All language subtitles for Zero.1961

SHOCHIKU PRESENTS

My name is Teiko Okazaki.

No, it's Teiko Uhara now.

I got married exactly a week ago.

Two for Kanazawa.

One platform ticket.

That'll be 5,930 yen.

Thank you.

I'm going to shop
for a few farewell gifts for clients.

I could have done it yesterday
if you had asked.

My husband Kenichi is head
of a branch of the Hakuho Ad Agency.

He was promoted
to the head office in Tokyo.

And is leaving for Kanazawa
to hand over charge of that office

to his successor, Honda.

In short, this is Kenichi's
last trip to Kanazawa.

Take a taxi home.

Take the subway to Shibuya first,
then catch a taxi.

I know.

Have your mother stay
in the apartment while I'm away.

Don't worry about me.

I'll be home on the 12th.

Have a safe trip.

ZERO FOCUS

From a Novel by
SEICHO MATSUMOTO

Screenplay by
SHINOBU HASHIMOTO, YOJI YAMADA

Photographed by
TAKASHI KAWAMATA

Production Design by
KOJI UNO

Music by
YASUSHI AKUTAGAWA

FEATURING

YOSHIKO KUGA
HIZURU TAKACHIHO, INEKO ARIMA

KOJI NANBARA, KO NISHIMURA

Directed by
YOSHITARO NOMURA

Destiny works in strange ways indeed.

That again?

You turned down very often

what we thought was a good match.

Then you accepted
this offer so quickly.

I worried you so much.

It was worthwhile worrying.

Now that you've gotten married,
I feel let down.

But a mother seems to have
endless worries.

Why did he stay single until 36?

Stop worrying.

Yes, he may have a lot of experience.
I can't change that.

Of course not.

But what kind of man is Kenichi?

It's a first-class ad agency in Japan.

It has some 300 employees,
including the branches.

That's wonderful.
Here's his picture, Teiko.

Thick eyebrows, a high nose –

Go tend to the shop.

You'll find fault with him.

Well, Teiko, he looks nice.

Branch manager
in six years is exceptional.

Will she have to live in Kanazawa?

I don't think so.

Uhara is in Tokyo
about 10 days a month on business.

He wants to move to Tokyo anyway.

But a husband who
stays away from home so much –

He's an able young man.

We expect great things
from him in the future.

You may think this is a cliché,

but hear me out, please.

In the past, we planned to bring him
back to Tokyo several times,

but each time
he asked us to postpone it.

We asked him why.

He said he wanted to come back
after closing more deals.

In fact, he expanded our business
greatly since he took that position.

He's a diligent worker,

and his eagerness is recognized
by every member of the board.

So I want the bride and her family
to be doubly assured.

What I mean to say, in short,

is that I guarantee
Mr. Uhara's pay and rank will rise.

What I'm about to say
is a business-related matter,

but I think all gathered here tonight
are concerned about it.

Mr. Uhara is going
to wrap up his duties

as head of the Kanazawa branch

to come back to our Tokyo office.

- When is he coming back?
- Day after tomorrow.

I can't read without my glasses.

"I'll return home on the 12th.

All my things may be a nuisance,
but leave them for a while."

I didn't realize it'd take so long
to hand over responsibility.

Maybe he has to visit old clients.

Come and stay with us,
won't you, dear?

I can't.
What if we got broken into?

What is it?

Is that you, Mrs. Uhara?

No, no, he hasn't come back.
He's still there.

But he wrote me
he'd be home on the 12th.

I'm sorry I bothered you.

The second day passed.

The third day passed.

He hasn't? Really?

I was thinking of sending
someone to your place.

He's three days late already.

What does the Kanazawa branch say?

They say he left on the 11th
as scheduled.

Has such a thing
ever happened before?

Has it?

Well, I don't think so.

He'd been traveling so much

that sometimes I didn't even know
he'd come back till the next day.

He was quite free and –

You used to envy him, didn't you?

He didn't need excuses to stay out
all night playing mah-jongg.

Don't get Teiko worried.

Kenichi is different from my husband.
I can't believe they're brothers.

So don't you worry, Teiko.

That boomeranged on me, eh?

I hear Uncle's missing.

Yeah, he is.

What a surprise.

I think he must be busy
saying good-bye to lots of people.

He'll come home very soon.

We haven't heard from him
in five days,

so we're going to send a man
to Kanazawa to investigate.

Won't you go with him?

I don't see any need for it,
but we can't be too careful.

Mrs. Uhara.

Telephone.

Thank you.

If it's him, you want
to speak with him?

Yes, please.

Not home yet?

What in the world is keeping him?

To Kanazawa?

His boss is here at my place now.

He's sending a man tonight
and asked if I'd like to go along.

Really?

I should be the one to go,
but I'm busy.

The company's overreacting a bit,
asking a family member to go.

It's no trouble at all.

I'd rather go
than wait here like this.

You must be worried.

A man's mind can really relax
when he's on the road.

I know of a fellow who played mah-jongg
at a spa hotel for three days straight

and came home
four days behind schedule.

Of course, not your husband.

Have you ever been there?

No, this is my first time.

There are lots of hot springs there.

