Original subtitles

TOHO-TOWA presents

THE HUMAN PROMISE

A coproduction of

SEIBU SAISON GROUP, TV ASAHI and KINEMA TOKYO

Production assistance by :

Shigeyuki TANISHIMA

Yasuyo SAITO

Matsuo TAKAHASHI

A project by Matsuo TAKAHASHI

Producers :

Motokiyo FUJIMOTO

Isshin YAMAGUCHI

Chôkichi NAKAMICHI

From an original work by : Shûichi SAE

Screenplay :

Kijû YOSHIDA

Fukiko YAMAUCHI

Cinematography : Yoshihiro YAMAZAKI

Light : Shosaku KATÔ

Set design : Yoshie KIKUKAWA

Sound : Toshio NAKANO Editing : Akira SUZUKI

Assistant director: Ikuo MARU

Director of production : Kazuhiko FURUYA

Music : Haruomi HOSONO

With : Rentarô MIKUNI

Chôichirô KAWARASAKI

Orie SATÔ

Sachiko MURASE

Mieko YUKI

Chôei TAKAHASHI

A film by Kijû YOSHIDA

Tama 7, here.

We're on the scene.

Over.

Tama 7 has arrived, copy.

The crime scene is in Tokyo: Tamashi, Sakuragaoka 6-8-2,

the home of Mr. Yoshio Morimoto.

Copy.

Some trauma may be seen in her face.

Has she been smothered?

Her face is peaceful.

Take a photograph.

Approximate time of death?

7 or 8 hours ago, I would guess.

Rigor mortis has set in.

Her eyes? Are they normal?

No. The cornea is somewhat dilated.

I will need for you to bring me the autopsy results as soon as possible.

Dr. Kondo here. I was called about an emergency.

Were you the one who called the Police?

No. I believe that it was the young man.

I was called because I've often examined her.

I found her death suspicious,

so I asked the family to notify the police.

We'll discuss it later.

Yoshikawa, go get some tweezers.

A handkerchief.

A hair follicle?

It needs to be identified.

I'll take care of it.

What is it?

The tatami mat is damp.

When you examined the corpse, were there any signs of injury?

No, I did not find any.

Really? Thanks.

You were the first to find her?

Father.

The police wish to speak to you.

- What? - The police.

The police?

It's sad.

Since seeing his wife's body,

he's been even more delusional.

Has he?

Can you convey my questions to him in your familiar voice?

Mr. Morimoto,

around what time did you discover that she had died?

Father,

around what time did you notice something was wrong?

Around seven, I think.

That's the time when you came to tell me about it.

You told me then that it was around 6 o'clock.

Old folks get up early.

Well... you told me that you went jogging

a little before seven. Isn't that right?

Everything seemed normal over at your parents' place?

Do you look in on them every morning?

Generally, yes.

You weren't woken up that night?

You were weeping uncontrollably that night, weren't you?

Was I weeping?

No. I didn't weep at all.

Yes, yes. He was weeping.

He doesn't remember. What's more, he's distraught.

Does he suffer dementia?

Yes. And he's been having more and more episodes lately.

It was you!

You killed my wife!

What are you saying?

I know exactly what I'm saying.

Don't say such awful things, dad!

She was the one who wanted to inform the police.

Yes.

I said that it would be best to inform them.

It wasn't last night that she died.

It was this morning. Just now.

I saw her die.

I'm sorry.

Someone take away the body.

I'm sorry, miss.

We are going to do an autopsy.

When the results are determined,

I will contact you.

I understand.

Are you telling us that it was you who killed your wife?

The hearing aid you have in your pocket. Put it in.

Did you kill your wife?

Are you sure?

You killed her with your own hands, is that right?

He's peeing his pants.

God damn...

Bring me a mop and a gown.

A gown?

Get to it. Get something. Hurry up!

I did it to her.

I killed her.

It's okay. Take a moment.

