Original subtitles

Dancing Girl

Writers:

Yasunari Kawabata (novel)

Kaneto Shind� (writer)

S� Yamamura ... Motoo Yagi

Mieko Takamine... Namiko Yagi

Mariko Okada... Shinako Yagi

Akihiko Katayama... Takao Yagi

Hiroshi Nihon'yanagi... Takehara

Bontar� Miyake... Numata

Isao Kimura... Nozu Reiko Otani... Tomoko

Heihachiro Okawa... Koyama Sadako Sawamura... Mitsue

Produced by Hideo Koi

Original Music by Ichir� Sait�

Cinematography by Asakazu Nakai

Production Design by Satoshi Chuko

Director Mikio Naruse

Satake Ballet Company Performance les Sylphides

The Swan of Toulenera Imperial Theatre

Is there something wrong?

No.

What's wrong?

I'm afraid.

Afraid of what?

Afraid of being found out.

By whom?

By Yagi. By Takao.

You surprise me. Isn't your husband in Kyoto?

But Takao might be watching for us. That kid is his father's son.

He doesn't like ballet. He wouldn't be at the theatre.

So everything is just fine with you?

I don't think that we're doing anything that should make us afraid of people.

I thought that someone was watching us the whole time.

It sounds like you're getting hysterical.

Maybe. I shouldn't be seeing you.

This place has changed a lot, too, hasn't it?

During the war, Takao and Shinako used to come here to get grass and dirt.

When they came home, Yagi used to clean them off.

Yagi was like that back then.

Let's not talk about Yagi.

Shall we go to Ginza to get something to eat?

I said I'd meet Shinako at 6:00.

She's coming back from her performance in Sendai.

Wouldn't it be alright if I came along to meet Shinako?

I'll see you some other time.

It's difficult for me to be with you today.

Come in!

Is my mother here?

Yes, she's waiting upstairs.

Mother?

Welcome back.

Sorry I'm late.

How did it go?

It went over really well. Ballet is really something out in the country.

Did you dance well?

Yes, but I wanted you to see it.

Waiter Are you ready for your meal?

Yes, we are.

Is Father back yet?

Not yet.

I heard something unpleasant about father.

What was it?

During the war he put out an obscure book called

The Literature of the Yoshino Court.

Who told you that?

NM
zu-san.

Your NM
zu-san?

Yes. But even if he put out a book like that,

they treat him as if he was a collaborator.

Let's not talk about your father.

Ah, you came together!

When did Shinako get here?

She got back today.

Oh, she must be tired. Ballet is popular these days.

They must really like it when they see it for the first time.

But have you made up your mind, Mrs.? It's going to be the studio that you use,

so shall we take out those briars and put up a prefab building?

That would be too much for us.

Leave it all to me.

I'll make a two story concrete building and put in some big windows.

If we're going to put something up, we'll build it ourselves.

Be serious! By the way Miss,

did you know that Kayama-san is driving a bus in Ito in Izu?

Kayama-sensei's doing that?

Kayama-san was your teacher, right?

He went from a famous dancer to a bus driver pretty quickly!

We're eating. Would you mind waiting downstairs?

Sorry. I'll talk to you later.

Do you think what he said about Kayama-sensei is true?

Considering the source, I don't know how much stock you should put in the story.

Takao.

What is it?

I haven't seen you in quite a while. May I?

There's a seat over there.

That's - I see.

Your mother is on the second floor. Did you know that?

Wouldn't it be better to stay away from people like Numata?

He's someone whom I've known since I was a student.

He's helped me out, you know.

Mother!

Don't hang around with Numata. He's so irritating!

He's trying to stir things up in the family.

That's not something you should say out loud.

He has the hots for you.

Takao!

Father is coming home tomorrow. He sent me a letter.

Takao. Let's go home together.

I have a friend waiting downstairs.

Welcome back Father!

Well, hello there. I didn't think I'd meet you here.

But I came to greet you.

How did you know I was going to be here?

Well, you said in the letter that you'd be coming back on the train

with someone from the museum, so I thought you'd be here.

