The Human Condition III: A Soldier's Prayer (人間の條件　完結篇)

A Shochiku Film

The Human Condition

Presented by Bungei Production And Ninjin Club

Produced by Shigeru Wakatsuki And Masaki Kobayashi

Based On The Novel by Junpei Gomikawa

Screenplay by Zenzo Matsuyama, Koichi Inagaki And Masaki Kobayashi

Director Of Photography Yoshio Miyajima

Production Design Kazue Hirataka Music Chuji Kinoshita

Sound Recording Hideo Nishizaki Lighting Akira Aomatsu

Editing Keiichi Uraoka Assistant Producer Toshio Shimizu

Production Manager Zenpei Moriyama 1St Assistant Director Koichi Inagaki

Assistant Directors Takeshi Yoshida / Kanya Otsu

Assistant Camera Shuroku Utsumi

Set Design Takamasa Kobayashi

Set Decoration Tetsuji Yamazaki

Starring

TATSUYA NAKADAI as Kaji

MICHIYO ARATAMA as Michiko

TAMAO NAKAMURA as Refugee YUSUKE KAWAZU as Terada

CHISHU RYU as Old Man in Refugee Camp

TAKETOSHI NAITO as Tange REIKO HITOMI as Umeko / KYOKO KISHIDA as Tatsuko

KEIJIRO MOROZUMI as Hironaka KOJI KIYOMURA as Hikita / NOBUO KANEKO as Kirihara

FUJIO SUGA / KAZUO KITAMURA TATSUYA ISHIGURO

TOSHIO TAKAHARA / AKIRA YAMANOUCHI HIROSHI NIHONYANAGI

ED KEENE as Russian Officer RONALD SELF as Chapayev

HIDEKO TAKAMINE as Woman in Refugee Camp

Directed by MASAKI KOBAYASHI

PART 5

Right smack in enemy territory. What do we do now?

One of two things:

We could run for it...

Through those headlights?

What's the other choice?

If we could distract him for just 30 seconds,

we could cut across here.

Kaji, can't you shoot him from here?

While you run for it?

Nice idea, but what happens to me?

What else can we do?

You're the bayonet expert. Sneak up and stab him.

What do we do?

What are you going to do?

If they catch me, just start running.

Sir, look! Blood!

Fighting those Soviet troops...

I was responsible only for isolated shots

amid countless millions of rounds fired.

But this morning...

Michiko...

I'm a murderer.

These hands that once caressed you

killed a man in cold blood.

Just to cross the road to safety!

Was it justified?

Or was it wanton murder?

Michiko...

will you decide for me?

Sir.

Sir, tell me how you did it.

Don't ask useless questions!

It got us across that road.

Concentrate on what lies ahead instead.

Where are you headed?

We hope to get to Mutankiang.

It's that way.

But you're wasting your time.

The enemy got there first.

Really?

What about yourself?

I'm headed for Korea.

Closer to home than Manchuria.

And your unit?

I had one until yesterday.

Watch out for the Korean-Manchurian border.

It's controlled by Kim Il Sung.

Is that right?

Then I'll just be another Red.

What's "comrade" in Chinese and Korean?

It's tongzhi in Chinese. In Korean I think it's tongmu.

Tongzhi and tongmu, eh?

Thanks. That's all I'll need.

See ya.

Tongzhi and tongmu, eh?

You look strong and healthy, my tongzhi!

A real crackpot.

Probably a deserter, the rat!

Should've got his name and rank.

What for?

To report him later.

Fool.

You calling me a fool?

I only let you take charge because you know this area.

I'm still a NCO. I won't be insulted!

As long as you're with me, I give the orders.

Forget about rank.

While we're at it, let's get something else clear.

You listen too, Terada.

I didn't expect Mutankiang to fall so soon.

The Kwangtung Army must essentially be wiped out...

so I'm no longer concerned about rejoining them.

Then what do we do?

We go back to our former lives.

South Manchuria lies in that direction.

My former life awaits me there.

And I'll do my best

to get you back to your former lives.

If you don't agree, we can part ways now.

We decide right here. How about it?

We'll run into friendly forces somewhere.

Whoever wants to can join them.

Not “whoever wants to" - it's our duty!

You can't just ignore the soldier's code.

What we need now is the defeated man's code.

If you want to go on soldiering, take Terada and go.

I'm going this way.

Kaji, will we ever get out of here?

We walk and walk, but it's all the same.

It's been two days.

Which direction?

- We have no map or compass. - We've followed you...

We'll get nowhere unless we keep walking... I know that.

We're out of my territory.

It must be a river!

A river!

You're our saviours.

It's like meeting Buddha in hell.

Thank goodness. My breasts will be full of milk tonight.

Soldier, we've hardly eaten in five days.

Divide this among yourselves.

What do you think? Do we take them along?

I'm considering it. We can't very well leave them.

This is all the food we have left.

I'll keep that from now on.

- I'm not taking it all! - I wouldn't put it beyond you!

The soldiers didn't say it was just for you.

You didn't bring any rations when you joined us.

Can't you behave? Coming on to the soldiers!

We shared with you at the cost of our babies' milk.

Whores!

So what if we are?

We'll let the soldiers decide.

They won't share with us because we're prostitutes.

What's wrong with them?

They've scrounged off us ever since we escaped.

You ran to us when the Russians were going to rape your women.

Enough!

We'll all share.

If you want to argue, we leave you behind.

Oh, for a dumpling the size of a woman's rear end!

I'd settle for a bellyful of cold rice and miso soup.

Soldiers, please don't go on about food anymore.

You're right. It just makes us hungrier.

Kaji, aren't these edible?

They're snails.

Mmm, it's good!

It may not be beef, ma'am,

but it's fine once you swallow.

He's right.

Let's try a little.

If only the Kwangtung Army had done its job.

They were all so tough until the fighting started.

We fought!

We're the only three left out of 160 men.

Fine, but couldn't they have evacuated the women and children?

We went out of our way to cooperate with the army.

And made a tidy profit, eh?

Speak for yourself!

Please, can't you keep that baby quiet?

Get some sleep. Arguing won't get us any food.

Mummy!

You can't eat those!

Your next nap will be your last.

You soldiers are lucky. You don't have children.

We can't keep up with you.

Soldiers, no matter how far we go, we'll never find our paradise.

That's not my fault.

PFC Kaji's got a bit of paradise left in his pouch.

- What happened to the others? - Who cares?

Damn it! They just keep holding us back.

Kaji, let's cook the rest of the rice.

No, not until we know we can find our way out

or we're ready to lie down and die.

You all right? Don't give up.

You waited for us?

You're tougher than I expected.

Well, if you men desert us, we're finished.

Come on, just a little further.

I won't let you die by yourself.

I'm sorry we're so slow.

Age is such a burden.

We'll just walk until we can't anymore.

I'll always be at your side.

Who's that?

You're not the only one starving.

If I don't eat, my baby will die. And my husband!

Just like the rest of us!

Just a little

for my baby and husband.

I won't take any for myself.

No.