Original subtitles

It's me.

Everything aII right?

What do you mean they're gone? You mean, she's gone, too?

I'II be waiting in front of the hoteI.

Who couId have guessed a thing Iike that, sir?

When he got down into the street, it was stiII dark.

Then the front door opened again, and she came out, too.

I thought she must have come down to say goodbye to him.

Instead, she opens the door of the car,

makes the dog get in, gets in herseIf, and they're off.

Aren't you Iistening, Dottore?

Yes. Yes.

Damn it. This is something we didn't want. Anyway,

as far as I'm concerned, I foIIowed the instructions.

You've made up your mind?

What do you think marriage wiII get you?

I don't know. The impression of normaIcy.

-NormaIcy. -Yes. StabiIity, security.

In the morning when I'm dressing in the mirror I see myseIf.

And compared to everyone eIse, I feeI I'm different.

What do you see in GiuIia?

It may be her body, her sensuaIity.

Yes? And she?

The minute we're aIone she wants to fooI around.

-And then? -It usuaIIy ends up roIIing on the rug.

-And the maid with the big tits? -Oh, she's part of the dowry.

So you're getting married, and I'm Iosing my best friend.

That's okay.

Two minutes and you're on, signore.

You're sure he's arriving?

The CoIoneI? Of course. He'II be here.

He promised. He's very interested.

It's best if you're quiet. It's funny though, you know?

Everyone wouId Iike to be different from the others,

but instead you want to be the same as everyone eIse.

Ten years ago, my father was in Munich.

Often, after the theater, he toId me that

he'd go with friends to a Bierstube.

There was a nutty man they thought a fooI.

He spoke about poIitics.

He was quite an attraction.

They'd buy him beer and encourage him.

He'd stand up on the tabIe making furious speeches.

It was HitIer.

Ladies and gentlemen, that was "Who's Happier Than l"

by Cesare Andrea Bixio.

We conclude our program of popular music

with Arcangeli and Orchestra.

The singers were Silvana Fioresi, Oscar Carboni,

Lina Termini and "The Swallows."

We bring you now "Mystique of an Alliance,"

a talk by ltalo Montanari.

ltaly and Germany, two strongholds of light

in the course of centuries.

Their unparaIIeIed encounters mark a turning point

in the course of worId history.

Once again, these two peopIes are rediscovering

their ancient virtues.

Virtues that embody simiIarity and reciprocity

that have been Iong forgotten,

that which GoebbeIs caIIs ''the Prussian aspect''

of Benito MussoIini,

and which we caII ''the Latin aspect'' of AdoIf HitIer.

ItaIy and Germany, bringing the worId two great revoIutions,

the Anti-ParIiamentarian and the Anti-Democratic.

PIease, stay seated, CIerici.

Is there any news for me?

Your personaI record is reaIIy exceIIent.

Then I'm hired?

Such decisions must be taken sIowIy.

-Yes, I understand. -Yes, of course you wouId.

CiviI servant, BaccaIaureate in CIassics, good future career,

and Comrade Montanari has recommended you.

One morning you come to the ministry.

You arrive at my office at the ministry with your bright and shining face,

you make a specific proposaI.

The office of the Minister!

Did you ever ask yourself why people want to collaborate with us?

Some do it out of fear,

most of them for the money.

For faith in Fascism, very few.

But you, no.

I feeI that you're not governed by any of these reasons.

And when may I expect a repIy?

I hope very soon.

If I put aside the ideaIist revoIutionary...

I must ask myseIf what your aim is.

I stand prepared to go, as soon as you decide.

Fine.

I'II introduce you to the Minister.

CIerici! CIerici!

-At your service. -The Minister is expecting us.

Is this the first time you're seeing the Minister?

Yes.

When I expIained your pIan to him, the first thing he said was, ''Superb.

''Get to Professor Quadri and you inspire his faith in you.

''You try to discover who his contacts in ItaIy are.''

Yes, yes, superb!

And even more important, spontaneous!

-And aIso, voIuntary. -VoIuntary agency.

For repressing Anti-Fascism.

You've got to try and understand women.

Say she had decided to stay in Paris. She couId have, no?

"Animula vagula blandula

"hospes comesque corporis."

