Hiroshima Maiden (1988) - full transcript

(dramatic music)

(soft music)

- [Johnny] In the summer of 1955,

my mom and dad had an idea.

They invited a girl to
come stay in our house

in Beechmont, Connecticut.

Not just any girl.

One from Japan who'd been
hurt during World War II

when we dropped the
atomic bomb in Hiroshima.

She was coming to America
with 24 other girls

to get operations on their
faces and arms and stuff.



I didn't really mind, as long
as she didn't get in the way.

I mean, it was summer.

I had things to do.

(soft music)

(kids chatting)

(dog barking)

- Okay, we're ready.
- Yeah.

- Yeah, all right!

- All right, it's gonna be
the Japs versus the Marines.

Okay, the Marines are in the jungle, see,

and the Japs are getting
ready to plan an ambush on us.

- Okay, so Johnny, us
two will be the Marines,

and Sam, you be a Jap.

- Yeah.
(laughing)



- Oh no, do I have to?

- Yo, do you want to play?

- Why do I always have to be a Jap?

- 'Cause you just joined.
- So?

- Johnny, Johnny.

Show him how to talk like a Jap.

He's got one coming

to live with him.
- Yeah, come on.

Yeah, come on, Johnny.

You do so good.
- Come on, Johnny, come on.

(rambling)
(laughing)

(ominous music)

(yelling)

- All right, we won.

(hollering)

- Fooled you, fake out.

- That's cheating.
- Learn how to play, stupid.

- Hey, they do that.

Japs do all kinds of
sneaky stuff like that.

- You never even seen a Jap.

- You're just saying
that 'cause we beat you.

- We'll go ask my dad, he was there.

- Let's go.

- Now, this is the way people remember it,

but this was the first actual

raising of the flag at Iwo Jima.

That was Iwo Jima.

Fellas, the jungle was different.

See boys, what they did was
they dug a pit in the ground

and they filled it with bamboo spikes

and made a booby trap.

Now you fell in,

(exhales) and then, if
anyone was left alive,

they came after you.

(exhales) With this.

There you go.

- Mr. Latimer.
- Uh-huh.

- Is that a bullet hole?

- Yeah.

The Jap that wore this was about

to stick his bayonet
right through my guts.

Bullet saved my life, boys.

- This girl you got coming.

She's really from Japan?

- Yeah, from Hiroshima.

- Hiroshima?

Look out.

- Why?

- The atom bomb, radiation.

- Yeah, did you guys see Godzilla?

Where he goes, (screams).

And he's got scales all over him.

- Hey Johnny, bet your Jap
girl's got feelers like an ant.

Why is she coming anyway?

- A whole bunch of girls
are coming after Hiroshima.

They're gonna go to the hospital

and try to get their scars fixed up.

- Scars?

(groaning)
- Wait, wait, wait.

Remember what my dad said about

all the sneaky stuff that Japs used to do?

- Yeah.
- Yeah.

- Well this Jap could be a spy.

- A girl spy?

- Shut up, Leo.

- Why not?

Okay, we gotta help Johnny
guard against the enemy

and we gotta think of a plan, all right?

All right, let's get going.

(soft mellow music)

- Why do we always have
to do what Ted says?

- He's the General.

- But he's not the General.

He's just loud.

(yelling and groaning)

- This is my bed, my room.
- Pillow fight, huh?

- What do they eat in Japan besides rice?

- Fish.

- I got fish.
- Lots of fish.

And seaweed, I told you.

- The Beechmont A&P doesn't
sell seaweed, darling.

What'd you eat when you were there?

- Hamburgers.

I was in the Army, honey.

I ate what they gave me.

- (chuckles) I don't mean
when you were in the base.

I mean, what'd you eat
when you went downtown?

- What's the matter?

- I just want to make sure she
feels at home when she comes.

- Betty, don't worry about it.

Everything's gonna be fine.

(shattering)

- Uh oh.

(groaning)

Johnny, Timmy, what are you guys doing?

Come on, cut it out, cut it out.

It's way past your bedtime.
- That's it, that's it.

Come on, helicopter taking off.

- [Betty] Look at this mess.

Get in bed, get under the covers.

- Get the landing pad ready.

(rumbling)

- Get under there.
- Okay, where's Bobo?

Why aren't you asleep, huh?

- [Betty] 'Cause he's in the middle

of a pillow fight, that's why.