Yamanaka, Awazu, Katayamatsu.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?

It's not as nice a place
as you're imagining, mind you.

But I've always longed to go there.

That's because
you're a Tokyo-born girl.

There's nothing there
except dark, gray, cloudy sky.

You seldom have a cloudless day.

And out of those dark clouds

comes snow in winter

and a rough sea.

But I want to see scenery like that.

Then I'll take you there.

Say, on a vacation next summer.

Good morning.

Awake already?

Look, that's the Noto peninsula.

It was the first time
I'd ever seen it.

Its landscape was so desolate,
so tragically lonely and dreary.

I was almost shocked.

KANAZAWA

They're business slips mostly,
not yet settled.

That means Mr. Uhara
wanted to come back.

What are you saying, Honda?

I took over the office from him
by noon on December 11, and he left.

He told me he'd be coming back
after a visit to Takaoka City.

- Takaoka?
- Yes.

Why didn't you write and say that?

All you reported was that he'd left.

But he never came
back here after all,

so I thought he'd gone
on to Tokyo via Takaoka.

It's closer to Tokyo,
and express trains stop there too.

What does his landlord say?

Mrs. Uhara may think this odd,

but no one knows where he lived
for the past 18 months.

What?

Uhara told me
it was Tsubata Town,

but an employee who lives there

knew nothing about it.

You mean to say

since his arrival –

He lived in a boarding house
for the first six months.

It's been almost a year and a half
since he left here.

Where did Mr. Uhara tell you
he was going then?

He said nothing at all.

I see.

Don't you know where he is now?

Of course I do.
I'm just curious.

Did a moving company
take his things away?

I don't remember too well,

but I think he packed by himself
and called a taxicab.

Would that mean his new place
was within the city?

Not necessarily.

He might've taken his baggage
to the train station.

Our employees would have seen him
if he was living here.

A year and a half ago?
A missing package?

I just want its destination.

- Parcel or baggage?
- I'm not sure.

- Date?
- I can't say.

But the sender's name
was Kenichi Uhara.

You must be kidding.

No date, no destination,
no nothing.

How am I supposed to track it?

Mr. Uhara left the office
for Takaoka City.

Did he have a friend
or someone there?

I don't know.

Maybe he had a friend there.

Maybe he didn't.

How can I know,
being married only one week?

I hate to say this,
but we can't be too careful.

Why don't you ask the police
to conduct a search?

I know an officer.

Matter of fact,

I've already told him
about your husband.

In the three prefectures
of this district,

there have been no unidentified
bodies since December 1st.

But it's startling to find

three suicides in our prefecture,

one injury resulting in death,

one case of death by fire,
one suicide,

and two suicide cases in Toyama.

All these were identified
by next of kin.

So many deaths since December 1st.

What about other prefectures?

Her application will trigger
a nationwide search.

We'll have word in,
say, two weeks.

Will these rain shoes do, ma'am?

Thank you.

Roads get bad in winter.

Excuse me.

Mr. Honda brought this.

Thank you so much.

Thank you. Please come in.

You must be tired,

so I'll be brief.

I hope it's quiet enough here.

If you need anything,
just tell the maids.

I'm authorized to charge
your expenses to the company.

Thank you for everything.

Mr. Aoki says he has to leave
in the morning.

I'm awfully sorry
to trouble you people.

Don't worry.
Orders from the head office.

I'm very sorry.
After all, you're newly married.

Mr. Honda,

as you say,
we haven't been married long.

I know nothing about his past.

But you must know him
after these two years.

But your guess is as good as mine.

After all, I only knew him
as my superior here.

I'm sure you must have
known him better.

Do you have any idea?

His overwhelming passion
suffocated me.

Someone –

Someone might come.

You have such soft lips.

You have a youthful body.

Don't.

It's like he's comparing me
to somebody else...

I won't be surprised,

no matter what
I may hear at this point.

So please don't hold anything back.

Be frank with me.

Did he have a sweetheart?

That's nonsense!

He was a gentleman.

He didn't have affairs like that.

He didn't drink.
He disliked gambling.

His only hobby was hard work.

I can guarantee that.

Then why on earth –

Don't start imagining things.
Let's take it step by step.

I'll take you to see Mr. Murota first.

Mr. Murota?

He operates a firebrick factory.

He's a big client of ours,
and a close friend of Mr. Uhara's.

He may know something.

That's terrible.
And you're in Kanazawa now?

So I want you to probe
into his past thoroughly.

Yes, until he joined the ad agency.

But don't say anything to his brother.
I don't want him to know.

Mr. Saeki the marriage broker, yes.

I'm at the Hakusan Hotel.

Kanazawa 3-1579.

You got it?

Stop worrying.

His colleagues
are very helpful and kind.

Don't worry.

Good night.

I went to Marukoshi Fire Bricks
with Mr. Honda in the morning.

Brick making is
this prefecture's great industry.

Murota's place is
the largest around here.

The recent rise in our business
is attributable to his ads,

thanks to Mr. Uhara's efforts.

He enjoyed Murota's trust.

They often invited him to dinner.

Next stop: Teramashi 3-chome.

