All language subtitles for A Promise (1986) -- Yoshishige Yoshida.engl.

TOHO-TOWA presents

THE HUMAN PROMISE

A coproduction of

SEIBU SAISON GROUP,
TV ASAHI and KINEMA TOKYO

Production assistance by :

Shigeyuki TANISHIMA

Yasuyo SAITO

Matsuo TAKAHASHI

A project by Matsuo TAKAHASHI

Producers :

Motokiyo FUJIMOTO

Isshin YAMAGUCHI

Chôkichi NAKAMICHI

From an original work by :
Shûichi SAE

Screenplay :

Kijû YOSHIDA

Fukiko YAMAUCHI

Cinematography : Yoshihiro YAMAZAKI

Light : Shosaku KATÔ

Set design : Yoshie KIKUKAWA

Sound : Toshio NAKANO
Editing : Akira SUZUKI

Assistant director:
Ikuo MARU

Director of production :
Kazuhiko FURUYA

Music : Haruomi HOSONO

With : Rentarô MIKUNI

Chôichirô KAWARASAKI

Orie SATÔ

Sachiko MURASE

Mieko YUKI

Chôei TAKAHASHI

A film by Kijû YOSHIDA

Tama 7, here.

We're on the scene.

Over.

Tama 7 has arrived, copy.

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

the home of Mr. Yoshio Morimoto.

Copy.

Some trauma
may be seen in her face.

Has she been smothered?

Her face is peaceful.

Take a photograph.

Approximate time of death?

7 or 8 hours ago, I would guess.

Rigor mortis has set in.

Her eyes? Are they normal?

No. The cornea is somewhat dilated.

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

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

Were you the one who
called the Police?

No. I believe that
it was the young man.

I was called
because I've often examined her.

I found her death suspicious,

so I asked the family
to notify the police.

We'll discuss it later.

Yoshikawa,
go get some tweezers.

A handkerchief.

A hair follicle?

It needs to be identified.

I'll take care of it.

What is it?

The tatami mat is damp.

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

No, I did not find any.

Really? Thanks.

You were the first to find her?

Father.

The police wish to speak to you.

- What?
- The police.

The police?

It's sad.

Since seeing his wife's body,

he's been even more delusional.

Has he?

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

Mr. Morimoto,

around what time did you
discover that she had died?

Father,

around what time did you
notice something was wrong?

Around seven, I think.

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

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

Old folks get up early.

Well... you told me
that you went jogging

a little before seven.
Isn't that right?

Everything seemed normal
over at your parents' place?

Do you look in
on them every morning?

Generally, yes.

You weren't woken up that night?

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

Was I weeping?

No. I didn't weep at all.

Yes, yes. He was weeping.

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

Does he suffer dementia?

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

It was you!

You killed my wife!

What are you saying?

I know exactly what I'm saying.

Don't say such awful things, dad!

She was the one who
wanted to inform the police.

Yes.

I said that it would
be best to inform them.

It wasn't last night that she died.

It was this morning. Just now.

I saw her die.

I'm sorry.

Someone take away the body.

I'm sorry, miss.

We are going to do an autopsy.

When the results are determined,

I will contact you.

I understand.

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

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

Did you kill your wife?

Are you sure?

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

He's peeing his pants.

God damn...

Bring me a mop and a gown.

A gown?

Get to it. Get something. Hurry up!

I did it to her.

I killed her.

It's okay. Take a moment.

Hand me a towel.

I'll wipe you off.

- I killed her.
- Yes.

I understand.

It was me, I killed her.

An arrest warrant has
been issued for Mr. Morimoto.

Presumed homicide.

He has been placed under arrest.
You may go.

Just a moment. Miss?

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

He has had an accident.

He's been changed.

I am so ashamed.

The autopsy has been completed.

The body will be returned to you.

Thank you, officers.

What have you brought that for?

It was her mirror.

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

Big brother.

What brings you here?

I'm sorry.

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

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

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

Please make the preparations.

