"LIVING (IKIRU)" "Producer:" "Sojiro Motoki" "Scenario:" "Akira Kurosawa, Shinobu Hashimoto, Hideo Oguni" "Photography:" "Asaichi Nakai" "Music:" "Fumio Hayasaka" "Leading players" "Takashi Shimura" "Shinichi Himori, Haruo Tanaka, Minoru Chiaki" "Miki Odagiri, Bokuzen Hidari, Minosuke Yamada, Kamatari Fujiwara" "Direction:" "Akira Kurosawa" "This is an X-ray of our hero's stomach" "He has stomach cancer, but he is still unaware of it" "CHIEF OF PUBLIC LIAISON SECTION" "This section is your direct link with local government" "We welcome all complaints and inquiries" "Why not turn the site into a children's playground?" "Some petitioners from Kuroe-cho" "Send them to Public Works" "This is the hero of our story" "But whatever we say about him now would be dreary" "He is just killing time, just drifting through life" "We can't say he is really alive at all" "Miss Odagiri, kindly watch your behaviour" "But it's so funny" "It's this joke that someone's passed around" "Read it" "Never taken a day off?" "No" "Why?" "Are you indispensable?" "No." "I don't want them to discover they can do without me" "Surely there is no story in him." "He's like a corpse" "In fact, he's been dead for twenty-five years" "Before that he was slightly alive;" "even tried to work" "Proposal concerning office efficiency" "Kanji Watanabe. 7th November, 1933" "Now he lacks all initiative and ambition" "The town hall's meaningless intricacy is annihilating" "Of course, he's very busy" "The only thing he's doing is keeping his chair warm" "In his world, the best way to maintain position is to do absolutely nothing" "Is this how things should be?" "Is this enough?" "It will take more futile hours, a worsening stomach condition to get this man's thoughts decently organized" "Playgrounds are the Parks Department's responsibility" "Drain the stagnant water?" "You need the Health Department" "Try Sanitation" "Environmental Sanitation" "Prophylactic Section" "Quarantine Section" "Mosquitoes, you say?" "Try Pest Control" "Drain off the stagnant water?" "That comes under Sewerage" "It was formerly a sewage area;" "there was a road, too" "So the Highway Department must approve" "Detailed plans haven't been approved yet" "Try Block Planning" "The Fire Department doesn't want that site drained" "They need water in that area" "Nonsense!" "We need water, but it needn't be stagnant" "Mosquitoes are no help to us" "Filthy water plays havoc with our hoses and pumps" "We'd sooner have a children's pool there." "Consult Education" "It's not exclusively a children's problem, is it?" "After all, we're behind in the school-building programme" "Why not take the matter up with your local councillor?" "Go and see the Deputy Mayor." "Just give him my card" "Please do come in and sit down" "We're most grateful for all the trouble you've gone to" "Now, it's just for matters like this that we've set up the Public Liaison Section" "Show these people to Public Liaison" "Go to the Public Works Section" "Do you take us for a pack of fools?" "What's this notice for?" "To while away our time?" "We've no time to kill, like you!" "Drain the stagnant water and make a playground!" "We're not going to trail around the other sections again" "Aren't you for Public Liaison?" "We won't ask your help again!" "Let's forget about democracy!" "Our chief is away today; please put your proposal in writing" "It's not like the chief to be away" "He hasn't been looking well lately" "It'll be awkward for us if he's away too long" "He's not the sort to take time off for a cold" "We can't do much without his rubber stamp" "It really is too bad" "Another month and he'd have a thirty year attendance record" "Some are glad he's away" "Others will be hoping to fill his vacant seat" "What's the medicine he always takes?" "Stomach medicine; he's lost his appetite, hasn't he?" "Remember how he used to gobble up his lunch?" "I reckon he's eaten the same lunch for thirty years" "If it's serious, I wonder who will take his place?" "Don't worry, you're at the end of a big queue" "X-RAY DEPARTMENT" "Stomach trouble?" "I've got a chronic stomach complaint, too" "I don't know what it is to be without pain" "That man..." "They say he's got ulcers but I reckon it's cancer" "It's like getting a death sentence" "They tell you it's only a little ulcer, not worth operating" "You've only got a year, if they say you needn't diet" "By the time you get to recognize the symptoms you can count on less than a