Who is Mr. Murota?

A man of quiet disposition.

A member of the
Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

A big boss around here.

MARUKOSHI FIREBRICKS

A new face?

A new girl at the information desk.

Very fluent.

But not very proper English,
if I may say so.

She probably picked it up

entertaining American soldiers
at night.

I'm from the Hakuho Ad Agency.
I phoned yesterday.

I'm afraid Mr. Murota isn't here yet.

Mr. Honda, I presume?

He phoned to ask you to come
to his residence, if you would.

How much is it?

Mr. Honda told me about it.

I'm sorry,
especially since you're a newlywed.

I hope I'm not intruding.

I'm at your service.

Mrs. Murota.

She's young,
and a kimono becomes her.

Sachiko, meet Mrs. Uhara.

I hear you were
very kind to my husband.

Mr. Murota told me last night
what had happened. So unbelievable!

Please have a seat.

What have you found out?

As a matter of fact,
we have no clues.

- We wondered if you might know anything.
- I see.

We became close friends,
besides being business contacts.

We invited him here for dinner
quite a few times.

He told me about his marriage
about two months ago.

He seemed quite excited,
if I may say so.

He showed us your picture too.

He seemed awfully proud of you.

But as the days passed,

he became sort of

gloomy and pensive.

Did you notice that?

Yes, I think I must have,

though I didn't realize it
till you mentioned it.

I began to worry, frankly.

You see,

he was to return to Tokyo
and marry a beauty.

Why should he worry?

He ought to have been happy instead.

Kenichi was glad
when he decided to get married.

Then he became gloomy
as the day approached.

Did you notice that, Mr. Honda?

No, sir. I didn't.

May I ask when you met Kenichi last?

Very recently.
A week ago, maybe.

He came to say good-bye
with a farewell gift.

He showed me the picture
of your wedding party.

A nice picture, too.

Have some tea while it's hot.

But what a rascal he is
to worry a beauty like you.

Mr. Honda, your office is calling.

Hello? Matsumori?

What? Inspector Kitamura?

An unidentified suicide.

Found at Togi Beach,
in Hakui County.

A man approximately 35 years old.

Dead for 48 hours.

Tall and lean, parted hair,
in a brown suit.

No suicide note or personal effects.

That's all.

What kind of suit?

A brown suit.

His suit was –

He left Tokyo in a gray suit.

If you visit Togi police station,
they can tell you more.

They probably haven't buried him yet.
Would you like to go see?

Where is Togi?

Here.

Take the Nanao line.

Mr. Honda was busy,

so I took a train by myself.

A HOUSEWIFE'S HOBBY

What a rascal he is
to worry a beauty like you.

Isn't Mrs. Murota pretty?

A Tokyo girl.

Mr. Murota's first wife died,

and he came across this woman,
who was then a typist in Tokyo.

So she's young.

She's bright and wise,

and one of the most famous women
in Kanazawa City now.

Forty-five minutes
from Kanazawa to Hakui,

then transfer at Hakui station
to the Noto line.

Fifty minutes to Sanmyo Village,

then change to a bus.

TOGI POLICE STATION

Kanazawa station phoned about you.

Will you see the body now?

The cliff was 65 feet high,

so his face is quite disfigured.

Please.

It's not your –

No, it's not.

Though you came all this way,
I'm glad it wasn't your husband.

Please sit down.

It's a hard job, asking next of kin
to identify the dead.

There was another suicide recently.

The young wife clung
to the dead body and cried.

But let's not talk about that.

This will warm you up.

I hear you came from Tokyo.
Is that right?

Why don't you take a look
at the cliff out there?

Noto Cliff's the name.

Some maliciously call it
an ideal spot for committing suicide,

but it's really beautiful.

Noto Cliff?

The north country.

The dark, dreary sea of Noto.

What I innocently yearned to see
in my school days.

Now I stand here on that very spot,

a poor wife in search of
her missing husband.

You ready?

He quit Waseda University halfway
through and joined a trading company.

Drafted into the army in 1942.

Became a policeman in 1950
and was stationed in Tachikawa.

A policeman?

He was a cop?

I was surprised myself.
He didn't look like one.

After a year and a half,
he quit and joined Hakuho.

Hello? Can you hear me?
Are you there?

Yes.

Will you stay much longer?

As I told you,
we've found no clues at all,

so I think I'll leave for home
in a few days.

That would be good.

Come home soon,
and don't catch cold.

And give us a call.

Excuse me.

A visitor for you.

Thank you for coming.

I should've come sooner.

I was in Kyoto on company business.

In Kyoto?

I left Kyoto
on the 11:00 train last night.

I'd have gone to meet you.

I called Mr. Honda from the station
and had him bring me here.

That was very kind of him.

On the way I learned all he's done
for my brother, and I thanked him.

Kenichi has caused you all
such problems.

It's company business,
so we're all glad to help.

To be honest,
I don't know where to start.

I understand.
Thank you for your help.

You see,

Tokyo telephoned me.

I explained to them all
we'd found out.

They advised me to lay off

and wait until the police
find something tangible.

Of course, I'll continue searching.

I'll be visiting
all our clients today.

You must be tired.

