MovieChat Forums > Akahige (1968) Discussion > Question about a crucial plot point (spo...

Question about a crucial plot point (spoilers)

posted 15 years ago by Ximmerlaik
4 replies | jump to latest

Just saw this for the first time. I love Kurosawa and I think Red Beard is probably in my top 5 of his, if not top 3. But I was confused by one line in the following exchange which occurs just before Yasumoto collapses and the whole sequence wherein Otoyo cares for him (about 2 hours and ten minutes into the film):

Red Beard: Those notes I borrowed. I've copied what I needed. For the patients, not me. You may not like it, but try to understand.

Yasumoto: I'm sorry for thinking only of myself. I hated being here. The father of the girl who betrayed me... I told you...

Red Beard: Dr. Amano?

Yasumoto: Yes. He won my father over and put me in here, trying to hush things up. I couldn't forgive him, so...

Red Beard: Dr. Amano didn't do that. I heard the story and suggested that.

Yasumoto: BUHHH?!

That last line might not be verbatim. =P

Anyway, the point of confusion for me here is the last thing Red Beard says in this excerpt. Is he saying that it was he, Red Beard, who suggested Yasumoto come to work at the clinic (and that Dr. Amano is not to blame) OR is he saying that when he heard the story, he (Red Beard) asked if Dr. Amano had suggested Yasumoto come to work at the clinic and that whoever was telling him the story had responded that, no, that wasn't the reason. I'm sorry if that's confusing.

Here, I'll try to ask in a less convoluted way: Did Red Beard suggest Yasumoto work at the clinic or not?

See, what's confusing to me is that final line of Red Beard's here. The way the subtitles translate the Japanese, I think, make his statement a little unclear. Either way, the meaning of the exchange is that Dr. Amano didn't send Yasumoto to the clinic to "hush things up," as Yasumoto had thought. I get that. I'm just wondering whether it was Red Beard or Amano who initially proposed the idea to Yasumoto's father. The line, as it's translated, can be interpreted either way. I think it matters a lot, because it would speak volumes about Yasumoto and Red Beard's relationship in either case. Seeing as no other reason is given for why Amano would have sent Yasumoto to the clinic, I assume it was Red Beard who suggested he come, but I can't be sure. Help?

[–] badcommand 15 years ago

Well, I'm afraid my answer will not be as comprehensive as your question!

My take on this was that Red Beard, upon hearing of the situation, requested that Yasumoto come to the clinic. We know that Red Beard knows how to deal with tricky problems and he pre-empted a difficult situation (for Dr Amano). Red Beard is politically astute (the way he deals with the magistrate regarding the woman who stabbed her husband, for example) and probably saw this as a win-win situation - Dr Amano's honour is saved and Red Beard gets another doctor.

Whether that's actually the case or not, I too saw it as a turning point in Yasumoto's relationship with Red Beard. All the anger and vitriol he had for Amano is suddenly lost and he realises how selfish he has been, hence his reaction.

Perhaps Red Beard just said what he said for precisely that reason, to snap Yasumoto out of his funk. Either way, Yasumoto stayed on at the clinic (in poverty) rather than suck up to the Shogun.

[–] jadow81 14 years ago

To be honest, it's difficult for me to understand your second possible interpretation. ;)
But,

I'm just wondering whether it was Red Beard or Amano who initially proposed the idea to Yasumoto's father.

in this form I think I can provide some information.

I believe most Japanese interpret it was Red Beard who suggested it to Yasumoto's father.
However, precisely speaking, it's unknown in the original Japanese too.
(And frankly, it's not that important IMO. The point is, as you wrote, Amano didn't do what Yasumoto believed.)

"Dr. Amano didn't do that. I heard the story and suggested that."
Actually, this is very close to the original Japanese.
(I can't see where's the problem that confused you.)

Let me try 'literal translation' (which must sound very unnatural):
"Putting you in here was not Mr. Amano's manipulation. It was what I suggested when I heard the situation."

As you see, Red Beard did not explicitly say to whom he suggested the idea,
and from whom he heard the story.

But, since that is a reply to deny Yasumoto's accusation:
"He won my father over and put me in here, trying to hush things up."
I believe it's natural to think that Red Beard heard the story from Yasumoto's father,
and suggested him to put Yasumoto in his clinic.

[–] lauradesanto 12 years ago

I know I'm a few years late to the party, but my take on Red Beard's comment is somewhat different.

I think there was more to the conversation than you recounted here. As I recall, Yasumoto said something about being made to STAY at the clinic, by a government order that he assumed Amano had rigged up.

I think Amano may have first suggested to Yasumoto's father that Yasumoto should go work at the clinic. But then when he got there, Red Beard heard the whole story about Amano's daughter and suggested to Yasumoto that Amano had set something up to MAKE him stay, when Amano had done nothing but tell Yasumoto's father that Yasumoto ought to check the place out.

So Amano suggested Yasumoto should consider the clinic, but Red Beard used the information he had to make Yasumoto think he HAD to stay at the clinic.

I hope I'm being clear.

[–] pfr_77 9 years ago

I was a bit confused by this too. I'm not sure what to think, i'll hav eto go back and watch it again and come back here and read these responses