Original subtitles

- I met Andrea in Italy during a vacation.

I never thought that I could fall in love with a man in such a short time.

We got married today.

I will always remember it as a joyful day.

Andrea told me a lot about his villa to which he had not returned in years.

That's where we are going now. Together.

I feel that a new life is about to begin for me,

much different from the one I have spent so far in my quiet little town in Oregon.

This thought causes me some anxiety, but I am sure it will pass soon.

- Here we are, this is the place.

Let's go.

I hope that you'll like it.

Well, do you like it?

Let's go.

What is it?

Oh, it's you, Giovanni.

Where were you? - My apologies, sir.

Poor Michele died today.

I had no idea how to let you know.

- I understand, Giovanni. Go get our luggage from the car and take it upstairs.

I'm sorry, my dear.

This was certainly not the welcome I wished for you.

Unfortunately, death is an unpredictable occurrence.

- Who's that man?

- Giovanni, the gardener.

He is the only servant Ieft.

You must be tired.

Try to get some rest, tomorrow will be another day.

Goodnight. - What are you trying to say?

You're not going to leave me alone.

- Amanda, I cannot do otherwise.

Michele was much more than a servant to me.

He lived in this house for fifty years. - Yes, but...

- He witnessed my birth.

He loved me dearly, and I loved him too.

Goodnight, my dear.

- But...

This place really needs a woman's touch.

There will be a lot of work to do to make the villa presentable.

Will we be able to hire another servant?

- Finding servants nowadays is next to impossible.

- Well, we could still try.

Don't you think? - Yes.

Giovanni seems rather old.

How old is he? - I don't know.

He was already old and working here when I was born.

- Let's go back inside, I feel a bit cold. - All right.

- Andrea!

Andrea!

- Oh, good morning.

These are flowers from the garden, the master asked me to pick them for you.

- Thank you.

And where he is now? - In his studio.

- All right.

Thanks for the flowers. - Which flowers?

- Come here.

What's the matter, Andrea?

Why don't you tell me?

Do you think I can't understand you?

That's how you underestimate me?

- I can't give you an explanation.

I can't even give one to myself.

I love you, I desire you,

yet there are times when I am seized by a sort of irrational terror.

It's not easy to explain.

Perhaps it's a sense of guilt.

It seems like I were contaminating you with some unholy thing I carry inside me.

There's something huge weighing on my conscience,

but I don't know what it is.

- Be calm, dear, don't create nonexistent problems for yourself.

I am your wife, I will be there with you.

I'm going to help you.

It's just a temporary crisis.

Everything will go back to normal.

Our love is the only thing that matters.

- I'm grateful for you, I'm so very grateful.

- Bye.

- Forgive me, Amanda, but... - Tell me.

- For a few nights I would like to stay here in my study.

I have to get through this alone, this crisis.

Try to understand me.

- I understand you.

- Good morning. - Good morning.

- I'd like to buy some groceries. - Are you new around here?

- I'm Mrs. Orsomandi. - What do you need?

- Plenty of things, here's the list.

Can you have it all put in my car?

- Mrs. Orsomandi-Holbrook. Are you American?

- Yes, why? Do you know me?

- Only by hearsay. I'm also an American.

- It's strange to find an American around here.

How did you end up here?

- I guess just by chance. What about you?

- Marital reasons.

- On the contrary, I'm here for professional reasons.

- My name is Peter Clark. - I'm Amanda.

- What is it you deal with? - Anthropology.

- Well, I have to go now. Have a nice day.

- Goodbye, I hope to see you again.

- You scared me.

- Hiya, handsome. Shall we go?

No need for an introduction, huh?

Whatever. What are people gonna say?

- Good morning, Mrs. Orsomandi.

- Good morning, how do you do?

Please, come in.

This is my house. - Oh, I know all about it.

- Really?

- Yes, it's part of a research project I'm working on.

- What kind of research project?

- Oh, it would take too long to explain.

I'm doing some studies into ancient legends.

- I don't believe in legends. - That's your point of view.

Legends are also born of man.

In some way, they have their own substance.

- I'm not very schooled in such things, but it's definitely interesting.

- We'll have another chance to discuss it. - Surely.

- Well, now I have to leave Amanda.

May I address you like so? - Of course.

- Then goodbye Amanda.

- Goodbye. - See you soon.

- Ma'am...

Ma'am, please listen, I... - What's wrong, Giovanni?

- You must not talk to that man, ma'am.

- Are you going to forbid me perhaps?

- Oh I apologize, ma'am. Please, don't get me wrong.

You must stay away from that man.

Listen to the advice of this poor old man.

- When I need your advice I will let you know.

- Is that you, ma'am?

I heard a noise, I couldn't imagine that perhaps...

You never know...

- What's that?

- Oh, you mean the knife, ma'am?