Yeah, a night train is tiring.

But you must be
tired yourself, Teiko.

Why don't you return to Tokyo
and relax for a week or two?

Stay at my place for a while.

Staying here will wreck your nerves.

My mother phoned
and told me to return home.

Do that by all means,

if you can get a sleeper car
for tonight.

All this is too much
for your nerves.

I hear you went to Noto
to identify a dead body.

Why would Kenichi commit suicide?

Do you know of any reason
why he would want to die?

No, of course not.

He's alive.

I'm sure of it.

After returning home,
I went to Tachikawa.

TACHIKAWA POLICE STATION

He was sincere,
and a serious thinker.

I was a traffic cop
on street patrol.

But we talked a lot together
in the dormitory.

What does a cop
on street patrol do?

In those days, this area
was infested with streetwalkers.

His section was supposed
to clamp down on them.

He used to tell me,

"Streetwalkers are a nuisance.

But I've learned that everyone has
a reason for the situation they're in.

They're war orphans, in a way.

I sometimes feel kind of sorry

to round them up."

Maybe that's why
he quit the police force.

I'm back.

Where have you been?

Visiting a friend.

Your sister-in-law has called
three times already.

She wants you to go see her.

News from Kanazawa?

I think so.

I'll go now.

Keep calm no matter what happens.

And call me at once.
Don't forget.

What? Sotaro's missing?

That's right.

The hotel in Kanazawa says
he left yesterday afternoon.

His boss phoned this afternoon
and asked me why he wasn't there.

I told him Sotaro went to Kyoto
on business, and then to Kanazawa.

He said he hadn't sent him
to Kyoto at all.

When did you meet him there?

The morning of the 21st.

He said he had come from Kyoto.

He was never in Kyoto.

He left here on the night
of the 19th on that pretext.

He must've reached Kanazawa
the next day.

Then what was Sotaro doing
in Kanazawa

before he came to see me?

But why did he have
to go there on a lie?

He may have hated
to embarrass you about Kenichi,

but why did he deceive me?

After living as man and wife
for 20 years.

Mr. Uhara, a telegram.

- Uhara residence?
- Thank you.

What's up, sis?

What's happened?

SOTARO UHARA DECEASED.

KINDLY COME
TO KANAZAWA IMMEDIATELY.

KANAZAWA POLICE HEADQUARTERS.

Please come in.

Sir, the victim's family is here.

Thanks for coming
all the way from Tokyo.

Please have a seat.

Mrs. Uhara, I presume?

And you are?

Her sister-in-law.

Thank you for coming.

I'm very sorry.

Have you identified the body?

Yes, we have.

You identified him as your husband?

Well, let me explain
how it happened.

There's a tramway
starting from Kanazawa.

Here.

There's a town on the line

named Tsuruki Town here.

Seven miles from here.
A 50-minute ride.

A woman came to an inn
called the Kanoya Inn

at 4:30 p.m. on December 22.

She got here first?

Yes.

She told us a Mr. Uhara
would be coming to see her later.

How old was she?

I think she was around 30.

She wore a garish plaid coat

with a pink neckerchief.

Who showed her to the room?

I did.

She was dressed
as the lady described?

Mr. Sotaro Uhara arrived
30 minutes later,

around 5:00 p.m.

The proprietress greeted him,
and a maid took him to that room.

Ten or 15 minutes later,
I passed by that room –

Why?

I had to go to a nearby room.

I overheard them quarreling.

Quarreling?

He was yelling at the woman.

And that woman left the inn
15 minutes later.

She told me her visitor was resting
and would leave later.

How did that woman act?

Let me see.
She was kind of flustered, I guess.

But the man didn't leave,
so the maid went looking for him.

She found Mr. Uhara
dead on the floor.

Medical experts determined
it was cyanide poisoning.

The teacup left there
contained some whiskey,

and cyanide was found in it.

It means he drank poisoned whiskey
when he was with that woman.

Under the circumstances,

we can safely say the culprit is
this woman in the loud coat.

Have you any idea who she may be?

This garishly dressed woman.

Why did your husband come here?

As a matter of fact –

So that means

she's connected
with Kenichi Uhara's disappearance.

Or the missing-person case
turned into murder?

Yes, sir, that's a logical conclusion.

We've found a man
who saw this woman.

It happened on a train.

I was on my way
to Mount Hakusan for skiing.

She was a beaut too,
for these parts.

Her clothes are too loud.

Must be from around here.

She doesn't know
that's how hookers dress.

Hey, she'll hear us.

Like a streetwalker.

Do you know any woman
with taste like that?

Mrs. Uhara,

are you sure your husband
wasn't keeping a mistress?

I'm positive.

We don't believe she was
closely connected with Mr. Uhara.

His movements in Kanazawa
have been traced, though imprecisely.

He was never seen
with this loudly dressed woman.

But circumstantial evidence tells us

this is closely connected
with the missing-person case,

and I'm sure of it.

Kenichi had been
a cop in Tachikawa.

He handled streetwalkers.

And this killer
was dressed like a –

He was on street patrol,

and Sotaro was murdered
by a streetwalker.

What's the link
connecting these two?