Hand me a towel.

I'll wipe you off.

- I killed her. - Yes.

I understand.

It was me, I killed her.

An arrest warrant has been issued for Mr. Morimoto.

Presumed homicide.

He has been placed under arrest. You may go.

Just a moment. Miss?

Would you be able to bring a change of clothes for him?

He has had an accident.

He's been changed.

I am so ashamed.

The autopsy has been completed.

The body will be returned to you.

Thank you, officers.

What have you brought that for?

It was her mirror.

She always kept it at her bedside to look at herself.

Big brother.

What brings you here?

I'm sorry.

Had I known, I would have been here to help you.

I should have been with her at the end...

The altar is ready. It is time to make the offering.

Please make the preparations.

Where is your wife?

With the police.

Is she being questioned?

No. She's taking clothes for dad.

Dad!

How could he do this awful thing?

The burial garments must be arranged. Come help, Takao and Naoko.

No thank you. I can't stand it.

Takao!

You must say goodbye to her.

I told you, I can't.

You're not sad to have lost your grandmother?

You're relieved, right? All of you.

Damn you!

Yoshio.

Excuse me for having come in without knocking.

My wife has gone to see you.

Oh yeah? So we have a mix up?

What can I do for you?

Please...

I've come on behalf of your father.

Tell me.

Did he go on a western pilgrimage with his wife?

- My wife would know. - Good.

It's about a robe and walking stick for that journey.

He wants them to be placed in her coffin.

I'll talk to my wife about it.

Please do.

Now... sir...

when you discovered your mother's body,

was her hair or her face damp?

No.

Did you notice any moisture around her mouth?

I didn't notice anything. Why these questions?

Because the tatami mat was damp.

As I told you at the police station,

water from her bedside basin may have spilled over.

Yes, you mentioned that.

But your father still maintains that he smothered her.

Since we have found water in her stomach,

it is believed that your father may have submerged his wife's head

in the basin.

Why should he claim to have smothered her?

Because he's senile?

May I see that basin?

Over here.

It's an antique!

My mother brought it with her from her village.

I see.

What's all this?

These are objects that mother often used.

Father has asked me to place them in the coffin.

Oh yes, and also the robe and walking stick

which she used during the pilgrimage.

It's strange.

They never went on pilgrimage or any other trip together.

Has he become that senile?

He couldn't have become so senile that he would have killed her.

Then stop talking.

Yes? Mégalo Corporation Public Relations.

One moment, please.

Yes. It's me.

You were called? By the police?

What was she doing down there?

I don't know either.

I was worried because she hasn't come back.

I was just called.

I'm going to go get her.

Anyway. I'm begging you to come home directly.

I'll come with you?

That's not necessary.

Keep an eye on the house, father. Naoko will be here soon.

Why would she choose...

a park so far away to go for her walk?

I don't understand it at all.

She's always worrying us!

When did you come back to work?

Two months ago.

You should be ready to get back to work.

I'm going to be busy with the decoration of a new building.

Would you be able to create a design for the corporate plaque?

It's dad. Go get it.

Alright. I'll go.

Where is mom?

When the police found her,

she was looking at the pond in the park.

She said that she had gone to Ônuma.

To Ônuma?

Does it mean anything to you?

Where is she?

She's home.

Where did you go, mom?

Today?

Today, I went home, to Ônuma.

Did you take a train to go there?

Of course.

To get to Ônuma,

you catch the train at Ueno station and then a bus.

It takes more than three hours to get there.

You haven't had enough time to get there and back.

Ônuma is a beautiful, vast marshland.

There as so many little boats for gathering seaweed there.

When we were young,

they would hire us to gather seaweed.

Seaweedfloating sweetly

in the water.

She never stops muttering this nonsense.

The marshes of Ônuma have been filled in for development.

It's not like that any more. You know that very well.

Something smells terrible. What is that smell?

Mother!

