Original subtitles

WINNER - BEST DIRECTOR CANNES 1978

EMPIRE OF PASSlON

Based on a Book by ITOKO NAKAMURA

A VILLAGE IN JAPAN

You must be tired.

Have some, Seki.

No.

Want more hot water?

No, l'm getting out now.

Was Toyoji here? - Yes.

He comes around a lot these days.

Yeah, ever since he got out of the army.

Doesn't seem to do much all day.

Toyoji's not sweet on you, is he?

l'm old enough to be his mother!

You look much younger.

People still call you ''Little Seki.'' You barely look 30.

- Are they good? - They sure are.

The wholesaler brought them fresh this morning.

l'll give you four sen for three.

That's a losing deal,

but since you're a loyal customer...

lt turned out to be a beautiful day!

Care for a treat?

l feel bad with you constantly spoiling me like this.

lt's nothing.

Where did you buy them?

The store in the village.

They looked too good to resist.

Delicious!

l'll have some then. You're always spoiling me.

Shall l make some tea?

Later. Let's eat first.

Toyoji's not sweet on you, is he?

Please, Toyoji,

don't look at me like that.

Here, have one.

What brings you around so often these days?

There's one left.

- You have it. - No, you.

No, you have it.

Then how about sharing it?

You're a funny one.

Ah, here comes more sake!

- Here you go. - Congratulations!

Little Seki pour us some sake.

She'd rather Iook after her husband.

Seki just never seems to grow old!

See? You're as popular as ever.

l'd be worried if l were you, Gisaburo.

Madam...

allow me to say how happy l am for you today.

Drunk already? You always seem happy about something.

But even drunk, l still know if it's my wife in bed or not!

Mr. Toyoji, you're welcome to come in.

You should be thinking about marriage yourself.

How old are you anyway? - Same age as the groom.

l'll bet you looked beautiful on your wedding day.

Thank you.

RICKSHAW FOR HIRE

Must be some kids causing trouble.

Ma'am.

Ma'am.

Seems fast asleep.

Hey, little boy...

don't hog it all.

Let your big brother have a sip.

Watching over baby seems easy but oh, how hard it can be

Ma'am.

Ma'am.

Toyoji...

You'll catch cold sleeping like that.

l was so tired and my shoulders were aching.

Let me give you a back rub.

Feel good?

Mother scolds me

And l cry

Don't do that, Toyoji!

Why not? l'm just trying to make you feel better.

No!

You're hurting me!

Then stop struggling.

Just relax.

You like it, don't you?

Don't like it, you say? Look how wet you are.

Toyoji, you took me by surprise.

lt's cold in here.

No doubt the master will be late today too.

Seki, you shouldn't do this to me. Look.

At what?

Look. You see that?

That isn't nice, Toyoji.

Stop that now.

Come on.

Have a good look at it.

This isn't fair to Gisaburo.

Please stop.

Listen, Seki...

we've done it once. We might as well do it again.

You know you loved it.

l just remembered...

a story a village official told me a long time ago.

What kind of story?

About a woman who was raped by a robber

and could never forget it as long as she lived.

Seki, you've changed since the first time.

l've forgotten that you're 26 years younger than me.

And l've forgotten...

that you're 26 years older than me.

But...

But what?

The thought of you and Gisaburo together

is enough to drive me crazy!

Daddy!

You fell asleep.

Yeah, it felt so good.

Here, eat as much as you want.

l'm exercising to digest what l've already eaten.

Do they feed you enough where you are?

Yeah, but l'm still always hungry.

ls the work hard?

No, but l'd rather be in school.

Your mother worked as a nanny, and you have to too.

School's a waste of money.

All they teach you is how to talk back.

l just want a good life.

That's what your mother said when she was young.

''l just want a good life...''

Her life didn't turn out good at all.

What are your mommy and daddy doing?

Not making love in the middle of the day, are they?

Go see what Mommy's doing

and come back and tell me.

Who's there?

Hello there!

lt's really coming down!

Toyoji, what brings you out in the rain?

Seen anyone pass by?

Who would be out there now?

l'll bet even the rickshaw driver is staying in today.

Cuddling up with Little Seki!