Mrs. Uhara!

I read in the papers.
I'm awfully sorry.

Your sister-in-law?

- Mrs. Murota.
- Hurry.

- Taking a train?
- Yes.

- You're staying a while?
- Yes.

Won't you come see us?

Thank you. I will.

Please come this way.

Who is that lady?

Her husband was
a good friend of Kenichi's.

That receptionist!

May I help you?

May I see the receptionist?

That's me.

I mean the one who was here
on December 19.

You mean Miss Tanuma.

She'll be off for three days.

She's the wife of one
of our employees who died recently.

She was married,
and her husband died recently.

That's right.

She needed a job, so we hired her.
Is something wrong?

Where does she live?

Do you mind telling me
her husband's name?

His name was Sone.

Didn't you know?

Theirs was a common-law marriage.

What was his first name?

Masuzaburo.
Masuzaburo Sone.

May I ask when he died?

December 12.

- December 12?
- Yes. Why?

Can you tell me where she lives?

December 12.

The day Kenichi went missing.

What is Miss Tanuma to you?

She's a friend of mine.

Really?

We're worried about her.

She hasn't come home
for three days.

Since leaving here on December 22?

That's right.

Masuzaburo Sone, eh?

He's dead and gone.

Yes, I know that.

I'm anxious to talk to anyone
who might have known him.

I'm sorry.
No one here knew him.

He belonged here,
but he was a head office man.

Head office?

But he belonged here, so we made
the retirement payout here to his wife.

Do you mind telling me his address?

Let's see.
He was a Noto man, eh?

Write it down. His address is
Togi Town, Hakui County.

That very house.

This Masuzaburo Sone might be...

Hisako is the only daughter
of the Tanuma family.

Unfortunately, her parents died
of lung problems years ago.

She left for Tokyo soon afterwards,

in 1947 or '48, as I remember.

She came home
suddenly some five years ago.

She was in a surprisingly modern
Western-style dress.

Then she began to till
the small farm she owned.

She dropped the loud clothes,

working hard and living modestly.

Hisako's husband, eh?

She married him
a year and a half ago.

No wedding party or anything.

I seldom saw Mr. Sone,
her husband.

A quiet man

who always averted his gaze
when passing by.

So of course,
we didn't speak to him.

Hisako said he was a salesman
for some brick maker.

He'd leave home early and come home
by the last bus, she said.

He seemed to stay in Tokyo
10 days out of every month.

So he lived here 20 days a month.

Kenichi's dead,

but under the name
of Masuzaburo Sone.

Poor fellow.

He committed suicide all of a sudden.

Hisako was crying madly, poor girl.

Suicide!

She sent in the notice of his death.

I hear he was a salesman, so maybe
he spent too much company money?

His permanent domicile
wasn't known to her.

The doc who wrote the certificate
may know more.

They took me there in a police car.

The damage was to his head.

He hit the rocks when he fell.

It was instantaneous.

He left a note there,

beneath a rock.

He left a hat and coat too.

The note was brief,

addressed to his wife Hisako.

- Where did it happen?
- On a cliff.

A cliff?

Overlooking the sea,
where many have jumped in the past.

Noto Cliff.

Noto Cliff?

Where is the spot
where Kenichi leapt to his death?

Is it around where
I'm walking now, or...?

Why did he go
without telling me,

leaving no word for me, his wife?

Why?

Tokyo?

930 yen.

This is Mrs. Uhara speaking.

I'm leaving for Tokyo now.

Can someone bring my things
to the station?

The police?

You went to Togi?

What was your business there?

- I wanted to look for my husband.
- And?

He was found dead,
under the name of Masuzaburo Sone.

He had a common-law wife
before me.

He asked her to set him free.

In a rage,
this woman killed my husband.

His brother Sotaro,
who knew about them, came here.

He found her and questioned her
about my husband's whereabouts.

To hide Kenichi's murder,
she killed him.

- Do you know who she is?
- Yes.

Her name is...

Hisako Tanuma?

Your case has already been solved.
That's why we asked you to come.

We found Hisako's body
in Hakusan Gorge, an apparent suicide.

But what we found out
differs greatly from your story.

Your husband committed suicide.
It wasn't murder.

Suicide due to his dilemma
over you and Hisako.

Hisako didn't kill him.

As for his brother Sotaro,

we retraced his steps

and found he was
with Hisako in Kanazawa.

Sotaro Uhara had known
about their relationship,

so he located and questioned her

about Kenichi's whereabouts.

Hisako told him
Kenichi had committed suicide.

Sotaro, not believing her,
accused her of murder.

A quarrel ensued.

Cornered, Hisako killed him.

She left the inn
and then committed suicide herself.

Understand?

I'm afraid the truth
is not what you expected.

The Uhara missing-person case
and murder case are now solved.

We'll be holding a press conference
in half an hour to announce it.

But...

my husband committed suicide?

Here.

Read this.

His suicide note.

We found that
in Hisako Tanuma's room.

Judge for yourself
whether it's genuine.

"I bear so many troubles
in my heart

that I wish to die.

I don't want to disturb you
with all the details.

I am going away
with these troubles in my heart.

