This is the first feature film of Teshigahara Productions which was individually organized by a fresh director Hiroshi Teshigahara. An uncanny triple murder case takes place in a deserted coalmine area, and it became a fantastic and thrilling film in which all the victims change into fantoms and chase the true murderer. Hiroshi Teshigahara was born in Tokyo in 1927 as the eldest son of Sofu Teshigahara, a noted creator of Japanese art of flower arrangement and sculpture. He studied oil painting at the Academy of Art, then after he graduated he began to produce some documentary films. He directed a film of art titled "HOKUSAI" in 1953. "PITFALL" is his first feature film, but it was highly praised by critics for its documentary touch of expression and skillful technique of direction. It was selected as the third programme of the Art Theatre Guild of Japan which became a big hit with a month's performance in 10 big cities including Tokyo.

SYNOPSIS:
There is a muddy swamp underneath the heap of coal. The background is a ruined coalmine in northern territory of Kyushu District. In a summer day a triple murder case happens continuously. The first victim is a coalminer who ran away from a coalmine. Being unable to afford himself he is trying to find a job, accompanying his little son and a fellow-worker. He could manage them by deceiving a simple peasant. But there comes an unknown man in white gloves who takes a snap shot of the miner's portrait. The group of two miners and a boy arrive a harbor where they get a lodging. One day when the miner returned back to the hotel the master of the hotel tells that he will get a nice job and hands him a hand-written map. when he comes to the appointed place all of a sudden the man in white gloves appears there and kills the miner. The murderer threatens the woman of the cheap sweet shop near the swamp who was looking at murdering. Then she tells as a witness to the police, but she tells a false proof. According to her talk, the chairman of the First Trade Union of a big coalmine around there is suspected to be a criminal. Besides, the victim perfectly resembled with the chairman of the Second Union. The news reporters begin to search the fact, but those chairmen have alibi on that day. Both of them tried to talk about this crime at the swamp. During this time the woman of cheap sweet shop is also killed by the man in white gloves. Both of chairmen met at the swamp but a quarrel takes place among them. Finally both killed each other. Fantoms, protesting to the murderer, chase after him. Nobody knows about this triple murder case but the miner's boy.