Ikiru (1952)

Miki Odagiri: Toyo Odagiri, employee

Photos 

Quotes 

• Toyo : [telling joke]  "You've never had a day off, have you?" "No." "Why? Are you indispensable?" "No. I don't want them to find out they can do without me."

• Kanji : ...I did it all for my son's sake. But as it turned out, my son doesn't seem to give a whit.

  Toyo : But you can't blame it all on your son... Not unless he asked you to make a mummy of yourself. My mom gives me the same kind of line sometimes. "The things I've suffered for you." And I'm grateful she had me. But it's not my fault I was born...

• Toyo : What help am I?

  Kanji : You - just to look at you makes me feel better. It warms this - this mummy's heart of mine. And you're so kind to me. No; that's not it. You're so young, so healthy. No; that's not it either... You're so full of life. And me... I'm jealous of that. If I could be like you for just one day before I died. I won't be able to die unless I can do that. I want to do *something*. Only you can show me. I don't know what to do. I don't know how. Maybe you don't know either, but, please... if you can... show me how to be like you!

• Toyo : Why did you buy them for me?

  Kanji : Well, yours had holes in them.

  Toyo : Do holes in my stockings make your feet cold?

  Kanji : Don't get me wrong...

  Toyo : I was just kidding. I know you did it out of kindness, but I feel awkward at times like this. That's why I made a bad joke. Forgive me.

• Kanji : Why are you quitting?

  Toyo : I'm bored. It's killing me. Every day is like the one before. Nothing new ever happens. I've put up with it for a year and a half, but the only novel thing that's happened was that you took five days off - and now this new hat of yours. That's it.

• Toyo : All I do is make these little things.

  [Pulls out a stuffed mechanical bunny] 

  Toyo : Just making these is so much fun. I feel like I'm making friends with every baby in Japan. Why don't you try making something too?

  Kanji : What could I possibly make at that office.

  Toyo : Yeah, it's hopeless there. You should quit and go somewhere...

  Kanji : It's too late - - No - It's not too late. It's not hopeless. Even there, there's something I can do. I just have to find the will.

• Kanji : Now I remember: I nearly drowned in a pond once when I was a child. I felt exactly the same way then. Everything's going black. I writhe and thrash around, but there's nothing to hold on to - except you.

  Toyo : What about your son?

  Kanji : Don't talk to me about him! I have no son. I'm all alone.

  Toyo : But...

  Kanji : No, you don't understand! My son is somewhere far away. Just as my mom and pop were when I was drowning in that pond. Remembering it now, it's even more painful than it was then.

• Toyo : After 30 years without an absence, you deserve at least six months off.

• Toyo : I'll cover for you. I'm not like Carp Windsock.

  Kanji : Carp Windsock?

  Toyo : Yes, Mr. Sakai is a human carp windsock. His lips are always flapping, but he's just hot air inside. Plus he always acts like such a big shot. He makes 200 yen more a month than I do, so he looks down on me.

• Kanji : Tell me, where do they sell women's stockings?

  Toyo : You want to buy some? Western clothing stores carry them.