Hanzo the Razor: The Snare (御用牙　かみそり半蔵地獄責め)

TOHO COMPANY, LTD.

A KATSU PRODUCTION

A lord's procession.

We've got no choice. Run!

Insolence! Step back!

Forgive us!

Spare us!

Unacceptable!

Don't interrupt, retainers!

An officer? Kill him!

Don't get in our way!

Fools!

So you're an officer.

Why disturb Lord Okubo, the government treasurer?

Those two tried to run when they saw my face.

It's my duty to interrogate them. I can't just let you kill them.

Hey! Tie them up.

Even officers should respect courtesy.

Is violence your way?

What? Listen!

For the law, I'll cross whatever is in my way, even treasurers.

We can't kill officials for being rude.

But if it were a duel, we could.

Junai Mikoshiba, the fencing instructor.

Kill him.

I work for Lord Okubo. Not for you.

Junai. Are you scared?

I can kill him, but my duty is to protect the lord.

No duel for me.

Junai.

Fight. I want to see your skill.

If you wish, Lord.

So it's you, Razor Hanzo.

I hate officers.

Draw.

Junai, that's enough.

Stop!

Hanzo Itami, come over here.

I'll forgive your rude behaviour

for your dedication to your work.

However, Hanzo,

it's disgraceful to break rules and codes of samurai on your own.

It'll harm the government.

You won't get away with this next time.

Don't do this again.

Don't you appreciate his kindness?

No.

- Don't be so arrogant! - Shut up!

There are thousands of villains in Edo.

Officers are supposed to arrest them and protect civilians!

Hanzo, is that any way to talk to a lord?

Of course. To hell with position!

It's nothing but a cheap ornament.

I'll destroy ranks and codes as long as I'm around!

Tell me.

If I were

the Shogunate General, what would you do?

I'd be even more encouraged,

because it would be worth it to fight and die in his presence.

Well said.

You'll be summoned later.

Get ready to die. Let's go!

Get ready to die.

They won't kill you.

I will.

Open the bag.

- Robbers? - No.

- We stripped a dead girl. - Liar!

It's true.

She was in the watermill hut in Ushigome.

We're peasants from the neighboring village.

We came to steal rice

and found her dead.

From the way she looks, she's from town,

a rich merchant's daughter.

But it's strange.

She's like a slut.

Look.

Her nipples are dark.

She must have had an affair. And her man killed her.

But she wasn't strangled. No wound, either.

What killed her?

Women are a riddle.

The best way to find the truth,

is check here.

She got an abortion.

- It's not a murder? - Fools!

Don't your noses work?

She reeks of goma.

- You mean sesame? So that's – - Sesame ash!

Idiots!

The incense monks and priests burn when they pray is called goma.

Praying to get rid of babies is popular in Edo.

She had an affair, got pregnant and got an abortion.

I get it. After the abortion, she got sick and came here.

Then she died alone.

Check the temples and shrines around here.

Certainly.

THE SNARE

Produced by SHINTARO KATSU and HIROYOSHI NISHIOKA

Screenplay by YASUZO MASUMURA

Cinematography by KAZUO MIYAGAWA

Music by ISAO TOMITA

Cast

SHINTARO KATSU

TOSHIO KUROSAWA

KO NISHIMURA KEI SATO

KAZUKO INANO HOSEI KOMATSU

KEIKO AIKAWA MASAMI SANADA

Directed by YASUZO MASUMURA

Master, we found one near the mill.

There's a shrine where women get abortions.

It's run by a woman. All her servants are girls.

No admittance to men.

Shrines are under the control of a different magistrate, you know...

sir.

If we bother them, we'll get in trouble again.

It's no good.

We go anywhere criminals go!

That's our duty!

Bring the coffin.

Hurry!

God! Help get rid of the baby!

Oshizu of Mikawaya, come this way.

Come on.

Undress like me.

Lie down.

Oshizu.

God! Help get rid of the baby!

Oshizu.

God! Help get rid of the baby!

Oshizu.

I'm Officer Hanzo Itami.

I'll arrest you all for getting abortions!

Forgive me.

My husband is a poor merchant.

We already have three children.

If we have another child, We'll starve.

Please, spare me.

Go!

Prices are going up!

It's the government.

They made bad coins and got rid of good ones.

That drove prices up.

Poor people can't survive.

So they have to kill their babies.

What a chatterer!

I improved on the usual method of abortion.

I contrived a new one.

It spares poor people from death. It helps the world.

Spares?

Then why strip?

The patients have to be naked.

They're ashamed.

They're afraid.

That's why I undress too,

to get rid of their shyness and fear.

You're insane.

Insane or not, if you kill, you get caught.

You killed a girl.

Me? Killed somebody?

I helped many girls, but never killed any.

The victim smelled of this incense.

Her name?

I've helped more than a hundred girls.

You expect me to remember all their names?

A crazy woman ripping poor people off.

Bring it!

Won't this refresh your memory? Who is this?

I remember. She's Omachi.

- Her last name? - Surugaya. A stupid girl.

She left this place alive.

If she died, it's not my fault.

That's what you're supposed to find out.

You need a doctor too.

I'll let you go, but don't kill again.

Welcome –

I'm Officer Itami. Let us pass.

Are you Rokuzaemon Surugaya, the master of this house?

Yes, sir.

This is my wife, named Oko.

Look.

Is she your daughter?

Yes, sir.

We've been looking for her for three days.

Never thought she'd die.

Because you didn't watch over her,

she got pregnant, so she got an abortion.

- Pregnant? - Unbelievable!

She was a virgin.

She never had an affair.

Fool!

A pregnant virgin?

I see.

Your daughter was beautiful.

You didn't want to give her to another man.

- So you laid her. - I did not.

- Incest is common. - No!

Your employees, then?

No.