Haven't seen them for a while.

l haven't seen a soul in three days.

What a miserable New Year's.

Won't you have tea with us? Come inside.

None for me, thanks.

- Toyoji! - Seki!

No, not here!

No one can see.

Where have you been?

l had to go see my sick aunt.

- l thought you - - Where are you going in this rain?

l've missed you. l haven't seen you since the end of the year.

Come with me. - Where?

My house.

- Isn't your brother there? - l don't care.

lt'll be dark soon and he's waiting for me at home.

Who?

Shave it.

Shave it.

Shave it.

Shave it.

We have to do him in.

What?

We have to kill him.

You're shaved now.

What if he sees it tonight?

l'll make up some excuse.

He won't let you off that easy.

l can't... l can't kill him.

Like it or not you have to.

- No matter what? - No matter what.

Seki, l can't live without you.

lf we don't kill him l'll be killed myself.

What am l supposed to do?

What do l have to do?

Toyoji...

We'll kill him and throw him down an old well.

No one will ever know.

Are you sure?

l'll make sure of it.

He'll rot down there until there's nothing left.

What if something goes wrong?

lt won't.

We won't be found out?

This is for us, you fool.

Serve him sake until he's piss-drunk,

and then we'll kill him.

How much will it take?

Two bottles should be plenty.

But he always drinks shochu.

The hard stuff, huh?

lt's the only thing strong enough for him.

He's a tough old bastard.

Cold, isn't it, Seki?

Feels like something bad's going to happen.

Seki?

Snowflakes are flying!

Could turn into a real snowstorm.

Finish eating, Ishichi. It's time for bed.

l'm chilled to the bone!

l almost got caught in the storm.

lt's good l quit work early.

Dear...

l'll warm some shochu for you.

You'll rust the scissors like that.

Don't l always keep them sharp?

l never did like salted squid.

Salted bonito is much better

especially when you cut the long strips like this.

Seki...

you're really something, you know that?

ls all this for your husband?

You're a great wife.

Nothing at all like mine.

We have tons of sake, but she barely lets me have a cup.

She ought to learn from you.

Having guests tonight?

You have a strong cord?

Not that, you fool. We're not strangling a baby.

Don't you have any rope?

Now listen.

Pull on this with all your might.

Don't lose your head, no matter what.

Understand?

Don't let go!

He's dead!

Listen to me.

Don't breathe a word of this to anyone.

Stop crying! Stop it!

He's dead now. It's all over.

lf we keep our mouths shut, no one will ever know.

lf anyone finds out, we'll be hanged.

What do l say if people ask questions?

Say he's gone to work in Tokyo.

That should be enough.

What do we do with the body?

We have to do something quick.

What?

What do we do with the body?

l told you.

All we can do is throw him down an old well.

How do we get him there?

The two of us will carry him.

What if someone sees us?

No one's out at this hour. Don't worry.

Let's hurry. It'll be dawn soon.

l can't believe we did this!

Keep going. We can't stop now.

The wind blows through the trees,

sending withered red leaves to the ground,

and soon the forest floor is covered.

Peasants rake up the dead leaves

to use as fuel for their fires.

Such is the wisdom of the poor.

But of course this property has an owner,

and taking the leaves is theft.

Yet the owner tolerates it

and the poor, who own no land, continue to gather the leaves.

After that day,

Toyoji acquired a peculiar habit.

He doesn't take his leaves home.

He takes two or three baskets

to an old well and drops them in by the handful.

He himself doesn't know

why he does this.

Something makes him do it.

No one ever saw him

until one day...

Toyoji.

Why are you gathering my leaves just to throw them down a well?

l raked them up,

but these are no good for the fire,

so l'm throwing them away.

This well is very deep. Be careful.

lf you fall in, you'll never get out.

The young master didn't give it a second thought,

and Toyoji forgot about the encounter as well.

Gathering leaves again?

Three years passed.

As the Bon festival approached in the summer of the third year,

the villagers finally began to wonder aloud

why Gisaburo the rickshaw driver never came home for the festival.

Shin! Back home for the festival?

Look how you've grown! Your mother must be happy to see you.

Thanks for all your work.

Thank you.