She's wet herself!

What's come over you? You've never done this before!

Go find her another kimono.

And you. Draw a bath, please.

Are you still eating?

But that's father's serving, isn't it?

If you eat too much, you'll get a stomach ache.

Come one. Stop eating now.

Get yourself into the bath.

Mother!

Get yourself into the bath and clean yourself up.

- No... - Yes!

No. I don't want to!

Mother!

No!

I don't want to!

Don't shut me in there!

I don't want to be shut up in here!

Demon!

Ritsuko, you are a demon!

This has been quite a prolonged visit.

Why did he want to hospitalize her?

He said that it was becoming too hard for me.

He could no longer bear to see me looking after the senile old woman.

He insists, moreover,on staying up with her all night.

I've gone ahead and put your mother here.

But nonetheless, this should be my duty.

I assure you that I will ask you for nothing.

Dad...

As for the hospital fees,

I will work all of that out.

Don't you worry about that.

I'll just have to sell my land.

It's the last of your land.

That was for a man who wanted to work the land.

But he wound up working in the kitchen.

I can pay the hospital expenses for mom.

But you've bought your house on a mortgage.

Who knows if you'll be able to pay that off before you retire.

Aren't you hungry?

My mind's a blank.

Stop worrying about mom.

You can say that because she is your mother.

I beg your pardon?

Ever since my parents came to live with us,

our family has been falling apart.

All that's nothing

next to your infidelities.

What has happened to you?

Will you try to take me seriously?

Since mom became senile,

our sex life has been pitiful.

That's your excuse for your affairs?

You overestimate me.

At my age, no women take any notice of me.

What do you say? Should be go back?

Will you stop this?

Yes.

Are you still hurting?

Tonight,

I'll spend the whole night by your side.

You needn't worry about anything.

Let me die.

Let me die!

Let me die now, I am begging you!

"Let me die!"

"Let me die now, I am begging you!"

I'm going to go and throw away your garbage.

Good evening!

"This is a mirror.

"It is yourself who you see."

"I am saying goodbye to you.

"Excuse my poor handwriting, as usual.

"Be brave.

"I'm sorry for always having acted according to my own will,

"I am dying with courage and resolution."

This is the testament that my older brother

wrote the day he committed suicide.

Dad can't be allowed to copy

the testament of his own son.

Well, what does it mean?

I haven't the slightest idea what goes through that old man's head.

He said that he was going to see mom and he disappeared.

Have you called Ônuma?

There it is, it's nearly ready.

Morimoto Family

Praised be the name of Buddha...

What are you doing there?

It's Mr. Ryôsaku Morimoto, isn't it?

Have you lost your mind?

What are you doing at your ancestral grave?

Bury me.

Bury me here.

You won't cooperate?

Quit that! Stop! Fool!

Fool!

Yoshio!

Yoshio!

Noriko says that your father...

Has she found him?

A monk found him digging a pit before the grave and crawling into it.

A pit before the grave?

So he really does want to die.

Noriko said that she was coming back, so you should go.

You've really come all this way to ask me about the design for the plaque?

No.

I have come about a private matter.

Our affair has been over for a year-and-a-half.

Since I left for New York.

You have had many opportunities to get away.

Opportunities, I'm telling you.

At 50, a man must face his limits.

I have been transferred to public relations

because I have no future.

I haven't come to speak with you about that.

I need you.

Hold me.

No. There's nobody.

She's in the ressucitation unit.

Is that where it hurts?

No. Not there.

Lower. In my kidneys.

There's a painful burning

in my kidneys!

There are some sores.

I am going to take you in my arms.

You're strangely light now.

Tatsu, I went to Ônuma and I sold my land.

With that money

and the pensions of my two sons who died in the war,

we should be able to make do until the end.

But you, you're afraid of becoming senile.

I am, too.

I'm beginning to lose my wits.

The other day, I went to Ônuma

and before the ancestral grave,

I dug a pit.