I'm sorry, I didn't get that.

It's nothing. It's Latin.

Five seconds, four seconds,

three seconds, two seconds, one second.

The correct time at the signal was 1:00 p.m.

Here.

Pretty.

Pretty.

Aren't you giving them to me?

Today I absoIuteIy need your fIowers.

Give them here. For you.

You know what I was thinking? I reaIIy must go to a fortune teIIer.

I want to know everything about you.

Don't stand around Iooking.

DarIing!

CarefuI!

But, MarceIIo, we're engaged, what's wrong with it?

My uncIe brought something from America.

What is it?

Mama made out a Iist of invitations.

-Want to see it? -No, I trust her.

I was taIking to Don Lattanzi.

If you want to marry, you go to communion,

you've got to confess.

Otherwise he says he cannot marry us.

I don't beIieve in it.

Who does?

Ninety percent of the peopIe who go to church today don't beIieve.

The priests don't either.

AII right, if you want me to, I'II even confess.

I Iove you.

If you want to...

-If I want to... -Yes, right here.

On the fIoor, on the carpet. Want to?

Better think about the priest.

He may not grant absoIution.

They grant everyone absoIution.

After aII, it wiII be so soon, our honeymoon.

Have you decided yet, where?

Yes.

But I can't teII you anything yet.

It's a surprise.

-A surprise? -A surprise?

Yes, yes, I adore surprises.

GiuIia, Ieave us aIone.

-MarceIIo, I went down for the maiI... -Come and eat!

The Ietter's anonymous?

What is it aII about?

But you know they're just awfuI to do this.

Worse than stabbing us in the back.

But what's in the Ietter?

And the stamp shows it's someone in Rome.

Let me see, Mama. I want to see what's written there.

Read it just for us. But then I'II burn it.

There are such ugIy things in it.

"Signora, in permitting your daughter and her fiancé to marry,

''you're committing more than an error,

''you're committing a crime.''

"Signor CIerici's father

''has been confined in a mentaI home, with a brain disease

''brought on by syphiIis.

''As you know, this disease is hereditary.

''There's stiII time to stop this marriage. A friend.''

I'd be happy to undergo a check-up.

-RidicuIous. -No. I don't mind a bit.

In Germany, premaritaI medicaI tests are obIigatory, a friend toId me.

My boy, I know. You're not just a man,

you're an angeI!

Thank you.

You see, the origin of my father's mentaI iIIness isn't venereaI.

That can be medicaIIy confirmed.

By the way, my IittIe girI has had the mumps,

scarIet fever, and German measIes.

-They're aII very moraI maIadies. -Yes!

Look here, who are you? Why are you foIIowing me?

Pure coincidence.

I wasn't foIIowing you.

EvidentIy, we're both going to the same pIace.

I'd Iike to ask you something. WouId your name be CIerici?

Yes, I'm Dottore CIerici. And who are you?

I'm SpeciaI Agent ManganieIIo. Sent by the CoIoneI.

Get in.

-Thanks. -HemIock!

Such disorder. The pIace Iooks Iike a dung heap.

Yes, it's a pity.

HemIock!

Speed up, ManganieIIo, or we won't catch up with them.

I can't go faster than this, sir. The road is sIippery.

Not more than haIf an hour ahead.

Don't taIk so much. Hurry!

It's sIippery.

I know. But we must save her, no matter how sIippery.

I understand you.

But if we break our necks, where wiII that get us? Dottore?

The CoIoneI toId me that I have to teII you...

After. Wait here.

Mother. PIease cover yourseIf.

I don't want to see you haIf nude.

What a son I have. A moraIist, my son is now.

You know? I had a dream just now.

You came in here by that door, you sat where you are.

You kissed me actuaIIy.

Why aren't you dressed?

What's the time?

It's Iate. We're gonna visit Papa.

Why doesn't he die?

AII that hospitaI money we'd save, and I've got so IittIe.

-We'II seII the auto. -No. I'm not going to seII that.

If I do, it means discharging HemIock

and I must have him near me.

I get so IoneIy in this house.

I want to see him when I pIease.

PIease don't taIk to me about your Iovers.

What do you mean? There's onIy one.

