaichi NAGATA

Original story by Monzaemon CHIKAMATSU

Cinematography by Kazuo MIYAGAWA Sound by lwao OTANI

Art Direction by Hiroshi MIZUTANI Music by Fumio HAYASAKA

Cast

Mohei - Kazuo HASEGAWA

Osan - Kyoko KAGAWA Otama - Yoko MINAMIDA

lshun - Eitaro SHINDO Sukeyemon - Sakae OZAWA

Genbei - ichiro SUGAI Doki - Haruo TANAKA

lsan - Tatsuya ISHIGURO Oko - Chieko NANIWA

Directed by Kenji MIZOGUCHI

- Good day. - Good day.

Still not finished? Get on with it!

Sorry to keep you waiting.

We're currently printing the new calendar for the Imperial Palace

and we're a bit behind on the rest of our orders.

It's a large order and we're responsible for all the copies for the Western region.

- You're late! How many have you got? - 300.

Bring the other 200 by tonight or I'll only pay you half.

Please make your selection from this catalogue.

These aren't quite what I was after. My client wants something classic.

I was told that Mohei could sort it out. Is he here?

- Wake Mohei up. Master Kuze is here. - Yes, sir.

Printing a special calendar for every house,

that's like having a tree that bears golden fruit.

Most other merchants are experiencing a slump in business

but this place seems to be thriving.

The owner of this place is very hard to please and very particular.

Maybe he does it by paying his staff next to nothing!

Mohei, you have to get up. Master Kuze is here.

He wants the sample of gold brocade. It's in the second...

Listen, you'll find it in the second cupboard along.

You're the only one who can tell the brocades apart.

Please get up.

Quickly.

There's no rest for the wicked!

Osan?

Osan?

Osan?

What is it? What are you doing here?

- Where's lshun? - He's out.

Good.

Listen, I have a favour to ask of you. I'll come in through there.

- Osan, I have no one else... - Good clay, madam.

- Can you lend me five kan of gold? - Good day.

It's all a bit sudden.

If it's to pay off your debts to courtesans again...

No, not at all!

It's for the interest payments on the home.

Our family home?

My loans to the courtesans haven't been returned yet,

so I'm in real trouble.

I've had to ask others to lend me some money.

Please, I'm begging you.

Please help me out.

I've raised enough to pay off a third of the interest, but I'm missing the rest.

If I don't pay it in three days, they'll throw me in prison.

I can't believe you're in this position!

- Madam? - What is it?

Your mother is here to see you.

Don't tell her you've seen me. I'll be back tomorrow for the money.

I'm just taking this up to Mohei. See to the back rooms for me.

She runs around for Mohei like she's his wife.

I wonder what Mohei thinks of Otama.

If you're so worried, why don't you go and ask him, then?

- I've prepared you some broth. - Thank you.

Listen to you, you should be resting.

I have work to do.

I won't be able to care for you while madam's mother is here.

- Her mother, you say? - Yes.

Otama, has anything strange happened in their family?

I have no idea.

Here you go.

Eat up before it goes cold.

- There. - Otama!

Coming! I'll see you later.

Thank you so much.

- Otama! - She's so impatient.

Your brother has never been that clever...

and we've tended to scorn him since your father passed away.

I've remonstrated with him,

but if he's arrested, just imagine the damage it will do to our business.

We must avoid this shame at all costs.

You know how quickly rumours can spread in business.

It's a terrible embarrassment to me,

but could you ask your husband just once more to help us out?

I will ask him.

Ever since I was engaged to become his wife,

I have always felt so ashamed asking him for money.

Welcome back, sir.

Welcome back, sir.

- How's the work going for the Minister? - Well, Mohei's been in bed with a cold.

Get him up! I promised it would be completed by this evening.

- Have you been with the Minister, sir? - Yes.

These nobles deign to drink with us only when we're the ones paying.

- Welcome home, sir. - Welcome back.

Welcome home, sir.

- Where's Osan? - She's with her mother, sir.

I see...

Welcome home, sir.

Welcome home.

Welcome back, master.

Pass me a headrest.

So, have you thought about it?

Please, let go of me, master.

Don't be like that. Just think of the benefits for you.

You have no parents, no family, and I'm offering you a life of luxury.

I prefer to remain just as I am, thank you.

You might, but I certainly don't!

To tell you the truth... I'm engaged to be married.

What? Don't tell lies.

I'm not lying.

Tell me, who is he?

Don't make it up. Who is he?

It's Mohei.

Mohei?

Please, I beg you, do not come to my room anymore.

I'll come whenever I please, until you give me the answer I want.

Welcome home, my dear.

Forgive me for not coming sooner.

I'm exhausted.

I had to stay out drinking with the Minister all night.

- Your mother's gone? - Yes.

- What did she want? - Well, she...

- If she's after money, tell her I refuse! - No... she came to see the neighbours.

Speaking of which, Sukeyemon told me you'd offered my sister some capital.

But your elder sister asked for the money.

I refuse to lend money even to my siblings!

Oh, Mohei... are you feeling up to this?

I'm fine. I'm all right to do some work.

Are you sure?

- How did you know that's the one? - Just by watching.

- So, do you intend to marry a printer? - Of course.

What's wrong?

I'm sorry to trouble you,

but if the master should mention me to you,

would you please say that we're engaged to be married?

I can't do that.

The master is chasing after me so much,

it's the only thing I could say to deter him.

The master?

I couldn't. I'd do anything for you, but I couldn't tell lies.

But I'm bound by a contract and cannot leave here.

- Of course not. - Would you rather I gave in to him?

Not at all.

I've thought many times of telling his wife.

You mustn't, that would be a disaster.

Primarily, his wife would suffer more than he would.

Listen...

In any event, you must do nothing that would tarnish the family's reputation.

You'll just have to put up with it for now, understand?

You mustn't forget that you're just an employee here. Right?

Hey, everybody! Some adulterous lovers are to be crucified!

Come quick!

- It's the wife and servant of a samurai. - A samurai's wife and his own servant?

- Right. - There they are!

Make way!

Make way!

Make way!

They'll be nailed to a cross and then left there for public viewing.

It's a dishonour upon their entire family.

This is the cruel fate that awaits adulterers.

If a samurai does not kill the adulterer himself, he loses his rank.

Surely it's better to die by the hand of one's husband than suffer such a fate.

Oh, Mohei... have you recovered from your illness?

Yes, thank you for your concern, madam.

That's good.

Madam?

I heard your mother had arrived. ls there anything wrong?

Why do you ask?

There is nothing at all wrong.

Mohei, why is it that men have the right to commit adultery,

yet if a woman is caught, she's nailed to a cross?

- It's a cruel injustice! - Watch what you say.

Why must they be crucified?

They didn't kill anyone or steal anything!

- It's absolutely tragic. - Don't you feel pity for them, Mohei?

Of course I feel pity for them,

but they broke the law, that's why they're being punished.

Thank you.

- I brought you a warm drink. - What is it?

It's eggnog. Drink it quickly.

Thank you.

Mohei.

Mohei!

Is it all ready?

- I managed to finish it. - I bet it almost killed you.

I'll take it up to the master.

I'm accompanying him to the Minister's house, so I'll take it over for you.

Make sure the rest of the work is done by tonight.

I shall.

Mohei?

- Mohei? - Yes?

How can I help you?

Yesterday, you asked me about my family, didn't you?

Yes...

Well, there is a favour I'd like to ask of you.