The House of Hanging (病院坂の首縊りの家)

A Toho Production

Come on in. I’m glad you came.

How many years has it been?

- I’m sorry I didn’t keep in touch. - Forget it.

- I’m sorry I didn’t keep in touch. - Forget it.

This is the first time I’ve visited you here.

- Really? - It’s a quiet town.

- Really? - It’s a quiet town.

Yoshino City - Really? - It’s a quiet town.

Yoshino City

You said you were going on a trip? Yoshino City

You said you were going on a trip?

Have a seat.

I'll be away for a while.

Her name’s Tae.

She’s a distant relative.

She comes over to copy my manuscripts, and helps the missus.

She’s studying to be a pharmacist.

My university major is pharmacology.

This is my friend Kindaichi.

He’s a detective.

He tends to disappear when he's working a difficult case.

I seem to remember such a character popping up in your novels.

- I don’t recall. - Where are you going?

Maybe the US.

The US?

The US is quite advanced in drugs for stress...

autism, and neurological conditions.

Are you really going?

People are the same all over.

Hey, Kindaichi is here! Get us some tea!

Just a second.

- Are you going by boat? - Yes.

- Have you gotten your passport? - Not yet.

- You’ll need a photograph. - I haven’t had one taken yet.

I know an old photography studio that's been in business since 1892.

I forget the name...

I haven’t been there in 7-8 years.

- He’s talking about the Honjo Photography Studio. - That’s the one.

- Hello. - Thank you.

Kindaichi says he’s going to the US.

Wow, overseas!

Try to relax, you’re too stiff.

I can’t find it.

This house is too dark.

It has to be one of these. We'll have to get a new one, but they’re all old.

- You should probably replace all of them. - Hey, Mokutaro!

Shake a leg!

We used it for the US troops during the occupation.

- Where the heck is it? - You’re looking for the mountain vista?

We just used it the other day. Why can’t you keep track of them?

Got it!

Damn, this one is for children’s festivals.

Where in the world are those mountains?!

Just shoot my face.

We can’t very well have this in the background.

It’s for a passport.

Then we need a white background!

You should have said so from the start!

What are you doing, you boob?!

Are you all right? My assistant is still new to his job.

I think I broke something!

Sorry, I thought you were out.

- What do you want? - The magnesium.

- It’s on the bottom shelf. - I found it. - Who’s the customer?

- He’s a bit unusual. - What?

He’s a private dick.

A flatfoot?

- Bombing raids were quite severe in this area. - So they say.

I came back from Siberia in 1949.

The place was flattened.

I couldn’t even recognize it.

Japanese land forces had their airfield right over there.

That would have been the enemy’s target.

- I can’t believe this building is still standing. - I suppose you’re right.

US troops are still stationed in this town.

There’s a steep hill just yonder.

That’s Hospital Hill.

Hospital Hill?

It used to have a more ordinary name,

but a large hospital was built there in the late 19th century.

People started to call it 'Hospital Hill'.

It’s Hogen Hospital.

I didn’t notice the hospital.

Don’t move, I’m going to shoot.

Raise your head a little... chin down.

Magnesium up... Ready!

The House of Hanging

Produced by Kon Ichikawa

Based on a work by Seishi Yokomizo

Screenplay by Shinya Hidaka and Tei Kurisu

Starring:

Yoshiko Sakuma

Masao Kusakari

Junko Sakurada

Takako Irie Takeshi Kato

Mitsuko Kusabue Kayoko Shiraishi Miki Sanjo

Midori Hagio Peter Kie Nakai

Hideji Otaki Nobuto Okamoto Eitaro Ozaka

Koji Shimizu, Akiji Kobayashi, Fujio Tokita, Koreharu Hisatomi

Noboru Mitani, Sabu Kawahara, Yutaka Hayashi, Shingo Yamamoto, Bunji Hayata

Teruhiko Aoi

Special appearances by Seishi Yokomizo and Norihei Miki

Koji Ishizaka as Kosuke Kindaichi

Directed by Kon Ichikawa

You’re going to be killed?

Yes.

I ran an errand the other day.

I went to see a burned-out building.

Just as I was about to enter through the inward-opening door,

these huge wind chimes plopped right down on me!

Wind chimes? You mean those things that tinkle when the wind blows in the summer.

Yes! It still hurts.

It was only because I stopped in the doorway...

when the superintendent called out my name...

that the wind chimes only grazed my shoulder.

If I'd been hit directly, I’d have been a goner.

Do you think it was a trap?

Why would someone want to kill you?

I don’t know. That’s why I want you to check it out.

- PIs provide such services, don't they? - Of course.

I’d be happy to pay.

But you mustn’t tell anyone about this.

What did my father want with you?

We were just talking.

You have a lot of old photos.

Did you take them all yourself?

Yes, me and two other generations of photographers.

The Meiji, Taisho, and Showa periods. It’s like a museum exhibit.

The family has always prided itself in being well organized.

Everything is organized and preserved, from the plates to the film.

I see. When will my photo be ready?

In three days.

I'll see you then.

Detective, did you forget something?

Can I help you?

I want a photo taken.

- Please, come in. - I want it on location.

Where?

- I can’t say. - Why not?

It’s not far.

We need to know the location of the shoot.

Tonight at 9:00. I'll send someone to pick you up.

All right.

What kind of a photo do you need? We need to make preparations.

A wedding photo.

Oh, congratulations. Yours?

No, my sister’s.

Here’s ¥2,000. I hope it’s enough.

Oh, you'll be paying in advance?

- When will the photo be ready? - If you’re in a hurry, two days.

Someone will be by to pick them up. Please leave them out.

Thank you.

She didn’t leave her name.

She sure was a honey.

Honjo Photography Studio

Who’s there?

Oh, the wedding shoot?

Thank you for coming.

Isn’t this the Hogens’ house?

It is. We’re relatives.

- I thought this house was abandoned. - Shaddap!

Set up your equipment here and wait.

OK, we’re ready!

Open the door and come in!

Hurry up and take the photo already!

That’s a strange place to hang wind chimes. The photo will be better without them.

Don’t touch them. It’s a family tradition.

If you say so.

The bride’s lapels are crooked...

Stay back!

I'll do it.

OK, perfect.

Good morning, are they done?

Let me have a look.

So let me get this straight, Dad...

She’s a ringer for a girl at Hogen Hospital named Yukari?

I don’t know the groom.

He was pushy.

Soap.

Cigarettes.

You have stockings? Yes, if you have them.

Not again? You shouldn’t traffic in the US troops’ supplies.

I didn’t ask for your opinion.

I know. If you don’t care, I don’t care.

- Good evening. - Good evening.

- Detective, I’m sorry, but your photos aren’t ready yet. - Really? Is the owner here?

There’s something I wanted to speak with him about.

Could you take a look at this for me?

- The owner? - Please.

It’s a wedding photo. What about it?

The location is... strange.

Not really, there’s a gold folding screen in the background.

It’s the house. I thought it was abandoned…

- But it isn’t! - No, actually it is.

But my dad hollered at me to go check it out this morning.

I went and found the screen, the rug, the chair… all gone.

Young sir, the girl who made the reservation for the photo shoot was the bride.

Shut your trap.

There’s something hanging between the bride and the groom.