Isn't it?
- Dad, Dad.

Is this girl gonna be all weird looking?

- [Jim] No, why do you think that?

- She got all burnt, right?

- But honey, doctors nowadays
know how to make people

just like new, I mean.

- [Jim] Well, not exactly but,

look, we talked all about this, Johnny.

Come on, scoot in, let's go.

- Dad, how many Japs did
we wipe out in Hiroshima?

- [Jim] I don't ever want
to hear you use that word.

- What word?

- You know what word.

Look, there are certain
ways of talking about people

that are just plain mean,

and Japs is one of them.

- They deserved what they got.

- Jonathan, how can you say that?

- I mean, look what they did to our men.

Ted's dad told us, they
dug these pits and--

- Now, wait a second.

First of all, Hal Latimer was never

any place near Hiroshima.

I was, I was stationed there.

And what I saw there was
the most horrible thing

I've ever seen in my life.

And I made myself a promise right then

that I would do everything
I could to make sure

that that thing was never
dropped on people again.

- Okay Dad, but is it true that

the people who breathed
that radioactive poison,

that they swell and burst
and leak it all over?

- No, no, look.

The radioactivity--

- Hey, it's bedtime now.

We'll talk about this some other time.

- Maybe tomorrow.
- Mom, I really want to--

- No, come on, honey.

Snuggle down, give me a kiss.

Sleep tight.
- Goodnight.

Okay, lights going out.

One, two, three.
- Sweet dreams.

All of a sudden, they're
asking all these questions.

I know it's that Latimer boy.

- I don't mind the questions.

That's how you learn.

- Yeah, but he seemed so upset.

- Look, he's a kid, he'll adjust.

- You can't adjust to a change
in your breakfast cereal.

- Well nobody's perfect.

(chuckles)

- Johnny?

- What?

- Will she be green?

- What are you talking about?

- I saw this comic book, Atomic Man.

The people were all green.

- So?

- This girl could be green like them.

- Shut up and go to bed, please.

- She could.

(soft music)

- Tell Mom we're here, okay?

(soft music)

- They're here, they're here!
- They are, they are?

How exciting.

Go tell Johnny, okay?

(soft music)

I made space in the closet.

If there's anything you want, just ask.

- [Jim] John, John?

- It's okay, she isn't green at all.

- No, Timmy. (shushes)

- I'll go get her.

- No.

John, open the door.
- What's going on?

(doorknob jiggling)

Johnny, what are you doing in there?

- I'm busy.
- Listen, mister.

- Johnny, our guest is here.

Don't you want to meet her?

- [Johnny] I said I'm busy.

- John, you get this door open right now--

- Take it easy.

Johnny.
- Where's Timmy now?

- Timmy?
- Where is he?

(laughing)

John.

John!

- [Miyeko] Timmy, this for you.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

Do you like horses?

- Yeah.

- Ah, this one's special horse.

Called Horse of the Wind.

Flies into the sky, yes.

(laughs)

- Well Timmy, aren't you the lucky one.

- (laughs) You have other son.

- Yes, Johnny, our older boy.

- Ah, I have present for him too.

- Oh, how sweet of you.
- I'll go get him.

- Betty, he's not coming out.

- [Timmy] (knocks) Come on out.

She's got these great presents.

- Johnny. (knocks)
- Johnny.

John, Miyeko's out here and I think

she'd like to say hello.

- Johnny, apologies for my disturbing you.

I bring you surprise from Japan.

- John?

- He must be shy, he's
not usually like this.

- John.
- Johnny.

- I'll leave it outside door.

You can pick it up anytime you'd like.

Anytime before it fly away.

- Jonathan.

- [Betty] Look what Miyeko brought you.

A kite from Japan.

- [Jim] John?

- Hi.

- Hi, this is for you.

Kite, fly very high.

- [Betty] Isn't that great, look at that.

What is that?

- [Miyeko] It means
dragon, brings good luck.

- [Jim] Oh, that's beautiful.

John?
- Thanks.

- Thank you for your room.

I'm sorry I push you out.

- No, not at all, not at all.

Johnny and Timmy really
have a good time together.

Don't worry about it.

- I get to sleep on a bed that folds up.

- Timmy, you know what I want you to do?

Take Miyeko and show here
where everything is, okay?

- Want to see where my
dad takes his photographs?

He makes the whole place red.