Sorry to leave early, but my kids are waiting.

Sure they're the only ones waiting?

Gisaburo must be doing well in Tokyo to stay so long.

He must be sending you a lot of money.

l haven't heard from him much less gotten any money.

As long as he's okay.

Bad news travels fast so l'm sure he's fine.

Seki...

Kurazo says he had a dream about Gisaburo.

Didn't you, Kurazo? - Yes.

lt was about 10 days ago.

l didn't want to worry you.

Just remember: It was only a dream.

He said he was uncomfortable

wearing the same work clothes for so long.

He asked me to bring him a fresh undershirt and loincloth.

But Kurazo didn't know where to take them,

so it's been bothering him ever since.

Kurazo...

you're tired from working so hard. That's what triggered that dream.

The young master is right.

lf he wanted an undershirt and loincloth,

he should have asked his wife.

But Seki doesn't dream. She has no time to even sleep!

lshichi, did you start that fire?

No, l did.

Shin!

You startled me. l didn't know you were back.

l told you not to play with fire.

l wondered where your brother picked up that bad habit.

l keep dreaming that Father is dead.

You said he'd be back that New Year's with lots of money.

You said not to worry.

He didn't come back for that New Year's, or the Bon festival,

or the next New Year's, or the next Bon.

What's that man thinking?

He just won't come home.

What if he really is dead?

ln my dreams he's always dead.

Seki...

Gisaburo, forgive me!

l beg you to rest in peace!

Wait! l'll go get some!

Oh, it's you. Why are you out at this hour?

Has Gisaburo finally come home?

Seki!

What are you doing here?

l must have thought l'd made it home.

There'll be trouble if anyone sees you.

Come on.

You have to spend the night at our house.

l'm afraid to be there alone.

That's impossible.

Didn't you say Shin was back?

What does it matter if she's there?

lf anyone finds out,

they'll say we killed Gisaburo to get him out of the way.

l can't be seen there.

You're not just tired of me?

Would l be worried if l didn't love you?

That's why we have to hide it.

For how long?

Why now, after three years,

are all these rumors and ghosts popping up out of nowhere?

Rumors quickly die out.

Just be patient.

l can't go on like this.

Seki, why don't you ask the young master's mother

to stay over at your place?

lt'll help you get through the night.

l come over to ease her loneliness

but her snoring is loud enough to scare off a ghost.

She's such a sound sleeper.

How could any man sleep through that?

l hope the ghost doesn't appear in the toilet.

Not that l'm afraid of ghosts...

Anyway, l never did anything to hurt Gisaburo.

Ghosts are nothing more than illusions.

Madam...

l am...

Gisaburo the rickshaw driver.

l beg your favor...

Gisaburo!

Seki, it was a ghost!

And l was dreaming about Father!

lt was a dream so l don't remember too clearly,

but Father had been killed and thrown down a well.

''Get me out!'' he cried.

Shin!

Toyoji.

Oh, it's you.

Since you won't stay with me, l want to spend the night here.

But Denzo's here.

We don't have to make love. l'm just afraid of the ghost.

What makes you think he won't appear here?

l don't know.

l just feel he wouldn't dare.

You hear that?

What?

Denzo!

Good day.

l'm Officer Hotta. Didn't you hear me?

You scared me!

Are you hard of hearing?

What was that?

l can't hear a thing.

Listen, l want to ask you a question.

Do you know where the rickshaw driver went?

One thing l do know for a fact:

We could use some rain.

What about the rickshaw driver?

Say that again, Officer.

l say...

People claim to have seen a ghost.

A-B-C-D-E-F-G!

How are you, Seki?

ls everyone okay?

As far as l know.

- What was your husband's name? - Gisaburo.

ls he here?

No, he's away working.

And where is he working?

Tokyo.

- Where in Tokyo? - l don't really know.

You should've asked him.

What sort of work does he do?

He's a rickshaw driver.

When will he be back?

Does he write now and then?

Then what do you say...

you show me those letters?

Actually, he doesn't send letters. He can't read or write.

Then how do you know he's in Tokyo?

Someone who went with him told me so.

And just who is this someone?

ls that your daughter?