That's pretty smart. I have some business to attend to.

It won't take long. Would you like to come along?

We could get something to eat.

Wouldn't I be in the way?

No. I'm going to meet someone from a textbook publisher.

They want to use something I wrote for a Japanese textbook.

Keep your elbow up, but keep this shoulder down.

Father, Numata is really annoying.

Why? Because he hangs around mother.

Because he's her manager.

If he says something he shouldn't to mother or Shinako,

I'm going to challenge him to a duel.

A duel? That's pretty extreme.

The ruins of our family's old house are overgrown with weeds.

Mother and Shinako are thinking of putting a dance studio here, right?

Yeah, but not if they don't have the money.

By the way, when I was in Kyoto,

I saw a camera magazine with Shinako's portrait in it.

Takehara probably took that picture.

Takehara sees Mother a lot?

I don't know.

Come in!

Hello.

Hello.

What do you think? Will you let us use it?

It's a little embarrassing.

It'll get you a lot in return if you do let me use it.

My mother says that she can't make it today.

I think you were supposed to go the Kabuki with her.

Has something come up?

My father came back.

I see.

Welcome.

It's been a while. How are you?

Same as ever.

Takao, I haven't seen you in ages. Is your mother well?

Yes.

You should come to Kamakura. The beach is really popular.

I'd like to get there this summer.

Excuse me. Someone from the Kokuminsha is here.

Send him in, please.

Will you be going in the bath later?

I will, but after we're done talking.

Make yourself at home.

Mother was a friend of hers wasn't she?

Yes, I think they were very close.

Excuse me for barging in on you so soon after a long trip.

That's no problem.

I touched this up on the train back from Kyoto.

You may not find it suitable for a textbook, but here you go.

When can I get paid?

Soon.

Scholars don't live on air, you know.

We'll get it to you as soon as we can.

Come to think of it, would you send it to my school?

Huh? Oh, I understand.

You have to put more expression into it.

Ah, they're dancing.

Yes, I'll go tell her you're home.

Like this, see.

Mother! Father's here!

Oh?

Shinako, go say hello to your father.

Namiko, are you asleep?

Excuse me.

That kimono looks really good on you, Mother.

Is that right? I'll tell you about clothes.

Before the war, lacquer and colourful prints sold really well.

That's right. Those are luxury goods. If a woman wore a luxurious kimono during the war,

a woman exposed her asarakasa. It would have been the picture of vulgarity.

Father, you have a morning lecture, don't you?

Yes, but go on ahead.

I see.

Mother, it's 8:00.

We have a rehearsal in Tokyo today.

We know about your rehearsal. Go right ahead.

Mother.

You met Takehara, didn't you?

Yes, I did.

Is he doing well?

Yes, he is.

You seem to be meeting him often. Is there something going on?

I had to talk to him about selling the "Hana."

You have to talk with him about that?

He used to rent it out.

That's kind of a strange way to do things.

Why do you have to ask him for permission?

I'm not.

Ah, so you're not finished with him. Is that what it is?

I have to go.

Mother, it's funny but don't you think that

there was more peace in the house during the war.

Yes, I think so.

Back then, everyone got along,

and it wasn't like it is now with everyone going their separate ways.

Perhaps it's my fault.

We didn't worry about unnecessary things back then.

That's true. It was because our freedom was taken away from us.

If it hadn't been for the war,

you would be in England or France dancing at a ballet school.

Yes, that's right.

And I might have gone with you.

The war delayed my studies. If it hadn't been for the war,

even if I had kept studying with you, I might be teaching my own children now.

That's not true.

I'm not going to have a child until there's peace in the world.

You just confuse me when you make declarations like that out of the blue.

OK, I take it back. I'll put it this way: Until the world becomes a peaceful place,

I'll be dancing alone, waiting all by myself. How's that?

Sounds like something out of a religion called "dance".

Good morning.

Thank you. You're early.

Yes, yes. Just a moment.

Tomoko-san, the phone is for you.

OK. Excuse me.

Hello, hello, this is Tomoko.

