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A KINDAI EIGA KYOKAI - NIHON EIGA SHINSHA COPRODUCTION

BLACK CAT

Produced by NOBUYO HORIBA, SETSUO NOTO and KAZUO KUWAHARA

Screenplay by KANETO SHINDO

Cinematography by KIYOMI KURODA Music by HIKARU HAYASHI

Production Design by TAKASHI MARUMO and NORIMICHI IKAWA

Edited by HISAO ENOKI

Starring

KICHIEMON NAKAMURA

NOBUKO OTOWA

KEI SATO, ROKKO TOURA

KIWAKO TAICHI

TAIJI TONOYAMA, HIDEO KANZE

HIDEAKI ESUMI SHOJI OKI, KENTARO KAJI

Directed by KANETO SHINDO

RAJOMON GATE

Who are you?

You must be a ghost to be wandering alone so late at night.

No, I am no such thing.

I was at Lord Fujiwara's mansion on some business,

but I'm afraid of that grove ahead.

My legs are trembling.

The capital is indeed pandemonium these days,

filled at night with bandits and thieves.

Please help me.

Will you see me to the far side of the grove?

And what if I'm a bandit myself?

Such a fine samurai could not be a bandit.

I assumed you were one of the renowned vassals

of the illustrious warrior Raiko.

Please help me.

Very well. It's out of my way,

but I'm already late, so the delay won't matter.

Thank you.

Woman.

You walk so quickly.

It is a familiar road.

Was that a cat?

Is …

anything wrong?

There you are. I wondered where you'd gone.

I heard a cat cry.

A cat's nothing to be afraid of.

My heart started pounding.

Even cats are starving these days.

Flocks of black crows along the bed of the Kamo River

peck at the corpses of those who've starved.

Thank you.

You live in a very secluded spot. It seems very peaceful.

We have nothing to offer you,

but you're welcome to come in for a while.

Well, let me see …

There's nobody here but Mother and I.

Perhaps I'll accept your kind offer.

Please do.

This way, please.

Quite a splendid residence.

Far better than my own.

It's like the home of a court noble.

Is anything wrong?

I felt a slight chill.

We only use this room when we have guests.

It must feel cold from being so empty.

I think your being here

will soon fill the room with warmth.

Strange things happen in a war-torn land.

Hail fell this summer.

Then it suddenly grew so hot that birds fell from the sky.

Allow me to present my mother.

Thank you for being so kind to my daughter.

Not at all.

I enjoyed the night breeze along the way.

I feel like I've met you two somewhere before.

What an amusing thought.

Isn't it, Mother?

I'm certain I have. I just can't recall where.

Serve our guest some sake.

Wasn't that a cat?

It must be a stray.

Please have some more.

Excuse me …

but may I ask your age?

What?

I also have a son.

You look to be almost the same age.

I am 22.

My husband is 21.

Where is your son? Serving at court?

He went off to war.

Off to war?

Yes, three years ago. He has not returned.

Under whom is he serving?

We do not know.

He left just as we finished planting a spring crop.

You? Planting?

Yes.

In this age of war, we must sow crops ourselves

to keep from starving.

Suddenly a group of soldiers came by.

My son was taken away, plow still in his hands.

No need to worry, then.

I'm sure he's a fine samurai somewhere by now.

Somewhere, you say?

He may be far to the north in Ezo, or to the south in Tsukushi.

The entire land is torn by warfare.

His absence means he's too busy and successful to return home.

Don't worry.

He was lucky to be taken off to war.

It's a samurai's world now.

The court nobles are incapable of warfare,

so samurai are poised to rule the land.

Even the emperor will answer to our master Raiko one day.

I used to be a farmer in the mountains of Kawachi,

but the war has allowed me to rise to what I am today.

Don't worry.

Fighting allows us to eat our fill and have whatever we desire.

We samurai can take whatever we want!

Where'd your mother go?

Perhaps she thought it best to leave us alone.

I'm drunk.

The sake's very good.

Please make yourself at home.

I am glad you have come.

That's good sake!

Please make yourself at home.

Excuse me.

RAJOMON GATE

The chief of the imperial police is coming!

Move aside!