And he's much more eIegant than your siIIy fiancée is.

What a bastard you are!

No, I'm not seIIing the car.

I wiII seII the house.

I want to traveI around Europe.

After aII, I was born to traveI.

And Rome has become so provinciaI.

MiddIe-cIass chiIdren marrying into aII kinds of good famiIies.

It's aII a Iot of horse manure!

-SpeciaI Agent ManganieIIo! -Present!

Does this house Iook normaI to you? A pIace for normaI peopIe?

The CoIoneI toId me that I have to teII you...

For a normaI chiIdhood?

The decadence here makes me nauseous.

-ManganieIIo. -Yes, Dottore?

Comrade.

Do you see this?

It's morphine.

What did the CoIoneI say?

There's a smaII change in the program.

On your way to Paris before you cross the frontier,

you must stop at VentimigIia, Via dei GIicini, number three.

Number three Via dei GIicini.

You'II meet a trusted person caIIed RaouI.

He'II give you further instructions.

How Iong have you been in the ranks?

I began in 1923.

Turkey, France, Greece.

-AIways into the breach? -I'm on the move.

AII for famiIy and my country.

Your country before the famiIy.

Yes, sir. Of course.

Comrade!

ManganieIIo, you see that individuaI?

His name is Ki.

-Ki? -That's right.

''Ki'' means HemIock in Japanese.

Being caIIed HemIock isn't normaI.

He's a procurer.

He couIdn't be my brother, but my mother couId be his mother.

I said it doesn't seem normaI.

He brings her morphine and uses her as he Iikes.

-HemIock? -Yes.

You must understand why I teII you this.

Five minutes and he won't have the time to take a vaIise.

TeII the CoIoneI to count on me!

HemIock! HemIock!

-HemIock! -Where is he hiding?

You weren't rude to him again, were you?

I? No, he's so charming.

HemIock!

HemIock!

Have you Iooked in his room?

I've Iooked everywhere. Even under your bed.

-How are things, Franz? -Better than yesterday.

-Yesterday, we were bad. -Pretty bad?

Yesterday we were forced to wear our straitjacket.

-And today? -Today is better.

The wind seems to heIp our inspiration.

I'II never be tired of repeating.

If the State doesn't modeI itseIf

on the image of the individuaI, how wiII the individuaI

ever modeI himseIf in the image of the state?

Et cetera, et cetera.

SIaughter and meIanchoIy.

SIaughter and meIanchoIy.

Antonio, your son's decided to get married.

MarceIIo getting married?

SIaughter and meIanchoIy.

Look.

The announcement of the wedding.

Stop it. He's your father!

I Iike it. Sign it.

Read. He's not as crazy as he Iooks.

May I ask a moment aIone with my father?

When I was just a boy,

you used to teII me about your punitive forays.

I don't know, I can't recaII anything.

But why are you ashamed? It's important for me.

When you were heaIthy, you used a big cudgeI.

Yes.

-And did you give castor oiI to them? -Yes.

-And didn't you torture them? -Yes.

Didn't you kiII? You kiIIed, too?

Go away! Franz! Franz!

Do you beIieve at aII in fate, Dottore?

WeII, two years ago in Africa, after a mission Iike this,

they teII me at Headquarters, ''Did you receive the counter-orders?''

''Hey, what counter-orders?''

WeII, in Rome, they decided to suspend the whoIe thing

because it wasn't necessary.

Let's hurry!

There's nothing we can do for the woman

even if we get there in time.

You know perfectIy weII we can't afford any witnesses.

Then stop!

I'II get out!

What's the use of going? You go!

Dottore MarceIIo!

But we have to be there. We have a certain responsibiIity.

WouId you Iook at that!

Stop!

Who makes the report otherwise?

Unbutton his pants!

Let me up! Let me up!

The poIice! The poIice! Come on!

Stop!

-What's your name? -Marcello Clerici. What's yours?

Pasqualino Semirama. But call me Lino.

How Iong is it since your Iast confession?

Since I made my first HoIy Communion.

Bad, my son, very bad.

-How oId are you? -Thirty-four.

And aII this time you have Iived Iike an animaI.

TeII me, which sins have you committed?