Yes. She came for the Bon festival and now won't leave.

l might have to kick her out today.

- What's her name? - Shin.

Shin, have you heard anything about your father?

People say his ghost is haunting the village.

Whether you've heard from him or not...

if something odd happens, Iet me know.

Understand?

He hasn't been home in three years.

Doesn't that worry you?

No, l'm too afraid to sleep at home!

Seki, you have more to fear from that cop than from the ghost.

Be reasonable.

The ghost isn't threatening your life, is he?

But if that cop ever finds out, we're both dead.

You don't know what the ghost is like.

lt feels like he's sucking the life right out of me.

Gisaburo's ghost never appears to me.

l wonder why.

lf he tells anyone he's in the old well, we're finished.

Seki, you have to be strong.

lf we falter even a little

we're dead.

We can't see each other as long as that cop is around.

We have to be discreet.

Now you talk about discretion?

You didn't talk like that before.

Not when you told me l had to shave!

Don't cry.

Come on, stop crying.

Please don't leave me.

Don't abandon me.

l won't.

l'm telling you to be patient so we can be together forever.

But l can't!

Maybe you can take it, but l can't!

Denzo... charge!

Where'd you get the trumpet?

From the police officer?

Seki, go home and stay there.

We can't be seen together.

Don't be afraid of the ghost.

lf he shows up again, give him some shochu.

Everyone's talking about it, Seki.

They say you have a boyfriend.

ls this for him?

All this talk of a ghost must bother you, huh?

l wonder if he's jealous.

lf that ghost shows up here, l'll give him a piece of my mind:

''Rest in peace, for Seki's sake.''

You look pale.

Forgive me if l upset you.

Thank you.

Damn ghosts.

Going home now, Seki?

Get in. l'm going that way too.

That's all right. l'll walk.

Seki...

won't you get in?

Poor little Seki.

All right. l'll get in.

lsn't this the wrong road?

This isn't the right road!

l've forgotten the way home.

Seki, you'll have to guide me.

Go back where we started!

No, this isn't the road!

Stop!

l have no idea where we are.

Where are we?

Where have you brought me?

Wait!

There's no point if you don't know the way.

Gisaburo, have you really forgotten the way?

Gisaburo!

Gisaburo, help me!

Help me!

l'm afraid!

Help me!

Are you really Gisaburo?

Gisaburo Iet me see your face.

Mother, what happened?

Shin...

Mother!

Mother, l'm leaving now.

Don't leave me.

You told me to go.

Because all you talk about is your father.

l'm reminded of him whenever l'm here.

Mother, you know where he is, don't you?

Shin!

l won't tell anyone about my dream,

but l'll never come back here.

What are you saying?

Mother, take care.

Don't go out at night. It's not good to leave Ishichi alone.

Good-bye.

- Seki, helping with the harvest? - Yes.

Toyoji has nothing to do all day.

You'd think he could help you out a little.

lt's disgraceful.

She takes a lover then kills her husband.

Don't say such things.

lt's reckless to start rumors. What if you're wrong?

Don't tell me there isn't something fishy around here.

Don't jump to conclusions.

l'm not.

That bastard's been acting strange. Anyone can see that.

Well, l don't know.

He's constantly going off into the woods.

Yeah, l heard about that.

He rakes up lots of leaves

and then throws them into an old well.

l wonder why.

Have you seen him?

Have you ever seen him in the woods yourself?

Have you ever seen him at my house?

There's nothing between us, so enough of your gossip!

Thank you for your hard work.

Good day!

l didn't think he'd come here.

The young master saw me throwing leaves in the well.

What do we do?

l'll listen in. Wait for me at home.

What do we tell the police if they arrest us?

Just go. We can't be seen together.

Seki, are you in bed already?

l boiled some sweet potatoes for you.

That was kind of you. l'll open the door.

Don't bother. l'll leave them here.

Get that man to give you as much loving as possible.

Seki.

Gisaburo please forgive me.

l'm completely exhausted.

l can't go out for more shochu.

You want a sweet potato?

Gisaburo...

why haven't you told everyone about me yet?

Surely...

you saw the faces of those who strangled you.

Surely you saw my face.

Why don't you tell anyone?

Gisaburo.

