Elegy of the North (挽歌)

~ BANKA ~

Producers Jiro KAGA Yoshishige UCHIYAMA

Script: Toshio YUKI and Shigeko YASUMI Based on the novel by Yasuko HARADA

Photo: Junichi SEGAWA Directed by: Heinosuke GOSHO

Music: Yasushi AKUTAGAWA

Cast -

Yoshiko KUGA

Meiko TAKAMINE Masayuki MORI

Fumio WATANABE Akira ISHIHAMA

Zeko NAKAMURA Tatsuo SAITO

Remote valley, Hokaido -

It's finally spring.

But the wind is still cold...

and my left elbow hurts.

Because of the inflammation...

it becomes all stiff and sore.

This old injury has started aching.

and now my heart has begun too.

Maybe like my elbow...

my heart will gradually harden too.

HYODOU

Just now...

he's in my thoughts...

the man that day on the mountain road.

Don't Neri... - Neri! No! Hey...

Excuse us... I'm sorry.

This is Neri.

Could you help me with this?

Does it hurt?

Neri... he's never bitten anyone before.

Well, no dog's ever bitten me before.

They usually like me.

Do you like dogs? - Yes

Neri...

Neri Neri.

For some reason...

I can't forget...

... this quiet man with the serious look.

His name was Katsuragi...

he was one of those older men I hadn't noticed before.

He offered to give me one of Neri's puppies.

and even told me where he lived.

But that's not me.

I'm fine living on my own.

Are you hungry?

Is there anything to eat?

I made some rice cakes.

Where?

In the kitchen, in the cupboard.

Although we celebrate Ohigan here...

no one will visit your Mom's grave.

I feel...

so sorry for your mother.

Grandma, did you visit her grave?

I prayed for her and our ancestors and asked for many things.

That Nobuhiko pass his university exam...

and that your left arm...

becomes normal again. - You're obsessed with that Gran.

What's the matter?

Does it hurt much?

Not really.

When did it happen?

I don't remember.

You shouldn't go around with that dirty cloth on.

Try to be a little refined. It might be okay for a boy...

But not a young lady... you affect your fate, and who you'll meet.

If your mother were alive...

Don't talk about Mom!

If Mom were here, she wouldn't say that.

No.

You got back rather early today.

Dad.

Do you need anything?

Sit down.

Want one?

What is it?

Nothing really.

Reiko... How old are you?

Ah, I know.

Arranging my marriage again?

Where this time? - A Buddhist temple.

A new graduate...

from the Buddhist University.

So... clean long temple hallways and wash the monks' asses.

And cook vegetarian meals?

I'd hate it.

I don't like veggies and over-fried tofu.

I'd have to listen to okyo prayers, right?

Dad, you should worry about yourself more than me.

You're only 53 years old.

You should find a wife.

What are you saying.

If it were up to me, she'd be mature and romantic.

Dad, really... find yourself one.

If we get a new mother, I'll marry too.

You always change the subject like this.

Look, Dad...

If my body were normal you'd leave me alone.

But because of this stiff arm...

you're always pushing me...

to get married.

I know...

you've grown up without a mother...

and are becoming less and less a lady.

That's what worries me.

It's okay. You can leave me alone.

There's no need to worry.

Mr. Ittsu, do you have an appointment? - And you've got a class? - Yes

Welcome.

It's going to be very busy, eh? - Yes

MIMIZUKU THEATRE OFFICE

Since I turned 25,

my mother can no longer avoid the reality of her own age.

Hey Rei...

can you help me put up posters?

Sure, I wouldn't mind.

What happened to your hand? - This...?

Oh, just a little problem.

Problem? - It got burned.

Grandma was in a hurry and overturned a saucepan.

Wow, that's dangerous.

We're going.

The second floor of that building... It's my Dad's office.

I realized, then...

I could ask Mr. Katsuragi...

to buy tickets for Mimizukuza Theatre Company's new play.

But really...

the tickets were just an excuse...

to visit his house at the top of the hill.

Well, Mr. Tatsumi...

Ms. Aiko...

Please...

go home tonight.

Mr. Tatsumi. - I wont.

I'll see Mr. Katsuragi too.

What an idea!

Please go home.

KATSURAGI RESIDENCE

Do you know who it is?

Is Mr. Katsuragi in?

Mr. Katsuragi's out, but...

would you like to know who is?

I'm known to him.

Well, Mrs. Katsuragi just came home.

No, actually it's not that important. - Please wait a moment.

Mama...

There's a visitor. - A visitor?

She wanted to speak with Mr. Katsuragi. - Ah...

Won't you come in?

It's no problem.

What... there's no one here.

Strange.

They've gone home.

What was she like? - Young.

Really?

Hello.

Come on in.

How's your hand?

It's much better.

I waited.

But you didn't come...

so I gave the puppy to another family.

It's okay. I've been quite busy.

Actually, I've just come from my father's office.

From your father's office? - Yes, the office of Hyoudou Suisan.

So... you're the daughter of Mr. Hyoudou.

So you drive a jeep.

I saw you the other day.

Really...? Well, I used to drive trucks...

as a weapons engineer.

Did you go to war?

The strange thing is... men my age haven't been to war.

Where did you go?

Hutuin... Malaya... Burma...

Must have been scary.

There were fun things too.

What kind of things?

My best memory...

was in Cambodia.

I was hiding in Angkor Wat...

Where's Angkor Wat?

Long ago, the Khmer people were great engineers.

Monks built a temple there.

It's one of the greatest ancient architectural sites in the Orient.

You build buildings too, right?

Maybe not temples, but...

But you don't build houses to last thousands of years.

You build houses that people can be happy living in.

That's what I think. - Did you design your own home?

It's your own home... where you, Kumiko...

and your wife live happily?

There's one more... my niece.

That's wasn't my point.

Do you live happily there? That's what I meant.

Well...

You're cruel.

Why won't you tell me?

I can teach you about Angkor Wat using the photos.

I saw your wife.

I went to your house... yesterday evening.