All language subtitles for The.Stairway.to.the.Distant.Past.1995

Produced by
FOR LIFE RECORDS, FILM DETECTIVE OFFICE

Endorsed by
ASSOC. DETECTIVE AGENCIES, JAPAN

WESTERN-JAPANESE
CINEMA CENTRE

THE MOST TERRIBLE TIME IN MY LIFE

Thank you.

This movie's a real hit.

It's true that movies do well
during bad times.

If you want to see the show,
you've got to buy a ticket.

I'm just going to the detective
agency on the second floor.

I'm not going to see the movie.

It makes no difference.
You have to buy a ticket.

I see.

No credit cards.

No cards.

Keep the change.

- Here.
- Thank you.

What a strange system.

What?

Only 1000 yen?

How do I eat on this?

Great! Another 500 yen!

Come in.

Have a seat.

Well,

I want you to look for my little Marie.

I see.

A runaway?

50,000 yen a day, plus expenses.

I'll do my best,
but there's no guarantee of results.

I understand. That's all right.

- Would you like one?
- Thank you.

She's your little girl?

She disappeared two days ago,

and I'm worried sick.

I see. Don't worry.

Can you describe her?

Yes. I brought a photo.

This is my little Marie.

A dog?

Yes, little Marie.

I'm off!
How's your business?

That woman had
a simply amazing ring!

What a good eye you have, Asa.

Just between you and me,

someone stole all her diamonds.

You're lying!

No one would come to you
for something like that.

I bet she wants you
to look for a lost pet. Right?

Maybe you could lend me
some money, Asa?

- Hey, you!
- Hi.

I polished it real good,
so give me some money.

Sorry. Pay you later.

DETECTIVE LICENCE

The name's Maiku Hama.
My real name.

Private detective
born and raised in Yokohama.

LOST DOG "MARIE"

There's not much
in the way of jobs right now.

But something's bound to turn up.

I've got a sister named Akane.

My dream is to send her to college.

If you've got a problem,
just leave it to me.

What are you doing?
Get out of my way!

Mr. Yamamoto.

SEIZED GOODS

- I told you to stop!
- You've got to keep your promise.

We're taking your car
as a security for your loan.

I've been so busy lately.
I'll pay you tomorrow.

He says he'll pay tomorrow.

You remember that girl I got you?

Wait!

Without my car-

Bring the money,
and I'll give it back to you.

Until then, try using this.

My poor little Rambler!

Damn it!
Loan shark trying to act big!

Don't underestimate a private eye!

Stop!

MASATOSHI NAGASE IN

THE STAIRWAY TO THE DISTANT PAST

How beautiful.

It's very different nowadays.
I bet you don't recognise anything.

Stop over there.

Thank you.

Come see me at the theatre.

She never changes.

Sake tastes so good
in the middle of the day!

You sure can knock'em back.
How about another one?

All right. One more then.

You hold your liquor well.

Give me another too.

Thanks.
How about a drinking contest?

All right. Cheers.

Cheers, everyone!

Cheers!

Thanks, all of you.

Damn good drinker!

No, it couldn't be her.

Little Marie!

Little Marie,
don't you run away now.

Little Marie. Come here.

Come on.
Did that hurt? I'm sorry.

Damn it.
That's the 20th wrong dog!

You can go. Bye-bye.

Brother, what are you doing?

- What are you doing?
- Nothing much.

What are you doing here?

I'm going to Kyoko's house.

Her mum's fixing dinner for us.

I see.

Where did Kyoko go?

Kyoko?

How cute!

Hello. I'm Kyoko.

I'm Maiku Hama. My sister-

Oh, little Marie!

Is this one lost?

Poor little thing. It looks hungry.
What should we do?

- I'll take it back home.
- You know where?

I'm a private eye after all.
I'll find out right away.

- Here, give it to me.
- You're going home!

I thought private eyes were shady,
but you're not. You're nice.

Don't exaggerate.

You take care of the dog now.

Kyoko, let's go.

Be a good girl at Kyoko's house now.

I will.

See you again, Kyoko.
Come to our house next time.

- You got your hankie?
- Don't worry.

Money - not that I have any, either.

Well, case closed.

VOTE FOR MASARU KANNO

That scum.

Here comes Masaru KANNO.

Please vote for me.

Thank you. Thank you.

Mr. KANNO, why don't you
take over the riverfront?

The Taiwanese mafia is very strong.
If we do, it'll be a long war.