Yes. Yes. Alright.

I'm sorry, but may I go out for a bit.

Yes, certainly.

Sorry about this.

Tomoko.

Yes?

Things are difficult for you, aren't they.

I'm certain about that. I can tell.

Yes, there is. I'll tell you later.

Pick a good time, but let's talk soon, OK?

Yes.

Good morning.

Nozu Good morning.

Hey, the performance in Tengeki looks like it's set.

Oh really?

Kayama-sensei is there.

Oh?

He's driving a bus.

Why? What happened?

He can't dance. He hurt his foot in the war.

You know, his right foot.

Your feet are your career.

What's happened? This was so sudden.

He was such a good teacher, but everyone's forgotten about him.

I wonder what goes through his mind when he's driving his bus.

When my father was a student he lived at my mother's house and they supported him.

He was a hard-working and honest scholar back then.

He was blessed in many ways.

Your mother was dancing ballet then, wasn't she?

It's a strange combination.

It sure is. Especially since my mother likes someone else.

Really?

My mother has been seeing someone since she was in her twenties.

But she had children with my father - me and my sister.

Good morning.

Good morning.

I'd like you to put another cheque in for me.

Certainly.

That must put the total around 500,000 yen.

I think that would be about right, but I'll check.

No, need to do that. Just deposit it for me.

I'll do it.

When Japan lost the war, it lost its spiritual beauty.

Yagi says that Freedom has been haunting Japan for quite some time.

Does the curse of that old ghost cause your troubles, too?

Yagi is really worried that the jobs and kimono will run out.

There isn't much left. I'm even going to sell the "Hana."

Namiko, let's make a clean break with the lies of our twenties.

How?

Leave.

Leave and do what?

Come live with me.

Why didn't you say that twenty years ago?

I thought a woman's happiness was in marriage, so I held back.

But it's still true that a woman's happiness is in marriage.

We've been seeing each other as friends for twenty years.

We can't live this lie any longer.

For Yagi's sake, for your children's sake, please. Leave him.

For twenty years I've lived for my daughter. I wanted her to be a ballerina.

That is my great, unfulfilled wish, but it's only been an excuse to live.

It didn't make me happy.

My wife left me with a child. I want you to be the mother of my child.

I don't want to hear that. You don't know what I'm going through now.

Stay in your position after your pirouette.

I'm home!

Welcome back.

Good evening, sensei.

Good to see you Tomoko.

came to see me. She seemed very lonely,

so I invited her to come see the ocean.

Oh. Did you eat?

Yes.

Then you should take a bath.

Alright, we'll practice more later. Take your positions now.

Take a fan.

You can hear the waves, can't you?

Tomoko, the time I've spent as your teacher will fade into the distant past.

Since I was a child, I think I've been too dependent on the love and good will of others.

I think I got too dependent on the goodness of your heart.

I think that I hurt your chances of being happy and finding someone to marry.

No, that's not true. It wasn't a sacrifice.

It was I who was dependent on you and Shinako. I didn't do anything.

There's something worrying you, isn't there Tomoko?

There's something I've been keeping a secret from you two.

What is it? Do you have some problem?

If there's something bothering you that you can't tell me about,

please talk to Shinako about it. I'll leave you two alone.

What's going on?

I'm drunk.

Oh.

Mother, Takehara is over there.

Just kidding, just kidding.

The kid is sick, and a child's life will never come back once it's gone.

Child? Whose child?

His child.

What about his wife?

She's not well and can't work.

Is that why you have to work as a stripper?

I can't understand how he could make you work for his child like that.

It's not for him. I want to do it.

People are going on and on about "freedom" these days,

but I think I should have the freedom to give up my freedom to someone else.

Tomoko?

Good morning.

I was wondering where you were.

told me. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything for you.

This is for you.

Sensei, I can't take that.

Ah, I hear Pertolucci.

I think Shinako is dancing.

It must be because I was talking about some really unpleasant things last night.

Sensei, I'm going to dance my last ballet.

What an irritating racket for so early in the morning!

Is Shinako dancing?

