The Greatest Challenge of All (喜劇 一発勝負)

A SHOCHIKU PRESENTATION

Take a look at this face.

BROTHER

If you were to draw a picture of disobedience it would look like this.

Actually, this is a story about a guy really like this.

It was about 15 years ago, right?

Nobuko! Is Kokichi back home?

Yep!

Okay...

Mother! Pull yourself together!

Papa!

Ow! Stop hitting me!

Pappa had to quit the school board because of you!

That's not my problem!

Excuse me?! In what world does a student have a concubine?!

She's not a concubine! She's a mistress!

You damn fool!

Stupid! Stupid!

Stop hitting me, you jerk!

Hey! Face your parents!

How dare you strike a parent?

Kokichi! Get out of my house!

Sure, I can't stand this old dump!

No... Wait...!

Don't stop him! You're disowned! Disowned!

Why are you hitting me?! Asshole!

Stop!

Get out!! And don't come back!

Watch out!

Oh, Fumi!

Well, I finally did it.

I'm leaving. For good.

You mustn't! Hurry, apologize to your...

Hey!

Get out now!

Yeah...

Sir, I don't know what's going on, but...

Enough!

Sir!

Shut up!

Don't bother!

Fumi... A bean's gotta sprout.

Sonny! Sonny!

Don't stop him! Nobody stop him!

Are you sure? Honey?

Quiet!

It's fine.

This is fine.

And so, one year passed since that tragic night.

One day, when that painful memory was almost forgotten...

I am the head of the Ninomiya household.

As you say, we had a son named Kokichi.

But I disowned him last year.

And so, we are no longer parent and child.

He's either hanging around Tokyo somewhere or dead in a ditch.

We have no idea.

I don't know who you are or what you want,

but I cannot take any responsibility for his affairs.

So, please, be on your way.

This isn't much, but please take it.

Please.

Don't cry, Mariko.

I'm sorry. I was a fool.

I don't know what to do with her.

This child is...?

Kokichi left her behind, so she hasn't been registered yet.

I don't know what to do!

Sir...

Your granddaughter.

It's okay! We'll die together!

I was such an idiot!

Ah, she looks just like him when he was a kid.

Poor little thing. Just an innocent child.

Yeah, what a terrible son!

You can't help but cry at this modern tragedy.

In the end, the child was adopted.

She was registered as a daughter of the family.

This kinda thing happens, y'know?

Then, ten years later

after a long illness, Kokichi's mother took her last breath.

Mother!

What is it?

What are you saying?

Kokichi...

My brother?

I'm sure he's fine!

Ma'am...

She has passed away...

That no good...

Idiot!

THE GREATEST CHALLENGE OF ALL

Hajime Hana Chieko Baisho

Kei Tani, Hiroshi Inuzuka Senri Sakurai

Kin Ishii, Koji Mitsui Tonpei Hidari, Tanie Kitabayashi

Ryuji Kita, Shojiro Ogasawara, Hiroshi Tachihara, Chigusa Tsuyuhara, Keiko Mizushina, Hikaru Hitomi

Koei Yamamoto, Sonosuke Oda, Ryusuke Kita, Yoji Doki, Keiji Tsuchida, Kazuhiro Takasugi, Hideki Kato, Kenji Sonoda

Ryoko Mizuki, Yoshino Tani, Yasuko Goto, Yoshiko Togawa, Haruko Chichibu, Tamae Deguchi, Kazuyo Nishimura, Yoko Wada

Maki Izumi, Jo Yamaoka, Kozaburo Takami, Tatsumi Ichiyama, Kosaku Mizuno, Reiko Nakajima, Emiko Matsumoto

Masaaki Sakai, Jun Inoue, Masao Mishima (Narrator)

Daisuke Kato

Cinematography: Tetsuo Takaha Art Direction: Kiminobu Sato Music: Naozumi Yamamoto

Lighting: Yoshifumi Aoki Editing: Iwao Ishii Sound: Sachio Obi

Written by Yoji Yamada & Akira Miyazaki Produced by Shigeru Wakita

Directed by Yoji Yamada

Hey, Gramps!

The carps are gettin' big!

Thank you for your hard work.

Thank you. I hope everyone is well.

Thankfully, yes. Come on in.

We have company!

Ah, it's fine. It's fine.

What's today?

The first anniversary of my wife's death.

Oh, it's been a year already.

Time sure flies, huh?

Thank you!

Oh, Nobuko...

The monk is here.

Nobuko!

Sigh... Praying, huh?

Time for my legs to go numb...

Oh, what a smell!

How can you stand to be in here?

That stench! I hate it!

Whoa! How indecent!

Nice to see you.

Likewise.

How long is your vacation?

Until about the tenth.

Nobuko!

I'm Nobuko.

You're in college now?

Yes, sir.

She says she wants to be a painter.

That's all well and good, but you'd better find a husband soon.

So your father doesn't worry.

Yes, sir.

- Well, then. - Please, go ahead.

Almost out of sesame seeds.

Hey, Kimi! Run over to Mikawa's shop.

My hands are full! Fumi, you go.

- Sesame seeds? - Yeah.

Alright.

Quickly!

Fumi!

It's me! Kokichi!

Sonny!

Wow, it's really you!

Became an old lady, eh?

I'm so shocked, I can't speak!

Did you get my New Years card?

Yeah, I knew you were alive,

but, my goodness, you've really grown!

Your mother would be so happy if she were alive today!

What? Mum's not alive?

You really are a bad son!

Okay, okay. I heard you!

Now, sit right there...

You may approach.

Thank you so much.

Who's that?

Our older brother.

Nobuko...

Ouch!

Nobuko! Put some spit on it!

Huh?

Nobuko... You got pretty, huh?

You sure were made by our old dead Mum, huh, Dad?

Found a husband yet?

Not yet.

But you got a man?

No!

Still too shy? At your age!

And who's this? Our younger sister?

Yeah.

Who told you?

Fumi did!

She was born after I left home. Right, Dad?

What's your name?

Mariko.

Ah, good name!

I'm your big brother! Got it?

What? Am I scary?

Kokichi!

Huh?

Don't just waltz into this house.

I haven't forgiven you!

Dad...

Wait!

I understand how you feel.

I've caused a lot of trouble.

You're getting old, too, huh?

Your hair's all grey.

Kinda a shadow of your former self, y'know...

That's enough! You have no idea what I've been through!

Dad...

What? C'mon!

Let go!

Sorry!

Who's in charge here?!