year" "Your stomach feels heavy and painful" "You belch uncomfortably" "You're always thirsty" "You're either constipated, or you have diarrhea" "Your feces are always black" "You can't eat meat no matter how fond of it you used to be" "No matter what you eat, you vomit it before long" "And when you vomit food you ate a week before then you've only three months left" "Mr. Kanji Watanabe" "Well, now, it's a small ulcer" "Be honest with me" "Tell me the truth." "It's cancer, isn't it?" "No, it's merely a small ulcer, as I said" "What about an operation?" "Unnecessary." "Medicine will cure it" "Should I diet?" "You can eat anything you like, as long as it's digestible" "Will he last a year?" "No, six months at the most" "If you had six months to live, what would you do?" "What about you, Miss Aihara?" "There's poison on the shelf" "Another power failure?" "Next door's lights are on" "Could father be out?" "Where are the keys?" "In your bag" "How irresponsible of the housekeeper not to lock up" "Probably in a hurry to get home" "It wouldn't cost much more if she lived in" "You know father's petty bureaucratic ways" "These old houses are as cold inside as out" "We have a night out, then come home to such a depressing place" "We could build our own house for about 500,000 yen" "Maybe we could use father's retirement bonus" "He'll get about 700,000 and a monthly pension" "He has 100,000 saved up, too" "Would he agree?" "I'll tell him he can live alone if he doesn't" "Even father can't expect to take his money to the grave" "What's wrong, father?" "Nothing at all" "How strange" "Wait" "This is bad; he heard everything we said" "He's so inconsiderate; he shouldn't have come in here" "After all, this is our room" "Why can't he speak out, instead of sulking?" "Don't look so gloomy" "Never mind father, let's think of ourselves" "Hug me" "So young" "She must have been sad to leave such a dear child behind" "Do stop your whimpering" "Hurry, mother's leaving us behind" "You say you can't remarry because of Mitsuo" "Wait till he grows up;" "he won't be grateful" "When he gets married, you'll only be in his way" "So just you find a wife now" "My wife says a man like you must have a wife" "It's almost indecent if you remain a widower" "Father" "Please lock up." "Good night" "What a beautiful hit." "That's my son" "Be brave; appendectomy isn't a serious operation" "Won't you stay?" "I'll be back after I've attended to some business" "In recognition of twenty-five years service" "National Mayors'Association." "10th April, 1946" "But the master leaves for work every day" "He hasn't been to the office for five days" "As he hasn't sent a note of absence, the chief clerk sent me to inquire" "I can't believe it" "One of his staff said so." "What has he been doing?" "Incredible, but true." "His family was astonished" "We're in a fix" "I can make decisions when the chief is absent" "But he must stamp my resignation" "Are you going to leave?" "This doesn't suit me" "He's drawn 50,000 from the bank" "Maybe he's found a woman." "Good for him!" "It's the quiet ones like him who are most susceptible" "Still waters run deep;" "it had to happen" "He's remained a widower all these years for your sake" "It's all been too much for him;" "he's cut loose" "Nonsense." "He's got so thin and his skin looks dry" "I'm sure that's something to do with it" "You've seen him recently?" "He came here about four days ago, looking quite upset" "My husband can't discuss anything seriously" ""If you've come here to borrow money, the answer's no!" he bawled" "Well, he didn't look as if he'd come to cheer us up" "My husband thinks all men are sinners like himself" "Mitsuo, has anything happened to your father?" "Not that I know of" "Deliver this to my house, will you?" "The publisher's messenger is waiting" "And get my sleeping pills from the chemist's" "The chemist's will be closed by now" "Is it that late?" "Our shops close early" "I can't sleep without pills and whiskey" "I can let you have some" "May I pay you the shop price for them?" "I was going to throw them away" "Well, let me pay for your drinks" "You're a heavy drinker, aren't you?" "Have another" "No, I can't" "No matter how much I drink, I vomit it" "You see, I've got stomach cancer" "You astound me" "You should take care of yourself" "It's embarrassing to talk about" "But if you've got cancer, it's suicide to drink" "It's not as simple as that" "I've considered a quick, clean death but