金钱的冷酷

　　20世纪70年代，在日本中小学生中间流传着这样一个恐怖的传说：放学独自走到公园附近时，会遇到一个带着白色口罩、穿红色风衣的女人。遇到路过者，她会摘下口罩，露出裂到耳朵的恐怖大嘴，问对方“我漂亮吗？”如回答不漂亮，她会将对方毁容；若回答漂亮，她就将对方变得和自己一样；如果逃跑，她会以极快的速度追上。这个女人的名字就叫：裂口女。　　各学校一时间人心惶惶，男女学生们都怕碰到这个可怕的女人，而大人们却对这个谣言嗤之以鼻。但随着一场不详的地震发生，裂口女终于到来……

　　The main character is Dr. Max Holst, a successful neurosurgeon. One day an intense little man named Steinmetz shows up, who has the real ability to create objects out of thin air, using only his mind. As no one believes him at first, he is held at a ward for mental patients, but manifests the key to his door and escapes. As he has a special interest in Dr. Holst, Steinmetz subsequently invites Holst to his large mansion, which is full of expensive paintings and sculptures, and proves to him that he can in fact materialise objects. Steinmetz’s abilities are evolving by leaps and bounds, and is progressing from being able to create objects only to being able to create living things. His ultimate ambition is to be able to create a human being. He tells Dr. Holst that if he will only perform a certain brain operation on him, Steinmetz will become able to attain his goal. He’s got all the necessary equipment set up in his basement. Dr. Holst, however, is too spooked by the whole thing to agree to this mad scheme, and refuses. Steinmetz then sets about manipulating Holst’s life, to pressure him into performing the operation. By then Steinmetz has become able to create a temporary human being, and in the hope that he can perhaps make his own creation perform the operation, he manifests a doppelganger of Dr. Holst. This double proceeds to take over Dr. Holst’s life, creating chaos for him professionally and personally. And then Dr. Holst starts fighting back. The ending has the dual virtue of being both unexpected and satisfying.

 讲述美国西部在南北战争15年间的多方面扩张及聚居，这段史诗般的旅程充满了危险和阴谋。

　　1930年代，小云、小红（周璇）姐妹被人骗到上海卖给琴师和妓院老鸨夫妇，小云被迫做了暗娼，小红年纪尚小，又天生有一副好嗓子，便随琴师去茶楼终日卖唱。姐妹两人住在贫民窟，在她们对面，住的分别是报贩老王和吹鼓手陈少平（赵丹）。因为闲来无事时陈少平常同小红对窗玩闹，两人渐生感情。　　小红卖唱时被流氓古成龙缠上，对方欲强霸她为妾，小红找陈少平商量对策，两人本想借助律师将正义伸张，不想律师双眼只认钱，无奈之下只得逃走，而这一过程中，老王对小云由怜生爱，可是小云却因自卑不敢正视。琴师偶知陈少平与小红下落，放风给古成龙，古成龙赶到小红住处时，屋里只有她和小云，两人生命危在旦夕。