With love and best wishes, Hisako.

From Masuzaburo."

Do you think it's a forgery?

Or is it his real handwriting?

I think it's his writing.

Mr. Honda of the ad agency
thinks so too.

You have any further doubts
about your husband's death?

After a married life of only a week,

I began to work again.

My late father's pension
and Mama's small business.

I had to either go back to work
or marry again.

WINTER CAME...

I received several offers of marriage.

But I couldn't
listen to them seriously.

I still had some things on my mind.

I felt I must stand
on that high cliff

overlooking the north sea.

A trip of three or four days to Noto.

It materialized over
the New Year recess a year later.

WAKURA

Welcome.

Some curio, eh?

An ancient masterpiece.

Excuse me.

A visitor from Tokyo is here.

- Tokyo?
- Who can it be?

Miss Okazaki,
the former Mrs. Uhara, she says.

Must be the former
Mrs. Kenichi Uhara.

Please.

Hello.

Welcome. Come in.

Thank you.

Thank you very much
for your hospitality last time.

I learned in Kanazawa
that you were here.

I hope I'm not intruding.

Not at all.

We came here to spend the holidays.

We're doing nothing at all.
You've come now –

To visit Kenichi's grave.

That's why you brought flowers.

I brought them from Tokyo.

Actually, I'm thinking of remarrying.

Remarrying?

Really? I wish you all happiness.

Thank you.

It may sound silly,

but I wanted to toss
some flowers off the cliff,

so that I might forget
about Kenichi for good.

I know how you feel.

Let's give her a lift.

Yes, it's on our way
back to the city.

We'll change in a minute.
Let's go there together.

This may be where he jumped from.

Standing here alone on a dark night,

how must he have felt?

Poor man.

But I don't think he was alone.

Someone else was here.

What? Someone else?

Yes, someone else.

These 12 months
I've been thinking hard.

He wasn't alone.

Someone else was here.

You mustn't joke
about things like this!

It was suicide!

And if it wasn't,

it must have been Hisako
here with him!

No, it couldn't have been her.
It was your wife.

You can't break up with Hisako?

Not by any ordinary means.

She might even commit suicide.

Then you have to forget
about moving to Tokyo.

But you could keep two wives.

You're annoyed because
I came to you with my problems.

I know.

But I've got no one
but you to talk to!

I know!

But no one can help you now.

How vain!
A man with two women –

Two women –

I've got it!

Don't think of it
as one man with two wives.

It's two: Sone married
to Hisako Tanuma,

and Uhara about to marry Teiko.

That's it.

If only Sone could disappear
from this world in some convincing way.

That's it!

Why didn't I think of it sooner?

You're grasping at straws!
What would make you think such a thing?

It's the only thing I can think.

You're just imagining things.

Yes, I was quite familiar
with Mr. Uhara,

but he was Mr. Murota's friend,
after all.

We would never discuss
our personal problems with each other.

Really?

With the discovery
of Hisako's body,

the case was closed.

But I felt so uneasy

that I went
to Tachikawa once again.

HISAKO TANUMA COMMITS SUICIDE

So many years have passed.

I can't say I remember
this girl very well.

I see.

But it's very strange.

About two weeks ago,
a man came asking the same thing.

Here. This man.

GISAKU MUROTA

Then he suggested I go see
a Mrs. Osumi of Sunagawa,

who seemed to have known
all those women very well.

There were so many
of them in those days.

This man who came to see you –
did he ask about her too?

Yes, but he brought another picture.

Not a clipping,
but a snapshot of Emmy.

- Emmy?
- She was a Chiba girl.

She quit after a short time.

A very bright girl.

A college girl too.

I think I had
a picture of her myself.

Excuse me.

Was it by any chance this woman?

That's Emmy, all right!

My goodness!
She's moved up in the world, eh?

Before Kenichi joined
that ad agency,

he was on street patrol
in Tachikawa.

There he first met your wife.

In fact, he was the only man

who knew the secret
your wife wanted to forget.

"I bear so many troubles
in my heart

that I wish to die.

I don't want to disturb you
with all the details."

Better not to write
anything too concrete.

"I am going away

with these troubles in my heart."

Right here.

People will think your body
was washed away.

It's an awful thing to do,

but Sone will be wiped out,
and only Uhara will remain,

free to run to his new wife in Tokyo.

That's ridiculous!

Thus Masuzaburo Sone
committed suicide,

and Kenichi Uhara disappeared
at the same time.

The one person who stood
in your wife's way was eliminated,

and she was once again safe.

Why are you silent, Sachiko?

Why?

Because it's the most ridiculous
thing I've ever heard!

You're too suspicious!

What do you have against my wife?

Yes, I found out about her past,

but it has nothing
to do with murder!

Take back your accusation!

I'm not finished yet.

Not finished?

His brother Sotaro was killed too.

You accuse her of that too?

No. My brother is alive.

But Hisako's husband
committed suicide, the poor man.

It must be either
a mistake or a trick.

I'll find out if I see her.

He came here
to break up with her.

He left word with me
that it might take some time.

Thanks for the drink.

So he couldn't be dead.

And if he's really dead,
it must have been murder.