It's all talk from Hong Kong
and no actual help.

At this rate, even if we have Yokohama,
the Taiwanese will win.

But if we hold the riverfront,
we'll win.

Girls, gambling, drugs.

The riverfront will bring us huge profits.
We can't let it get away.

We touch it and we're sunk.

The river belongs to the White Man.

Why worry about a black-market legend
we don't even know is true?

Ever since the postwar days,

neither the police, nor the government,
nor us, the gangs, have touched the river.

The White Man hasn't interfered with us
either. That's the unspoken rule.

We've broken all the other rules.
Why not break this one too?

There are some rules
that we just don't break.

Grow up, you two.

People change
when they're up for office.

Watch your mouth, Yamaguchi.

Politics is for making money.

If you want money,
there is more of it in the river.

That river is flowing with gold.

This conversation is over.
We don't touch the White Man.

Don't get any ideas.

Just concentrate on the election.

BAR SACHIKO

This looks delicious.

I worked real hard on it just for you.
Eat up.

Why did you send me
to a private girls' school?

They're all so stuck-up.
I don't get along with them.

You don't know
what a mother has to go through.

- Right, Akane?
- You don't like it either.

It makes my brother happy.

Your brother's a private eye?

Cool!

That's right. We don't have parents.
He's like a parent to me.

His dream is to send her to college.

Yeah. He's strange, isn't he?

Not at all.
I understand how he feels.

You can eat here every night.

Think of me as your mother.

You wouldn't want
a dirty mother like this.

Don't say that in front of your mother!

It's starting to look like
I raised her wrong.

- Now eat.
- Let's eat.

GOLDEN THEATER

Dynamite-Sexy Lily?

Thanks for waiting!
With pride, we now bring you...

LEGENDARY DIVA RETURNS TO YOKOHAMA

Dynamite-Sexy Lily!

- Is it her?
- It is.

- Let's tell Maiku.
- Better tell him soon.

This could lead to trouble.

Let's see. What's next?

I'd like apple juice.

Apple juice.

What are you doing here,
interrupting my bath?

Scram!

Maiku.

- Something awful has happened.
- What's so awful?

- We saw her.
- Me too.

Who did you see?
I already found Marie.

Well, what we want to say-

Lily has come back.

- Not that Lily.
- Yes, that Lily.

She's at the theatre.

That bitch.

- Has she no shame?
- Don't get worked up.

- Get out of my way!
- She is your mother, after all.

That's why I can't calm down.

You get worked up,
your sister will find out.

That's right. Just calm down.

Hi, girls!

There's a young man waiting for you.

- I wonder who.
- He's just my type.

Got a foreign-sounding name.
Jimmy, Maiku or something.

Maiku!

Why'd you come back?

I missed you.

My, how you've grown.

How is Akane?

She's in high school.

I bet she's real cute.

I want to meet her.

You must be kidding.

She thinks you're dead.

How can I tell her that you're alive
and an old striptease queen?

She believes I'm dead?

How terrible.

Look, you abandoned us.

Maiku.

There's a reason I did that.

The hell there is!

Anyway, just don't try to see her.

Maiku.

I'm here at the theatre
until next month.

I was wrong about KANNO.

We're the New Japs,

not afraid of anybody
and don't bow down to anyone else.

And he's scared of
some phantom White Man?

Let's take over the riverfront ourselves.

Kanno's no good anymore.

We'll get the White Man.

Then we'll take over the riverfront
and Kanno's turf.

The future is ours.

Where's the White Man?

No one knows.

Don't play dumb.

We know you do.

I don't know.
Even if I knew, I wouldn't tell.

I have to say that
you're very brave,

but this is what happens
when you're too brave.

This continues till you talk.

Let's talk.

Go on, kill me.

If I talk, the White Man
will get me anyway.

Is that the law of the riverfront?

Stupid.

We're going to get the White Man.

Then we'll be the ones
who are protecting you.

Your head's next.

Let's just start talking now.

Talk!

Who's next?

Wait.

Don't kill me.
I'm going to be a father.

Please!

We have heard from KANNO

that you two have been expelled.

Kill me!

You won't die.

Someone has to survive
to tell the tale.

Damn it!

Shall I cut his Achilles tendon?

So many have been killed.
Why can't we go in?

You know the reason.
The riverfront's not under our jurisdiction.

The harbour police say the same thing.

So whose jurisdiction is it, then?

