MovieChat Forums > Ukigusa (1970) Discussion > Translation question

Translation question

posted 19 years ago by CastAFew
5 replies | jump to latest

In a scene about ten minutes into the movie one of the troupe members is in a bar handing out flyers for an upcoming show. While conversing with a prostitute she asks him his name. He jokes "Toshiro Mifune" and she laughs. I've watched the film several times and he doesn't seem to be saying Toshiro Mifune. Does anyone have the correct translation of this line?

Fantastic movie by the way. Two of my favorite elements are Miyagawa's beautiful photography and the whimsical, Fellini-like soundtrack.

"Ryu-san, you don't quite look your character's age."

[–] machenalia 19 years ago

I think he doesn´t say in any moment "Toshiro Mifune".

He says, "Kinnosuke", after "Kin-chan" (diminutive in Japanese).

[–] CastAFew 19 years ago

I realized that I formed my question poorly. I meant to say that "on the Criterion DVD, the English-subtitled translation says Toshiro Mifune." At any rate, you answered my question machenalia, so thank you.

"Ryu-san, you don't quite look your character's age."

[–] alittletooraph 19 years ago

i just watched a different version where the subtitles say "tony" ... "tony curtis."
my best guess is that kin-chan is a nickname for a popular actor at the time. and so they give us toshiro mifune and tony curtis as equivalents.

[–] Beeske 18 years ago

that's right.
could be Kinnnosuke Yorozuya, another famous actor at the time aside Ganjiro Nakamura.

[–] mac_alain 18 years ago

He jokes "Toshiro Mifune" and she laughs. I've watched the film several times and he doesn't seem to be saying Toshiro Mifune.

I think maybe the actor's name he quotes is not well known in the west, and so they translated it in the sub-titles as Mifune.