It's covered in blood. - Blood?

- How do you think one slits a rabbit's throat, ma'am?

- Why are you staying in the dark even, even during the day?

- I'm an old man.

When I enter the house, the darkness keeps my eyes resting.

Until today, my masters never honored me with their presence here in my house.

- Please excuse me.

- Hello?

Is that you, Rachele?

Yes, the coast is clear.

There aren't any strangers.

There was only Michele, the butler.

But he was very old and I helped him die.

Yes, but you have to come here at once.

It's unfortunately very dangerous.

Yes, Amanda has met that person.

Yes, they meet and talk to each other.

Yes, come here as soon as you can.

- Good morning, Amanda.

May I offer a cup of coffee to a fellow American?

- Yes, thank you, with pleasure.

- Two coffees, please.

Well, how's everything going?

- Well... I've been feeling a little nervous lately.

The lifestyle and mentality are different around here.

- Well, it must be said that your world is rather limited right now.

VVhatabout yourhusband?

- My husband, well my husband is always so busy.

He's also got his own problems.

- I see.

- Thanks.

Why don't you come visit us some time?

I'd like you to meet him.

- I'd really love to.

Perhaps my presence would not be appreciated.

- How can you say that?

- Maybe I know this area better than you do, even if you are part of it now.

I am doing research on some ancient Iocal lineages, including your husband's.

- Well, that's plenty reason to pay us a visit.

- Plenty of a reason to carefully keep away from there.

These families are more jealous of their past than they are of their present.

- You know, our dear Giovanni is a bit ridiculous.

- Why?

- Well I've been meaning to tell you for a few days.

I met somebody at the grocery store and...

Hello?

Oh, finally! What a surprise!

I thought you had vanished!

I'm fine, and you?

But of course, with great pleasure.

We'll be waiting for your visit, certainly.

I have so many things to tell you, and that includes a surprise.

No, I'll tell you when we meet.

All right, see you soon.

Bye-bye.

- Who was it?

- Rachele.

They'll be visiting us soon.

Are you up for it?

- I don't want anyone in this house.

No one. Is that clear?

- But Rachele and her husband are your friends.

You introduced them to me.

Anyway, you'll have to get used to a new presence in our house.

- What are you saying?

- It's simple. I'm pregnant.

- Hello?

No. Who are you looking for?

Nobody's here.

I'm telling you there's nobody else...

- Who's on the phone?

-IdonT know, ma'am.

Awrong caller, I guess, and I don't...

- Hello? Who's speaking?

Oh, it's you, Mr. Clark.

Well, I'll explain later.

Why don't you come here? We could have a drink.

Chat a little...

Well, if Muhammad doesn't go to the mountain,

the mountain goes to Muhammad.

See you at our usual place, then.

Yes, thanks for the call.

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. Bye.

First of all, I don't want you to listen to my phone calls.

Remember. That I won't put up with you being improper with my friends.

Under no circumnstances.

You can go now.

-ShaHI hopin?

Now what are you into? You're one of few words, huh?

No, wait...

What are you doing? Wait!

Wait...

I'm good...

I'll do anything you want. Anything!

Wait! Look, you want me to undress?

Wait, look...

Don't you like me?

Tell me what you want me to do. What about this?

Maybe this?

Tell me...

No...

No...

Do you want me to do this to you?

No...

Oh god...

God...

- In the name of the Father, the Son...

and the Holy Spirit.

- Amanda, good morning.

Have a seat.

Care for like a coffee? - Yes, thanks.

- Two coffees, Mario, please.

Well, how's it going?

- I'm sorry if I keep coming here to bother you.

- Don't worry about it. Is something wrong?

- I don't know.

Maybe I'm struggling to adjust to this life.

Maybe I'm just too nervous.

I'm expecting a baby. - That's great news.

- Great news, yes.

I'm very happy.

Why don't you come over? Then I'll have a chance to offer you a cup of coffee.

- Well, maybe it's just a matter of laziness.

I spend my time in this seedy yet peaceful place.

As a pastime I follow the movements of the girls working the truckers.

By the way, another one has disappeared, Gianna.

- I've heard those girls move places regularly.

Aren't you worrying a bit too much about those girls?

- No, no, it's just to distract myself.

- Is that a good book?

- Well, it's a study book.

I'm doing some very interesting research.

You might be able to help me, actually. - Me? In what way?

- You once told me that you don't believe in legends,

but sometimes one finds that legends are but chronicles of times long past.

In the history of your family

there was the influence of a certain woman.

The kind of woman who, in the past, was referred to as a witch.

- Come on now, Peter, please.

- No, no, have a little patience.

These witches were creatures who,

as was commonly said, made a pact with the devil.

- Listen, they don't appear in the century we are living in.

Our countrymen have already taken long walks on the moon.