I've committed them aII. Even the worst sin.

-AII? -AII. Even murder.

Murder? And you didn't feeI the need to confess?

Pardon?

You didn't feeI the need to rush to confession?

I was 13.

WeII, what were your friends trying to do?

They're just stupid.

What did they want from you?

AII right, then, what present?

A gun.

-A cap pistoI? -No, a reaI one.

I have one, too. A Mauser.

You want it? If you want it, I'II give it to you.

-Where is it? -It's in my room. Come.

I have a pretty orientaI kimono, too.

-Do you know who Madame ButterfIy is? -Where are you going?

Go on, teII me. What did he want from you?

I didn't know what. He was so much Iike a woman.

-A woman? -He trembIed Iike a woman.

Well, what happened? Kisses?

Touching you?

Are you sure you're teIIing me the truth?

Yes.

And what happened there between you? CarnaI reIations?

Shoot. What are you waiting for? Go on, shoot.

KiII the pretty butterfIy!

-Now you must teII me the detaiIs. -No, that's enough, pIease.

It's aImost as though you think sodomy

is a more mortaI sin than kiIIing somebody, padre.

I won't permit such insoIence.

You are forgetting that I happen to be the priest,

and you the sinner.

After that once, did you have sexuaI reIations with other men?

No. AII the rest were normaI.

Which means what?

A brotheI when I was 18.

Since then, reIationships onIy with women.

This in your opinion is a sexuaI Iife that's normaI?

Yes. But why?

But you, my son, have aIways Iived in sin.

NormaI means matrimony, having a wife, famiIy.

That's what I find.

Bravo, bravo, bravo.

I'm going to buiId a Iife that's normaI.

I'm marrying a petty bourgeois.

Then she must be a fine girI.

Speak out. Go ahead!

Mediocre.

A mound of petty ideas.

FuII of petty ambitions.

She's aII bed and kitchen.

You have no right to use such expressions.

NormaIity.

I intend to construct my normaIity, but it won't be easy.

-Stay within reIigion... -Outside reIigion!

God is so bountifuI. The Virgin is so maternaI.

Christ is so mercifuI to us aII.

And the priest is so bIessed with understanding.

You haven't demonstrated any horror at my crime yet.

It didn't make you pause.

You're surprised because I didn't run to confession right away.

The one thing you have to do is repent humbIy,

ask His pardon today.

I've aIready repented. I want to be excused by society.

Yes.

I want to confess today the sin I'II commit tomorrow.

One sin atones for another.

It is the price I must pay society. And I shaII pay it.

Are you a part of some new sect?

Do you beIong to a group of subversives?

No. No.

I beIong to a group that tracks down aII the subversives.

Ego te absolvo

a peccatis tuis.

Music!

Long Iive the bridegroom!

Long Iive the bridegroom!

CongratuIations!

-When is the wedding? -Next Sunday.

The bride, why didn't you bring her?

What's her name?

Let's drink to the end of bacheIorhood!

-We have biscuits, too. -Crackers as weII.

OnIy a drop. Pour me just a drop.

It goes to my head quickIy.

-The party makes me nervous. -PeopIe wanted to meet you.

-Never mind. It's just a tray. -Good, good. It's a Iucky sign.

You know, they're so excited.

Whenever there's an event, peopIe get excited.

Forgive them.

-I'm going on a mission. -Good!

Your performance was wonderfuI.

-I appreciate it. -I am never refused.

Music. Come on, Iet's pIay.

PeopIe are waiting to speak with the Duce.

SuddenIy a frightfuI scream is heard.

That's enough.

Where are you? Started again?

Last time's Iesson wasn't enough for you? Stop crying.

I shaII pIay for you the Iast part of ''Foxtrot'' by Maestro Lori.

What do you get out of working for the man?

I get the feeIing I'm finaIIy back

to the normaI state I mentioned to you.

-How do you think a normaI man... -A normaI man!

For me, a normaI man is one

who turns his head to see a beautifuI woman's bottom.

The point is not just to turn your head.

There are 5-6 reasons,

and he is gIad to find peopIe who are Iike him, his equaIs.

That's why he Iikes crowded beaches,

footbaII, the bar downtown...

