Black Lizard (黒蜥蜴)

A Shochiku Production

I came here by mere chance.

A friend said he would guide me to a secret club.

This was a world unknown to me.

Until a gaudy crime dragged me into it.

BLACK LIZARD

Starring:

Akihiro Maruyama

Isao Kimura

Junya Usami

and Yukio Mishima

Original Novel by Rampo Edogawa

Screenplay by Masashige Narusawa

Directed by Kinji Fukasaku

This is an unusual night.

An oppressive night... a night made for crime.

I love a night like this.

Sleep won't come easily tonight.

And you?

What about me?

Do you dislike a night like this?

You're a poetess.

Are you a critic?

Why?

Beauty fails to intoxicate you.

Your eyes tell me that.

Really?

A person like you...

You're thinking of death, aren't you?

"Despondent Young Musician Commits Suicide"

"A Corpse Is Stolen From The Medical College Dissecting Room."

The stolen corpse. Someone who died yesterday?

Description?

Age, 26. Height, 173 centimeters.

Well-proportioned.

This is interesting.

A toy lizard. I wonder who brought it here.

It's no mistake. A private detective - Akechi.

Akechi?

Does he suspect?

I'm surprised to find you here.

Anyway, listen to what this jeweler, Iwase, has to say.

I'm Iwase.

My name is Akechi.

He received a warning letter.

"Guard your daughter carefully."

"There are people who plan to kidnap her."

I'm sorry I've kept you waiting.

Any new developments?

Where's your daughter?

She's with a customer in the Sky Lounge.

Sanae, you've played volleyball, haven't you?

How did you know that?

I know everything about you.

A beautiful, nicely proportioned body.

I'm fascinated by the splendid curve of your breasts.

You embarrass me.

A pretty face means nothing without a good figure.

You're the one who's attractive.

Father says jewels suit you better than any of our customers.

Don't flatter me.

Whenever I see a pretty person, I feel sad.

I imagine how she will look ten or twenty years from now.

I'd like to preserve that beauty forever.

People grow old because of anxieties and spiritual weakness.

If there were some way to remove the soul...

But without souls, people couldn't survive.

It's just a dream that I have.

Look into a diamond or sapphire.

They're transparent throughout. There's no soul.

That's why a diamond sparkles with eternal youth.

Excuse me. Are you Miss Iwase?

Your father says Mr. Akechi has arrived.

They're in the bar.

Do you think it's my daughter that they're after?

I believe...

that what they really want is my valuable Star of Egypt.

Star of Egypt?

A South African Diamond, valued at 120,000,000 yen.

I see. Your hunch may be right.

We must be very careful.

This doesn't look like an ordinary crime.

What? A threatening letter?

A warning... that someone will kidnap me.

How terrible!

Father is very worried.

He's asked for Akechi's help.

Our coming to Osaka is really a trap set by Akechi.

To lure the kidnapper to this place.

What is it?

You're so frank and trusting, I like you more and more.

I'm an optimist. I think it's just a prank.

How romantic!

Shall we call Father and Akechi here?

That's not necessary. Let's talk some more.

There's someone I want to introduce to you.

A young businessman from Tokyo.

This is Yamakawa, the man I told you about.

Miss Sanae Iwase.

You just stand and gaze at each other? Fine!

Young people don't need any words.

You can remain silent while I do all the talking.

It is night. The witching hour approaches.

Hovering around happy homes are the ominous shadows of night.

Yamakawa, why don't you show it to Sanae?

The bridal doll you bought at a curio shop.

It's so big.

You needn't bring it. We'll go to your room.

She's not there?

Maybe she went back to her room.

Wait! Take off her clothes.

As I imagined.

She would make a lovely doll.

Father?

You came back here? We've been waiting.

I'm sorry. I didn't feel well, so I thought I'd go to bed.

I'm sorry I disturbed you.

Phone if you need me.

Good night.

Iwase!

- Who is it? - Akechi.

A telegram.

"Watch out at midnight tonight"

The kidnapper has set the time.

The scoundrel!

Where's your daughter?

She's safe, asleep right beside me.

Let's not wake her. She's sleeping peacefully.

The bedroom windows?

Locked tight since this afternoon.

Excuse me. It's the sleeping pills.

Will you lock the door and hold on to the key?

I'll stay on guard in this room.

That's fine.

Leave this door open.

Who is it?

It's me.

So! We meet once again!

Was it you who was with Sanae earlier tonight?

Why, yes. Are you here because of a strange telegram?

How did you know?

The bellboy is so talkative. Is Sanae asleep?

Her father, too?

Then, with you on guard here, there's nothing to fear?

That's right.

Isn't it a tiresome job?

Danger usually exists in the midst of boredom.

The white sheet of tedium suddenly smolders...

to reveal a crime's profile.

It's enjoyable to wait for its sudden appearance.

But why are you so concerned with this affair?

You'd better go to sleep.

You're being rude. I have known Iwase longer than you have.

I'm worried, too.

Then, do as you please.

I'll stay until midnight to watch the "smoldering."

As you wish.

A light?

You're unable to sleep?

When I first met you, you spoke of an oppressive night.

A night for crime.

"I love a night like this."

"Sleep won't come easily tonight." You remember what I said?

What crime did you mean then?

I merely spoke at random.

That's not how it seemed.

Your professional relationship to crime must be...

like a photograph and its negative.

Your eyes see the same image and you think like a criminal.

The only difference is that one is white and the other black.

I'm afraid it's not as simple as that.

To commit a crime requires a certain qualification.

One that even the criminal may not be aware of.

Qualification?

Let's consider one woman.

She receives a bouquet.

Because she loves roses, she holds them close to her.

Suddenly, a caterpillar appears from between the petals.

With a cry, she hurls the flowers into the fireplace.

She's not the criminal type.

Take another woman.

She, too, loves roses.

Upon seeing the insect...

she calmly throws it, alone, into the fire.

Then she smells the flowers.

Not the criminal type, either.

Woman number 3?

She'll neither kill the insect nor burn the flowers.

In desperation, she goes to the man who gave her the bouquet...

and pushes him into the fireplace.

In such a situation she is capable...

of rebelling against accepted morality.

Society will call her a criminal.

But of the three, she is the most tender-hearted.

A splendid theory!

I've never met a detective like you.

One who has such a deep and romantic attachment to crime.

Not for every kind of crime.

My interest is aroused...

by a genuine, gentle criminal, like Woman number 3.