Popular Culture Review Vol. 12, No. 2, August 2001 | Page 13

The Works of Seicho Matsumoto

9

And that was the way it ended, with an unanticipated spin, like the finale of a Sijo.
The same literary style is found in other stories, such as The Woman Who Buys the
Local News (Chiho-shi o Kau Onna, published in English as The Serial) and The
Face {Kao). In The Serial, a bar hostess subscribes to a small town newspaper
under the pretense of being interested in a serialized story, whereas her real motive
is to follow the investigation of a double murder she has committed. The author of
the serial sees through her hidden intention. In the end, she tries to kill the author
but fails, and commits suicide.
In The Face, the story is told in the form of the diary of Ryokichi Ino, a
bit player in a small theatre group whose anxiety grew into paranoia as he gained
fame when a movie company unexpectedly hired him to act in films.
“Why this stroke of luck?” I asked. “The director, Ishii, singled
you out,” Y explained... “I’ll give it my best.” I bowed slightly.
I wasn’t unhappy. Far from it, I was quite excited. But at the
same time a certain feeling of uneasiness crept over me.” .....
All my scenes are filmed.. .the film has attracted a lot
of attention... I’ve almost reached a point in my career where
others might envy m e.. .1 drank much more than usual tonight,
and it wasn’t through happiness. I was trying to drown this
gnawing apprehension.. ..T. Company has made another offer,
this time for me alone. Lady luck’s smiling at me. It’s my big
break!
I feel as if I’m walking heading into good fortune —
and disaster. My own despair is eating away at the very foun
dation of my happiness... My nerves are too taut. There’s no
easy way out. I’ve started seriously considering taking some
drastic measures. (28-32)
Ryokichi, like the businessman in The Accomplice and the hostess in The Serial,
has a murder to hide and someone to fear. Just as in the other stories, The Face
unfolds slowly and ends swiftly and unexpectedly. Ryokichi is not recognized for
his face as he had originally feared. The witness had taken a good look at him in
person but did not remember him. It is a scene in his movie that jolts the memory
of the witness.
The scenery around Oiso flowed by. He took out a cigarette
and smoked, still looking out the window.
The scenery changed to somewhere near Chigasaki.
Ino’s face looking out the window. Smoking a cigarette. The
scenery around Totsuka.