At Piazza Venezia.

He Iikes peopIe simiIar to himseIf

and does not trust those who are different.

That's why a normaI man is a true brother, a true citizen,

-a true patriot. -A true Fascist.

You haven't ever wondered how come we're friends?

Since we're different from the others.

We are two of a kind.

Are you here?

What's the matter, you don't agree? I know you do.

I am never wrong.

It rains from the scattered cIouds

It rains on the parched tamarisks about you

The happy pines gIistening dew

And upon the myrtIes it rains anew

It rains upon our naked hands

On our transparent vestments

On the new thoughts our souIs reveaI

And on the fabIe that eIuded me yesterday

And eIudes me today, Hermione

MarceIIo, I am unworthy of you.

MarceIIo, I am unworthy of you.

Yes, yes. I don't deserve you.

You sound the same as your mother.

I have something to teII you, but you mustn't Iook at me,

so pIease Iook out there. If you Iook, I'II be ashamed.

Maybe afterwards you won't Iove me anymore,

but I've got to teII you.

You know, what you think of me isn't true.

You think I'm a virgin. I'm not.

What do you think of me now?

I didn't marry you because I thought you're stiII a virgin.

Dearest, I know your mentaIity's modern,

but then I feIt I shouId teII you the truth.

I forgot to mention it.

At VentimigIia, we'II get off. I've got an appointment.

But I have to teII you the whoIe thing. I have to.

You're angry.

You were in Iove with someone before you met me. Who was it?

He was a man of 60. A very disgusting oId man.

A friend of my famiIy's.

-Who is it? -It's the Advocate Perpuzio.

Perpuzio?

-But he's one of our witnesses. -He insisted on it.

But how was I going to say no?

-Six years it went on. -Six years?

Six years.

AII right.

Pardon, monsieur. We'II be in VentimigIia in a few minutes.

Thank you.

-This is number three Via dei GIicini? -Number three.

Who is it?

He Iooked to me Iike he might be an officer in civvies!

This isn't a museum. Go inside, go inside!

I'II send the others down right away.

I'm an idiot, a compIete maniac.

Again! Say it again.

The gentIeman is a friend of Signor RaouI's.

Go on! Say it!

I'm crazy, a compIete maniac.

I'm crazy.

CIerici!

What are you doing wasting time?

Come here!

What?

Professor Quadri's activities in France

have become interfering and provocative.

It's become necessary to make an exampIe of him.

You had to contact and inspire him with confidence

and get information.

-But now... -But now?

There's a counter-order from Rome. AII you do is eIiminate him.

-That cIear? -Very.

The operation wiII not take pIace in Paris.

It's up to you to choose the IocaIe and the moment.

It's up to you.

There's nothing more to taIk about.

Fine. This means I have no aIternative.

Comrade CIerici!

It must be quick and decisive! Comrade!

The train for Paris Ieaves in an hour.

I Iost my hat. Where's my hat? Where is it?

Then he entered the room. SIowIy.

FinaIIy he stood behind me and said, ''Is that French?''

Come and sit here.

''It's my Latin Iesson,'' I said.

He grabbed me by my hair.

And then, imagine, I used to caII him UncIe.

He unbuttoned my bIouse then.

I was weII-deveIoped at 15, I guess.

He began to squeeze my breasts harder untiI I aImost fainted.

And then, I don't know. I was suddenIy on the bed.

He was on top of me.

Then I understood everything and aII my strength Ieft me.

Then I understood everything and aII my strength Ieft me.

Did you Iike it?

-I Iay there passive. -And then?

He did everything to me he wanted.

I cried so much, and in order to consoIe me,

he said he was absoIuteIy, absoIuteIy crazy about me.

Six years.

I wouId Iike 26, 15, 37.

-Length nine and width... -I'II wait.

Who are you teIephoning to? One, two, three, four...

-A man with a hump. -Hunchbacks bring good Iuck!

Five and six.

Six by nine ought to amount to 54 meters square, isn't it?

That's right.

He was our professor at the university.

They named him Smerdikoff.

But his was the onIy cIass that was crowded.

AII the freshman girIs were in Iove with him.

StiII busy?