- Jim, give him time.

- Give him time?
- Just give him some time.

- What do you mean?
- It's new to him.

- [Jim] Jonathan.

- Can I help?
- Oh no, you sit down.

Jim, Jim, come on.

Timmy, sit down.

- Right here.

- Oh Miyeko, no, that's Johnny's chair.

- No, I want to sit next to her.

- Oh, okay.

- There we go.

Okay sport, let's get you armored up here.

Where is he?

- He's coming.

- So, Miyeko.
- Hi.

- What do you think of America so far?

- Oh, all is peaceful.

As if you had never had a war.

But something is missing.

- What?

- Where are the cowboys?

I don't see no cowboys yet.

- Jim, Jim.

Here, let me make sure.
- Oh, sorry.

Here's one now.

So you're still getting American
cowboy movies over there.

- Oh yes, and Armed Forces radio.

- Tuna again?

- Johnny.

- You know, I was over there in Hiroshima.

I think I told you.

Right after they dropped the bomb.

And while I was there, I saw many things.

- You know, I have an idea.

Later, why don't you and Timmy show Miyeko

some of your father's pictures of America?

Jim's a great photographer.

- Well.

- No, you are.

- Johnny, do you play baseball?

- Some.

- You teach me how to bunt?
- You play baseball?

- [Miyeko] Oh yes, of course.

Squeeze play, high fly. (laughs)

- When I was over there,

we used to play baseball
with the kids all the time.

We taught them how, yeah.

- When I first heard of high fly,

I thought it was insect on the ceiling.

- Oh, high fly.

High fly, oh, yeah.
(laughing)

- What are you doing, dummy?

- It's funny.

(laughing)

- All right, Timmy, settle down.

Come on.
- Also pretty rude.

(laughing)

(soft music)

- Is she all scaly?

- Does she have wavy feelers
dangling from her ears

or a great big beak?

- No, she's got all these
weird marks all over her.

- That's right, I saw her.

- When did you see her?

- Oh yeah, I sent Pete to go watch her.

- Does she talk like this?

(rambling)

- Sort of.

She's always bowing.

She's saying thank you all the time.

- Oh yeah, sure.

Oh, thank you.

Thank you so much for
letting me spy on you.

Now I cut you to pieces.

- Feel any radiation yet?

- Oh yeah, that's right.

If I were you, I'd stay away.

Pretty soon you could be full of it.

- No, it doesn't work like that.

- How do you know?

You're such an expert at it?

- You know how you tell?

You can see if she glows in the dark.

- Yeah, that's what you gotta do, Johnny.

When she's asleep, go
in her room and find out

if she lights up at night.

- [Sam] Then we've got some evidence.

- [Pete] Yeah, and we
can take it to someone.

- Yeah, the FBI.

- Right, the FBI.

- Johnny, you guys.

This could be extra, extra important.

I mean, we could get medals for this.

And it all lays in your hands.

(soft music)

- Oh, hi.

- May I please help you?

- No, no, no, you don't have to.

- But I want to be good daughter to you.

So if I do anything wrong,
you tell me, please.

- Oh Miyeko, I don't want
you to worry about that.

You're not gonna do anything wrong, honey.

But if you want to help,
sure, that's really nice.

Trying to get some of
these weeds outta here.

- In Japan, garden's very small.

Garden's this small.

- Really?
- Yeah.

Trees this small.
- Trees?

- But perfect trees.

- Sounds pretty.

- It is.

But in America,

everything's so big.

(laughs)

(horn beeping)

- [Betty] How'd you do?

- Good, Mom, you should've seen.

I swam a whole length on my back.

- You did, that's great.
- He sure did.

He's turning into a regular little minnow.

Hi.

Is John here?

- No, he's not around right now.

- Can I talk to you for a second, Betty?

- Sure.

- Inside, okay?

Excuse us.
- I'll just be a minute.

- Found a really giant
worm here yesterday.

- Where is he?
- Coffee?

- Where does he go all the time?

- I told you, honey, the Latimer's.

Hangs out with Ted and
some other kids over there.

They have some sort of clubhouse.

- You know, I went over
and over this with him.

I told him I wanted him to spend

as much time as possible with Miyeko.

- It's gonna take time, Jim.

- Why?

Why does it have to take time?

Look at the two of them,
it should be so easy.

- She's a nice girl.

Johnny's smart, he'll see that.