Why would I do that? I can't recall any all.

It must be the beginning of senility.

What...?

You've fallen asleep?

Like you used to say,

we should make the western pilgrimage

before becoming senile.

What? Have you forgotten already?

Ritsuko!

Didn't you hear me?

Good evening.

- How was your golf? - I'm beat.

What was your boss's par?

He won, as usual.

He called for you just now.

According to him, there wasn't any tournament.

Where were you?

In a secret hideaway?

Not at all.

Well, tell me where you were.

You can't?

"We have to spend 12,000 yen per day for mom's hospice.

"So I've given up golf

"and now I go jogging every morning."

So, when you told me about playing golf today,

that seemed a bit odd to me.

You went to see a woman?

Your old mistress?

You believe that I have had a mistress?

It was for the children's sake that I tolerated her at the time.

But today, no...

I won't stand for it any longer.

You've asked me to take care of your parents.

It's all so convenient!

You are a liar!

Open your mouth.

What have we here?

During the night,

she died...

she did.

Your room-mate has died?

It's true.

Poor woman.

I...

I want to.

Ten yen.

Ten yen!

She wants a ten yen coin.

Give it to her.

Otherwise, she'll never let up.

Ten yen!

Who is it?

Busy.

The telephone never works.

Who are you calling, mam?

Since her family never comes to visit her,

she calls them all the time like this.

We should bring her back home.

I will look after her.

Let's go back to the hospital.

That's not your land, grand-father!

You don't have planting rights there. You'll get in trouble.

Next summer,

I will bring my wife cucumbers and tomatoes.

You expect to be live to see next summer?

Still pouring over the water mirror?

If you want to look at yourself, use an ordinary mirror.

What do you see there?

Seaweed...

Seaweed!

There's no seaweed.

That's only the reflection of your hair.

Seaweed, seaweed.

Alright. Yes... seaweed.

Seaweed that we gathered in Ônuma.

Take your bath before it gets cold.

Why not? It's nice to have a bath.

You've always loved it.

I can't take it, today.

Why?

It's started.

You should know.

The thing

that women get.

You know.

I'm bleeding.

Look.

Sorry. ...sorry.

Mother!

That's enough!

- Come on. Get into the bath. - No. ...no!

I'm ashamed. I won't!

Mother!

Father, it's horrible!

Mother is in the bath...

Tatsu!

Come one, come back!

Forgive me, mother.

Let me die.

Let me die now!

Forgive me.

I left her in the bath.

I...

I lost my head.

I've never wanted her to die.

Never.

When the time comes to send her to paradise,

It's I who should do it.

I won't let anyone else do that!

Isn't that what you want?

Mom is in bed.

Not feeling well?

She had a fight with grandpa or grandma.

You've had an argument?

Sorry.

Tell me about it. With dad? Or mom?

It was my fault.

I was going...

I was going...

I was going to kill your mother.

Kill?

In the bath,

I was watching her drown and

I did nothing...

to save her.

Forgive me.

I understand.

Say no more.

You were exhausted.

Me...

committing murder!

You've reached your limit and so have I.

It's bad for the children.

I'm sorry for mom, but I am going to take her back to the hospice.

I'm going to talk to dad about it.

He'll understand.

Dad.

Are you awake dad?

You've opened the gas valve?

It's fine for you to die.

But all of us?

If there had been an explosion,

Ritsuko, Takao and Naoko would have been the victims.

This is my house.

I will not let you do as you please!

Listen to me.

Tomorrow, I'm taking mom back to the hospice.

Understand?

No. I won't let her go.

I want to keep her here. I will take care of her.

Give a little thought to Ritsuko's situation.

You know very well that she is depressed.

Quick, close the door.

If your mother catches a cold, what will we do?

So close.

No!

Why not, mother?

You've always like bathing yourself.

Demon!

You are a demon!

Mother!