it's hard to die" "I can't just die" "I don't know what I've been living for all these years" "No children?" "Does your stomach hurt?" "No." "It's here rather than my stomach" "There's more to it than what you say" "No." "It's just that I'm very foolish" "I'm just angry..." "I'm angry with myself" "Until only a few days ago I never spent any money on drink" "I mean, now I know I haven't long to live for the first time in my life I..." "I understand" "Yes, I understand, but you shouldn't drink" "Does it taste so wonderful?" "No, it doesn't really" "But sometimes I'm able to forget my illness and lots of other unpleasant things" "I'm drinking this expensive stuff as a protest against my life up to now" "I tell myself it's like drinking poison" "I mean, it's like torture, but at times it's soothing" "I know what you mean" "I have with me about 50,000 yen which I'd like to spend all at once" "I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I don't know how to" "So I wonder if you could help me spend it" "You want me to show you?" "If you wouldn't mind." "It's rude of me to ask..." "But..." "It's taken many years to save the money" "But when it comes to spending it..." "I understand." "But keep your money, the treat's on me" "I'll take care of everything" "This is most interesting" "It's rude of me to say so, but you're very interesting" "I'm only a writer of cheap novels, that's all but you've set me thinking" "I see now that misfortune has its good side, too" "Misfortune leads to truth; your eyes have been opened to life" "Men are such fools" "They only realize life's beauty when faced with death" "Few do even that; most die without perceiving life" "You're a fine man; you're rebelling against your former self" "You've been a slave to life;" "now you're trying to master it" "It's man's duty to enjoy life;" "it's blasphemy not to" "Man must have a lust for life" "Life isn't immoral;" "lust for life is a virtue" "Let's go" "Let's make up for your wasted life" "I'll gladly play the role of Mephistopheles tonight" "A virtuous one, who demands no payment" "We even have a black dog" "Show us the way" "See the silver ball?" "That's your life" "This is a machine that frees you from life's worries" "An automatic vendor of dreams" "These girls are the greediest of all mammals" "Getting that hat would cost you the price of a dozen more" "Anyway, a new hat will help rid you of your old head" "We haven't seen you for ages" "Will your friend have the same?" "What's so funny?" "He really has stomach cancer" "If he has, how can he drink?" "You're hopeless!" "Ecce Homo:" "behold the man" "A Christ bearing the cross of cancer" "If you were told you had cancer, you'd drop dead at once" "But he's different." "From that moment he began to live" "Isn't that right?" "Where's your manners?" "Come on!" "Anyone want a request number?" "Life is brief" "Life is brief; fall in love, sweet maiden" "Those twenties love songs!" "Life is brief." "Fall in love, sweet maiden" "Before your red lips fade, before passion cools" "For there will be no tomorrow" "Fall in love, sweet maiden, while your hair is black" "While your heart is still aflame, for today will never return" "That's the spirit!" "That isn't art, that's something greater" "Greater and more direct than art" "That woman's body swaying up there is a beefsteak alcohol, camphor, hormone, streptomycin, uranium..." "Stop the car" "A puncture?" "Doesn't look like it" "Let's sing something;" "I hate this gloom" "Chief!" "I didn't recognize you in that hat" "I was looking for your house." "Are you coming to work?" "Have you got your stamp?" "No, it's at home" "I want to resign at once;" "I've found a new job" "Come to my house, then" "Why resign?" "It's boring, never anything new." "I've stood it for eighteen months" "The only things that have happened are you taking five days off and buying a new hat" "Anyway, don't mention it to father" "I've nothing to mention" "It's your fault, really;" "talking about his retirement bonus" "Why blame everything on me?" "Didn't you go on about his savings that night?" "Surely father wouldn't act like this just because of that" "He's never stayed out before" "Let's stop talking about him; we just don't know what's up with him" "Thirty years in that office;" "it gives me the creeps" "I'm sorry" "That's all right" "Recently, when I think of that, well it reminds me of that joke you once read out" "How true that was" "For the past thirty