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A SHOCHIKU FILM
TOKYO CHORUS
A Film by YASUJIRO OZU
Original Story by KOMATSU KITAMURA and KOGO NODA
Screenplay by KOGO NODA
Directed by YASUJIRO OZU
Director of Photography and Editor HIDEO MOHARA
Assistant Directors AKIRA KIYOSUKE, KENKICHI HARA and HAMAO NEGISHI
Starring TOKIHIKO OKADA, EMIKO YAGUMO
HIDEO SUGAWARA HIDEKO TAKAMINE, TATSUO SAITO
CHOKO IIDA TAKESHI SAKAMOTO, REIKO TANI
KENICHI MIYAJIMA ISAMU YAMAGUCHI
You're always late.
Jackets off!
How dare you make a face!
Stay there and don't move!
SEVERAL YEARS LATER...
HE'S WORKING FOR AN INSURANCE COMPANY
Daddy, buy me a bicycle!
All my friends have bicycles. I want one too.
Go ask your mother.
She said yes, since you get your bonus today.
Buy me something too.
You already got those paper balloons. Greedy baby!
Treat her like that and no bicycle.
Business is slow. We'll be lucky to get a month's pay.
Even a month's pay would be 120 yen.
BONUSES IN PRESIDENT'S OFFICE AT NOON
Is it a good bonus this year?
Hoover's policies haven't helped us yet.
Don't go in now. It's occupied.
"Bicycle... parasol..."
"Necktie..."
This is good-bye. This is my last day here.
Why? You're a senior employee with a pension starting next year.
I moonlighted as an agent
and sold policies to a few customers who met unfortunate fates.
One died the day after buying a 20,000-yen policy.
He was hit by a car.
You didn't run him over. It wasn't your fault.
Another died of typhus just months after buying a 10,000-yen policy.
Still, that's no reason to fire you. It's wrongful termination.
The boss has always been so good to me. I don't want to make trouble.
You should at least have a talk with him.
They seem pleased. The bonus was 20% more than expected.
Of course! We should protest! What are we waiting for?
This isn't just about him. It's about us too!
It's time to stand up for all of us working stiffs!
You're full of fight. You go tell the boss.
Then again, he lost the company money. You can't blame the boss.
Are you sneering at me?
In that case, go talk to the boss yourself!
You bet I will!
Hypocrite!
I think it's the company's duty to pay
even if a customer dies the day after buying a policy.
Why did you fire Mr. Yamada?
He's getting too old.
It's really because his customers died right after taking out policies.
Are you telling me how to run this company?
You're just an employee yourself! Mind your own business!
I don't need troublemakers like you! You're fired!
It turns out this is my last day too.
I'm on my way to buy my son a bicycle.
May I offer you some tea nearby?
My daddy's buying me a better one today, so there!
My bicycle?
That's more fun than a bicycle.
No! It's no fun at all!
Suit yourself! I'll never buy you anything again!
Mom?
She's out shopping for dinner.
Liar!
I'm not scared of you!
Fine! You want me to lock you up in the storeroom?
He was a bad boy, so I spanked him.
He didn't buy the bicycle he promised me.
Daddy was wrong. Now be a good boy and stop crying.
What did I do wrong?
You shouldn't lie to children.
He's been dreaming of a bicycle for so long.
Daddy's a liar!
"You are hereby discharged..."
I argued with the boss.
I was right, but of course he fired me.
Be a good boy and play with this, okay?
Poor kid. Let's buy him a bicycle.
TOKYO... CITY OF THE UNEMPLO YED
INSURANCE WEEK CITY OF TOKYO
I never thought I'd have to do something like this.
You're lucky you at least have a job.
I'm still unemployed. My college degree makes me overqualified.
I'm truly sorry. It's all because of me.
Children are lucky. They can just bawl their heads off.
A bear broke out of its cage.
A bear getting out isn't going to change our lives.
Miyoko is sick. She ate a spoiled arrowroot cake.
The doctor said she might get dysentery.
Why did you give her that cake?
I sold some old paper and wanted to buy the children a treat.
The doctor wants to hospitalize her.
Worried about the money?
I'll earn the money somehow.
Go call a rickshaw.
Get ready to take her to the hospital.
She's doing better.
Now that she's out of the woods, let's you and I go home.
Can we pay the bill?
ONCE ON THE ROAD TO RECOVERY, CHILDREN GET WELL QUICKLY
The bureau is practically empty.
Miyoko is back with us thanks to your kimonos.
Even gentlemen like him come here looking for work these days.
EMPLO YMENT OFFICE
Fancy meeting you here! Posting a job offer at the employment office?
I heard you stopped teaching a few years ago.
I worked for a radio program for a while.
Now I have a restaurant.
If you're out of work, how about helping me for a while?
At your restaurant?
I'll help you find a good job later.
I have contacts at the Ministry of Education.
If you feel sorry for me, I must decline.
But if it's out of friendship for a former student, I accept.
Sorry, but a man gets sensitive when he's poor.
THE CALORIE CAFE
CURRY RICE & PORK CUTLET
A SOUND MIND RESTS IN A SOUND BOD Y
OUR PORTIONS REALLY FILL YOU UP
We met outside the employment office. I asked him to help us out.
Let's have him taste our curry rice.
No waitresses?
No waitresses. My wife and I do all the work.
Pretty waitresses can attract customers.
Like they attracted you as a student?
THE CALORIE CAFE OUR PORTIONS REALLY FILL YOU UP
I need a hand passing these out.
I'll make us each a banner tonight.
We can carry them around tomorrow.
How about I recruit my old classmates to spread the word instead?
Good idea. But we'll pass these out too.
Daddy!
It can't be! Your father would never do a thing like that!
CURRY RICE & CUTLET 15 SEN
OUR PORTIONS REALLY FILL YOU UP
It's too hard passing these out. Could you carry both banners?
One is hard enough. With two I couldn't even walk.
You'd be in better shape if you'd trained harder back in school.
HIS WIFE WAS UTTERLY HUMILIATED TO SEE HIM LIKE THIS
They're my pills, not yours!
Did you go out today?
I went to see if an old classmate's father might have a job for you.
Did he?
I saw an awful sight on the way.
It was you.
I never asked you to stoop to something like that.
We may be hard up, but we must hold our heads high.
That old man was a former teacher of mine.
He said he'd find me a job, so I'm helping him in the meantime.
Are you sure he will?
A drowning man will clutch at straws.
I feel like I'm getting old. I've lost my spirit.
I'll go with you to help tomorrow.
FOUR OR FIVE DAYS LATER...
We're ready. Please come join us.
SOLD OUT
It's been many years since we parted.
I'm glad to see you all in good health.
May you all continue to prosper through hard work and self-reliance.
Please relax and enjoy each other's company like in your student days.
CURRY RICE 15 SEN
I'm sorry to have to charge at a gathering like this.
I hope you'll understand.
FROM: THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION FOR: MR. UMAKICHI OMURA
I've found a job for you.
Teaching English at a girls' school. Do you speak English?
You must be relieved, Mrs. Okajima.
It's way off in Tochigi Prefecture, but I think we should go.
I'm sure we can return to Tokyo someday.
Late as always, I see.
Let's sing!
Time flies, and so did our three years at school
Friends, we shall miss your youthful faces
THE END