Where is your wife?

With the police.

Is she being questioned?

No.
She's taking clothes for dad.

Dad!

How could he do this awful thing?

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

No thank you.
I can't stand it.

Takao!

You must say goodbye to her.

I told you, I can't.

You're not sad to have
lost your grandmother?

You're relieved, right?
All of you.

Damn you!

Yoshio.

Excuse me for having
come in without knocking.

My wife has gone to see you.

Oh yeah?
So we have a mix up?

What can I do for you?

Please...

I've come on behalf of your father.

Tell me.

Did he go on a western
pilgrimage with his wife?

- My wife would know.
- Good.

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

He wants them to be
placed in her coffin.

I'll talk to my wife about it.

Please do.

Now... sir...

when you discovered
your mother's body,

was her hair or her face damp?

No.

Did you notice any
moisture around her mouth?

I didn't notice anything.
Why these questions?

Because the tatami mat was damp.

As I told you at
the police station,

water from her bedside
basin may have spilled over.

Yes, you mentioned that.

But your father still
maintains that he smothered her.

Since we have found
water in her stomach,

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

in the basin.

Why should he claim
to have smothered her?

Because he's senile?

May I see that basin?

Over here.

It's an antique!

My mother brought it
with her from her village.

I see.

What's all this?

These are objects
that mother often used.

Father has asked me
to place them in the coffin.

Oh yes, and also
the robe and walking stick

which she used
during the pilgrimage.

It's strange.

They never went on pilgrimage
or any other trip together.

Has he become that senile?

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

Then stop talking.

Yes?
Mégalo Corporation Public Relations.

One moment, please.

Yes. It's me.

You were called?
By the police?

What was she doing down there?

I don't know either.

I was worried because
she hasn't come back.

I was just called.

I'm going to go get her.

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

I'll come with you?

That's not necessary.

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

Why would she choose...

a park so far away
to go for her walk?

I don't understand it at all.

She's always worrying us!

When did you come back to work?

Two months ago.

You should be ready
to get back to work.

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

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

It's dad. Go get it.

Alright. I'll go.

Where is mom?

When the police found her,

she was looking
at the pond in the park.

She said that
she had gone to Ônuma.

To Ônuma?

Does it mean anything to you?

Where is she?

She's home.

Where did you go, mom?

Today?

Today,
I went home, to Ônuma.

Did you take
a train to go there?

Of course.

To get to Ônuma,

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

It takes more than
three hours to get there.

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

Ônuma is a beautiful, vast marshland.

There as so many little boats
for gathering seaweed there.

When we were young,

they would hire us
to gather seaweed.

Seaweedfloating sweetly

in the water.

She never stops muttering this nonsense.

The marshes of Ônuma have been
filled in for development.

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

Something smells terrible.
What is that smell?

Mother!

She's wet herself!

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

Go find her another kimono.

And you.
Draw a bath, please.

Are you still eating?

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

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

Come one. Stop eating now.

Get yourself into the bath.

Mother!

Get yourself into the bath
and clean yourself up.

- No...
- Yes!

No. I don't want to!

Mother!

No!

I don't want to!

Don't shut me in there!

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

Demon!

Ritsuko, you are a demon!

This has been quite
a prolonged visit.

Why did he want
to hospitalize her?

He said that it was
becoming too hard for me.

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

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

I've gone ahead and
put your mother here.

But nonetheless,
this should be my duty.

I assure you that
I will ask you for nothing.

Dad...

As for the hospital fees,

I will work all of that out.

Don't you worry about that.

I'll just have to sell my land.

It's the last of your land.

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

But he wound up
working in the kitchen.

I can pay the hospital
expenses for mom.

But you've bought
your house on a mortgage.

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

Aren't you hungry?

My mind's a blank.

Stop worrying about mom.

You can say that because
she is your mother.

I beg your pardon?

Ever since my parents
came to live with us,

our family has been falling apart.

All that's nothing

next to your infidelities.

What has happened to you?

