Ikiru Page #3

Because misfortune

teaches us the truth.

Your cancer has opened your eyes

to your own life.

We humans are so careless.

We only realize how beautiful life is

when we chance upon death.

But few of us are actually able

to face death.

The worst ones know nothing of life

'til they die.

You're splendid.

Rebelling against life at your age.

Your rebellious spirit moves me.

You were a slave to your own life.

Now you will become its master.

I'm telling you, it's our human duty

to enjoy life.

Wasting it,

you desecrate God's great gift.

We've got to be greedy

about living.

We learned that greed is a vice,

but that's old. Greed is a virtue.

Especially this greediness for life.

Let's go.

Let us go reclaim the life

you have wasted.

Tonight it will be my pleasure

to act as your Mephistopheles.

A good Mephistopheles

who seeks no reward.

With a black dog to guide us.

Show us the way.

Listen.

These silver balls, they're you.

They're your life itself.

This machine liberates people

who strangle themselves

in their daily lives. A vending

machine of dreams and infatuations.

Over here, sweetie.

- Not so fast.

- But...

You don't know, but these women are

the greediest of all mammals.

It'll cost you close to a dozen hats

to get that old one back.

Besides, it's time to buy a new hat

to switch to a new self.

Welcome.

Welcome.

We haven't seen you in a while.

The same for your friend?

What are you laughing at?

It's the honest truth.

He really has cancer.

- Then why's he drinking?

- You idiot.

That's why you'll never get it.

Ecce homo.

Behold this man.

This man bears a cross called cancer.

He's Christ.

If you were diagnosed with cancer,

you'd die on the spot.

But not this fellow.

That's the moment he started living.

Right? Isn't that so?

Listen, the thing is,

that's the etiquette.

Listen, you, over here, here.

Anybody want to request a favorite?

"Life is Brief. "

What?

"Life is Brief. "

Fall in love, maidens

Oh, that love song from back

in the nineteen teens.

Life is brief

Fall in love, maidens

Before the crimson bloom

Fades from your lips

Before the tides of passion

Cool within you

For those of you

Who know no tomorrow

Life is brief

Fall in love, maidens

Before your raven tresses

Begin to fade

Before the flames in your hearts

Flicker and die

For those to whom

Today will never return

That's the spirit, man.

Life is brief

Striptease.

Now, this is what I call art.

No, it's more than art.

It's more direct.

In other words, that female body

gently undulating up there

on stage is a juicy steak,

a glass of liquor,

a bottle of camphor,

streptomycin, uranium...

Please, stop.

Hey, stop the car.

What? Had enough?

I think he's throwing up.

What a drag.

Say, let's sing something.

I hate feeling blue.

C'mon a my house

a my house

I'm gonna give you

a Christmas tree

C'mon a my house

a my house

I'm gonna give you a marriage ring

and a pomegranate too

C'mon a my house

a my house

C'mon a my house

a my house

I'm gonna give you a peach and a pear

I love your hair

Section Chief.

I thought it was you.

I hardly recognized you

in that new hat.

But I'm glad.

I was looking for your place.

Are you off to work?

No, I'm...

Do you have your seal?

No, my seal's back at home.

I want to quit the civil service.

I'm in a rush

'cause I found a new job.

- Then come to my house.

- Sure.

- Why are you quitting?

- Boredom.

It's killing me. Each day is

as predictable as the last.

Nothing new ever happens.

Still, I put up with it

for a year and a half,

but the only novel thing that happened

was you taking a few days off,

and now this new hat of yours.

That was it.

In any case, don't say anything

when Dad gets back.

I've nothing to say.

What I mean is, don't reproach him

about anything.

If you hadn't brought up

his pension...

You're so self-centered,

blaming it all on me.

You brought up his savings.

Said even he wouldn't

take them to his grave...

But it just doesn't make sense that

that's all it took to set Dad off.

Dad's never stayed out all night.

Let's stop this now.

We don't even know

what he's up to, let alone

if it's got anything to do with us.

I'll be going then.

Oh, c'mon in.

Honey!

Thirty years.

Thirty years in that awful place.

It kills me to think of it.

I'm sorry.

No, it's just,

recently,

every time I see that award,

it reminds me of

that joke you read us.

No, no, that joke hit the nail

on the head.

No matter how hard I try,

I can't remember a thing

I've done in that office

over the last thirty years.

All I remember,

what I mean is,

I was just busy,

and even then I was bored.

I had you all wrong, Section Chief.

You actually get it. What a shock.

That's crazy. Whatever uncle says,

I know Dad best.

But...

I can't even imagine Dad

with such a young girl.

This is the wrong form.

Are you going in to the office?

Yes, I've got to deliver this.

Then will you post my sick leave?

Why are you staying out

of the office?

It's a hot topic around there.

Like you mutated or something.

I just...

Are you really sick?

Actually, you look kind of pale.

It's just that what I mean...

I didn't think so.

So where do you go

when you pretend you're going to work?

You don't fool me.

But how odd.

Don't you know? Sakai-san came here

yesterday and spilled the beans.

Who cares?

After 30 years with an unblemished record,

you deserve at least six months off.

Besides, I'll cover for you.

I'm not like that Fish Kite.

- Fish kite?

- Yes, he's a human Fish Kite,

that Sakai-san is. His lips are always

moving, but he's just hot air inside.

Besides, he acts like

he's some high flyer.

He makes 200 yen more a month

than I do,

so he looks down on me.

Bye, then.

Say, wait, I'll go with you.

Madam.

Madam.

You're so lucky. I wish I could live

in a house like yours.

Our place crams three generations

in two rooms. It's like civil war.

And you have a wonderful son, right?

In any event, where do you buy

ladies' stockings?

- You're buying some?

- Yes.

Western clothing stores carry them.

They're for your daughter-in-law, right?

I've heard she's very pretty.

According to our

Mr. Fish Kite's report.

- They look wonderful.

- I'm all dizzy.

- They make you that happy?

- So happy.

To buy them myself, I'd have to live

on sardines for lunch for three months.

But why did you buy them for me?

In a word, your stockings had holes.

But the holes in my stockings

don't bother your legs.

It's just that I...

No, no. I didn't mean that.

I know how kind you are.

But right now, I feel kind of awkward,

so I made that awful remark. I'm sorry.

Want to hear something good?

Something good?

I got so bored I had to give everyone

at work a nickname.

Want to hear them?

Sea Slug.

- Sea Slug?

Can you guess?

Someone who's slippery and evasive.

Ohno-san, the sub-section chief.

Sea Slug... indeed.

Ditch-cover-board,

damp and soggy all year round.

Rate this script:4.6 / 5 votes