Raiko Minamoto, you are the leader of the samurai.

This is a disgrace.

Are you simply going to sit back and watch

as this ghost appears night after night at Rajomon Gate?

Only one who takes pride in his martial prowess

may be called "leader of the samurai."

As things stand,

this ghost could appear in the imperial palace at any moment.

I cannot sleep peacefully at night.

He says to me in that exalted voice,

"I cannot sleep peacefully at night."

Shit!

Who's running all over the country fighting his wars?

Me, Raiko Minamoto!

The courtiers kick balls around and play board games.

They write songs and fool around with women.

Don't tell anyone I said this.

It's maddening.

I assure you, this "ghost" is no supernatural being.

It's surely an animal or night prowler.

Summon Kintoki Sakata!

He just deployed to the west.

Summon Tsuna Watanabe!

He's fighting in the east.

Fool! I know that!

I'm just trying to rouse you cowards to action!

Isn't there anyone willing to kill this monster?

EZO - NORTHERN JAPAN

You took Sunehiko the Bear's head? Let me see it.

You sure it was him?

He identified himself.

He also wore fine armor and carried an iron club!

Good.

Then it really is his head. You've accomplished a great feat.

What happened to General Takemaro Fujiwara?

He died in battle!

And my 2,000 men?

They all died. And all the enemy too.

Give me a detailed account.

It was muddy as a rice paddy, and thick with reeds.

The enemy lured us into the reeds.

The battle began at dawn and ended at dusk.

By then, only he and I were left.

He really was as hairy as a bear. I couldn't believe it.

It had to be him. He confirmed it by stating his name.

He told me to identify myself,

but I don't have a battle name yet.

I remembered Kintoki Sakata, so I decided on "Gintoki"

but couldn't think of a last name.

I was born in a house in a grove, so I said "Gintoki of the Grove."

He said my name sounded courageous.

He assumed I was a famous general and challenged me to fight.

The son of a bitch was strong as hell!

Like a demon with an iron club!

I was sure I'd wind up as rust on that club.

I didn't want to die there in the mud, so I summoned my courage.

After a long battle, I finally took his head!

From now on, you will be Gintoki of the Grove.

I have four trusted retainers. You will be the fifth.

Jimbei, it's me!

I'm Hachi, Yone's son. From the other end of the grove.

You're -

What happened to my house?

It's burned down. There's nothing left.

Yes, you're Hachi all right.

But why are you dressed like that?

Never mind that.

What happened to my house? Where are my mother and wife?

It was last summer.

Kyoto burned for three days and nights.

Conqueror and conquered alike set homes on fire.

War sends everything up in flames.

Sparks fell even here.

Fearing for our lives, we fled into the mountains.

When we came back,

your home had burned to ash.

We don't know if your mother and wife burned to death or fled.

We haven't seen them since.

We don't even know how the house burned down.

Mother!

Shige!

Where did you go?

You've won great distinction.

Your valor is known throughout the capital.

Even beggars speak of what a strong samurai you are.

Isn't that right? - Yes.

Young girls are especially smitten with him.

They all hope to glimpse his face.

The bravest man in the capital must behave accordingly.

This is my order:

Find the monster that's been feasting on the necks of my samurai

and exterminate it.

My name is at stake. You must not fail.

Very well. I offer you my cup.

Pour for him.

Gintoki, what about women?

Do you find them beautiful?

Yes, I do.

Very well.

When you've killed the monster,

I'll give you any woman you want, so do your best.

Woman, what's the matter?

Are you afraid to walk alone at night?

There's a dark grove ahead. Are you returning home that way?

So am I. I will see you home.

Thank you.

Thank you.

This is your home?

Yes.

I live here with my mother.

My home is far from here. May I rest a bit?

Well? May I rest here a while?

Welcome.

It was good of you to come.

This way, please.

Are your names Yone and Shige, by any chance?

Forgive me for being so direct.

You look exactly like my mother and wife,

though you're dressed differently.

Where are they now?

Three years ago, I was conscripted to fight barbarians in the east.

I was dragged away from the fields,

leaving my mother and wife left behind.

I wanted to return to them,

so I fought as hard as I could.

I couldn't allow myself to die.

