House on Fire

is a 1986 Japanese film directed by Kinji Fukasaku. It was chosen as Best Film at the Japan Academy Prize ceremony. The film grossed ¥1.010 billion in Japan. Plot Kazuo's parents split up when he is young and he later experiences difficulties in his own relationships. Kazuo grows up to be a writer who wins the Naoki Prize for his literature. His son Jiro develops meningitis, leaving him paralyzed and mentally disabled. His wife Yoriko turns to spiritual religion and their marriage breaks down. He is invited to the construction of a memorial to his old friend Dazai in Aomori on August 9, the day his son fell ill, and Yoriko says that the spirits tell her that evil will ensue that day at the hand of a woman. Kazuo takes his young assistant Keiko with him to Aomori and they consummate their affair. When he returns, he confesses to Yoriko that he was with Keiko in Aomori and she says that she knows because she knows everything he does. Yoriko leaves him and threatens a costly divorce, while his children reject Keiko. Kazuo considers selling his house but one stormy evening Yoriko returns and comforts the children. She tells Kazuo that she will stay with the children and he can leave. Kazuo rents an apartment for himself and Keiko in Asakusa. One day a year later they find that it has been burgled by Kazuo's eldest son Ichiro from his first wife Ritsuko. Ichiro admits that he read Kazuo's book about his adultery and asks if he will write about the burglary. Keiko becomes pregnant but when Kazuo won't marry her she angrily says that she will have it aborted to continue her acting career and storms out. Mr. Nakajima from the publishing house tells Kazuo a rumor that Keiko has been sleeping with the power broker Mr. Shimamura, a man with underworld connections who may kill Kazuo. Despite the fact that his next manuscript is due the next day, Kazuo drowns his sorrows in alcohol and gets into a series of fistfights, waking up with his writing hand bandaged in the apartment of a helpful girl who calls herself Yoko. Without Keiko to help him, Kazuo asks Yoriko to type what he dictates in order to finish his manuscript by the pending deadline. The two then sorrowfully put Jiro in a care facility in order to simplify their own lives. Keiko has an abortion and returns to Kazuo, but when she learns that he had Yoriko help him with his manuscript she becomes incensed. Kazuo slaps her and she fights back.