A SHOCHIKU FILM
A STORY OF FLOATING WEEDS
Story by
JAMES MAKI
Screenplay by
TADAO IKEDA
Directed by
YASUJIRO OZU
Photographed by
HIDEO MOHARA
Art Director
TATSUO HAMADA
With
TAKESHI SAKAMOTO
CHOKO IIDA
HIDEO MITSUI
RIEKO YAGUMO
YOSHIKO TSUBOUCHI
TOKKAN-KOZO
Another show's coming?
Some traveling actors.
Kihachi Ichikawa's troupe.
It's been a long time, Master.
I'm going to stay here for a while.
Your son's really grown up.
It's been four years.
He's nine now.
She was just a gawky little girl,
but look at her now.
KIHACHI ICHIKAWA'S TROUPE!
OPENS JULY 7!
You're going to see the show tonight?
Kihachi was so handsome
when he was young.
We used to all go
when he came here.
Got any older sisters?
Don't eat too much
or you'll wet the bed again.
Do it again and I'll have Otoki
give you a moxa treatment.
Did the boss wet the bed last night?
Why don't you give him
bigger doses of moxa?
Easy for you to say.
You don't know what it feels like.
Just think about Goemon Ishikawa.
He was boiled alive.
He was a famous robber.
I'm not.
One of your plays is all about thieves.
Don't be silly.
Get me a kimono.
I'll pay a visit to some patrons
I have here.
It's been a long time.
I thought it was about time you came.
I've been waiting.
Would you like a drink?
How is your arthritis?
Not bad, now that I use
the medicine you told me about.
I get stiff shoulders lately.
I'm being treated with moxa.
It's good to see
you're as well as ever.
How is Shinkichi?
He graduated
from agriculture college last year.
He's a postgraduate now.
The head of the troupe is here.
He's a big boy now.
He'll be eligible for the draft
next year.
First class.
He eats like a horse, doesn't he?
No wonder we're old now.
It must have been hard
raising him all these years.
I don't mind hardship
as long as it's for his sake.
He still thinks his father's dead,
doesn't he?
He thinks his father
was a civil servant.
Aren't you Ionely?
No use complaining
about Ioneliness.
Let him go on thinking
his father is dead.
He wouldn't want
a no-good father like me.
He has a great future ahead of him.
Dace are in season.
Want to go fishing with me?
Some fish move slowly,
so you've got a chance.
How long will you stay this time?
It depends on the audience.
I'd like to stay a year.
I think I'll go to the show tonight.
Our show isn't for you.
You're a student.
Your job is to study.
If it were summer vacation,
I'd travel with you.
Much in it?
I doubt it.
It's floating, so no heavy coins.
Did you ever think
it might be stuffed with bills?
You never had any bills.
Let's rehearse again
before the boss comes back.
No matter how great the actor,
it's hard to play the horse.
Look, the woman seated
in the second row isn't bad.
Finally!
Where's the dog?
It's pouring.
Rain's really the end
for traveling actors.
I'm sorry it's become such a mess.
It's been raining for days.
We had long rains earlier,
in Takasaki.
The radio says that
it'll rain
for another four or five days.
I wish I had
some really good tempura.
I want some sake
with roasted eel.
You got a smoke?
You stole my money,
didn't you, Pop?
My kitty bank was facing
the other way before.
The boss is really something.
We've got this crisis,
and he's out drinking every day.
He has to,
as long as he stays here.
You said an odd thing just now.
It sounded like some kind of secret.
I wouldn't mention your name.
It's fun to checkmate.
Check the king, not the father.
You're finished, Uncle.
I lost again.
You've turned into
a good chess player.
When you play the hero of Konjiki,
I'll lend you my cap.
Give me a drink.
Thank you for taking care
of the master every day.
Somebody wants you.
What brings you here?
What do you think?
Is she the patron you had to see?
I should thank her too, then.
Go home, Otoki.
You must be happy
to have such a nice son.
How old are you?
What does your father do?
No need to get upset.
I have something to tell
the madame and her son.
That's none of your business.
What's wrong with me seeing
my own son?
You can't talk to me that way.
Have you forgotten
what happened in Takasaki?
Who do you think got you
out of trouble back then?
Who do you think asked
the big shots in town for help?
Don't think you can
just walk out on me.
All right, we're through
as of now!
Don't ever come here again,
or I'll never forgive you.
My son belongs
to a better world than yours.
Is that fuss during the day
still bothering you? It's not like you.
The boss gets mad so easily.
I thought you were used to it.
I know.
I'd already forgotten about it.
I'm glad. I was worried
because you seemed down.
I have a favor to ask you.
Try to seduce that boy
who was at the restaurant today.
I'm not interested in children.
You'd be doing me a favor.