I got unexpectedly lucky on the battlefield.

Raiko dubbed me Gintoki of the Grove.

But when I went home, my house was no longer there.

It had burned down. My mother and wife were gone.

This is quite strange.

You two look exactly like my mother and wife.

I do not know where they may be,

but just as you fought day and night in order to return to them,

your mother and wife too

must have waited day and night for your return.

You have returned from war in triumph.

But I wonder what has become of them.

My house was at the edge of a bamboo grove …

not far from here.

How long have you lived here?

Three years.

Since I left for war?

Yes, that's correct.

Is there some reason

you live in such a secluded place?

We're just a poor mother and daughter.

We wish to live quietly, far from prying eyes.

If you came here three years ago, you must have seen my house.

Or at least the charred ruins?

Who are you?

Show your true selves, ghosts of Rajomon!

There's no doubt you're ghosts!

Why have you taken the forms of my mother and wife?

RAJOMON GATE

Women!

Are you here?

Women! Come out if you're here!

Women, where are you?

I didn't come to kill you! I came to see you!

Women!

Are you here?

Are you here?

You must want to see him.

I want to see him too.

We vowed to kill samurai and drink their blood.

We prayed to the spirits of heaven and earth to let us do so.

If only he weren't a samurai …

Try to bear it.

Try to endure.

Be content …

to watch him secretly from afar.

It's him!

Are you here?

Are you?

Where are you?

Where have you gone?

Ah, you've come!

It was good of you to come.

We have nothing to offer,

but allow us to celebrate your safe return home.

Serve our guest.

I will no longer ask who you are.

I simply wanted to see you. That's the only reason I'm here.

You look exactly like my mother,

and you look exactly like my wife.

That's enough for me.

I'm truly happy to see you. I've missed you both.

We wished to see you too.

Dawn is a long way off.

Please make yourself comfortable.

I missed you.

Is that your cat?

No, it's a stray whose owner died.

That reminds me.

When I was taken off to war, we had a black kitten at home.

Never mind.

Let's forget about the past.

Pardon me.

It will soon be dawn.

Please depart before then.

I'll come again.

Will you wait?

You return empty-handed every night. Have you seen the monster?

Yes, I saw it, but -

Why didn't you kill it?

It's just that -

Couldn't you do it?

It's not that.

You look pale.

Like a ghost yourself.

Has the ghost bewitched you?

Your breasts and legs are like Shige's.

You are Shige.

You are my wife.

Shige, I want to devour you!

I want to chew you up and consume you!

Hold me so tight it hurts.

Tighter, my love!

Ah, there you are.

Where is she?

She is no longer here.

What? She's not here?

Why?

What happened to her?

She was given seven days to see you

and make love to you.

Please count the days for yourself.

Last night was the seventh.

She shortened her life to seven days …

so that she could pledge her love to you.

But you're not living human beings!

How can a being who isn't even alive shorten her life to seven days?

Are you ghosts or aren't you?

Whether spirits or ghosts,

isn't it superhuman powers that give you human form?

How can a being with such powers die?

She's not supposed to die!

I want to see her once more!

I am bound by a vow and cannot tell you who we are.

We promised the god of evil …

the god of those who return from the netherworld to avenge past wrongs.

We promised to get revenge by drinking blood,

and we were allowed to take human form.

But she broke her promise.

For the sake of our love?

You are my mother!

She was really Shige!

Tell me who killed you!

We made a vow.

We cannot reveal who we are …

or how we became like this.

What exactly was your oath of vengeance?

To drink the blood of samurai.

To drink the blood of every last samurai in the world.

You too are a samurai.

Instead of killing you …

she gave herself to you.

Because of that …

she plunged headlong into hell.

But she went willingly.

Can't I see her anymore?

Is she gone forever?

Instead of drinking the blood of hateful samurai …

she chose to love you and be banished to hell.

Hateful samurai?

Tell me why!

If only I could.

But my vow to the god stops me.

Please forgive me.

Mother!

What happened to you two?

You say you discovered the monster's true identity?

In that case, you should have destroyed it.

But we'll discuss that later.

For the time being, tell me what it is.

It's a vengeful ghost who was brutally murdered by samurai.