Well, all we know is that
it's not ours.

The U.S. Occupation is over.

The law doesn't apply to the riverfront?
I won't allow that nonsense.

This is our chance
to get the White Man.

Anything you do on your own
will kill you. That's all.

- Brother.
- What?

What was mother like?

Why ask now?

I don't even know her face.

She was very pretty.

How pretty was she?

I don't really know.

I was little, so I don't remember.

I see.

She was kind.

Do you want an orange?

Maiku, I've got to see you.

- What? I'm eating.
- Excuse us.

You know that snack bar Sachiko
by the river?

I know where it is.

The owner of that bar has a history.

All the jewelry and fur shops
in the area have been robbed.

Then go catch the robber.

Watch your mouth, punk.
We have no evidence.

I've been all through it.
I haven't found anything.

Don't kid around!

You call me a thief.
So where are the jewels?

You police just do as you want?

We know you stole them.

Where are you hiding them?

Do you know what will happen

if you keep messing around
on the riverfront?

He won't be quiet about this.

Neither the police nor the yakuza
can touch it.

If a lousy detective is found dead,
it'll just be an accident.

You petty thief.

Don't talk to me like that!

We didn't find anything.

That's all we can do without a warrant.

Shit.

I'll get your ass yet.

I'm telling the White Man.

Just like she said.

No evidence, no arrests.

So what do you want me to do?

Get some evidence.
Find out where she's sending the goods.

Isn't that a cop's job?

We can't, so I'm asking you.

Why are you so worked up about this?

She jilted you, didn't she?
You ought to know better at your age.

Anyway, I'm not interested.

Don't get on your high horse.

If you want to stay in Yokohama,
you'll do as I say.

I could ruin your little detective business.

Is that a threat?

Say, I heard you were hiding drugs
in your office.

I don't have such things.

If I said you did, I'd find some.

You know how I operate.

That's not fair.

And you call yourself a policeman!

In that case, you'd go to jail.

Your poor sister would have to quit school.

With me around, no jobs for you.

You might want to think about
being your mum's apprentice

and making a living as a stripper.

Let's see you do it!

And I'll tear you to pieces.

Now, now. Don't get excited.
I didn't say you wouldn't get paid.

The car you lost to your loan shark-

I got it back for you.

I'm just asking you to do a job.

You can't refuse, can you,
Mr. Private Eye?

Yamaguchi.

Are you all right?

It's okay to hate me.

But you really want to die here?

I remember the first time we met.

I liked you.

I want to help you out this time too.

Masaru KANNO.
Thank you for your support.

Masaru KANNO.
Please vote for me.

Welcome home.

- Oh, Mitsuko's still awake.
- She wouldn't sleep till Mama came home.

You'll be sleepy tomorrow.

- I want to sleep with Mama.
- Okay.

DYNAMITE-SEXY LILY

Kid, what's your name?

Maiku Hama.

So you're Maiku.

Want some cake?

Give this to your mum.

Hang in there, kid.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

You've been crying. I'm sorry.

I'll be done in a minute.

There, there. Good girl.

Maiku, want to go to the zoo tomorrow?

But the next morning she'd left,
leaving a note and an envelope behind.

Look, I've won again.

Miss Lily, you're so good.

I'm good at all games.

You're good at dancing too.

You've got a nicer bust,
but I've got better legs.

Lily, this is from an admirer.

From that young man?

I knew you'd come to me.

You never change.

Nor do you.

It's been a long time. I'm old.

And I've turned into an old woman.

You're as beautiful as ever.

Take me somewhere.

It's just like old times.

Fifteen long years-

I've put you through hardships.

Thanks to you, I'm saved.

Don't worry about it.

FUR SHOP

There she goes.

This is a treasure ship.

What are you doing there?

Watch out!

You almost hit me!

Yokohama's changed a lot.

Yes, it has.

But I like the way it is now.

I don't like it now.

You're just the same.

Everything has changed.
Soon I won't have a place of my own.

In those days
everyone was in the dark.

I'm the only one
who still lives in the past.

Let's go to sleep.

You haven't changed a bit.

Hey!

- Stand up.
- Why?

- You're getting my car dirty.
- It's okay.

It's not okay.

Hey, got a cigarette?

Boy, they really did it to me.

What did you do with my jet ski?

- I left it there.
- Left it there? Let's go get it.

- That's a bit dangerous.
- Dangerous?

Maiku, what are you onto?