years..." "No matter how hard I think I can't remember anything I did in those thirty years" "All I can remember is I was always very busy, and the business was always very boring" "I never thought of you as one who could say such things" "Don't be foolish." "Uncle said that, too, but I know my father" "I can't imagine father taking up with such a young girl" "The form isn't quite properly completed" "Are you going to the office?" "Yes, I must give this in" "Will you take my absence report?" "Why don't you go to work?" "Everyone's speculating about you" "Are you really ill?" "You do look pale" "No, well, you see, I..." "Just where do you go when you pretend to go to work?" "No stories" "Don't you know Sakai called here to inquire after you?" "Never mind, you deserve a rest after thirty years diligence" "I won't go on about your absence like The Chicken" "That's my name for Sakai" "He's just like a plucked chicken in the butcher's" "And he gives himself such airs" "He looks down on me because he gets a bit more money" "Wait, I'll go with you" "You're so lucky, living in such a house" "At my place, three families share two rooms" "You have a son, haven't you?" "Where do they sell women's stockings?" "You want to buy some?" "They're in shops that sell foreign goods" "Are they for your son's wife?" "I hear she's pretty" "Also reported by The Chicken" "Are you all right?" "I'm so excited" "I'd have to go without lunch for ages to buy these" "Why did you buy them for me?" "I saw holes in your stockings" "They didn't make your feet colder, did they?" "I'm sorry, I do appreciate your kindness" "I often say the wrong things when I'm embarrassed" "Shall I tell you something?" "I've given nicknames to everyone in our section" "Eel, for instance; slippery and hard to pin down" "Chief Clerk Ohno" "Duckboard; clammy all year round" "Mr. Ohara?" "Flypaper; clings to everything and everybody" "Can't you guess?" "Noguchi" "See if you can guess my name for Mr. Saito" "His peculiarity is that he has no peculiarity" "Table d'hôte;" "like the fixed meal in any restaurant" "What about Kimura?" "Gelatine: timid and quivering" "You have a nickname, too" "But I won't tell you, because it isn't true" "Tell me." "I won't mind" "Tell me, or I'll imagine all sorts of things" "All right:" "The Mummy" "Forgive me" "No, it's all right" "Well, thanks for everything" "Must you go to the office?" "If you can delay your resignation, keep me company today" "You aren't eating anything" "You look exhausted" "I had a wonderful day" "You went to sleep in the cinema" "Well, last night I had a little to drink..." "I can't tell anyone about all this" "I'm ashamed to admit it, but the reason I worked there for thirty years looking like a mummy..." "Don't misunderstand;" "I'm not offended by your nickname" "It's true, really" "It couldn't be helped" "It's simply that the reason I became a mummy was because I thought I was doing the best for my son" "But now my son just doesn't seem to know or care" "Well, you can't blame your son for that" "He didn't ask you to become a mummy" "All parents are the same" "Mother goes on about the trouble she had when I was born" "I appreciate her bearing me, but I wasn't responsible" "Why complain to me about your son?" "You love him most of all" "It seems the power shortage isn't over yet" "This is the warmest winter for thirty years" "If you don't mind, I'd like to have a talk" "I wanted to tell you before but as it's rather unpleasant..." "There's no need" "I talked it over with uncle today" "Things should be settled in a businesslike manner" "For example, our rights to your property should be clarified" "You've spent 50,000 on her in five days." "Young girls today..." "We never meddle in your affairs" "We deplore your dissipation, but be that as it may" "Please consider Kazue and her family's position" "Bringing such a girl, and holding hands, too" "Imagine how I felt when the housekeeper told me" "Our hero has now been off work for two weeks" "There have been countless rumours about him" "On one thing the rumours were agreed:" "Mr. Watanabe was acting very unreasonably" "But the man himself thought he was acting more reasonably than ever" "This isn't the town hall;" "we have to do a day's work here" "Wasted seconds mean less money" "Meet me tonight, then" "I'll be too tired;" "I'd rather sleep" "Why do you want to go out with me?" "Let's stop this; it seems unnatural somehow" "Please, just tonight" "No, I