Love Letter (らぶれたあ)

A NIKKATSU PRODUCTION

LOVE LETTER

Based on a Story by TAKEO MATSUURA Screenplay by KIICHI ISHII

Cinematography: ISAMU KAKITA Sound: TOSHIO NAKAMURA

Music by MICHIO MAMIYA

Main Theme "Love Letter" Performed by FRANK NAGAI

HISAKO TSUKUBA

FRANK NAGAI

KYOSUKE MACHIDA KEISUKE YUKIOKA

Directed by SEIJUN SUZUKI

There's a day that shines for each of us.

While playing the piano at a nightclub,

all I can think about is him, Masao.

We first met two years ago, in the mountains in winter.

Oh, you're left-handed?

Huh? Let's see...

Completely useless.

LOVE AND FRIENDSHIP

We spent several wonderful days together

but Masao is now recovering in his hut in the mountains.

Separated by illness, only letters connect us.

But they arrive much less frequently than they once did.

I try to hold on to his feelings for me,

but it's been three months since his last letter.

I've written to him almost every day.

My life feels so empty without him.

The manager at the club has been so kind to me.

I don't know what to do.

Kozue.

Mr. Fukui, it's so kind of you to drive me every night.

I look forward to it this way, otherwise it would seem like a chore.

That six bar coda, did you play it in D minor?

Kozue, it was in D minor, right?

Oh, sorry. It's B7, isn't it?

Your accompaniment's been off these past few days.

Is it true you're leaving the club?

Me?

I heard you'd signed with Victor.

Don't worry.

So long as you're there, I'll be singing at that club.

Even in D minor?

Kozue, listen.

Don't say any more.

You know how I feel, don't you?

I do.

I know what you're going to say.

You've only been at the club three months.

I feel as if I've been treating you differently.

It's wrong of me, I know.

But I couldn't help myself.

I feel as if fate kept me alone all this time so that I could meet you.

You said that you know how I feel about you.

Can't you say how you feel about me?

Is your heart closed forever?

Will your lips never part again?

Don't you want to cry out to someone with all your soul?

No, my soul is crying out.

It's so loud it may tear itself apart.

It cries out only for him.

Masao!

I know he'll come back to me.

Once his sickness is cured, he'll stand before me where you are now.

He'll stand there where I can take him in my arms and hold him tight.

You've been waiting two years believing he'll come.

I don't think he's coming.

It's his letters you're in love with.

Yes, that's right. I love the Masao in the letters.

That's the Masao I'm parted from.

None of it's real.

It's your love in the letters he's trying to hold on to.

Even if his letters keep coming, I don't think you'll see him again.

Not even the letters come now.

Perhaps it's all as you say.

If I gave up on him and married someone like you,

would my life be any easier?

So many times I've wondered.

Honestly, I'm no longer sure he's waiting for me.

12TH JANUARY MASAO MURAKAMI, NAGANO PREFECTURE

Why don't you go to see him?

It would be better to meet in person.

If you feel as you do in the letters, then you should be with him.

But if you decide to come back to the club,

I'd like to think you were coming back to me.

Think of it like that. Come back to the club, come back to me.

This is my last letter.

I can no longer go on writing to you under false pretences.

WELCOME YAMANOUCHI ONSEN TOURIST BOARD

YOROZUYA HOT SPRINGS INN

He said he had gotten better.

Were the letters really nothing more to him than a pleasant distraction?

Will this happy path that once shone so brightly when I walked with Masao

become sad and grey?

Masao.

Masao.

It is you, isn't it?

You...

you're Kozue?

Yes, it's me.

The Kozue who loves you.

Masao.

You came all this way to see me?

You're not like I thought you'd be.

Thought?

You startled me.

You scared me so much I ran away.

A beautiful woman was standing in front of me.

I had no idea what to do.

I was even more afraid than you were.

Kozue,

I...

I thought you were going to run off and leave me far behind.

I'd held him closely in my heart for the last two years

and then I heard it all fall away in an instant.

It was all I could hear as I chased Masao through the forest.

Suddenly I was crying.

Where has his love for me gone?

I have to get the old Masao back.

But I was so glad I'd found you.

Masao.

You're well again.

You're exactly as you were two years ago.

I'm so happy.

Kozue.

Masao, would you rather I hadn't come?

I wanted to go back to our hill again.

You were wearing your colourful check jacket.

You put it on my shoulders so I wouldn't catch cold.

I wanted to regain the beautiful memories I made with you.

Don't you want the same?

Why don't you answer me?

Why don't you say you want to regain your past happiness with me?

Don't say any more.

Kozue, I'm sorry, I don't mean to hurt you.

I just want to be here with you in the silence.

It's selfish, I know.

If I become as drunk with happiness as you...

If you want me be to be quiet, then I will.

But even the sight of your mountain hut makes my heart beat faster.

- Masao. - Kozue.

When did you start taking photos?

You've given up the piano too?

The doctor told me to.

You haven't touched the music box I sent for your birthday.

It's covered in dust.

I had no idea you'd stopped playing the piano.

In your letters...

the white mountains,

green paths,

golden hill,

and this hut with the Matisse on the wall

hadn't changed at all.

You didn't like photos.

You refused to give me any of you.

I was afraid I'd only break your heart.

But you did break my heart.

When I got your last letter...

I was in love with you. I loved you so much it hurt.

So then why...

Oh, young master, you're here.

Ah, so you're the one.

The bus driver told me to look out for a girl who'd come up from Tokyo.

Glad you found the place okay.

Masao.

Shukichi.

Come here a moment.