Hoshino, you ever hear
of the White Man?

You mean that legendary guy?
Yeah, I've heard of him.

This related to him?

This is way too dangerous.

Yes, really dangerous.

Sorry, we're not open today.

Got a drink?

Don't worry.
We'll take care of your daughter.

What have I done?

We think someone from the cops
got in our ship.

- And it's my fault?
- Yes. You messed up.

But I'm one of you.

Maiku's not been around
for a few days.

Shit! Maybe they got him.

And I had a chance
at a merit citation.

Detective Nakayama?

Who are you?
What gang are you with?

I'd like a word with you.

You know what would happen to you?

Two million at the races,
one and a half on baseball gambling,

and three with the loan sharks.

You have a number of debts,
don't you, Mr. Nakayama?

What about it?

That's not all.

You take payments
for tipping people off.

And you demand that the yakuza
keep you entertained.

That watch of yours is a gift too.

What a great side job you've got.
The media would eat this up.

But that's nothing.
What if you're prosecuted?

You know what happens
to cops who go to jail?

It would be hell for you.

Mr. Nakayama,
let us take care of these debts.

You'll no longer have money problems.

What do you want?
Inside information?

Don't make me laugh.

That has no value to us.

This is our investment.

We're going to help you
come up in the world.

With our help,

you could be promoted
to Chief of Police.

Me? Police Chief?

Please take this. It's pocket money.
We'll handle the debts later.

Now,

will you tell us
who was photographing us?

That punk, Maiku.
He still alive?

Maiku?
Just leave him to us.

Where'd Maiku go?

He hasn't paid me yet.

If you see Maiku, let me know.

Yes, of course.

- You'll be rewarded.
- Really? Thanks.

Bye.

"You'll be rewarded" my ass!
Maiku's in real trouble.

How can I help you?

If you see him, call me.

These guys are serious.
Where has Maiku gone?

I hope he escapes. If he's in Yokohama,
he'll be caught for sure.

WANTED - MAIKU HAMA

Bastard!

Thanks, Pop.

You take care.

See you.

It's clearly an accident.

She got drunk, fell in, and drowned.

Impossible.

Mother never drank.

Well, we'll check out the possibilities.

BAR OWNER FOUND DROWNED

So she would steal the stuff
and give it to the White Man.

But in the boat,
there was something worse.

Because you saw that,
they had to get rid of her.

So it's my fault.

Don't blame yourself.

More importantly,
they're gonna kill you.

Thugs all around your office.

He's right, you know.

Nakayama's still alive,
so he sold you out.

I took your sister to a safe place.

Take this money and clear out.

The White Man killed
a couple of Kanno's men.

That river is a smuggling path
for drugs, whores, and guns.

It's an escape route for the criminals too.
It's truly a lawless district.

Does this White Man really exist?

Yes, but I only met him once.

It was when I was a rookie detective.

His name is not in the register.

Nobody knows his birthplace or real name.

He'd supposedly been killed in the war,

but then resurfaced here in Yokohama.

The riverfront was
yakuza territory early on.

In a single night,
he killed all the gang members.

He slaughtered them.

According to a rumour,

he got his riverfront authority
straight from G.H.Q.

Even after the occupation was over,

he managed to come out alive
every time blood flowed into the river.

He never leaves the riverfront,

but if anybody dares to get in his way,
he makes sure to kill every one of them.

As long as he's around,
the cops can't touch the place.

Even though it's been 50 years now.

I don't care about all that!

He can't getaway
with killing a woman!

Calm down.
What about your sister?

You stay here, you're dead.

It's all my fault.

I got those kids' mother killed.

It's all my fault.

Maiku!

I'll take care of this my own way.

Maiku!

Leave me alone!

I'm not going to get involved,
but I won't stop you.

Hoshino.

Be careful.

How do you feel?

Just relax.

Mr. KANNO.

I was wrong.
I apologise for what I did.

So long as you understand.

You know,

I think of you as my younger brother.

I can't forgive
their doing this to you.

Mr. KANNO.

Yamaguchi.

If only we didn't have this election.

It's regrettable that I can't fight them
for what they've done to you.

I'm the laughing stock of all Yokohama.

Mr. KANNO.

I'll get the White Man for you.

- What?
- I won't trouble you.

I've been expelled,
so this is my personal problem.

I won't shame you.
Just let me do it.

You really mean that?

I thought so.

You used to come here
when you were little.

It's dangerous to be near me.