won't!" "What's the point?" "Tonight, for the last time" "Let's go for a walk" "No." "If we do, we'll end up in a restaurant" "What's the point?" "I know I'm ungrateful, but I'm bored" "We've nothing to talk about" "Stop looking like that" "Frankly, you get on my nerves" "Why run after me all the time?" "Well, you see, I enjoy being with you" "I hope it isn't love" "No, it's not that..." "Speak frankly." "Stop talking in dribs and drabs" "Are you angry?" "Well, I don't even know myself why I follow you around" "All I know for sure..." "I'm going to die soon" "I'm suffering from stomach cancer" "Can you understand?" "I've only a year to live;" "maybe only six months" "Since I found that out, I've been drawn to you" "Once, when I was a child, I almost drowned" "It's the same sensation of engulfing blackness" "I struggle for something to cling to." "There's only you" "But your son..." "Don't mention him" "I have no son" "I'm all alone." "You wouldn't understand" "My son is somewhere far away" "Just as my parents were far away when I was drowning" "It's painful just to think about it" "Why pick on me?" "It's just that when I look at you it warms my heart" "This mummified heart of mine" "You're so considerate" "No, it's because you're young and healthy" "No, it isn't that, either" "I wonder where you get so much vigour" "It fills me, the mummy, with envy" "I'd like to live so vigorously, just for one day" "I won't be able to die unless I do" "In other words, I want to do something" "But I don't know what to do" "I feel that you know." "Perhaps you don't know, but..." "I don't really" "Tell me how to be like you" "I move about and eat, that's all" "It's true;" "I just make toys like this" "Even making such things is fun" "I feel that all babies are my friends now" "Why not try making something?" "What could I do at the office?" "True, it's impossible there." "Find another job" "It's too late" "It's not too late" "It isn't impossible;" "I can do something if I want to" "Even I can do something" "He'll resign soon; his son asked about his pension" "Then you'll be our next chief" "It's too early to say" "Mr. Ohno, deal with this" "Petition to reclaim area for children's playground" "Forward to Public Works" "But this should go to..." "Nothing will happen unless we do something" "It concerns Parks and Sewerage as well as Public Works" "Nothing will be done if we don't get them moving" "Call a car" "We'll visit the site and prepare a report today" "That will be very difficult" "Not if you're determined" "Five months later our hero died" "We'd like to see the Deputy Mayor" "Just for five minutes" "Sir, the reporters..." "What's the idea?" "We've nothing to hide" "Are you sure?" "We've made a careful investigation" "Although you and the Parks Department claim credit wasn't that playground the result of Watanabe's efforts?" "He was Public Liaison;" "playgrounds come under Parks" "We know that but we want to know who pushed the project through" "The local residents believe it was Mr. Watanabe" "And they're awed by the fact that he died in the playground" "What do you mean?" "The whole story is very curious" "When you opened the playground you didn't name Watanabe in your speech" "People say it wasn't an opening ceremony" "What was it, then?" "An election speech" "Watanabe was ignored at the ceremony, given a back seat" "People are very upset about the way he was treated and his death in the playground is considered significant" "It's regarded as a silent protest against the city leaders" "Are you implying that Watanabe committed suicide?" "Or, rather, purposely froze to death in the playground?" "That's the idea" "How melodramatic; it was even snowing last night" "But a post-mortem established the cause of death beyond doubt" "It wasn't suicide or exposure, it was stomach cancer" "Internal haemorrhage; he must have died very suddenly" "If you doubt me, Mr. Ohno can give medical details" "Those reporters go out of their way to twist things" "It's always the same, of course but there's a real lack of knowledge of local government" "They don't understand the administration" "Take the case of that playground, for instance" "People think Watanabe built it, just imagine that" "Forgive me I shouldn't speak like this at his wake, with his relatives present but I'm sure Mr. Watanabe would like the matter clarified" "Of course, he worked very hard on the project, as we know" "I'm the first to acknowledge that" "But it was all