- The existence of the devil has recently been confirmed

by someone far more an authority than me.

If we take Satan's existence for granted, we will realize...

that it possesses great power, nefarious but immense.

I'll tell you another story, bear with me.

Feel free to take it as a fable, but please listen to me.

In the late 14005,

there Iived an ancestor of your husband, a certain Marco.

This Marco had fallen in love with a girl,

who was rumored to have made a pact with the devil.

One day, this girl found out she was pregnant.

Marco tried hard to convince her to get rid of that unwanted heir.

Alas, she refused.

Marco did everything he could to prove to an ecclesiastical court

that the woman hadn't just induced him to do evil,

using her perverse arts of seduction.

He convinced them that she was dedicated to occult practices

procured by means of direct contact with Satan.

The girl was condemned for witchcraft and then burned alive,

along with the product of her guilt she bore in her womb.

The ultimate proof against her was the discovery, on the back of her left hand,

of a birthmark of sorts, a small triangle.

According to the tradition passed on to us,

it seems that the girl, as the flames burned, uttered a terrible invocation.

- And what would this invocation consist of?

- The last part, perhaps the most wicked one, is still unknown to me.

However, what I have deciphered thus far effectively says that,

for seven generations, the descendents of Marco Orsomandi

will be haunted by a terrible sense of guilt.

That their every relationship of love will be polluted by the shadow of sin.

- So you think that my husband... - He belongs to the seventh generation.

- And you're asking me to believe this rubbish?

- No, I told you to take this story as a fairy tale.

- It isn't very funny. - I'm sorry.

I thought it was a fairy tale worth telling.

- Goodbye. - Goodbye.

- Oh what a beautiful cake!

- Happy birthday!

- Blow out all the candles!

- Happy birthday, Amanda. - Blow out the candles!

- Come on, do it!

- Keep trying!

- Good show! - Happy birthday!

- I wish you much happiness!

I'm so happy for you. - Happy birthday.

- Happy birthday, Amanda! - Time for a toast!

- Let's hope for a beautiful baby boy!

- Fabio? - Just a sip, thanks.

- To the sweetest mommy in the world.

- Amanda, what's wrong?

What's wrong?

How do you feel?

Where's the pain?

- What happened?

- She's feeling sick, call a doctor.

- That won't be necessary, she only needs to calm down.

These are quick passing crises.

- It's nothing serious, really.

Leave us alone. - I want a doctor!

- I'll stay with Amanda, this is women's business!

- Take me to the hospital!

- Please Andrea, leave us alone.

- I want a doctor...

- It's nothing, don't worry, you'll feel better soon.

- Try to stay calm.

Amanda, I'm here to help you.

- A doctor...

Take me to the hospital...

To the hospital...

I want a doctor...

- Lie down.

You're going to feel better now.

Now calm down.

Try to get some sleep.

- Giovanni, where's my husband?

- The master has already left.

- Yes, hello?

I would like to talk to Mr. Peter Clark.

Yes, all right, I'll hold.

Hello, Peter?

Yes, it's me, Amanda.

No, I'm afraid I'm not doing that well.

I don't quite understand what's wrong with me.

I, I'm feeling quite sick.

Listen, Peter, why don't you come visit me?

No, no, my husband is not here.

Maybe you'll be able to help me.

Please, come at once.

All right?

Then I'll be waiting.

- Who are you looking for? What do you want? Who are you?

- I'm here for Mrs. Amanda Orsomandi.

- There's no one here, they all left!

- I know perfectly well that she's home, so just let me in.

- I told you they all left, go away!

- Giovanni!

- Let him in immediately.

I don't know, maybe I'm just acting silly.

But sometimes I am plagued by strange fears.

I'm not worried about me, but for the baby.

I don't want to lose the baby.

I don't even know why I called you.

I'm so sorry, I'm really in shock.

- In any case, dear Amanda, calling me was a good idea.

- Thank you, Peter, maybe you're the only friend I have.

- I'd like to talk to a doctor, don't you think it's my right?

- It shouldn't be too hard to find a doctor.

- No, but everyone here seems to prevent me from doing so.

My husband doesn't seem to care.

- Amanda!

I told you not to get out of bed.

You felt sick, remember what condition you are in.

- If she feels sick, it would be advisable to call a doctor.

- I don't think we need any advice, especially from strangers.

- Mr. Clark is a friend of mine.

- Amanda, dear, we're all very fond of you.

And we want to take care of your needs.

You must be careful not to do anything reckless.

Darling, you need rest and quiet.

I don't think the intrusion of a stranger will help you get any rest.

- I must leave now, Amanda.

Anyway, you know where you can find me.

- Mr. Andrea is out, isn't he?

- Yes, he said he was going into town

to buy newspapers and have a drink with some friends.