Gisaburo, where are you going?

Take me with you.

Please take me with you!

Gisaburo!

Seki, it's me!

Seki?

Toyoji, is that you?

What's going on? Open the door.

Toyoji, go away.

l never want to see you again.

What are you talking about? The officer is still over there.

lf they tell him about the well -

l don't care anymore.

l hope they arrest me and put me to death.

That would be much better

than this endless poverty and hard work

and fear.

You never come to see me. l can't take it anymore.

Open the door!

Toyoji, get out of here,

or l'll tell the officer that l killed Gisaburo!

Why won't you open the door? What's going on in there?

What's gotten into you? Have you gone crazy?

Toyoji, go away!

lf l die our problems wiil be over.

lf l'm dead the police can't do anything,

and you can carry on with your life.

You can get out of here, go find work in Tokyo.

l want you to be happy.

Open this door!

Open up!

There's no point in us dying together.

No, l want us to live together!

We have to live together! Seki!

We can't so l want to die.

Toyoji, go away!

You can't be seen here!

No, l can't leave you!

Go!

lf you love me, then go!

No, l won't go!

l can't leave you!

l can't go, Seki!

l'm not afraid of you.

Go away!

Gisaburo.

Seki!

Seki!

Seki, forgive me!

Please forgive me, Seki!

Three days.

l wanted just three days together...

to live like we were husband and wife.

Hurry! We have to save them!

Are you all right?

Be careful in there!

- Is everyone okay? - Yes.

Well, if it isn't the young master.

What are you doing here? Why have you come to this well?

l'm out for a walk.

These are our woods. What brings you here?

Was it you who said they saw me throwing leaves into a well?

l never said such a thing.

But you were the only one who saw me.

These woods are pretty large,

and there are quite a few wells.

You probably don't even remember which well it was.

Did you tell the officer which well?

l did.

l don't believe you.

lf you knew which well it was,

you wouldn't be out here now looking for it.

You'll be executed you know.

Perhaps... but you'll die first!

Good evening.

Hurry up, Toyoji.

lt's been five days.

l'm sure you're dying to have her again.

Thanks for everything.

Don't mention it.

Good evening, ma'am.

ls the boy asleep?

He finally fell asleep a little while ago.

Ma'am...

care for a treat?

Why are you calling me ''ma'am'' all of a sudden?

Seki...

you said you wanted to be like husband and wife for three days.

l wasn't sure what to do.

Then l remembered how much fun we had

when l used to call you ''ma'am'' and bring over bean-jam buns.

We didn't care if anyone saw us.

Why don't we live like that for the next three days?

The officer has no right to stop us.

Ma'am, care for a treat?

l feel bad

with you constantly spoiling me like this.

lt's nothing.

Where did you buy them, Toyoji?

The store in the village.

They looked too good to resist.

Delicious!

l'll have some then.

You're always spoiling me.

Shall l make some tea?

Later. Let's eat first.

Toyoji's not sweet on you, is he?

Don't cry.

One mistake now and we lose everything.

That's just what l want: to see you lose everything.

Please, Toyoji, don't look at me like that.

What are you laughing about?

Just thinking about the past.

Toyoji, have the last one.

No, ma'am, you take it.

No, you take it.

l insist.

Seki, don't!

Who's there?

Who's there? - What is it?

l heard something.

l didn't. Sure you're not imagining things?

No, l have good ears.

lt can't be unless there are dogs out there.

They're in heat this time of year.

lt's the two of you who are in heat.

lt's just unbelievable.

There's no way the young master could have killed Gisaburo,

then hung himself out of shame.

You think maybe Gisaburo's still alive?

How should l know?

But didn't someone dream that he was thrown down a well

and was begging to be let out?

But who knows if that story's true?

We don't even know if he's dead or alive.

But why did the young master have to die?

Officer!

Why haven't you arrested Gisaburo's murderer yet?

People are saying my son took his own life because he was the killer.

l can't make an arrest without proof.

Everyone is talking about somebody throwing leaves down an old well.

But we don't know which well.

You should arrest him and force a confession out of him.

Madam, my condolences.

Madam, this is an age of civilization and enlightenment.

lf l torture an innocent man l'll lose my job.