Yes, with Tomoko.

Did you know that while you're dancing to Pertolucci,

this is the anniversary of Nijinsky's death?

Yes, he died in a hospital in London last spring.

He went crazy and died.

You could say that he was a victim of the war. When he started to lose it,

he was talking about "Russia" and "War".

Well, Nijinsky was a pacifist, a follower of Tolstoy.

One day in his hospital in Switzerland

he told people he was going to dance a solo performance.

He put up a crucifix made out of black and white cloth.

He climbed up on it like Christ.

He wanted to tell people about war  the death, destruction, and emptiness of war.

Tomoko went home.

Without eating breakfast?

She gave this back to you.

"Paganini"

I haven't seen you in a while.

I saw Yagi the other day. I got a letter saying that the place on the hill was sold.

I was wondering what was up, so I tailed him.

He seems to be pretty worried about you. Ha ha.

He was looking for Takehara-san everywhere.

You didn't tell him yourself, did you?

Of course not! In fact, it was I who suggested to him buy it for your studio.

I don't want to build a new studio anymore.

In fact, I'm thinking of giving up my studio in Tokyo.

Why?

I don't think I'm going to continue working, that's why.

Mrs., don't make me worry like that.

If you're worried, remember that I'm behind you all the way.

You mustn't quit like that.

I don't think Yagi likes it when I dance.

Mrs, you need to do something about Yagi and his dreary ways.

Mrs., go it alone! You need time for yourself and to get your enthusiasm back.

It's about time you got a divorce.

Get a divorce! That would be better. Just do it!

You are really rude, aren't you? You're making me angry.

It was three days ago. I saw you walking along side him in the Ginza.

That was in daylight.

If you continue to do things like that, I'll stop talking to you.

It's just a joke. Look, I've always wanted you.

You know that. Am I bothering you? Well, if I am, there's nothing I can do about it.

It's just my rengai for you. You know, Mrs. I'm not trying to get you directly,

but I am trying to get you. You are my ultimate goal.

I was waiting for you to fall in love with someone, and then when that fell apart,

I was going to snap you up. My heart has been broken already,

so it doesn t make any difference to me if you ve loved someone else.

Ah, miss, over here.

I came with Nozu-san.

How do you do. Thanks for taking care of Shinako for me.

Don't worry about that.

What happened?

Mother, Kayama-sensei was here!

Kayama-sensei?

He just left.

What would he be doing here after giving up dancing?

Mother, I want to meet him.

Don't you think it would be better not to meet him?

I just want to see him.

You should go to Tokyo Station now. You might be able to catch him.

Come with me.

But-

Please!

Go to see him in Ito.

He's important for you.

Do you have money?

Yes, I have some.

Good. When you see him, give him my regards.

Yes.

You're going to get me into trouble

What have you been doing these days?

It's incredibly hard to be with you, but at the same time,

I'm so lonely without you. I'm terrible.

It's too late.

Too late for what? Why?

No, let me go. It's late.

Let's go home.

I've always considered you very important.

I'm in your heart. I still do.

Well, good night.

What are you doing here? It's a holiday.

What's wrong with you? You look sick, you know.

I went to see Kayama-sensei.

Did you see him?

No, he wasn't there. He really was a bus driver.

It looks like he got sick and quit about a week ago.

And what is he doing now?

I don't know. If he's sick, where could he have gone?

You look sick too. You should go home and get some rest. I'll take you.

I'm not going to go home, I'm going to see my mother.

Well, I'll take you there. Pull yourself together. Let's go.

No one's here.

Woman Come in.

Where's my mother?

She just stepped out.

Is she going home?

She did say that she'd be going home, yes.

This is a nice studio. It has your mother's mark on it.

When did I last see her dance?

Hmm...It must have been just as the Pacific War was starting.

That's right. When the war got worse, she stopped dancing in public.

She was dancing with Kayama-sensei.

Your mother's dancing was beautiful!

You've danced with Kayama-san, too haven't you.

Yes, many times. He took me to many ballet performances.

You can't forget Kayama-sensei, can you?