- Yeah well he better.

The next time he sees his allowance,

he'll be married with children.

- Tough guy.

- You didn't put any milk in this.

- I didn't think you wanted any.

- Why didn't you ask me?
- I did.

(chuckles)

- Fold this down just a little bit.

And the other side, yes.

Fold this one up.

How you doing?

- Good.

- (laughs) Good.

You learn fast.

(soft music)

See the wings?

How is it?
- Fine.

- Oh, it's beautiful, Timmy.

Ah, much better than mine.

See, now you see how it
flies high in the sky?

Giant wings.
- Hey!

Don't do that, don't do that.

- Get off me, shrimpo!

(laughs)

- Why you turn off the lights, Johnny?

- He's just trying to scare us.

- Ah, then next time,
I'll throw salt on you.

- Salt?

- In Japan, we throw
salt at devils and ogres

to stop them from coming to the door.

- Yeah, ogre, ogre, gonna sprinkle you.

- [Betty] Kids, bedtime.

- [Johnny] Come on, Timmy, let's go.

- Goodnight.
- Come on, Timmy.

- [Timmy] I'll hit you with my bat!

(ominous music)

- What do you call these?

- Tsukemono.

- Tsukemono.
- What's it called?

- We just call them pickles.

- Pickles.

- Now let's see, what have I forgotten?

- Nothing, enough food
here for a small city.

Wonderful food.

- Thank you, Miyeko.

Miyeko, is that how you say it?

- Yes, Miyeko.
- Miyeko.

Oh, I don't think we need that.

Miyeko, what does it mean?

- Means beautiful.

- [Timmy] Let's go, let's go, let's go.

- We're coming.

- There we go, let go, let go string.

High, let up, let up.

(laughing)

Let it go, let it go.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

(laughing)

You're gonna get it.

(laughing)

- Whoa.
- You okay, Johnny?

- Yeah.
- Careful.

- You okay?

- Hey, Johnny.

Hey, Johnny, come here.

- I'm just gonna go over there

for a second.
- No, you're not.

- Dad, I've been doing this all morning.

- Don't you mouth off to me.
- It's all right.

- No, I'm sorry, Miyeko,
it's not all right.

Look, he can play with
his friends anytime.

Now you just stay right here.

Jonathan, Jonathan, come back here.

- [Jonathan] Just for a minute.

- Daddy, I'll go get the kite.

- Thanks, Tim.

- That's a nice kite.

- It's okay.

- My dad says they do stuff like that.

Make you think they're nice, then blam,

they sock it to you.

So does she glow in the dark?

- I don't think so.

- You sure?

I mean, did you really get a good look?

- Yeah, twice.

- They're giving him
a hard time, you know.

- Yes I know, about Miyeko.

I mean, once they get to
know her, it'll be fine.

What are we supposed to do?

Send her away because Johnny's
friends don't like her?

- Did it ever occur to you that Johnny

may be getting a few scars
of his own in all this?

- That is no excuse for his behavior.

- [Johnny] I did find something.

It's in the writing.

- Great, what's it say?

- I couldn't make it out.

It's these funny squiggling marks.

- Hey Ted, I bet it's in code.

- It's probably Japanese, stupid.

- Hey, you're the one that's stupid.

- Well what we need is pictures.

Can you get some pictures?

- Yeah great, pictures!

Get a picture of her,

then take all of our
evidence down to the FBI.

- Can you do that?

Can you get a picture?

- My dad has lots of cameras.

- [Ted] Great, okay, everyone.

Back to headquarters.

- I can't, I have to stay here.

- What's the matter?

Baby has to stay here.

- [Johnny] Just cut it out.

- Now don't forget that photograph.

- Yeah, make sure she
doesn't crack the lens.

Boy, is she ugly.

- [Ted] All right, you
guys, let's get going.

- Hey, why don't you lay off, Pete?

- Why don't you shut up, Leo?

(laughing)

- Come on, let's take it.

Good, good, good, good.

Let it fly up!

(laughs) It's chasing you.

- Jonathan, please, it's not a toy.

Thank you.

- Come on, Timmy. (laughs)

(soft music)

- Look.

(soft music)

- Come on, come on.

Come this way.

Feel the wind, higher, run.

- Johnny?

- What?

- [Betty] You didn't happen to see

a letter lying around, did you?

- A letter?

