Scandal (1950)

Takashi Shimura: Otokichi Hiruta

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Quotes 

• Otokichi Hiruta : Even scoundrels know the law. It's a danger... a real danger.

• Otokichi Hiruta : Man is an extremely tragic creature. And so weak. Because he's weak, he pretends to be strong. That's our trouble. When I read about Aoye, I felt sorry for the man. I felt like someone had struck my own son. It's true. That much is true. I had no intention of imposing on him. Then I meet this scoundrel Hori. What an absolute swine! Every cent that pig earns is filthy! To take it all way from him would delight me. Or so I felt, and that's where I made my mistake. Beyond all doubt, Hori is one of the vilest types on earth. He's devoid of shame. Every dirty trick that I know I should be using to get ahead in this world, Hori uses and the bum gets away with it! That's what makes a true villain. He's a horrible monster! But as horrible as the monster - the villain - is, he finally won me over. He defeated me. By the time I realized what had happened, it was too late...

  [He passes out beside his daughter. Masako strokes his head gently] 

• Otokichi Hiruta : [drunkenly]  Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas!

  Ichirô Aoye : Old man, look! It's a miracle!

  Otokichi Hiruta : Merry Christmas.

  Ichirô Aoye : Look! Stars have fallen down into that filthy pond. Old man, doesn't that bring tears to your eyes? Glittering stars in the midst of this filthy town! And a worthless old crook like you with a daughter as pure as the stars.

• Otokichi Hiruta : She's as pure as a star - a real star. But me, I was a dog in my past life!

  Ichirô Aoye : Quiet! Someday even you may turn into a star. You may shine too. We mortals can't imagine how generous the gods might be.

  [he blows into a party horn] 

  Otokichi Hiruta : [in English]  Merry Christmas, everybody!

• Otokichi Hiruta : It was a delight to read how you slugged that publisher. It may have been reckless, but I think occasional recklessness is part of human nature. An overly prudent life is a shabby thing. As I said, this is a confused age, making a little recklessness practically indispensable. The hard part is finding the balance.

• Otokichi Hiruta : I respect people's privacy. In fact, it makes me furious the way people these days enjoy exposing others' private lives. The public seems to love inflicting misfortune on the fortunate.

• Otokichi Hiruta : The world's become a dark place. We used to distinguish clearly between right and wrong. At some point we forgot that distinction. Now we don't have the foggiest idea of right and wrong.

• Otokichi Hiruta : The law exists to protect people. But it can ruin people too. It's a real danger.

• Otokichi Hiruta : Next year will be my year too. This year I've been a worm. Next year I'll be a man. This year I was a scoundrel, but next year...

• Ichirô Aoye : It's Christmas. Let's have turkey.

  Otokichi Hiruta : You're too young to know. In this place, the turkey and the chicken are the same thing. Only the price is different.