Will you try to take
me seriously?

Since mom became senile,

our sex life has been pitiful.

That's your excuse for your affairs?

You overestimate me.

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

What do you say?
Should be go back?

Will you stop this?

Yes.

Are you still hurting?

Tonight,

I'll spend
the whole night by your side.

You needn't worry about anything.

Let me die.

Let me die!

Let me die now,
I am begging you!

"Let me die!"

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

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

Good evening!

"This is a mirror.

"It is yourself who you see."

"I am saying goodbye to you.

"Excuse my poor handwriting,
as usual.

"Be brave.

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

"I am dying with courage
and resolution."

This is the testament
that my older brother

wrote the day he
committed suicide.

Dad can't be allowed to copy

the testament of his own son.

Well, what does it mean?

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

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

Have you called Ônuma?

There it is, it's nearly ready.

Morimoto Family

Praised be the name of Buddha...

What are you doing there?

It's Mr. Ryôsaku Morimoto, isn't it?

Have you lost your mind?

What are you doing at
your ancestral grave?

Bury me.

Bury me here.

You won't cooperate?

Quit that! Stop!
Fool!

Fool!

Yoshio!

Yoshio!

Noriko says that your father...

Has she found him?

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

A pit before the grave?

So he really does want to die.

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

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

No.

I have come about a private matter.

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

Since I left for New York.

You have had many
opportunities to get away.

Opportunities, I'm telling you.

At 50, a man must face his limits.

I have been transferred
to public relations

because I have no future.

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

I need you.

Hold me.

No. There's nobody.

She's in the ressucitation unit.

Is that where it hurts?

No. Not there.

Lower. In my kidneys.

There's a painful burning

in my kidneys!

There are some sores.

I am going to take you in my arms.

You're strangely light now.

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

With that money

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

we should be able
to make do until the end.

But you, you're
afraid of becoming senile.

I am, too.

I'm beginning to lose my wits.

The other day, I went to Ônuma

and before the ancestral grave,

I dug a pit.

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

It must be the beginning of senility.

What...?

You've fallen asleep?

Like you used to say,

we should make
the western pilgrimage

before becoming senile.

What?
Have you forgotten already?

Ritsuko!

Didn't you hear me?

Good evening.

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

What was your boss's par?

He won, as usual.

He called for you just now.

According to him,
there wasn't any tournament.

Where were you?

In a secret hideaway?

Not at all.

Well, tell me where you were.

You can't?

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

"So I've given up golf

"and now I go jogging
every morning."

So, when you told me
about playing golf today,

that seemed a bit odd to me.

You went to see a woman?

Your old mistress?

You believe that
I have had a mistress?

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

But today, no...

I won't stand for it any longer.

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

It's all so convenient!

You are a liar!

Open your mouth.

What have we here?

During the night,

she died...

she did.

Your room-mate has died?

It's true.

Poor woman.

I...

I want to.

Ten yen.

Ten yen!

She wants a ten yen coin.

Give it to her.

Otherwise,
she'll never let up.

Ten yen!

Who is it?

Busy.

The telephone never works.

Who are you calling, mam?

Since her family
never comes to visit her,

she calls them
all the time like this.

We should bring her back home.

I will look after her.

Let's go back to the hospital.

That's not your land, grand-father!

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

Next summer,

I will bring my wife
cucumbers and tomatoes.

You expect to be live
to see next summer?

Still pouring over the water mirror?

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

What do you see there?

Seaweed...

Seaweed!

There's no seaweed.

That's only the reflection
of your hair.

Seaweed, seaweed.

Alright. Yes... seaweed.

Seaweed that we gathered in Ônuma.

Take your bath
before it gets cold.

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

You've always loved it.

I can't take it, today.

Why?

It's started.

You should know.

The thing

that women get.

You know.

I'm bleeding.

Look.

Sorry. ...sorry.

Mother!

That's enough!

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

I'm ashamed. I won't!

Mother!

Father, it's horrible!

Mother is in the bath...