Leave.

You're worried about me?

How sweet.

Leave me alone!

Bury your pride
and get out of Yokohama.

- Let me help you escape.
- Don't act like a mother!

You know why I returned?

How should I know?

Are you gonna say that
years of wandering made you homesick?

That's right.

I wanted to see you again.

You should've thought of that before!

I also wanted

to see your father.

My father?

Do you remember

the day before I disappeared?

Give this to your mum.

What is this?

I loved him so much. Always.

I'd do anything for him.

But, Maiku, I don't want you to see him.

Please, Maiku.

Wait!

What are you saying?

Your father is...

the White Man.

You're lying.

What are you saying?

Stop it! No way!

Where are you going?

Stop!

He would even kill his own son.

Mary.

Well, it's Maiku.

Finally, you've come to me.

You're my type.
I'll give you a good time.

Sorry. Not this time.

Mary.

You know everything there is
to know about this town.

That's right.

I've been watching it
standing here for 50 years.

Where's the White Man?

You'll die.

Everyone who's asked that has died.

I have to see him.

Come on.

From here you go alone.

Thank you.

But if you come back,

you'll be my customer in return, right?

All right.

Maiku, your star is a powerful one.

You received that from your father.

Where's the White Man?

Boss's been expecting you too.
I'll show you in.

Follow me.

Here he is.

I've been expecting you, kid.

So you're the White Man.

How you've grown.

You were just a little kid.

Why didn't you escape?

You'll get killed.

You're the worst.

Why did you kill her?

It's the law of the riverfront.

You kill to protect it,
no matter what.

She died by the rule.

Why do you protect the river?

For the dirty money?

In order to survive.

That's how I've made it.

And she did all she could to survive
by clinging to the riverfront.

Together with her daughters!

So what?

Kid, staying alive is not that easy.

Death has an order about it.

The first ones to die are the spirited ones,
then the idealistic ones,

and then the strong.

The ones who survive are the weak,
the cowardly and the nasty.

You ever killed anyone?

What's the matter, kid?

Didn't you come to kill me?

This is how you do it.

I'll give you a chance
since we have history.

We'll take turns shooting.

A fifty-fifty chance of life or death.

I don't like it.

Don't like it a bit!

Boss, don't do it.

Listen. Even if I die,
don't lay a finger on this kid.

If you die,

then I go on killing on the riverfront.

If I die, you get out of here free.

Someone else will take over then.

First, a test.

Shall I begin?

"To be or not to be..."

You're next.

Any time.

Shoot.

Seems our luck's about the same.

Scared?
Yes, I think probably so.

Hurry up and shoot!

Kid.

You've got a lot of luck.

Listen.

As long as you're going to shoot,

aim here. All right?

Boss! Call a doctor!

It's no use.

Kid, pull the trigger.

You won.

You're the survivor.
That's all that matters.

Don't forget.

Take him away.

Let me ask you one thing.

Are you -

Are you really my father?

Did Lily say that?

Kid.

Your mum is a real good woman.

Get out!
Everyone get out of here.

Leave me alone.

Answer me.

Answer me!

Let go. Answer me!

Set me adrift on the river.

Sugimoto.

Cut me loose.

Drifting away...

Next stop is another hell.

I thought you hated cake.

It's delicious.

How is Kyoko?

She's hard at work.
We're applying to the same university.

It's tough, with a little sister and all.

No, she's a trooper just like her mum.
She'll manage.

Maiku, a visitor.

Brother, this is Lily.

How do you do?

She's a friend of his.

Akane showed Lily around Yokohama.

Why did you have to do that?

I've heard all about you from her.

Glad to meet you.

Lily's going back to Kanazawa tonight.

We're going to the zoo.

Maiku, won't you come?

I've fixed some lunch.

Let's go.

Good idea.
Sunday, the best day for the zoo.

No. I have work to do.

No, you go. That's an order.

Let's go.

Yes, let's go.

Go!

No, really. I have work.

Akane, don't cause trouble
for Miss Lily, okay?

Miss Lily,
please look after my sister.

Bye!

- I'll carry that.
- Thanks. It's heavy.

No problem.

It was a great day.

Really, a wonderful day.

The lunch was delicious.

I'll send you the photos.

Please come again.

TO SHINAGAWA

Good-bye.

Brother.

Never mind.

Akane.

You -

got a real fat ass lately.

No, that's a joke!

Hey, Hoshino,
lend me some money!