part of his section's normal work" "Anyone who knows the administration will agree it's nonsense to think a section chief can complete a project" "I'm sure the deceased must be amused" "Of course, we can't escape some responsibility for the rumours" "The construction of the playground was rushed through" "We were too busy to worry about apportioning credit" "For instance there's the Chief of Parks and his superior, the Chief of Public Works" "It's very generous of you, sir, but that's not the whole story" "The Chief of Parks and I only dealt with the paperwork" "But as the one who supported the project in Council and saw the project right through to completion you should be honoured for distinguished service, sir" "No." "I've even been accused of making political capital" "Someone called my opening speech an election address" "Some people from Kuroe-cho would like to pay their respects" "Cold, isn't it?" "I'll get some warm saké" "How about sitting nearer?" "I suppose they had an important meeting" "They couldn't bear to stay any longer" "Say what you like, Mr. Watanabe built that playground" "The Deputy Mayor knows it." "That's why..." "That's going too far." "Mr. Watanabe only..." "I'm not saying this because I'm in Parks but Parks did handle the project" "I know, but that's not what I'm getting at" "We understand your feelings, but..." "Why should the Public Liaison's chief build a playground?" "It's outside his sphere" "The playground was made, that's all." "Nothing special about it" "If it wasn't election time, no one would have noticed" "And if those gangsters hadn't tried to muscle in the work wouldn't have gone as fast as it did" "I don't understand" "What made Watanabe change character so suddenly?" "It was very strange" "True." "Thinking about it now he's dead I've been wondering if he himself knew he had cancer" "Can you tell us if your father knew he had cancer?" "I think he would have told me if he had known" "I'm glad he didn't know what was wrong with him" "If he knew, it would be like a death sentence" "Then Mr. Saito's theory is wrong" "What theory?" "Well, Mr. Watanabe changed about five months ago" "We can't understand the reason for the change" "It was a woman's influence" "Sometimes an old man is rejuvenated when he has a young mistress" "His cheeks begin to glow" "I think he had a little affair recently" "He did wear a sporty hat" "Yes, that hat really shook me" "That will be very difficult" "Not if you're determined" "But..." "Anyway, his zeal became rather fanatical" "That may be true, but surely a woman's influence couldn't..." "All the same, there was a time when his unprecedented zeal complicated the project" "It's easy to tread on toes at the town hall" "How could a man with thirty years experience do such a thing?" "It's because..." "He shouldn't have pestered the other sections" "They were upset by it, naturally" "My chief was annoyed;" "parks are his responsibility" "We have so many projects" "Please try; that site is in a terrible state" "But a playground can't be built as easily as you think" "All right, I'll study it again" "When all's said and done, the Park's chief gave in to Watanabe" "Yes, my chief couldn't resist him" "What a man." "He wouldn't take no for an answer" "My chief used to run when he saw Watanabe coming" "And he was humble to even minor officials like me" "We gave in, too" "We felt sorry for him, too" "Well, it was your section that gave most trouble I remember" "I went with him to your section every day for two weeks" "I'll never forget that deputation to the Deputy Mayor" "That was extraordinary" "There was an even more incredible incident" "With the Deputy Mayor?" "I doubt if any section chief defied the Deputy Mayor before" "It's a good idea and I applaud your enthusiasm but people may think you're doing it for publicity" "The Council has many such problems to consider" "Your plan must be set aside for the moment" "There were some terrible geisha at the party last night" "One of them didn't say a word all evening" "It seems she was a student, doing part-time work" "I must ask you to reconsider this proposal without fail" "What did you say?" "I request you to reconsider the playground project" "Just once more" "Judging by results, wasn't his persistence good?" "Not really." "Don't forget all the spheres of influence" "But the Deputy Mayor did reconsider, didn't he?" "He was pushed into it by the Council" "You're romanticizing Watanabe's