PIease, in a few minutes wiII you ring it for me?

The year I was supposed to graduate, they gave him the castor oiI.

He won't remember after nine years.

I had to go and ask him for my thesis.

He asked me if I was a Fascist.

And what did you answer?

I didn't bother to answer him.

He toId me it wouId be impossibIe for him

to teach phiIosophy in a Fascist country.

HeIIo.

This is CIerici. I was a student of yours back in Rome,

and I'd Iike to see you again.

Of course, Professor. I came about my graduate thesis.

It was the year that you stopped teaching.

l don't remember your name.

lt was so long ago. Clerici, you said?

Yes. And you said to me... I remember that day so weII, everything,

you said, ''The time for refIection is over for me.

''Now begins the time for action.''

-And you want to see me? -Yes.

Why?

I don't have any precise reason.

They stiII speak about you in Rome.

And I'd Iike to see you, that's aII.

Let's see. Could you come over to my house?

Yes. When?

Today if you like, after lunch. Come and have a coffee.

I'm honeymooning in Paris.

WouId it be aII right if I brought my wife?

Of course. Seventeen Rue Saint Jacques.

-l'll see you later then. -Thank you.

He has a nice voice. Not Iike a hunchback's.

What shaII I wear? Street cIothes or reaIIy get dressed up?

But why bother?

He'II be a typicaI inteIIectuaI, disagreeabIe and impotent.

How do you know that?

I don't reaIIy. My uncIe used to aIways say...

-UncIe Perpuzio! -Laugh, Iaugh.

OnIy he's the one who sent the anonymous Ietter.

Cut that out!

But, MarceIIo...

Answer that. Say I'm not in.

-But what if it's a foreigner? -No, he'II be an ItaIian.

Answer the phone!

HeIIo?

No, he's not in.

Very weII, I'II teII him.

He said he'd caII back this afternoon.

Funny name, ManganieIIo.

-Yes, what is it? -I'm Monsieur CIerici.

-You've got the wrong apartment. -I've an appointment.

You're ItaIian?

The professor is expecting them. I'II take care.

Get away, MarceIIo!

He'II bite you! Run!

Down, Roby!

Get down! Sit down!

You're Monsieur CIerici, aren't you?

Come in.

-Nothing to be afraid of. -Me? I'm not a bit frightened.

WeII then come up. He won't bite now, I teII you.

Funny, usuaIIy dogs Iike me.

Is this the first time you're visiting Paris?

-Do you Iike it? -Yes. It's so pretty.

The station, the hoteI, and now here.

-PIease. -Thank you.

If you Iike, Iater I couId show you a bit of the town.

ReaIIy? And then when you come to ItaIy,

I can show you around Rome, everything.

The piazzas, the churches, the Forum...

Yes.

I shouId get them or the coffee wiII be frozen.

Come on, boys, the coffee's getting coId.

I wonder why she seems so hostiIe.

Does she seem hostiIe? But she's nice to me.

She acts Iike she knows me a hundred years.

And I don't know why. I never met her.

Don't even know who she is.

She's married to Professor Quadri.

Young enough to be his daughter.

But it doesn't matter. I heard her saying, ''My husband's inside.''

-She said ''my husband''? -But certainIy.

No, I don't agree. Printing in the shop is too expensive.

But we'II never accompIish anything with the mimeograph.

-Thirty thousand copies is no joke... -It aIways breaks down.

My husband's stiII busy.

He'II see you in a few minutes, aII right?

-Yes, we've got time. -He said we might dine tonight.

We'd Iove to.

Later we might stop at JoinviIIe and dance.

-You agree? -Dancing makes me so happy!

Is dancing stiII aIIowed in ItaIy?

Now that I think of it, it's impossibIe.

Why?

'Cause I didn't bring a gown with me.

We can fix that. This afternoon, we can shop if you'II come.

-ShouIdn't we go immediateIy? -No. I have a cIass at schooI at 3:30.

But we can meet at your hoteI if you Iike at 5:00.

-At what hoteI are you? -At the D'Orsay.

-Then we'II see you at 5:00? -No.

Shopping is onIy for women. Husbands pay.

You mean I can go and you won't mind?

No.

Take him to the professor.

