The Human Condition I: No Greater Love (人間の條件　第１部純愛篇／第２部激怒篇)

A "MASTERPIECE APPRECIATION SERIES" SPECIAL SELECTION

GRANDSCOPE

A SHOCHIKU FILM

THE HUMAN CONDITION

Developed by BUNGEI PRODUCTION and NINJIN CLUB

Produced by SHIGERU WAKATSUKI

Based on the Novel by JUNPEI GOMIKAWA

Screenplay by ZENZO MATSUYAMA and MASAKI KOBAYASHI

Director of Photography YOSHIO MIYAJIMA

Production Design KAZUE HIRATAKA Sound Recording HIDEO NISHIZAKI

Music CHUJI KINOSHITA

Lighting TAKASHI KATO Editing KEIICHI URAOKA

1st Ass't Director YUGORO IMAI

Ass't. Director KOICHI INAGAKI Ass't Camera TOSHITADA NAGUMO

Ass't Production Design JUSHO TODA Set Decoration KYOJI SASAKI

Set Design YOJI MURO

Production Manager TATSUO OSAWA

Starring

TATSUYA NAKADAI as Kaji

MICHIYO ARATAMA as Michiko

CHIKAGE AWASHIMA as Jin Tung Fu INEKO ARIMA as Yang Chun Lan

KEIJI SADA as Kageyama

SO YAMAMURA as Okishima AKIRA ISHIHAMA as Chen

SHINJI NANBARA as Kao

SEIJI MIYAGUCHI as Wang Heng Li TORU ABE as Sergeant Watai

MASAO MISHIMA as Kuroki EITARO OZAWA as Okazaki

KOJI MITSUI as Furuya AKITAKE KONO as Captain Kono

NOBUO NAKAMURA as Head Office Chief KYU SAZANKA as Cho Meisan

Directed by MASAKI KOBAYASHI

SOUTHERN GATE OF PEACE

This isn't like you.

- Why? - You're running away.

Don't you want me?

Of course I do.

And I want you too. Yet we can't marry -

How many times must I explain?

Because you might be called up?

I wouldn't care if it was the day after.

Of course I'd cry.

I'd cry bitterly.

But happiness only lies in marrying the one you love.

All right.

I'll take you back to my dormitory.

You'll stay with me tonight.

All right?

Yes... I'll go.

No, you better go back to your own dormitory.

I can't take you to mine.

You were just testing me. You shouldn't have done that.

You're a coward and a weakling!

Now I see that!

SOUTH MANCHURIA STEEL CO.

RESEARCH DEPARTMENT

Hey.

Well, what a surprise.

I came to say good-bye, as sentimental as that may sound.

You got called up?

When do you leave? - Tomorrow morning.

The papers came five days ago. I've been drinking ever since.

Oh, yes. I ran into Michiko last night.

Aren't you going to marry her?

It's you today. Tomorrow it could be me.

Being called up isn't a death sentence.

I'm a born optimist.

Unlike you, I've had my share of earthly pleasures.

My only regret

is not having left the seed of life in the womb of a woman I love.

I'll probably regret it too,

but I can't be as optimistic as you.

The manager wants me. Wait for me inside.

No, I'll see you tonight.

Tonight? All right.

Kaji looked a bit angry.

Is anything wrong?

Are you going to be platonic friends forever?

You had the spunk to come out here to Manchuria alone.

Throw yourself at him!

I did.

He rejected you?

No. 12 and 13, stop your chatter...

or I'll report you.

THE SUPERVISION OF COLONIAL LABOR

I read it twice.

Very interesting,

though it does smell of leftist tendencies.

What are you trying to say?

That men should be treated as men - I suppose that's the gist.

But in colonial territories it's - - A challenge?

Yes, sir.

We profit by exploiting Chinese labor - isn't that the idea?

That's right.

And that goes against your thesis.

Yes, it does.

Mind if I take a cigarette? - Help yourself.

So how about it?

Without that contradiction, there'd be nothing to write about.

So it contradicts your thesis,

but there are still ways to improve performance,

is that it?

Yes, perhaps there are.

Listen, I want you to take over at the Loh Hu Liong mines.

Any objections to being sent off to the hinterlands?

I'm not trying to force you.

You've analyzed the local situation quite well on paper.

Would you want it to end up only on paper?

No.

When you're ready to put your theories into practice,

I'll help you get a fair chance

at exemption from military service.

An exemption from military service?

You're not the only one to get an exemption.

There are dozens of others.

But it's the idea of accepting an exemption

in exchange for the Loh Hu Liong job.

You always complicate things. It's a bad habit.

The war is escalating, and there's only one way to oppose it:

A life sentence in prison.

Neither you nor I have the courage for that. Am I right?

Yes... you're right.

I humbly accept your kind gift.

Not even the commander of the Kwangtung Army ever dared slap me.

Take Michiko and go to Loh Hu Liong.

Michiko... his sweetheart? Is pretty?

The most beautiful girl in the world.

But you're the most beautiful girl in my world.

Listen.

So you think you'd just be a shepherd's dog.

What's wrong with that?

A good dog can lead the sheep to greener pastures

and earn their gratitude.

If such things are possible.

As for me, I'll take this one.

My little Manon, your hair smells like dried grass.

Michiko-san!

Kageyama-san, take care.

Michiko-san, go with Kaji to Loh Hu Liong.

Let this damn war go to the dogs.

If you let happiness slip through your fingers...

He may never return.

I won't be called up.

Loh Hu Liong is a tiny Manchurian village.

All we'll find there are iron ore and labor camps.

Would you go with me to a place like that?

I'd follow you anywhere.

This will affect your whole life.

Think it over carefully.

Even if you were called up...

I'd still want to have your child.

Is that crazy?

What a honeymoon!

What did you say?

It's all this wind and dust.

I don't care! It's wonderful!

It feels like gravel in my mouth.

LOH HU LIONG

Step up.

All right.

Bastard!

Why, you! Think I'm blind?

Trick me into giving you special rations?

Oh no, you don't!

Come here.

- Kaji from the head office? - Yes.

I'm Okishima. We'll be working together.

We can dispense with the formalities.

What ever made you come out to the boonies?

Following Kaji-san through thick and thin?

Nice to meet you.

This way.

Hey, take their bags to their new quarters.

I read your report on the supervision of colonial labor.

Lots of fancy words.

Please, ma'am.

The men here are plain speakers. You'll be fundamentally incompatible.

- Thanks for the advice. - What's so funny?

Sorry, but your own fancy words sound out of place.

Anyway, it's very well-written. Touches the core of the matter.

Touches... but doesn't quite grasp it.

Why?

If I knew, I'd write it myself.

I'll show your wife around. You go see the boss.

Furuya, show him the way.

I know this is nothing new, sir,

but our first shift requested 2,500 men.

Only 1,500 turned up this morning.

We can never meet our production goal that way.

We're at war, Okazaki. We must expect such shortages.

You can't do your work unless all conditions are perfect?

I didn't mean that, but if Labor would do something -

MEETING IN PROGRESS

I'm Kaji. I just arrived.

So you're Kaji?

I'll introduce you.

Mr. Higuchi, supervisor of Pit No. 2.

His foreman, Mr. Kawashima.

Mr. Koike, supervisor of Pit No. 1.

And his foreman, Mr. Okazaki.

The head office sent Mr. Kaji here as labor supervisor.

Pleased to meet you.

You're just in time. Please sit down.