- Miyeko said she left a
letter from her grandmother

on the bureau in her room
and now she can't find it.

I thought maybe it blew off
and you might've seen it.

- [Johnny] Uh-uh, no.

- Did you have a good time at the park

with your new kite?

- What difference does it make?

- Honey, I know it's not
easy for you, all this.

Johnny?

- Why is Dad so mad at me?

- I don't think he's mad
at you, honey, it's just...

We both feel you could be a lot
nicer to Miyeko, that's all.

Think how hard all this is for her.

- Why can't she stay somewhere else?

Why does she have to be here?

- She doesn't have to
be here, we invited her.

We wanted her to come.

- Well how come you didn't ask me

if I wanted her to come?

- Because we're still the parents here.

- Dad, I mean, he always takes my side.

Remember when me and Leo,

we had that war with the strawberries?

We wrecked Mrs. Austin's house.

With all those strawberry stains.

She went nuts.

Dad winded up yelling at her and not us.

- You have to understand, this
is different for your father.

Honey, Miyeko needs us right now.

You know she's going to
the hospital any day now

for her first surgery.

When she comes out, she's gonna
need us to look after her.

- Ted's dad, I mean,

he said that the Japanese all hate us.

- And you believe that?

You know how old Miyeko
was when she got hurt?

She was just Timmy's age.

- But weren't we fighting with them?

- We weren't fighting
little children, honey.

Try spending some time with her, will you?

Just try, okay?

- But it's going all down my back.

- I'll get it off you as
soon as we're finished.

- Timmy.

In my home, whenever we cut hair,

we always keep some for
the woodpeckers to take.

- Why?

- That's a long story but when people

and animals spoke the same language--

- No, they don't.

- Yes, they do.
- Uh-uh.

- But they did.
- Uh-uh.

- In this story, they do.
- Uh-uh.

- And so the woodpecker took some

of the little boy's golden
hair, just like this,

and made a crest out of it.

And he said, look, look.

The little forest animals said, look.

It's time now, we should follow him.

And the woodpecker was so
grateful to the little boy

that he told him to whistle
whenever he needed help

and a woodpecker would come.

- Good story, huh?

- Is it true?

- Well, perhaps I make some of it up.

- Miyeko, would you do me a favor?

Would you go downstairs in the kitchen

and get me a broom from the closet?

Thanks.

Okay, we're almost done here, honey.

- No, don't do that!

Give me.

- I need the camera.

(groaning)

- Johnny, are you okay?

- What's going on down there?

Is that your father's camera?

You know you're not supposed to play

with his cameras.
- Please, Mrs. Bennett.

I'm sorry, I took the camera.

I was just taking it back.

- It was my fault, Mom.

- No, it's my fault.
- It's my fault.

- My fault.
- Okay, okay.

So it's everybody's fault.

I'll take it now, thank you.

- [Timmy] Mommy!

- Coming, don't yell.

- Thanks.

- You're welcome.

I want to show you something.

Come upstairs.

Understand now why I don't like camera?

- [Johnny] This is you?

- Think about the way I looked then

and the way I look now.

When the other children used to see me,

they said, boom, Pikadon.

- Pika what?

- It means atom bomb.

Pikadon, Pikadon.

They'd run away from me like
I'm some terrible person.

No one wanted to be my friend.

- Why not?

- Afraid of radiation.

Afraid it might jump from me to them.

Something else.

The way I look reminds them
that Japan lost the war.

- The doctors, they know
how to fix all that.

- It will be much better,
especially my hand.

But they cannot make
it like it was before.

Nobody can.

- Are you scared?

About all the operations?

- Yes, the surgery in
Japan hurt very much.

Never come out much better.

Never know what is going
to happen in a hospital.

So many other children in Hiroshima.

My bachan, my grandmother,

she said that they'll
put away others' bodies

and that their spirits are free.

But I cannot believe that
they died for nothing.

That's why I fold these birds.

The white cranes.

They say if you fold 1000 of them,

the gods will grant your wish.

- What are you wishing for?

- Cranes live 1000 years.

It is a good omen.

They will bring you long life.

So if I fold 1000 of these cranes,

maybe the children of Hiroshima
would never be forgotten.

Here, for you.

Keep it.

- But you need 1000.

If you keep giving them
away, you'll never get 1000.

Here.

- Then...

Here.

Keep this.

Maybe you will like me better.

- Think fast.

