The Ceiling at Utsunomiya (怪異宇都宮釣天井)

THE CEILING AT UTSUNOMIYA

A Katsuji Tsuda Production Based on the Story Tetsuji Godo.

Written by Hiromichi Takebe Katsuyoshi Nakatsu.

Director of Photograpy Kikuzou Kawasaki.

Art Direction Haruyasu Kurosawa Music Sadao Bekku.

Starring.

Ryuzaburo Ogasawara Akemi Tsukushi.

Tetsuro Tanba Sachiko Touyama Yoichi Numata.

Masao Mishima Ureo Egawa.

Wataru Emi.

Directed by Nobuo Nakagawa.

Stand aside!

Move!

For your services.

It's 50 mon.

50 mon?

Something wrong?

Nothing at all!

It's Merchant Kagiya who lets you do business here.

I'm very grateful.

Get to work!

Hey, honey...

Can't you talk?!

You don't do business here without talking to us!

Hey, you...

Hey!

Oh, well...

We'll let it go for today. You come with me.

No!

Who do you think you're talking to?!

Why, you...

Hey!

What?!

Come here, you! All of you, come on!

Yoshichi! No!

Here's one more.

Fool!

Come on!

Mess with me, will you?

Sensei!

That's enough, Tome.

Why, thank you, Sensei!

I'll forget this today, Yoshichi. But next time I kill you!

Thank you, Sensei.

Thank the Sensei!

Yoshichi!

Forgive him, Samurai.

Yoshichi...

Beat it.

The quarters for the Shogun's visit are almost complete.

Have you seen to my request?

Yes.

The master carpenter Toemon and nine of his men...

will be confined within the castle as of tomorrow.

But you never know who will have a change of heart...

once work starts on the mechanism.

Or if an agent of Shogun lemitsu might slip in among us.

I pay close attention to detail.

Neither the carpenters' families...

nor any other loose tongues will be spreading rumors.

Have no fear.

Good.

But be very, very careful, Kagiya.

I am more concerned about inside the castle itself.

Wait...

We are both painstaking, are we not?

If all goes well, the Shogun himself will dance...

to Lord Honda's tune.

Ah, if only I had been born a samurai!

Again you jest!

If this goes well, you will be the wealthiest merchant in the land.

And we will envy you!

However, Kagiya...

there is one other thing.

Be of good heart, sir!

Women will flock to power!

Do you mock me?!

Only in jest, sir.

I would never impugn your honor.

How discerning of you to have chosen that young lady.

Oh, it's you, Tenzen.

You know you're not to come past this point!

Don't take that tone with me.

Again?

It's not that much.

I don't have a tree that grows money, you know.

Watch how you spend it!

Are you lecturing me?

Who's your guest?

Oh, all right. Go have a drink.

Oh... Tenzen...

What?

When are you going to bring Toemon's daughter for me?

Does Councillor Kawamura want her for a concubine?

Keep your voice down!

It'll be hard to force her if she doesn't want to come.

Don't worry about that! Just bring her!

And what do you get out of this, Kagiya?

I'm simply returning a favor.

I doubt that. There's nothing you don't turn to good account.

You're too much of a cynic.

A cynic?

Is there a cynic here?

Do I wear this mask for fun?

Tenzen!

As long as you understand.

Have I ever placed limits on you?

You help me, I help you. All right?

Does it still hurt?

A little.

But it's all right.

How silly of you to get into that fight.

What if you broke an arm?

Even up in Edo there's no better woodworker than you!

That's what my father says.

I couldn't just stand there and say nothing, Miss.

That Tome struts around like he's everyone's elder brother!

It drives me crazy.

Let's not talk about that now.

Tomorrow you go to the castle. We won't be able to see each other.

Miss...

you should be getting home.

Yoshichi! What do you mean?

Merchant Kagiya's man has been here again.

And what of it?

Are you telling me to go to Councillor Kawamura?

You're so stupid, Yoshichi!

You refuse to understand how I feel about you!

But...

But what?!

Miss...

I want you to be happy!

What happiness is there for me without you?

Don't you love me any more?

Miss!

Of course I do!

Then why don't you tell me not to go?

Miss...

Yoshichi...

50 gold pieces, Toemon?

When will you repay it?

The very moment the work at the castle is finished.

The very moment...

Father, I'm home.

O-Fuji? Go on inside.

If you would speak to Merchant Kagiya for me...

Well, money is only money...

O-Nobu!

You're so pretty!

What's the matter?

Sake, damn you! Bring me sake!

To hell with her!

Look at him! He acts like he's the only customer here!

That skunk!

Just leave him be.

Let sleeping dogs lie.

That's true.

I can barely be polite to him. He makes my skin crawl.

You can say that again!

O-Shino!

I haven't seen you in ages!

How's old man Toku?

He's fine.

He is?

Here.

Will he be coming to see the dancing at the shrine?

No. He's busy up on the hill.

But it's festival time!

Here.

Hey! Hey!

Wait a minute!

Where are you going?

Come here!

Damn it!

You know who I am?

What are you doing here?

You shut up!

Help me!

I won't forget this!

Come on!

Samurai...

I'm dreadfully sorry for all this trouble...

No, I've caused you trouble.

Not at all! It happens all the time.

Take care, though.

They're bad men.

O-Nobu! Come and thank the gentleman.

Thank you very much, sir.

That's not necessary.

But whose men were those?

Merchant Kagiya's.

'Kagiya'?

You don't know who Merchant Kagiya is?

'Kagiya'...

When will the Shogun leave Edo?

He is to visit Nikko on the 10th.

He leaves Edo on the 7th, and arrives here at midday of the 9th.

A messenger from Edo is to notify Lord Honda tomorrow.

So he arrives here in seven days.

I am under the orders of Marshall li...