Clearly a murder case.

I'll ask the police to investigate.

She could think up some scheme.

I mean Hisako.

She's a very wicked woman.

So I came here
to get information about her past.

I think she may have been
a prostitute for GI's.

My brother was once a cop
in Tachikawa.

They may have met there.

I see.

Your wife was cornered

and arranged for Sotaro
to meet Hisako at Tsuruki.

If I may say so,

I've been trying to be lenient.

But my patience won't last
if she insists it was suicide.

I may have to go to the police.

In that case,

the police may want to question you
as an involved party.

I hope you'll back me up.

I'd be glad to.

Here.

I noticed you enjoy drinking
very much.

Thanks. Liquor is my weakness.

I'm sure Hisako has her story
about what happened too.

I wish you'd listen to her
as you drink that.

Excuse me.

Please enjoy your visit.

I'm Mr. Uhara.

Kenichi Uhara's brother, Sotaro.

That means

your husband Sone's brother.

He had no brother.

You may not understand the situation.

I'm going to explain.

And then I hope you'll tell me
where he is now.

And then what?

Sotaro drank the poisoned whiskey
and died on the spot.

Alarmed, Hisako runs away

and throws herself into the gorge?

No, she didn't just jump.
You were waiting by the bridge.

Ah, you mean I was there
by prior arrangement?

As Hisako ran to me
for an explanation –

You pushed her over,
just like you did Kenichi.

In that way,

this double murder buried your past
and came to its own end.

No, it couldn't have come to an end.

Don't you see?

Because if what you said were true,

there'd be one more person
I'd need to kill now!

Sachiko!

But I don't need to!

Because your story
is preposterous and far-fetched!

Sachiko!

Forgive me!

When I learned
about Uhara and Hisako

and found out about Hisako's past,

I grew uneasy.

Why were you so kind
to Uhara and Hisako?

Finally, I began to doubt
your past life

and went to Tachikawa.

But in doing so I gave rise
to Teiko's suspicion!

I'm sorry!

I don't care what may be
in your past!

Let's drop this subject, shall we?

But –

Teiko, your story is too harsh.

But is my version
that far from the truth?

It's entirely distorted.
It's all wrong!

Teiko...

now it's my turn.

A sham suicide.

But will it work?

I planned it as well as I could.

It's the only way out.

Now do me a favor.

You were kind enough to employ me
as Masuzaburo Sone.

What is it?

Well... I, uh...

Go ahead. Speak up.

It's about Hisako.

She has no savings.

I have to do something.

But I'm asking too much.

Save your breath. Money, huh?

How much?

You see, I just –

Don't beat about the bush like this!

I knew we'd come to this.

Name the amount like a man.

You knew me all along.

Putting on airs these 18 months!

You mean to say...

you were at Tachikawa before?

You mean you didn't know?

I had no idea.

Letting the cat out of the bag

as stupidly as that!

Don't human beings
do stupid things sometimes?

But it was too late.

It was no use crying
over spilt milk.

So I decided to help him
in various ways.

Of my own accord.

Is Hisako asleep?

It'll take 20 minutes
to get to the cliff.

We'll get back around 3:00,
if we turn back at once.

Kanazawa station?

They'll think
my body was washed away.

Masuzaburo Sone
will then have disappeared.

It was then

that this feeling came over me.

If only

he'd disappear completely.

Now, then...

about his brother Sotaro.

Your version was slightly wrong.

I'd never seen Sotaro before.

This way.

Your visitor is here.

How do you do?

Please enjoy.

Miss Tanuma?

How do you do?
I am Hisako Tanuma.

I'm Kenichi's brother.

Will you tell me
where my brother is now?

Mrs. Murota told me about you.

The man you're looking for –
my husband – or Kenichi –

is dead.

He killed himself
the night of December 11.

Suicide?

You must be kidding!

If he's dead,
it had to be murder!

You killed him!

Miss Tanuma,

I'm anxious to settle
this case secretly.

This could affect his entire future.

So please tell me the truth.

We'll make sure you're taken care of.

I don't understand what you mean.

You don't?

He committed suicide
and was buried on December 13.

You still insist it was suicide!

Very well.

I have no choice.
I must contact the police.

Suit yourself.

But I don't think the police will act,
since it was called a suicide.

My brother had no reason
to kill himself!

So it had to be murder!

The police will indeed look into it!

Why do you doubt
my husband committed suicide?

He left –

A suicide note?

You could've forged it.

Have it examined, then.

I will.

Its very existence is a joke.

Don't you see?

Sone left a note,

but not Kenichi.

Why is that?

Masuzaburo Sone left this world,

but Kenichi has made no move yet.

It means he's still alive.

There may be complicated reasons
that you don't want to mention.

The police will look
into them thoroughly.

Including your accomplice.

Accomplice?

Mrs. Murota.

I found out
she was your character reference.

I phoned her
for preliminary knowledge about you.

It was strange.

She said she hired you because
you were a former employee's widow,

but she knew
nothing more about you

and arranged for me
to meet you here in person.

She told you the truth.
Everything.

Nonsense!

I would have believed her
if Masuzaburo Sone were a real employee,

but he never existed!