Tatsu!

Come one, come back!

Forgive me, mother.

Let me die.

Let me die now!

Forgive me.

I left her in the bath.

I...

I lost my head.

I've never wanted her to die.

Never.

When the time comes to
send her to paradise,

It's I who should do it.

I won't let anyone else do that!

Isn't that what you want?

Mom is in bed.

Not feeling well?

She had a fight
with grandpa or grandma.

You've had an argument?

Sorry.

Tell me about it.
With dad? Or mom?

It was my fault.

I was going...

I was going...

I was going to kill your mother.

Kill?

In the bath,

I was watching her drown and

I did nothing...

to save her.

Forgive me.

I understand.

Say no more.

You were exhausted.

Me...

committing murder!

You've reached your limit
and so have I.

It's bad for the children.

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

I'm going to talk to dad about it.

He'll understand.

Dad.

Are you awake dad?

You've opened the gas valve?

It's fine for you to die.

But all of us?

If there had been an explosion,

Ritsuko, Takao and Naoko
would have been the victims.

This is my house.

I will not let you
do as you please!

Listen to me.

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

Understand?

No. I won't let her go.

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

Give a little thought
to Ritsuko's situation.

You know very well
that she is depressed.

Quick, close the door.

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

So close.

No!

Why not, mother?

You've always like bathing yourself.

Demon!

You are a demon!

Mother!

Yoshio!

Darling! Darling!

What is going on here?

Your mother would prefer
that you give her her bath.

She's refusing my help.

Mom, you must not give
Ritsuko a hard time.

I'm going to bathe you.

Ritsuko!
Come and help for a minute.

She's done.

Pass me some tissues and a towel.

Ah, no! Not you, demon!
Demon!

Yoshio! Yoshio!

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

Don't do it for me.

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

It's only,

I want you to understand.

I don't hate her.

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

that's what terrified me.

Because I will also, some day...

Say no more.

Here we are,

your mother's soup is ready.

Go make her eat it.

What are Gen'ichiro
and Ryoji doing?

Make them come here at once!

That's not possible!

They died in the war.

No. They were here, both of them.

Just now.

You've had a dream.

A dream?

Yes. You've had a dream.

I have cramps gnawing
at me, everywhere.

I have cramps in my legs.

Make them go away... quick.

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

What do you want me to do?

I have pain in my kidneys.

Take me in your arms.

Let me die.

Let me die now!

- Mom!
- What is it?

It's Grandpa...

Grandpa?

He's rummaging through the trash.

Father!
What are you doing with all of that?

Stop it. It's garbage.

There's useful stuff here.

People shouldn't throw
everything away like this.

Father!

Yoshio!

You have to come and stop father!

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

Leave him be.

- But really!
- Dad's like that.

Takao! Come here, quick!

Hurry up!

- What?
- Grandpa's making a mess.

Bring him back in. Hurry.

No.

He's completely senile, now.

I'm afraid he'll hurt himself.

Leave him alone.

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

- Tu dérailles !
- Leave him alone.

Takao!

I'll tell you what I think.

Deep down, you and dad,

you're eager to be rid of them.

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

Maybe so.

But they're my folks all the same.

And your grandfolks.
Show a little respect.

Well I'm right, aren't I?

A geezer isn't a man any more.

He's an animal.

They no longer belong to the family.

It's a social question.

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

and society pays the price.

It's too much for an individual.

What was that for?

There are some things
that must never be said.

Don't you forget it!

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

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

Yes. You have.

You are a woman.
You like to be beautiful.

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

Now. You're very beautiful.

I came

from Ônuma

A gatherer of seaweed

So like the seaweed,

Floating,

My heart

is breaking...

Father, I need you.

Help me wash her.

She doesn't like me doing it.

She really must be bathed

or her sores will get worse.

I want to go back.

I want to go back!

Go back?

You want to go back where?

Our home.

The water... Water...

Water...

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

Fool!

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

It isn't our village any more.

You know very well why, too.