No, I can't forget him.

That's what I thought. I knew that very well.

But he doesn't live in our world. Right?

That's not true!

Are you saying that when you're dancing with me

it's like dancing with Kayama-san?

That's crazy.

Hey, should I wait for you?

Wait? That's...

Perhaps I shouldn't have mentioned it here and now.

I'm not thinking about getting married now.

You didn't like the way I said it?

No, that's not it. It's just that when I see my mother and father,

I feel nervous about marriage.

Can't you help your mother?

My mother's problems go beyond the problems in our family.

I'm my mother's unfulfilled dream.

I'll taking care of your dancing.

But marriage is frightening to me.

I have the feeling that I'll end up like my mother.

Oh! Shinako, when did you get here?

Hello there, NM
zu-san. Did you see Kayama-sensei?

No. He got sick and went somewhere.

I met Tomoko.

Tomoko? How is she? What's she doing?

She's stripping in Asakusa.

She's strong!

She has confidence in the way she lives.

She's going straight ahead with what she wants to do.

That s what she says. I couldn t say anything to her.

Sensei, it's time to eat.

Where's Takao?

I'll get him.

Here you are, dear.

It's been a while since all four of us sat down to eat dinner together.

You know, the next time there's something to celebrate, I have a plan.

I'll get myself some good medicine and I was thinking

about getting Takao a charcoal grill for trips to the mountains,

and Shinako a steel handrail.

What about me?

Oh, yes. Looks like I forgot about someone.

How about a mirror to go with Shinako's handrail?

But maybe you need a handrail, too. You probably don't need a mirror.

must have one.

Why do you say such things in front of the children?

You say they're children, but it's been twenty years since Shinako was born.

We four have known each other for a long time.

I'd like to think that we'd all take care of each other.

If you'd just take care of Mother, everyone would be taking care of each other.

I thought you'd say that, Shinako,

but there are some things you don't understand.

You probably think that Mother has sacrificed for me. But it's not like that.

A couple who has been married for a long time usually doesn't make

little sacrifices for each other here and there throughout their marriage.

Usually they both collapse.

Isn't there anything left after she collapses?

But when a woman says that she's going to collapse,

she usually ends up pushing the man over.

That's why I'd like to leave another way out.

I don't think Mother has collapsed.

Is that right? She must be staggering or having an affair.

No, she's not. And if she were, why don't you help her?

Mother has been holding up the household all by herself all this time.

You've just kicked stuff down on her and looked on, without helping her at all.

It's perfectly understandable why she would be straying off the

straight and narrow after these twenty years.

You don't know the whole story.

Since Mother has been living with me, she's been living with Takehara in spirit.

Dear, are you so sure about that?

That's because you're so cold to her.

She has no choice but to look for love somewhere else.

Father, there's something I want to ask you.

Yes?

I've found out that you have a bank

account that you keep secret from Mother.

You have someone at the university keep the passbook at school.

What's all that about?

Dear, is what Takao says true?

Yes, it is.

That's terrible. And we've been selling our kimonos

and gnashing our teeth this whole time.

I'm all alone here. I'm all by myself.

I've put up with you saying things like that all this time, but...

But what? What are you going to do?

Are you going to tell me you're going to live at Takehara's?

If I could have done that,

I wouldn't have been trying to be your wife in spirit as well as fact.

'Wife in spirit', eh. Well, up to today we were a married couple.

You leave me no choice.

The reason I'm here is because Shinako and Takao are here.

Up today I've been living for them.

You've been possessed by Takehara.

If you had married him twenty years ago, you'd be genbetsu.

Shinako, Takao I want you to listen.

Up to now, you've had things pretty good by selling the things we've had.

Mother did what she wanted and did her ballet. Shinako, you danced, too.

Takao, you've never had to worry about anything.

You say that Mother lived for you.

Well, you re the children of an extravagant mother.

But all this time I have been living a spiritually impoverished life, a miserable life.

You three have brought up a miserable father.

Don't say that. I can't respect you if you say that.