Allowance there, I forgot.

What's going on? No, hi Dad?

Glad to see you're home from work?

Gee, how come you're home so early?

How about a raise, nothing?

What's going on?

- Dad.

What if all your friends
want you to do something,

but you're not so sure
it's such a great idea?

What do you do?

- What would I do?

Well, I think I'd do what I
thought was the right thing,

and then try and explain
to my friends why I did it.

- Yeah but what if you know that they'll

get mad at you if you
say something about it?

- If you try and explain to
them why you've done it, John,

and they're mad at you,

I think you have to think
about whether or not

those are really your friends.

Understand?

- Yeah.

- See you later.

- [Narrator] Just once a day for that

smooth, soft, girlish complexion.

As perfect as it was at Sweet 16.

- Miyeko?

Bedtime.

(soft mellow music)

- Goodnight.
- Goodnight.

Sleep well.

(soft mellow music)

(sobbing)

- She's amazing.

- Yeah, I know.

- It's not fair.
- I know.

(clanging)

(ominous music)

(yells)
(clanging)

- What's going on down there?

Do you know what time it is?

- No.

- Well, don't stay up too late, okay?

- 'Night.

- [Betty] Goodnight.

- [Johnny] You hungry?

- Yes.

See?

There's no rice.

- You don't like rice?

Mom's been making a ton of it.

- I like rice but I eat
rice every day at home.

- Hey, a milkshake tastes better anyway.

See, you got your milk, okay?

Put it in here.

Okay.

Chocolate syrup.

Put it in there.

And make a milkshake.

There we go, get a cup.

Show you the really
gruesome way to drink it.

Sometimes I miss though.

- What happens then?

- Well, my mom gets mad.

Here, want to try?

- Okay.
- Another straw.

When the bomb fell, what was it like?

- I don't like to think about it.

- Did you see it coming?

- I remember.

Nice day.

No clouds.

I was walking to school.

And someone said, look at the airplane.

High up in the sky.

You don't want to hear this.

- Yes I do, honest.

People never talk about it.

- We go on.

Keiko, my friend and me.

When suddenly, a big crash.

- [Johnny] Then what?

- Everything black.

When I wake up, all the houses gone.

All the people gone.

Smoke, smell of burning.

Awful noises.

I never see Keiko again.

Long time, I lie in hospital.

No one come for me.

- Did your mom know where you were?

- My grandmother, she find me.

I asked where my mother and father are,

but she no tell me.

- [Johnny] Where were they?

- They were dead.

- I'm sorry.

- I get better but all this.

Not go away.

(laughs)

You're right.

Gruesome. (laughs)

(soft music)

(dog barking)

- Hey.

That doesn't look like her.

- [Johnny] Yes, it does.

- You were supposed to get one of her now.

- [Johnny] Why should I?

- What's the matter,
you afraid of a Jap spy?

- She's not a spy.

- [Ted] What, is she your friend now?

- I'm just saying she's not a spy.

- Whose side are you on?

- Yeah, Johnny, whose
side are you on, anyway?

- Yeah, you with the Japs?

Are you trying to help them now?

- Not all of them.

- Oh, just this one, right?

- You're so dumb.

- What difference does it make?

It's just a game.
- Okay, you guys.

Let's have a vote.

Who says Johnny went
over to the Jap's side

and is now out of our gang?

- Hey, wait a minute.

- Majority rules.

Johnny Bennett, you're officially out.

- I'm not out.

- We just voted, okay?

This is a secret organization
and you're not a member.

Now, bye.

- I'm not leaving.

- [Ted] Yes you are, we just voted.

Now leave.
- You can't make me.

Leo and I started this gang.

- Yeah, me and Johnny, we were--

- Will you shut up, Leo?

Come on, Pete.

- Get him, come on, hit him!

Come on, come on, hit him!

- Hit him in the face!
- Hit him!

Come on, just sock him, come on.

Come on, Ted, just hit him!

Just get him, come on,
punch him in the face!

- Come on, man.
- What are you doing?

Just hit him!

Hit him, don't push him.

Hit him, come on.
- In the face!

- Hit him!

- [Ted] That's what you get, Jap lover.

- You don't know anything.

What did Miyeko ever do to you?

She was only Timmy's age.

She had no mom and dad.

What's wrong with letting
her go to the hospital?

She just wants to get well.

I don't even want to
be in your stupid gang.