- What are you implying? - ''What,'' you ask?

Officer...

you've got some nasty mosquito bites there.

You been prowling around girls' rooms at night?

Toyoji, l thought you'd like some cakes.

Those are funeral cakes.

Think the officer will come tonight?

Seki, l've decided

to confess to killing Gisaburo alone.

You knew nothing about i,t. As soon as l'm arrested

l'll confess to everything.

So you have to insist you're innocent to the end.

Toyoji, what are you saying?

l guess l'm just not afraid of anything anymore.

Toyoji, l don't know if l should be asking this...

but did you kill the young master?

You killed him so he couldn't give us away.

Don't tell me now that you're going to confess.

l killed him so we'd be safe

but now l don't care if l live or not.

Well, l do.

Seki, l want you to go on living.

What if they arrest us? Will they torture us?

A hundred strokes with the cane.

l saw that once in the next village.

They stripped a man naked, made him kneel on a straw mat

then whipped him 100 times with a bamboo cane.

Completely naked?

They don't just hit you. They rip your flesh off.

lt's not just any kind of pain.

lt's so bad you pass out.

Forget it. Don't think about it.

You had nothing to do with Gisaburo's death.

You didn't do anything.

Act as if nothing happened.

But his body

is still down in that well.

Gisaburo's gone.

His body's gone. You had nothing to do with it.

No, his body's still there!

What must it look like now?

lt's rotting away!

Why don't we get the body out...

and bury it somewhere?

We can't do that.

We have to.

Do we?

Gisaburo may be a ghost,

but he still loves you.

He doesn't want you to get caught.

l can't see!

l can't see!

l can't see!

Seki, what's wrong?

Toyoji, l'm blind!

- Can you see this? - No!

Can't you see my face?

l can't see!

Toyoji, hold me!

Seki...

are you really blind?

l'm not young anymore.

We promised never to talk about your age.

Toyoji, you have to get away

before the officer comes for you.

l told you l'm not afraid of anything.

Neither am l.

l killed Gisaburo all alone.

You had nothing to do with it. You have to escape.

Then let's escape together.

- No, l can't. - Why not?

l'd only be a burden.

That's all l've been all along.

Seki, wouldn't you be Ionely without me?

Do you have to ask?

Of course l would.

We'll always be together, as long as we live.

That's what l've wanted from the beginning.

You don't have to die with me.

Live a long life without me. - No!

Let's stop wasting time.

Kill me now.

l can't do that.

You said you weren't afraid of anything anymore.

Later...

after l fall asleep...

kill me in my sleep.

Toyoji, look at me.

l may no longer be beautiful,

but look at me and remember.

Toyoji, are you looking?

Seki...

even if you can't see, open your eyes.

You're so beautiful.

Toyoji, touch me.

Kill me, please!

Kill me in my sleep.

Please kill me!

You still say you didn't kill him?

l didn't!

l didn't kill him!

Kamii atsuda, on Mount Shibano -

that's where they were tortured.

They were hung from a branch

of the tallest oak tree.

Officer Hotta's own Iife

was riding on the outcome of the interrogation.

The bamboo rods whistled through the air,

landing with a crack on the swinging bodies.

Seki passed out countless times

and was revived with a bucket of cold water each time.

Her tangled hair clung to her face,

which was twisted into a frightful expression.

At last, crazed with pain,

the two confessed their crime.

l did it! l murdered him alone!

No, l killed him!

A chilly wind,

reminiscent of late autumn,

blew through the trees on Mount Hatcho.

Before the assembled villagers,

a corpse that was unmistakably Gisaburo's

was slowly pulled up from a well.

The people looked on

as Gisaburo the rickshaw driver,

whom they hadn't seen in threeyears,

appeared with what looked Iike hemp rope

still wrapped around his neck.

At that moment Toyoji looked down in silence,

but Seki screamed with all her might and began wailing.

Had her sightless eyes

somehow seen Gisaburo?

A few years later,

as the leaves on Mount Hatcho began to fall

and winter came to the small village,

the villagers heard a rumor, from nobody in particular,

that the man and woman they'd already begun to forget

had been sentenced to death and executed.