perseverance" "No, I don't agree" "If his zeal can't be understood, the world is dark indeed" "It seemed as though only his work kept him alive" "Didn't you ever get that impression?" "It frightened me sometimes" "I remember one day..." "Now I come to think of it, one day on the site..." "His face was glowing" "He was like a man admiring his grandchildren" "Of course, he was the creator of that playground" "As I said before, I don't care what anyone says Mr. Watanabe built that playground" "What if the Deputy Mayor and councillors hadn't taken decisions?" "Watanabe took no part in top-level decisions" "I wouldn't say that" "Those gangster site-developers found him an obstacle" "Are you the Public Liaison chief?" "We want a word with you" "Don't be so meddlesome" "Who are you, anyway?" "Don't act up!" "I'm warning you to mind your own business" "Say something!" "Don't you value your life?" "This is Watanabe" "It's so strange" "Why did he suddenly start acting like that?" "Watanabe must have known he had cancer, I'm sure" "I've just remembered something" "It's too bad!" "We've been asking for two weeks now" "At least they could tell us what's left in the budget" "It's not their money; why don't they pay up decently?" "Doesn't this treatment make you angry?" "No, I can't go around getting angry" "I haven't got that sort of time" "Now that you mention it I remember something like that, too" "How beautiful" "I haven't admired a sunset for thirty years" "Well, I've no time for such things now" "He knew he didn't have long to live" "In that case, I can understand his unusual behaviour" "It was only natural, after all." "We'd all do the same" "We could die any day" "Deputy Chief" "Chief of the Public Liaison Section, I mean" "Can't you hear me?" "I haven't been appointed yet" "What was that you just said, Ohno?" "We'd all do the same, would we?" "Don't make me laugh" "You couldn't possibly do what Watanabe did" "Don't make me laugh" "I can talk, I only graduated from night school" "There's no chance of me being made a section chief" "But a guy like you, when you're chief..." "Listen, compared to Watanabe..." "We're just trash!" "So are you!" "Yes, we're just trash" "Still, there are many decent people working at the town hall" "But after you've worked there a long time, you change" "Don't use initiative there; anything unusual is considered going too far" "All we can do is look busy all day" "Even to get a rubbish bin emptied somewhere you need so many documents, they're enough to fill the bin" "And stamp upon stamp!" "Just excuses." "We live by stealing valuable time" "People complain about city corruption but that's nothing compared to our great waste of time" "Listen, I think about all this sometimes" "But there's so much red tape, there's no time to think" "Fool!" "Listen, it's no good trying to make excuses" "In an administration throttled by red tape Watanabe accomplished something, even while he was fighting cancer" "That's what I've been wanting to say" "That's just what infuriates me:" "Watanabe got no recognition" "When I think of how he must have felt" "They took the credit from him" "The Deputy Mayor did" "Mind your tongue" "I just wonder what Mr. Watanabe must have felt when he was dying all alone in that playground" "A policeman brought this;" "he found it in the playground" "He would like to offer a prayer" "Won't you stay for a moment?" "To tell the truth..." "I was on patrol last night and I saw him in that playground" "It was about ten... no, nearer eleven" "He was on a swing, in all that snow" "I thought he was drunk;" "I took no notice of him" "It was neglect of duty" "This wouldn't have happened if I'd taken him in charge" "I'm very sorry" "But he looked so happy" "He was singing, so earnestly and strangely" "The sound of his voice..." "His voice went straight to my heart" "Life is brief." "Fall in love, sweet maiden" "Last night I found on the stairs a package addressed to me" "In it were his bank book, his rubber stamp and his retirement bonus application" "So before he went to the playground..." "It was dreadful of father not to tell us he had cancer" "His girl-friend hasn't turned up." "Do you think it was true?" "Work hard!" "Follow in his footsteps!" "He must not have died in vain!" "I'm going to turn over a new leaf!" "I'll work for the public good!" "Chief, sewage has overflowed in Kizaki-cho" "Public Works" "Go to Public Works, desk number eight" "Kenbo!" "Yoko!" "Dinner's ready!"