Tôkyô kôshinkyoku (1929) - full transcript
A classic melodramatic love tragedy addressing social inequality in feudal Japan, depicted in Kenji Mizoguchi's typical style. The nostalgic scenes of 1920s Tokyo provides a valuable visual experience set against the background of the title song, "Tokyo March."
TOKYO MARCH (Japan, 1929)
Production
Direction
Script
based on the novel by
Director of photography
Cast
Tokyo... city of culture and progress...
but also capital of vice and debauchery
After a hard day of work at the factory,
Michiyo and a friend return home
An orphan, Michiyo lives with her uncle and aunt
"I've lost my job at the factory.
What's to become of us?"
"If Michiyo would become a geisha like the owner of the "Garden of Flowers"
suggested to me, it would give us a nice little business."
"I couldn't do that to the daughter of my dead sister,
but the situation is desperate... I need to think about it."
That night...
... Michiyo sees the death of her mother in a dream...
"Michiyo, listen to me. When I was a geisha, I knew your father
and I loved him, but he left me before you were born."
"Never fall in love, never depend on men,
but learn to seduce them."
Sunday... The fortunate young people devote their
time to their favourite sport just above the slums.
Yoshiki, the son of the rich business man Fujimoto.
"That young girl is really pretty!"
"I took a photo of her,
I give it to you as a souvenir."
Some time later, at the "Garden of Flowers",
the geisha house where Mr. Fujimoto is a regular customer...
Michiyo has agreed to become a geisha.
She'll be known as Orie from now on.
"She is really pretty!"
At the bank where Yoshiki and his friend Yukichi Sakuma work...
"Why don't we go to the "Garden of Flowers", Yoshiki?"
"Sure, if you want."
"Of all the geishas, which one do you prefer?"
"I find them all pretty, but pitiful."
"Pardon, he doesn't want any? Well, I'll serve him anyway!"
"Yoshiki, I adore that new geisha!"
The old Fujimoto has also fallen under the spell of Orie.
"My little Orie darling!"
"I don't want your gifts! Let me go!"
"Madam, I'm begging you, I want to go home!"
Fujimoto recognizes the ring Orie lost during the argument.
"Madam, give this cheque to Orie and return this ring...."
"From now on, I won't see this geisha anymore."
"Don't be sad, mr. Yoshiki. Orie is waiting for you."
At the next room, Sakuma is also waiting for Orie.
"Orie, I love you!"
"I have made you wait, mr. Sakuma."
"Mr. Yoshiki gave me this."
"How are you, Sakuma?"
"Yes, I've loved Orie for a long time, since the first day I saw her."
"An heir of the Fujimoto family cannot marry a geisha, my son."
"Believe me, it's impossible for you to marry her."
Against all customs, Fujimoto has asked Orie to visit him.
"You know Yoshiki? He's my son."
"He wants to marry you..."
"For his happiness, I'd consent to it... but it's impossible..."
"If that ring you're wearing was given to you by your mother...
well, Orie... you are my daughter!"
"I'll marry Orie, even if I have to fight against my whole family!"
"Father, what is she doing here?"
"Yoshiki, Orie is your sister!!"
At Sakuma's place...
Dear Sakuma, I will never marry Orie.
Insurmountable obstacles separate us. Yoshiki.
Orie has gone to pray at her mother's grave.
Insurmountable obstacles separate us.
"Yoshiki is my brother!"
"Orie, I too love you!"
Some time later, the marriage of Orie and Sakuma is celebrated.
"I will travel far away to forget."
"My happiness will never be complete without you, Yoshiki."
"This belongs to you from now on."
THE END
Production
Direction
Script
based on the novel by
Director of photography
Cast
Tokyo... city of culture and progress...
but also capital of vice and debauchery
After a hard day of work at the factory,
Michiyo and a friend return home
An orphan, Michiyo lives with her uncle and aunt
"I've lost my job at the factory.
What's to become of us?"
"If Michiyo would become a geisha like the owner of the "Garden of Flowers"
suggested to me, it would give us a nice little business."
"I couldn't do that to the daughter of my dead sister,
but the situation is desperate... I need to think about it."
That night...
... Michiyo sees the death of her mother in a dream...
"Michiyo, listen to me. When I was a geisha, I knew your father
and I loved him, but he left me before you were born."
"Never fall in love, never depend on men,
but learn to seduce them."
Sunday... The fortunate young people devote their
time to their favourite sport just above the slums.
Yoshiki, the son of the rich business man Fujimoto.
"That young girl is really pretty!"
"I took a photo of her,
I give it to you as a souvenir."
Some time later, at the "Garden of Flowers",
the geisha house where Mr. Fujimoto is a regular customer...
Michiyo has agreed to become a geisha.
She'll be known as Orie from now on.
"She is really pretty!"
At the bank where Yoshiki and his friend Yukichi Sakuma work...
"Why don't we go to the "Garden of Flowers", Yoshiki?"
"Sure, if you want."
"Of all the geishas, which one do you prefer?"
"I find them all pretty, but pitiful."
"Pardon, he doesn't want any? Well, I'll serve him anyway!"
"Yoshiki, I adore that new geisha!"
The old Fujimoto has also fallen under the spell of Orie.
"My little Orie darling!"
"I don't want your gifts! Let me go!"
"Madam, I'm begging you, I want to go home!"
Fujimoto recognizes the ring Orie lost during the argument.
"Madam, give this cheque to Orie and return this ring...."
"From now on, I won't see this geisha anymore."
"Don't be sad, mr. Yoshiki. Orie is waiting for you."
At the next room, Sakuma is also waiting for Orie.
"Orie, I love you!"
"I have made you wait, mr. Sakuma."
"Mr. Yoshiki gave me this."
"How are you, Sakuma?"
"Yes, I've loved Orie for a long time, since the first day I saw her."
"An heir of the Fujimoto family cannot marry a geisha, my son."
"Believe me, it's impossible for you to marry her."
Against all customs, Fujimoto has asked Orie to visit him.
"You know Yoshiki? He's my son."
"He wants to marry you..."
"For his happiness, I'd consent to it... but it's impossible..."
"If that ring you're wearing was given to you by your mother...
well, Orie... you are my daughter!"
"I'll marry Orie, even if I have to fight against my whole family!"
"Father, what is she doing here?"
"Yoshiki, Orie is your sister!!"
At Sakuma's place...
Dear Sakuma, I will never marry Orie.
Insurmountable obstacles separate us. Yoshiki.
Orie has gone to pray at her mother's grave.
Insurmountable obstacles separate us.
"Yoshiki is my brother!"
"Orie, I too love you!"
Some time later, the marriage of Orie and Sakuma is celebrated.
"I will travel far away to forget."
"My happiness will never be complete without you, Yoshiki."
"This belongs to you from now on."
THE END