No one respects anyone else here. We're not a family, just four people.

You say such mean things, Father.

You don't have the slightest idea of how much Mother has tried to love you, do you?

Mother, you must hate me because you think I was watching you for Father.

But really, all I wanted was for you and Father to get along.

What father says is true: everyone in this family lives their own life.

The ship is sinking and all of us are just trying to save ourselves.

Takao, your father is a pitiful person.

I know.

Take care of him.

Mother...

Shinako, take care of your father.

You can live even if your parents don't love each other.

There you go.

Thanks. This looks good on me.

You think?

I look completely different from yesterday.

But don't you think this is hard on Takao and Shinako?

I have to think about them later.

Why don't you come to rehearsals? The performance is coming up, you know.

I think I'm going to quit dancing.

Why?

This place might close, too.

Really?

I just came from your place. I found Kayama-sensei.

Where is he?

He's in Okutama. It looks like he's pretty sick.

He might not know who you are.

Brother, brother.

Sensei.

It's me, Shinako. Do you remember who I am?

Shinako, dance. Dance!

As long as you have legs, dance

Ballerinas dance until they die.

Can you hear that?

It's a festival. A gypsy dance.

People with legs should dance.

Ballerinas...ballerinas dance.

Sensei!

Brother!

He said that ballerinas should dance until they die.

He said that they should dance as long as they have legs.

I'm going to dance. I'm not going to let myself be defeated like my mother.

After hearing Kayama-sensei, I know what I need to do.

It's been a long time.

I lived alone with Yagi.

I danced alone.

I pursued you all by myself.

Now, I just want to be alone in the dark. I want to do things on my own.

You know, I was thinking that I wanted to see

you not as an old friend, but as someone new.

I don't like that.

If you were to pass me by now, you wouldn't even notice me.

Do you think so?

I'm going to go to Kansai soon. Will you come with me?

We can decide our fates on that trip.

Shinako has a performance. I want to see that. After that.

That's fine. I'll go see it, too.

Father, I brought you some iced tea.

Thank you. What's Takao doing?

He isn't home yet.

Yesterday I said some things I shouldn't have to your mother, didn't I.

It wasn't nice of me to say such terrible things.

As your mother says,

it might be true that your mother's unhappiness is a result of my behaviour.

Why didn't you tell Mother that?

I didn't think of it. I'm a cowardly, despicable person.

For twenty years all I thought about was how to avoid being despised by your mother.

And then one day, all of a sudden, a thick barrier had grown around her heart.

Forgive Mother.

I'm the one that has to be forgiven. What are you going to do, Shinako?

Are you going to go live with your Mother?

If she's going to live with Takehara, I'll stay with you.

I'd feel sorry for you.

The people who are really burned in all this are you and Takao.

So you've made up your mind? You should leave that house.

That would be the thing for you to do. He doesn't deserve to be with you.

I don't want you to insult him.

Oh my, aren't we complex? Ok, I won't insult him.

So are you going to build that studio?

I'm not going to see you again.

You're terrible! This is really too much.

It's late. Please go home.

Mrs., listen.

waited twenty years. So did I.

What are you doing?

I'm going to call someone.

Mrs.!

Let me go. Let me go. Takao!

What are you doing hitting me? !

Takao!

What? ! Let me go.

Mother, Father says he's going to America.

to America?

He tells me I should go to Hawaii.

He says that we should split up and think of each other.

We used to think of each other and help each other out.

He probably wants to hold on to his memories of that time.

Mother, is it possible for a broken home to be mended?

Won't you come home, Mother?

M
izumi Ballet Company Swan Lake

Girl Someone named Takehara asked me to give this to you.

"I'll be waiting for you at Tokyo station."

Mother-

Ah, so you came.

Yes. I was at Father's place this morning and he said I should go.

seems much different when she's on stage.

She seems much more grown up.

Yes, she does. She's much better than before.

Father has a cold.

Since when?

He's already taken two days off of school.

Mother asked me to give this to you.

Please forgive her.

If she's happy, that's good enough for me.

The End

translated by: Guy YASKO