- And the lady? - She's resting in her bedroom.

- We're alone, then.

- Yes, we are alone.

We are alone.

- What's going on?

What happened?

Did she feel sick again? - Yes.

- Tell us what's wrong, dear.

- Andrea, I'm so afraid.

That coffin, that dead man...

It was...

It was so frightening.

What did they want from me?

- It was only a nightmare.

- But dear, you need rest, plenty of rest and quiet.

You're just exhausted.

- Thank you.

Thanks for everything.

Now go get some rest.

I'll take care of her.

Try to get some sleep.

I will stay here by your side.

- Yes, Andrea. You seem so distant.

As if you were a stranger.

I wish we could talk more, to understand each other better.

I feel you are so absent and I don't even know why.

Andrea, I love you.

- For heaven's sake, Amanda, I love you too.

You are the only hope I have left to free myself.

- Free yourself from what? - From myself, perhaps.

I need you.

- And our child? Do you care about him?

- Are you sure about having this baby?

- What do you mean?

- I'm just scared.

- Scared of what?

- Of losing you.

- Darling!

How are you doing today?

Don't wear her out too much, Andrea.

- You must feel very proud about becoming the father of a beautiful baby boy, huh?

- It's not certain that the baby will be a boy.

- Oh it will be, I'm sure of it.

I hope you will allow him to call me uncle.

- Of course. - You have nothing to worry about, dear.

We will support you until the happy day.

- I have researched the oldest volumes in my library, to no avail.

- Unfortunately, your toil was completely useless; I already knew about these books.

- I'm sorry, but what else can I do? - Try digging deep into your memories.

What's this?

- It looks to me like a cadastral map of these lands.

- Are these the boundaries of your property?

- Yes, the family coat of arms marks the boundaries.

- So this church is outside the boundaries, right?

- That must be Malepartus.

- What does that mean?

- When I was a child, I was very drawn to this church's ruins,

which had been deconsecrated centuries ago.

The locals avoid the place, and they call it Malepartus.

One day my father found out that I had gone there, he became absolutely furious.

It seems that the remains of a heretic are buried there.

- A heretic or a witch?

Are you willing to take me to that church?

- Exhuma tenebris Ahriman

et servus tuis vem inice.

- I absolve you of your sins.

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

- They couldn't have buried her here. - Where, then?

- She's more likely buried outside, in unconsecrated ground.

- What's the matter? Let's move it now!

It's her!

- My god...

- "The son of Satan,

killed by mankind,

will yet be reborn by the son of the man

inthe eighth generation

in the damned lineage of Marco Orsomandi."

- The eight generation...

So that means that my son...

That Amanda...

- Hurry, we've got to get away from here!

Let's get away!

- It's monstrous,

inhuman.

- Satan leaves no room for mercy.

- I can't allow Amanda to give birth to that monster!

I must destroy it before it sees light.

- But how?

- Even if they both die.

- Doesn't it seem to you that you've killed enough already?

- They were prostitutes!

- That I did to rid the world of sin.

They were nothing but soulless beasts.

- Christ did not need to kill to redeem Magdalene from sin.

- But the Church did, father!

For centuries and centuries the Church has smothered heresy and sin in fire and blood.

- Those were only men, killing in the name of God.

They were invested with a God-given mandate, and were therefore infallible.

- Everyone can make mistakes.

My faith is enough to sustain myself.

And this faith orders me to fight Satan.

Not to kill.

Satan is not invincible, and I will force him to leave the body in which he's hiding.

- Are you so unwaveringly certain of your faith?

- Yes, otherwise my life would be meaningless.

I'm going to win this battle.

With the help of God.

- They have just entered the house.

They'll soon be beside her.

- Don't be afraid, I'm here to help you.

- I don't need any help! Go away!

No! Don't touch me!

Don't touch me!

Andrea!

Andrea...

- Do what he says.

- Have you all gone mad?!

What do you want from me? What?!

- Damned, filthy priest.

- Damned, filthy priest.

- Damned, filthy priest.

- Trust him.

He's the only being in the whole world who can help us.

-IdonT believe you!

IdonT believe you!

It's a lie!

W-what...

What are you going to do to me?

- This is the body of Christ.

Help us, 0 Lord.

Open your mouth.

My Lord, my Lord, why have you forsaken me?

- Where are you running to, Father? You seem to have the devil at your heels!

- Leave her alone!

Don't touch her! Don't touch her!

- It's too late, Andrea!

- Amanda...

Forgive me.

I must kill you. - No!

- Come on, we're taking you back to bed.

Be brave, everything will be all right. Don't be afraid.

- Have a good trip, and take care.

- It's a big responsibility.

- Don't worry.

Thanks for everything. - Have a safe trip.

In America, there was a real need for such a beautiful child.

Subtitled by Francesco Massaccesi