Yoshio!

Darling! Darling!

What is going on here?

Your mother would prefer that you give her her bath.

She's refusing my help.

Mom, you must not give Ritsuko a hard time.

I'm going to bathe you.

Ritsuko! Come and help for a minute.

She's done.

Pass me some tissues and a towel.

Ah, no! Not you, demon! Demon!

Yoshio! Yoshio!

It seems like mom is slipping deeper and deeper into dementia.

Don't do it for me.

I deserve to be mistreated by her. Never mind me.

It's only,

I want you to understand.

I don't hate her.

It's that she still felt like a woman at her age,

that's what terrified me.

Because I will also, some day...

Say no more.

Here we are,

your mother's soup is ready.

Go make her eat it.

What are Gen'ichiro and Ryoji doing?

Make them come here at once!

That's not possible!

They died in the war.

No. They were here, both of them.

Just now.

You've had a dream.

A dream?

Yes. You've had a dream.

I have cramps gnawing at me, everywhere.

I have cramps in my legs.

Make them go away... quick.

They're hurting me. I'm in pain.

What do you want me to do?

I have pain in my kidneys.

Take me in your arms.

Let me die.

Let me die now!

- Mom! - What is it?

It's Grandpa...

Grandpa?

He's rummaging through the trash.

Father! What are you doing with all of that?

Stop it. It's garbage.

There's useful stuff here.

People shouldn't throw everything away like this.

Father!

Yoshio!

You have to come and stop father!

He's become so senile that he's ranging through the trash.

Leave him be.

- But really! - Dad's like that.

Takao! Come here, quick!

Hurry up!

- What? - Grandpa's making a mess.

Bring him back in. Hurry.

No.

He's completely senile, now.

I'm afraid he'll hurt himself.

Leave him alone.

- I'm afread of an accident. - That's life.

- Tu dérailles ! - Leave him alone.

Takao!

I'll tell you what I think.

Deep down, you and dad,

you're eager to be rid of them.

In his mind, they're just demented old folks!

Maybe so.

But they're my folks all the same.

And your grandfolks. Show a little respect.

Well I'm right, aren't I?

A geezer isn't a man any more.

He's an animal.

They no longer belong to the family.

It's a social question.

Answered only by making hospices, the way one builds zoos,

and society pays the price.

It's too much for an individual.

What was that for?

There are some things that must never be said.

Don't you forget it!

Mother, you're looking at yourself in the water mirror?

What's this? You've put on lipstick?

Yes. You have.

You are a woman. You like to be beautiful.

But it's a mess. Let me fix it.

Now. You're very beautiful.

I came

from Ônuma

A gatherer of seaweed

So like the seaweed,

Floating,

My heart

is breaking...

Father, I need you.

Help me wash her.

She doesn't like me doing it.

She really must be bathed

or her sores will get worse.

I want to go back.

I want to go back!

Go back?

You want to go back where?

Our home.

The water... Water...

Water...

You're saying that you want to go back to Ônuma?

Fool!

Down there, huge factories have been built around our house.

It isn't our village any more.

You know very well why, too.

Go and live with Yoshio in Tokyo,

That was your idea.

It hurts! I can't bear it!

Hold on. Hold on.

I'll massage you.

Okay?

Does that feel better?

What a joke!

You wanted to make yourself beautiful with lipstick before dying?

It's so easy for me to understand you.

Me, too... I've gone mad.

Just a while ago, I pissed my pants.

I can't control myself.

You know, man isn't his own master.

But don't trouble yourself.

I still have enough strength to send you to paradise.

I came

from Ônuma,

A gatherer of seaweed.

I have a weakness

For the captain

Of my boat,

While the flowers

bloom

All's well

That ends well

It's me. Forgive me for calling so late.

Can I come over?

No. It's nothing.

Thanks.

It's strange that you should want to come over at this hour.

Having problems at the office?

No. None.