- Oh, please excuse me.

- Johnny, what happened?

- [Johnny] Nothing!

- Fighting, huh?

- Stop!

- About Miyeko?

- No.

- [Betty] Honey, if you're this upset,

maybe we should find somewhere
else for her to stay.

- [Johnny] Stop!

- Okay, you hold this there for a minute.

Keep your head back,
I'll get you some juice.

- May I talk to you?

- [Betty] Leave, oh, Miyeko.

- Please don't be offended.

I think it better if some other family--

- I feel just terrible about this.

- No, it's not your fault.

I make trouble with other
people everywhere I go.

I know, I see it.

- Would you feel more
comfortable somewhere else?

- It not...

For me.

The same everywhere.

I do this for you, for Johnny.

So his friends will like him again.

- Miyeko, honey.

(doorbell rings)

I'll be right back.

Please stay.

Oh, hi.

- Hi, Betty, can we come in?

- Hello.
- Ted needs to talk to Johnny.

Betty, boys are gonna be boys.

They're gonna fight.

But I think the best thing is if both kids

just shake hands, say they're sorry,

and we go on from there.

- Well you know, I'm
not so sure Johnny has

anything to be sorry for.

- Maybe you're right.

Maybe you and Jim should apologize

for bringing that little girl here,

and then these boys wouldn't have been

fighting in the first place.
- Look, Hal,

I know you had a hard time during the war

and I don't--
- No, no, it's not just

my opinion either.

There are a lot of us in the neighborhood.

We feel exactly the same.

If the Japs have any gripes
about losing, that is tough,

because they started this war.

- At this point, I don't care
who started the damn war.

If my kids were in trouble, God forbid,

and needed help the way Miyeko does,

I sure hope that someone would
be humane and loving enough

to give them a home.

- Let her own people help her.

- Are you okay?

Let me see.

Better get some more ice.

- [Hal] I think maybe it was a mistake

that we even came by at all.

- [Betty] I'm sorry you feel that way.

- Well, I do feel that way.
- Is there a problem?

- No, no, I thought
the kids had a problem,

but the reality is that you two have

created a problem for all of us

by bringing that girl here.

- I'm sorry.

- No, Miyeko.

You need something?

- No.

- See, that's the reality.

- You might ask yourself something, Hal.

You might ask yourself
if perhaps the person

everybody should apologize to is Miyeko.

- [Hal] Let's go, son.

- Over 100,000 of people--
- Don't tell me about the war.

- Were killed and maimed.

Do you believe? Do you
believe the attitude?

- I meant you too, Jim.
- Why?

- [Betty] I think you
owe Miyeko an apology.

- What?

- You never thought about her
when you asked her to come.

You just thought about the effect

it would have on other people.

- No, people must not
be allowed to forget.

- But it's not fair to Miyeko
to make her their reminder.

It's not fair.

- Is that...

Is that what I've been doing?

- [Betty] It's okay.

- Johnny.

I think I go away.

- Why?

- Everybody fight all
the time 'cause of me.

I go to the doctor soon.

No matter where I stay.

When I was little girl,

when all the other children
would call me Pikadon,

I cry very much.

Then I get angry.

Then I tear up newspapers.

- Newspapers?

- I was a small girl.

I could not break anything big so

when I feel bad,

I tore up newspapers.

(squeals)

(laughs)

- What did your grandmother say?

Did she get mad at you?

- No.

She said, be strong.

You're better than other children inside.

Then she hugged me.

She know how I feel.

- [Johnny] Pretty good grandmother.

- The best.

- Miyeko?

I want you to stay.

- What if all the other
kids say bad things?

- So?

We gotta do what your grandmother said.

Be strong, right?

- Right.

- We can start our own gang.

You, me, Leo.

- And Timmy?

- Okay, all right.

And my wormy little brother Timmy.

(laughs)

- I'd like that.

- Yeah.

(soft music)

- It's so big.

Show your daddy.

- Excellent.

Go show Mom.

- Oh Timmy, that's great.

That's a king crane.

It's like a dinosaur.

(soft music)

- 1000.

Miyeko left the next day to
have her first operation.

The first of many.

They did help some but I don't know.

She'll always have scars, I guess.

Since she went back to Japan, I miss her.

We write letters sometimes.

I hope I'll see her again,

but I know I'll never forget her.

(soft music)

(upbeat music)