Somewhere Beneath the Wide Sky (この広い空のどこかに)

A SHOCHIKU FILM

SOMEWHERE BENEATH THE WIDE SKY

Produced by KOZO KUBO

Screenplay by YOSHIKO KUSUDA

Cinematography by TOSHIYASU MORITA

Production Design by KAZUE HIRATAKA

Sound by HISAO OHNO

Lighting by RYOZO TOYOSHIMA

Music by CHUJI KINOSHITA

Starring

KEIJI SADA YOSHIKO KUGA

HIDEKO TAKAMINE

AKIRA ISHIHAMA MINORU OHKI

TOSHIKO KOBAYASHI MASAMI TAURA

KUMEKO URABE CHIEKO NAKAKITA

EIKO MIYOSHI SHIN-ICHI HIMORI

Directed by MASAKI KOBAYASHI

MORITA LIQUOR STORE

Good morning, Mrs. Morita.

Good morning.

I'd like to buy some miso.

Sure.

Your family goes through a lot of miso, don't they?

My son loves miso soup.

But his wife is very dense.

She only notices we're out of miso once the water is boiling.

What a pain in the neck.

It's not just her. All young people are like that.

That reminds me. You have a new young daughter-in-law.

It's been three months already.

She's finally getting used to the store, but she's got a long way to go.

But you're lucky that your son is a fine man.

I gave birth to my son, but it's difficult now that he's married.

Thank you for your compliments. He is good to me.

I raised him and it was worth it.

I'm too embarrassed to tell others about my own son.

Five years after she came into our family,

she gives me a look wishing me dead.

I'm sure she doesn't.

My son isn't any better. He's always saying I'm old-fashioned.

Oh a my'

They'd better suffer when they have their own kids.

Then they'll say, "Help us, Mother," and I won't take care of them.

Listen, Mrs. Morita, it's not good when they marry for love.

The girl ends up with an attitude. I can't tame her.

That can't be true.

They march into their husbands' families

as if everything belonged to them.

All young girls do nowadays.

Do they?

Mother-in-law!

What's taking you so long? He'll be late for work.

Oh, yeah?

Put it on our tab. See you later.

Sure. Thank you for your business.

- Come on, hurry. - Don't worry, I'm bringing it.

We don't want to overcook the radish.

It's your fault. You overslept.

I'm going out. Let me eat first.

What's in the miso soup?

What could it be? Tofu, as it turns out.

Good grief. My wife doesn't know until she looks inside the pot.

Because I don't make it.

- Because you sleep late. - You're so mean.

Hiroko, roast some nori seaweed for him.

Sure.

Mom, breakfast is ready.

Okay.

Do it a little more briskly, or it'll lose its flavor.

Let me do it. Give me some rice.

Mom, did the Kawaharas pay their bill from the other day?

I don't know. They didn't give me anything.

That's strange.

Oops, I forgot. I put it in the drawer.

Hiroko is so careless.

I'm sorry. It was while your mom was out at the bathhouse.

- Be careful in the future. - I will.

We must be exact with money.

We merchants don't make a lot. We get by on our daily cash income.

You gotta stay sharp or you'll lose track of who did what.

I'm sorry.

Thanks for the meal.

Making the rounds to take orders? So early?

I wanna make the rounds first thing. We got more competitors now.

- Excuse me. - Coming.

Don't worry. I got this.

Welcome to our store.

My brother is the most doting husband, so dedicated to his wife.

I hear all men are like that these days.

Ryoichi is special.

Hiroko, get me some cigarettes.

Right away.

Excuse me.

They got married for love, can we say?

Yes. That's why Hiroko always wants to be spoiled.

Hiroko, get me two packs of salt.

And a pack of margarine.

That's for the Nakamuras.

And then...

What's wrong?

Is it what they said again? - No.

Yasuko doesn't play her koto anymore. Is it because of me?

Why do you say that all of a sudden?

She stopped playing when I married you.

Don't be silly. Are you worried about such nonsense?

Be cheerful.

Sure. Come home soon.

Hello.

I see we have a pair of lovebirds watching the store.

A bottle of shochu for you?

Oh, no, am I that predictable?

But it's the usual.

Tonight at 8:00, okay?

Don't bring it over before I come home.

I'll bring it exactly at 8:00.

Remember that, will you?

Yes. I'll put it on the blackboard.

I won 420 yen yesterday.

The bicycle races again?

I bet 2-4. Kimura finished first, Sato second.

It was so great.

You don't like gambling, do you?

Is that why you can buy shochu?

You wrote it big, didn't you?

MR. IMAI - SHOCHU

That'll do.

Ryoichi, I used to think you were a prude.

Where did you find such a beautiful wife?

I don't know.

Japan is a big country.

That's a way to dodge my question.

Please find someone for my son.

He's totally hopeless in that department.

He can't even talk to girls.

Your son already has someone, Mr. Imai. Right, Hiroko?

Yes, she's very cute.

He has someone? That's news to me.

Oops. We should've kept quiet.

What a surprise. A secret to his father, yet the talk of the neighborhood.

Look, there they go.

He's got a girl riding with him.

No wonder he doesn't want to go out with me.

I hear she works for the same company.

He's got a lot of nerve. The bastard doesn't care I was worried.

Please remember us for their wedding.

It feels strange. My son's got a girlfriend.

Thank you for your business.

Mr. Imai was surprised.

Yeah.

I guess, in a way, parents don't want their kids to grow up.

Listen, was your mom shocked and at a loss for words, too?

She cried a little. Then she got nervous and restless.

- And then... - And then?

You're being silly. Don't ask. You're here now, aren't you?

Hiroko is lucky.

Are you playing with roses again?

You're acting like a retiree.

Why don't you think about marrying someone?

Not you, too. Don't try to make me feel better.

I'm an old maid of 28 and I'm a gimp. No one would want to marry me.

I wish I'd been killed.

If I'd been in the next bomb shelter, I'd be dead.

Why do you always have to talk like you're despondent?

There are more women alive than men now.

A man can pick any girl he wants.

Tsutomu...

Don't bring up Tsutomu.

See you later. Take care.

Mom, why did you marry into this family?

There was no why.

Were in you love with Dad?

You felt sorry for Ryoichi and married a widower, didn't you?

You were stupid, Mom.

Why do you care?

Your dad and I worked hard and now we have a decent store.

What a waste.

Your husband died when you were young.

You're left with a troubled daughter and a sleepyhead of a son.

Ryoichi's married now. He belongs to his wife alone.

He's not your son.

That's enough.

I'm fine the way it is.

Why do you have to get flustered now?

Would you watch the store?

- What about breakfast? - I'll have it with Noboru.

- Would you wake Noboru up? - Sure.

Ryoichi is having a hard time.

He has to support all of us and pay taxes on top of that.

I get it.

I'm going out, too.

- Going to flower arrangement class? - Yeah.

Flower arrangement is good, but why don't you practice the koto more?

I don't like koto.

Selfish, aren't you?

It's crowded in the morning. Why don't you go later?

I like it when it's crowded. I don't stand out.

Noboru, wake up.

Wow, what a beautiful sky.

I love this room. You have a great view of the sky.

Wow, that's blinding.