Family troubles?

Whenever you have troubles,

you come to my place.

Would you draw the curtain?

I wouldn't want anyone to see us, even at night.

What is it?

What are you looking at?

Your breasts and your nipples.

What you mean is that I'm no longer young?

You are beautiful.

Then make love to me.

What do you want?

I've got to go.

I understand,

you've come to say goodbye to me.

Reassure yourself.

You don't have the courage to tell me.

So now, I can tell everyone

that Morimoto

doesn't know what to do with women.

I'll spread the rumor that you're impotent.

That way, you'll feel no pain in leaving me.

Tatsu.

There's nothing I wouldn't do for you.

Now, I'm going to do as you've asked

and send you to paradise.

Once you get there,

don't forget to come find me. Don't forget.

One...

two...

three...

four...

five...

six...

seven...

eight...

nine...

ten...

eleven...

Damn.

I can't do it.

Let's go.

Thank you for coming.

The accused won't be long.

I am truly grateful.

There will always remain unresolved questions in the case

since your father is senile.

I'll wait here.

Sit down. Please.

Has father said something since?

No. His deposition remains the same.

He insists that he held his wife's face in the water.

According to the autopsy,

her death was due to an ingestion of water.

From that basin, perhaps.

Basin?

You're talking about the bedside basin?

That's right.

She submerged her head into that basin of water to kill herself.

But her husband still says that he killed her.

This is my father's notebook.

It's sort of like his journal.

May I read it?

Did he make an entry in his journal on that day?

I wasn't aware that he kept one.

Father!

Thank you.

Father. How are you?

Is everything going okay?

I've brought you a change of clothes.

Dad.

Mom's funeral went well..

Detective,

may we be left alone, my father and myself?

If you like...

May I hold on to this?

Would you leave us together alone?

Got a light?

Should we listen to them from from the next room?

No. That's not necessary.

Right now, it's the son who is accusing him.

He's someone respected in society,

but you believe it's him?

They say that the devil breathes where he will.

Isn't that right?

Nice to meet you.

Don't you recognize me?

It's me. Yoshio.

I'm your son... Yoshio.

Listen. Listen carefully to me.

The detective says that mom didn't die of asphyxiation.

She was drowned in water.

Water?

Yes. Water.

It wasn't because you smothered her that she died.

It was me.

It was me who plunged her head into the basin.

It was me who held her head under the water.

And you. Dad, you saw it all.

Someone's here.

Someone's here!

Someone's come to find me.

There. Look.

Chief!

It's Morimoto's notebook.

He has briefly recorded the events of his life in it.

It's related to his testimony. Read it.

Did he premeditate his crime?

Where is the part pertaining to his testimony?

It's...

just here.

"Someone came. She died...

"And so, she died."

"Someone"?

Who's that, "someone"?

That would be he himself.

In order not to be thought guilty, he'd called himself "someone", right?

Evidently.

"And so, she died".

So he was premeditating killing her himself?

No.

"Someone" could have been...

Who?

His son Yoshio, I think.

Do you have any evidence?

No.

But first thing tomorrow, I intend to question him.

Euthanasia would be an extenuating circumstance.

But it is still parricide.

He would face the death penalty.

But for solicited murder,

extenuating circumstances are recognized.

The penalty could be commuted. It's strange, isn't it?

The law is nothing else than a human promise.

Then that would be...

"someone"?

What do you mean? There is someone else?

There is neither a father nor children.

It's a cure-all.

If I wasn't a cop, I'd accuse this "cure-all".

Mister Morimoto,

your father said something?

No.

Good...

Thank you for having come.

In fact. Mr. Morimoto...

I will be visiting you tomorrow.

I wish to ask you some questions...

about "someone."

There are worms crawling everywhere.

I come

from Ônuma

A gatherer

of seaweed

Like the seaweed

Floating

My heart begins

to tremble

My darling...

subtitle translation: depositio