That's why it hates samurai and drinks their blood.

The ghost told you that?

Fool!

Samurai fight so nobles and peasants can live free from worry.

How can anyone hate us?

Noblemen may benefit,

but farmers are forced to flee and often starve to death.

The weak ones do.

The weak always starve.

We risk our lives to fight - that calls for courage!

Isn't that why everyone respects us?

Consider your own case.

You were a dumb farmer's son, but now you're Gintoki of the Grove.

Who cares about peasants, or even considers them human?

Women only dote on you because you're a samurai.

What ghost would dare hate us?

I won't let some phantom make fools of us!

As a samurai, I hereby order you:

Destroy it!

One of them has already perished.

What's that?

One has perished? How many were there?

Two.

And you destroyed one?

Show me proof.

Well?

It is gone forever.

Explain yourself. How did it perish?

It disappeared!

It was a ghost! There was nothing I could do!

It disappeared from my sight!

And there's one left?

Destroy it.

- Please order someone else - - Fool!

If you let this one get away as well …

I'll kill you.

On my honor as a samurai, I will kill you!

RAJOMON GATE

Why didn't you leave?

You've been drinking blood every night.

Why?

Why can't you rest in peace?

I wanted to see you.

I wanted to see you just once more.

I've lost my honor. I'm going to be killed.

I've been driven to the point where I must destroy you or die!

My plan was to see you once more

and then follow her to hell.

Well, now you've seen me. Are you satisfied?

Please come to my abode.

Will you read a sutra to me there?

Then I can rest in peace.

Please.

I have chosen a sacred sutra.

If you read it to me, my hatred will be extinguished.

There's a puddle. Please be careful.

Is something wrong?

No, nothing.

What is it?

Nothing.

So it was a black cat?

So it seems.

You didn't just pick this up somewhere?

You don't find cat's limbs just lying around.

Don't get angry. It was just a thought.

But why would a cat hate samurai?

They once said there was a demon on Mount Oe,

so I went to slay it on the emperor's orders.

There are no such things as demons.

It turned out to be the bandit Shuten Doji.

There's no glory in killing a bandit, so I said it was a demon.

You've slain a 1,000-year-old goblin cat the size of a cow.

You must undergo ritual purification for seven days.

We must make this the talk of the capital.

Make a great show of it:

ablutions, austerities and confinement.

Mother …

are you a cat?

Are you really my mother?

Give it back.

Give it back.

Give it back.

Mother …

are you a cat or a ghost?

My mother wouldn't have turned into a ghost.

Mother, please show yourself!

If you're really my mother, show yourself!

The sword that protects you

bars my path.

Mother …

please rest in peace.

I cut off your arm …

thinking an evil spirit had taken your form to deceive me.

Please put the sword away.

Return my arm to me.

What do you intend to do with it?

My arm is my weapon.

Without it …

I cannot drink the blood of samurai.

Mother …

will you wander as a vengeful ghost forever?

Yes, I will.

Because of my hatred for samurai …

for all warring samurai.

Excuse me.

Excuse me.

Who's there?

Please open the door.

Tonight ends my seventh day of solitary purification.

I cannot open the door until dawn.

I am well aware of that.

I am a seer

in charge of divination at the imperial palace.

I cannot disobey the precepts for anyone.

The emperor is deeply concerned about you.

As tonight is your last night,

evil spirits may appear to interfere with your purification.

The emperor sent me here to bind the evil spirits

so that you may complete

your purification without incident.

Go back and inform the emperor

that Gintoki is a match for any evil spirit.

You don't seem to understand.

Disobey the emperor …

and both you and your master Raiko

will be punished.

It will only take a short while.

Please open the door.

Very well, but only for a little while.

Forgive me for calling so late at night.

Is that the arm you cut off the ghost?

Please perform your divination and purification.

No, I cannot go near it.

That altar is consecrated to the god that you worship.

I divine according to the Way of Yin and Yang,

the cosmic principles of dark and light.

Please allow me a closer look at the arm.

Please be so kind as to bring it here.

This is all very troublesome.

May I take it in my hand?

If you wish.

What happened to your left arm?

It's mine again!

Specter!

Mother!

Mother!

THE END