Why would that firm employ
an imaginary man's widow?

But

my husband was worried about me.

Kenichi asked Mrs. Murota, eh?

Why would she do
whatever he asked?

How should I know?

Miss Tanuma...

let me ask you bluntly.

Were you by any chance
at Tachikawa?

It's easy to find out.

Didn't this case originate
at Tachikawa several years ago?

This is just my hypothesis,

but what makes Mrs. Murota feel obliged
to listen to what you and Kenichi say?

Mr. Uhara!

Just a minute.

I'm sorry.
I told you a lie.

Kenichi is – He isn't dead.

He's alive.

Really? Just as I thought.

And where is he now?

He's lying low at Yamanaka Spa.

I see. A spa, eh?

Forgive me.

There were complicated reasons.

If you had just said that
from the start,

I wouldn't have been so nasty.

I'm sorry.

Drink this while you listen
to what I say.

I'm sure you have your reasons.

I feel so relieved.

Tell me first how it all started.

Thanks.

I hope you enjoy it.

It's cold tonight.

I really need a drink or two.

Excuse me.

You'll need some water.

I like it straight.

Teiko.

It was awful for Hisako too.

- Have you been waiting long?
- About half an hour.

I'm sorry.
You must be frozen stiff.

Put this on.

You'll catch cold.

Well? What did you want
to talk about?

It's about time you knew everything.

About Sone's identity.

It seems strange. No one seems
to know about him at all.

Can you tell me why?

He never was our employee.

He was an advertising man.

His name was Kenichi Uhara.

Uhara?

You're wondering
something else, aren't you?

Why did he commit suicide?

That's your question.

Exactly.
I just don't understand.

I really wish I did know why.

Do you know?

You see,

he wanted to break up with you
and move to Tokyo.

He wanted to break up with me?

He married a girl in Tokyo
about two weeks ago.

But there was no way
he could leave you.

So he killed himself!

B-But–

I can't believe it.

No, I can't!

Hisako cried and cried.

I didn't know what to do.

If I was going to kill her anyway,
I shouldn't have told her that.

Emmy.

Stop feigning ignorance.

Two days after his death,

I went to your place,

and you and I met
in your fancy drawing room.

I recognized you then.

But...

that doesn't matter now,

because no one
will ever see me again.

Don't you see, Emmy?

There's no point going on now.

He killed himself
because he couldn't leave me.

He must be lonely now.

I should join him.

He'd always been a lonely man,

a quiet man.

That's what I loved about him.

Listen, Emmy.

Listen to me for old times' sake.

We never had a proper wedding.

We lived a lonely married life,
just him and me.

- Late for the bus?
- I have no clean shirt.

Let me look.

Hurry.

I found one.

You'll be back on the
14th or 15th, right?

Good luck, darling.

Welcome back, darling!

Are you all right?

- Welcome.
- Something for you.

Now you'll stay for three weeks.

Hisako told me
about their last night together.

Remember what
you promised last year?

You forgot, eh?

You told me
you'd take me there in January.

Oh, a hot spring.

That's right.

Yes, but you need
to get over your cold first.

I'll be all right soon.

It's you I'm worried about.

You've been so pale recently.

Did you have a hard time in Tokyo?

You seem very tired.

No, I'm not tired at all.

But you and I are just human beings.

We can't live forever.

If something should happen to me,

go see that Mrs. Murota
I told you about.

Why must you talk like that,

as if you were leaving forever?

You know what?

There's something I want.

Come over here.

You see, I feel so lonely
when you're not at home,

so I must have one.

Let's have

a baby.

Hisako was really already
a walking corpse.

It's high enough here.

Emmy, push me as hard as you can.

Why do you say that?

Why?

You could, couldn't you?

If I die now, with him gone,

there'll be no one left
who knows about your dirty past.

A big company. Lots of dough.

A nice house.

The only thorn is your past.

If I were in your shoes –

How awful!

But then...

I feel sorry for you.

I know how you feel.

You've gone through
so many hardships.

You're clever.

But to cover up your past,

I'm sure you've had
to work very hard.

Sally!

Sally!

You're right!

It's been so hard!

I've gone too far already!

I've done things I can't take back!

I have to stop or else –

Come with me, Sally.

I must tell my husband.
He'll know what to do!

Come on!

Emmy.

I don't understand
why you're crying like this.

If you'd told him everything
from the very beginning,

you wouldn't be crying now.

But then you wouldn't have
what you have now.

Isn't life hard?

I've never had money.

I've worked hard,
living hand-to-mouth.

But I may have been happier than you.

Although it only lasted 18 months.

Despair is written

On my breast

I've cried my heart out

Over my past

Who made me

Such a woman

Emmy, I'm gonna take a drink.

Sally! Don't drink that!

Teiko.

I've finished my story.

Sachiko!

Mrs. Murota's car
went over the cliff

some 20 minutes after that.

The questions and mysteries
that brought me here

have all been resolved.

But they've left
something larger in my heart:

an awe for life,

with its breadth and depth
too vast to comprehend.

Like this northern sea,

bottomless and never ending,

like the sea of sorrow
we carry in our hearts.

THE END