Try.
Why?
Take it or leave it.
You really think I could?
Bat your eyes and you could catch
any man you wanted.
Just turn on the charm.
We met yesterday.
I have something to tell you.
I'll be waiting here
after the show tonight.
I don't know if I can.
I'm going to take a walk, Mother.
Are you angry
because I asked you to meet me?
I wanted to see you.
Don't you like talking with girls?
How was it?
I wish a peach
would come bobbing downstream.
Bringing us good fortune,
just like in the fairy tales.
Otoki isn't around.
She goes out a lot these days.
Where does she go, anyway?
We're going to have to part soon.
What will we be doing
this time next year?
But let's not think
about a silly thing like that.
Why don't we tell
my mother about us?
I'm sure she'll help us.
I'm not the girl you think.
I'm not worthy of a man like you.
I tried to make
a fool of you at first.
It started that way, but...
Never mind how it started.
Don't get mixed up
with a traveling player like me.
He's been out every night this week.
I'm going to have to leave soon.
I want to see him
as often as I can.
You must be careful.
About that woman.
Her? I have no excuse.
Don't take it wrong. I'm too old
to be jealous. I'd be embarrassed.
It'd be awful if she told
Shinkichi the truth.
Where the hell have you been?
What's that boy to you?
Is it for money?
Is that what you think?
I wouldn't blame you.
Otaka, too,
offered me money at first.
What did she want?
She wanted me to seduce him.
But now it's not for money.
I love him.
I want Otaka here.
I'll speak with you later.
You sent for me?
What do you want?
What did you plan
to do with my son?
Who cares about your son?
He's cheap, like you,
playing around with actresses.
Are you sorry?
I hope you'll be very sorry.
The world is like a lottery.
You take your ups and your downs.
Let's make up, please?
This makes us even, you see.
Just think how I feel.
Where's Otoki?
Looks like she just stepped out.
Is Shinkichi in?
You mean you didn't send for him?
He just went out
with that girl from your troupe.
This is terrible.
I'm afraid I've let Shinkichi
ruin his future.
We'll give you this much
for everything.
All right.
It's enough to pay them off.
We've been together
for a long time, Master.
Where will you go, Kichi?
To Ueda.
I have family there.
I'll go back to working
at the butcher's shop.
Get a steady job.
That's the best.
I'm sick of show business.
It's our last night.
Go on, make up with Otaka.
Let's enjoy ourselves
before we break up.
Sing, will you, Otaka?
My troupe's finally disbanded.
No word from Shinkichi yet?
Like father, like son.
So fast with the girls.
I'm finished this time.
I'll fix you a drink.
No sake for me.
Then you won't travel anymore?
You can stay as long as you like.
Shinkichi is old enough to know by now.
He'll understand.
He'll be back sometime or other.
Let's live together like a family.
It isn't good
to be alone all the time.
Let's have a drink.
Thank you for everything.
When did you get back?
Where have you been?
Why act like nothing's happened?
Forgive me, Master.
She apologized.
Why hit her?
You're to blame, too.
Don't you know
your mother worries about you?
What are you doing?
Who do you think he is?
The man you hit just now
is your father.
I have no father like him.
My father was a civil servant.
He's dead.
If my father were alive,
he'd never have abandoned us
for 20 years.
All these years it's just been us.
Right, Mother?
No father could be that selfish.
What if, out of respect for his son,
he couldn't call himself father?
He didn't want you to be
a traveling actor like him.
He wanted you to have
an education and a good job.
That's why he had to lie
and live in Ioneliness.
He's been poor,
but wherever he was,
he always paid for your schooling.
Aren't you sorry for striking
such a considerate father?
I'm sorry.
I didn't know.
My son has been to school.
His words make sense.
I abandoned him,
and now I call myself his father.
It's natural for him to object.
I'll go away again.
Shinkichi has accepted you
in his heart.
I don't want him
to feel awkward because of me.
Let me go as the usual carefree uncle
one last time.
I'll start up in business again.
If I do well, I'll return.
I'll be a great actor
so Shinkichi won't be ashamed of me.
And you can thank me
with a curtain call.
Will you take me with you?
I don't want to leave
without returning your kindness.
I'll work hard.
I'll start a new life.
Did you hear that?
How sweet!
Will you take care of her?
She's a good, gentle girl.
I'm sorry for hitting you.
Help my son become a great man.
Uncle?
Where is Uncle?
You mean Father?
He went on the road again.
Don't try to stop him.
Just be a great man.
That's all he wants.
Since you were born,
he's been coming here
with that one hope in mind.
Where are you going?
Kamisuwa.
And you?
No place in particular.
How about organizing
a new troupe with me?
I don't know if I can pull it off.
One more to Kamisuwa.
THE END