Translating that script left me wanting to do further research on the shortened re-release version of the film. I'm not that curious about why they cut Akihiko Hirata's role (they cut a lot of people's roles, not just him), but I wanted to know more about the shortened version and what of the original film did survive the editing process. Here's what I was able to find out.
When the film was re-released, the title was changed to Ōwarai Daifukucho, or Big Laughs Daifukucho. (A daifukucho was a type of account book used in the Edo period, when the film is set.) With only four confirmed screenings in the past ~25 years, it's barely less obscure than the film proper, but it does at least exist.
Thankfully, people who have seen this edited version of the film shared their thoughts about it on the internet. Through this, we can glean that the 38-minute version is comprised of two skits from the full film: "Mind's Eye", the skit featuring Hisaya Morishige as Mokuichi the anma, and "Tarachine", the skit where Kenichi Enomoto's character is set up with Asami Kuji's character through a matchmaking arrangement. Intriguingly, even though it isn't seen, events from the segment that featured Hirata's character are mentioned in the shortened film.
When I originally wrote up this post, I had a very frustrating time figuring out one glaring piece of information: why this movie was recut and when. However, in the course of my research into something entirely unrelated, I may have finally come to the bottom of both of those questions. According to the official blog for the town of Musashi-Kosugi, flyers for a 1958 Tanabata festival were recovered that included a list of films being shown at the Yurakuza theater, one of which was Ōwarai Daifukucho. I can't say for certain that this 1958 screening was the first time the recut film was shown, but it is the earliest confirmed screening of this version, and I feel fairly confident in making a guess that this festival is specifically what the edited version was made for.
Let's take a look at those more recent screenings.
Laputa Asagaya
Occurring in June 2016, this appears to be the most recent screening. It was held as part of a showcase of screenwriter Toshiro Ide's work, focusing mostly on women's films. The showcase ran from June through to August and a great deal of films were shown. Owarai Daifukucho was screened from June 26th to July 2nd.
Satellite Theater
Satellite Theater (Eisei Gekijo, or Eigeki) is a Japan-only digital television channel that broadcasts kabuki and other stage plays, Korean dramas and K-pop, Chinese dramas, music, older films, and other such things. The channel apparently broadcast Ōwarai Daifukucho in May of 2016, and I found a blog post where someone complains about the way Satellite Theater presented the film as if it were the full version when it wasn't.
Jimbocho Theater
On June 12, 2010, as part of the "Comedy Movie Paradise" film festival, Ōwarai Daifukucho was shown at the Jimbocho Theater. The theme of the day was rakugo movies, and the slate of films was even titled after our movie: "Rakugo Movies in Full Bloom". Since the edited version is so short, it was screened alongside another, unrelated film. This particular screening is interesting because the person who was responsible for getting Ōwarai Daifukucho was film writer and music producer Toshiaki Satō, who asked Toho directly if they had a print of Rakugo Nagaya wa Hana Zakari. They apparently did not, so he was given the short version instead, and his excitement about seeing the film is palpable in the blog post he wrote. He also mentions having a script in that post. I can’t help but wonder: is that script my script? I have no way of knowing, but for some reason I have a feeling that it very well might be.
The post says that Satō watched the film together with someone else, and it was then screened digitally at the Jimbocho. I don't know who currently holds the print (presumably Toho) or who has the digitized version, but it's good that there is a digitized version, given that the print is most likely severely degraded by now.
Unknown 2000 screening
I'm gonna be honest here. I said in my original post that I found a screening that took place in 2000. I remember it, I remember looking at a webpage with information about it, I confirmed that it happened in 2000. What I did not do was save this page in any capacity and now I have no idea where the hell it is. I don't want to edit that part out of the post because I'm sure I did see it, but also, with no way to verify it, I feel bad leaving it in. Great job, me.
With that I think I've covered everything I can about the state that Rakugo Nagaya wa Hana Zakari currently exists (or doesn't exist) in. Yippee, a whole four(?) screenings.
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