Girl's Reform School (何故彼女等はそうなったか)

GIRL'S REFORM SCHOOL

Producer Tsuneyasu MATSUMOTO

Written by Toshihiko TAKEDA Screenplay by Hiroshi SHIMIZU

Cinematographer Hiroshi SUZUKI Lighting Director Iwaji HIRAOKA Sound Mixer Tsukuru KATAOKA

Art Director Seiichi TORIIDUKA Music Ichiro SAITO

Assistant Director Teruo ISHII Editor Hidetoshi KASAMA Production Chief Kihachiro YAMAMOTO

Cast

Kyoko KAGAWA

Junko IKEUCHI Konomi FUJI Misako UJI

Utako MITSUYA Masako NAKAMURA Keiko OUGI Chiyoko KUNI Akiko MIE

Kikuko HANAOKA Katsuko WAKASUGI Wakako KUNITOMO Eiko OOHARA Masako FUJIMURA

Chisako TAHARA Ritsuko NONOMURA Yukiko MORO Yasuko ASAKURA Kyoko KATSURA Tomiko KOIZUMI Sizuko INAMI Yoshiko SHIBATA

Keiko HASEGAWA Kuniko TAMAGAWA Sumiko MOTAI Hideko MURANO Mayumi TAKAHASHI Yuuko TSUJI Shuuko ITO Fujiko OOTSUKA

Saburo SAWAI Hiroshi TSUKIJI Toru HIRANUMA Younosuke AKIYAMA Kan SUGI

Chieko NANIWA (TOHO) Toyoko TAKAHASHI (SHOCHIKU)

Directed by Hiroshi SHIMIZU

Every girl in this school

has fallen into bad habits.

These children have arisen from the chaos at the end of the war.

One girl is a kleptomaniac,

one has the habit of lying, another is addicted to stimulants.

One girl wants to see the world.

One can't help gambling or is a pyromaniac.

And one sold herself to get money...

Let's not expose any more.

They are not naturally bad.

After coming here

their improvement is remarkable.

It is like a sick person trying to get out of bed...

and who rapidly gets better.

They are good as long as they are here.

But, when they go out into the world,

many of them return here heartbroken.

As for life in this school,

in the morning they study according to their level.

However, there are those who do not wish to study.

And we do not force them.

In the afternoon, they do piecework.

The girls here no longer know how to laugh from the bottom of their hearts.

Then

we got them this job hand painting okame masks.

Because we hope

they will laugh some day just like an okame.

They divide up their earnings:

One third is for food.

One third for clothing and daily necessities.

The rest they save.

Or some send money to their families.

They cook by turns.

There are always five girls on duty.

From now on, we will try to describe

events inspired by a true story.

Hiroko HATA Birth: 25 May 1938 Feb - May 1955:

Removal of household goods, staying out without permission, smoking, vagrancy.

Many of the girls in this school are from poor families.

But you come from a wealthy, well-known family in Iyo.

Why did you run away from home?

It's true.

You have your parents.

Why do you feel need to run away?

Your father and mother love you, right?

Then, do you have a problem with your brothers?

Your parents love you, there's no problem with your brothers.

Then, what is your problem?

Well, you should become a good girl as soon as possible,

and then your family can stop worrying.

Please take her and introduce her to the other girls.

Let's go, Hiroko.

Everyone.

From today, Hiroko Hata will be one of us.

I hope you can be good friends.

I'm Hiroko Hata.

- Yone, she'll be with you. - Yes.

And can someone help her with her luggage?

Please take the Futon.

- What a nerve. - Right.

It looks like a wedding.

- Bring it in here, please. - Yes.

Please put her luggage here.

Yone, please help her.

Hiroko, you can ask her for anything you need.

I'll leave everything to you.

Please.

Here.

Oh, a tip.

Long time no see. Thank you.

Why were you sent to this school?

This ? Or this ?

Why did you come here?

I didn't "enter", I was sent here.

Then, why were you sent here?

This?

Or this?

How dare you. I'm here longer than you. You should show me some respect.

So, what?

- You hit me. - Yes, I did.

Please come. It's awful.

What are you doing?

What happened?

She's so shameless. She used gestures like "This or this" to me. Damn her.

You used gestures like "This or this" to me first. Damn you.

You can stop quarreling. Yone, everyone, go back to your places. OK?

I won't lose to her. I'm a newcomer, so I held back.

Damn it, she's a bad one.

Look.

How fierce you are.

Why not smile.

You see? How pretty you are.

Why are you here?

I like you very much.

I...

Give me a hug.

I...

I'm the daughter of mistress.

I was taken in by my foster mother after I was born.

No one has told me

if my real mother is alive or dead.

I...

so want to see my real mother.

You should become a good girl as soon as possible.

I'll take care of you instead of your real mother. OK?

Now then,

you can go back to your bed.

Give me one hug more.

But, if you are found out, you'll be in trouble.

You understand, don't you?

Let's go, alright?

You need to go quietly, right?

- Good night. - Good night.

Where are we going?

Follow me.

What can I do for you?

Last night, where did you go?

Wherever.

I won't ask you again. Just give me a cigarette.

I don't have any.

Don't lie.

Look here.

You have nicotine-stained fingers.

The girls who smoke most probably bring in hidden cigarettes.

Come on, give.

You won't?

Then, I'll expose your secret to all.

I have them in my pyjama pocket.

Really?

You can get a cigarette during work hours.

Let's go back.

What are you doing?

I know what you're looking for.

What was in your pyjama pocket.

You don't need them any more.

That's why you left them for me last night, right?

Is that right?

Am I right?

Miss, I'm sorry.

The teacher took them.

I'll buy you some.

So, please don't tell anybody about last night.

Yone, please come.

This.

It was in the closet.

You were eating it, weren't you?

I've seen this once before.

I thought I'd ask you.

Yone.

You can talk to me about anything. Feel free to discuss anything.

Yone.

Don't take it all on yourself.

You can tell me anything. Right?

It's OK. I won't do anything bad.

If it's as I imagine, sooner or later we'll all find out

Please tell me before it's too late.

Yone, please.

I have nothing to tell you.

Yone.

- I found it in her closet. - Again?

I think it's just as you said.

- What did she say? - That she'd nothing to tell us.

What do you want?

Your behaviour has really thrown me. Teacher suspects me now.

- What? About the cigarettes? - No, it's not that.

Don't get carried away. And don't spoil everything.

I got it. You're angry because teacher found your summer orange.

Shut up. Clear off.

- What happened? - I don't understand a thing.

I think she's misunderstood something.

Yone. Yone.

Please, pick her up.

Yone, pull yourself together. Oh my God. Are you OK?

Tomiko MIYAI Birth: 11 Nov 1938

8 Mar 1955: Removing household goods, 9 May 1955: 3 counts of theft with vagrancy

I've heard news from Mrs. Oda that your father isn't feeling well.

Recently you've been doing well, so we thought we'd let you go back home.

What do you think?

Miss, can I go home?

Really?

Even if you do return, you shouldn't defy your mother. Do you understand?

Even if she is your step-mother, she will love you if you behave.

When you are with me, you behave yourself.

If you obey your mother, everything will be fine.