Go and live with Yoshio in Tokyo,

That was your idea.

It hurts!
I can't bear it!

Hold on. Hold on.

I'll massage you.

Okay?

Does that feel better?

What a joke!

You wanted to make yourself
beautiful with lipstick before dying?

It's so easy for me to understand you.

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

Just a while ago, I pissed my pants.

I can't control myself.

You know, man isn't his own master.

But don't trouble yourself.

I still have enough strength
to send you to paradise.

I came

from Ônuma,

A gatherer of seaweed.

I have a weakness

For the captain

Of my boat,

While the flowers

bloom

All's well

That ends well

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

Can I come over?

No. It's nothing.

Thanks.

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

Having problems at the office?

No. None.

Family troubles?

Whenever you have troubles,

you come to my place.

Would you draw the curtain?

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

What is it?

What are you looking at?

Your breasts and your nipples.

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

You are beautiful.

Then make love to me.

What do you want?

I've got to go.

I understand,

you've come to say goodbye to me.

Reassure yourself.

You don't have the courage
to tell me.

So now,
I can tell everyone

that Morimoto

doesn't know what to do with women.

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

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

Tatsu.

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

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

and send you to paradise.

Once you get there,

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

One...

two...

three...

four...

five...

six...

seven...

eight...

nine...

ten...

eleven...

Damn.

I can't do it.

Let's go.

Thank you for coming.

The accused won't be long.

I am truly grateful.

There will always remain
unresolved questions in the case

since your father is senile.

I'll wait here.

Sit down. Please.

Has father said something since?

No. His deposition
remains the same.

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

According to the autopsy,

her death was due
to an ingestion of water.

From that basin, perhaps.

Basin?

You're talking about
the bedside basin?

That's right.

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

But her husband still
says that he killed her.

This is my father's notebook.

It's sort of like his journal.

May I read it?

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

I wasn't aware that he kept one.

Father!

Thank you.

Father. How are you?

Is everything going okay?

I've brought you
a change of clothes.

Dad.

Mom's funeral went well..

Detective,

may we be left alone,
my father and myself?

If you like...

May I hold on to this?

Would you leave us together alone?

Got a light?

Should we listen
to them from from the next room?

No. That's not necessary.

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

He's someone respected
in society,

but you believe it's him?

They say that
the devil breathes where he will.

Isn't that right?

Nice to meet you.

Don't you recognize me?

It's me. Yoshio.

I'm your son... Yoshio.

Listen.
Listen carefully to me.

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

She was drowned in water.

Water?

Yes. Water.

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

It was me.

It was me who plunged her head
into the basin.

It was me who held her head
under the water.

And you. Dad, you saw it all.

Someone's here.

Someone's here!

Someone's come to find me.

There. Look.

Chief!

It's Morimoto's notebook.

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

It's related to his testimony.
Read it.

Did he premeditate his crime?

Where is the part
pertaining to his testimony?

It's...

just here.

"Someone came.
She died...

"And so, she died."

"Someone"?

Who's that, "someone"?

That would be he himself.

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

Evidently.

"And so, she died".

So he was premeditating
killing her himself?

No.

"Someone" could have been...

Who?

His son Yoshio, I think.

Do you have any evidence?

No.

But first thing tomorrow,
I intend to question him.

Euthanasia would be
an extenuating circumstance.

But it is still parricide.

He would face the death penalty.

But for solicited murder,

extenuating circumstances
are recognized.

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

The law is nothing else
than a human promise.

Then that would be...

"someone"?

What do you mean?
There is someone else?

There is neither
a father nor children.

It's a cure-all.

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

Mister Morimoto,

your father said something?

No.

Good...

Thank you for having come.

In fact. Mr. Morimoto...

I will be visiting you tomorrow.

I wish to ask you some questions...

about "someone."

There are worms crawling everywhere.

I come

from Ônuma

A gatherer

of seaweed

Like the seaweed

Floating

My heart begins

to tremble

My darling...

subtitle translation: depositio