Come in, come in, CIerici. Did they give you coffee?

-Yes, thank you. -Goodbye. Thank you.

-GiuIia. -Yes.

I'm curious.

Before you married him, did you go to bed with him?

It's very curious, CIerici.

You come aII this way onIy to see me?

Remember, Professor,

as soon as you used to enter the cIassroom

they had to shut the windows.

You couIdn't stand aII that Iight, that noise.

Later, I understood why you used to do that.

AII these years,

you know what remained most firmIy imprinted on my memory?

Your voice.

Imagine a great dungeon in the shape of a cave.

Inside, men who have Iived there since chiIdhood,

aII chained, and forced to face the back of the cave.

Behind them, far away, the Iight from a fire fIickers.

Between the fire and the prisoners, imagine a Iow waII

simiIar to that IittIe stage

on which a puppeteer shows his puppets.

That was November '28.

Yes, I remember.

Now try and imagine some other men

passing behind that IittIe waII

bearing statues made of wood and stone.

The statues are higher than that waII.

You couIdn't have brought me a better gift than these memories.

The enchained prisoners of PIato.

And how they resembIe us.

-And what do they see? -What do they see?

You who come from ItaIy shouId know from experience.

They see onIy the shadows the fire makes

on the back of the cavern that faces them.

Shadows. The refIections of things.

Like what's happening to you peopIe now in ItaIy.

Say those prisoners were at Iiberty and couId speak out.

Mightn't they caII the shadows they see reaIity, not visions?

Yes. They wouId mistake for reaIity, the shadows of reaIity.

The myth of the great cave.

That was the graduate thesis you proposed to do for me.

-Did you finish it afterwards? -You departed. I used a different theme.

I'm truIy sorry, CIerici. I had so much faith in you.

-In aII of you. -No, I don't beIieve it.

If that were true, you'd never have Ieft Rome.

That's fine. Go on!

Move faster. Move faster.

Move faster. Move faster.

Move faster. Move faster.

At the point we had reached there was no other choice.

AII we couId do was emigrate. We wanted everyone

to be abIe to feeI our disdain, and our rebeIIion as exiIes,

the meaning of our struggIe, the historicaI meaning.

BeautifuI words, but you Ieft and I became a Fascist.

Excuse me, CIerici,

but a confirmed Fascist doesn't taIk Iike that.

Yes? Yes, it's me. Yes. Go ahead.

One Iover? OnIy one?

She went down and out.

She gave her aII for a redheaded pimp with a bIoodshot eye.

A Jew he was, with a garIic smeII. Who'd come from Formosa once,

and hauIed her out of some whorehouse in Shanghai.

You reaIIy wiII Iend me these foxes?

Of course. Keep them as Iong as you Iike.

Thank you.

Wait for me. I'II be right back.

Do you often go around peopIe's houses spying?

How often do I honeymoon in France?

I met a woman with your eyes.

-Where? -VentimigIia.

The resembIance is unbeIievabIe.

-And who was she? -A prostitute.

Many thanks.

-Did she kiss weII? -It wouId be Iike kissing you.

-How did it end up then? -It didn't.

I embraced her and that was it.

I was Ieft with this great desire to find her again.

-Why are you so hostiIe? -Because I'm sincere.

Over here she had a scar.

No! No! Let me go!

Who knows what it's for?

But it isn't goId the way I imagined.

From here it's aImost as smaII as the one I have on my night tabIe.

They say at Ieast once a month,

some disappointed Iover throws himseIf off. How stupid.

-You want to go to the Tower? -Yes.

Taxi!

Yes. I'm gIad we're going up the EiffeI Tower.

Quick! To the EiffeI Tower. Ciao!

And you?

Attention!

Now, suppIe. Go on. Hup!

HeIene dear, chin up.

Hup!

Try it again now.

Watch your knees, Denise.

Take a breath.

That's starting to Iook good, isn't it?

Your head.

Your points out.

Eyes stiII, Margot.

Take a break.

Thank you, madame.

-Is there some pIace to taIk? -Here.

-No, not here. -Why not?

I have some friends in BraziI.

I'II Ieave everything if you come with me.

I, on the other hand, have friends in ItaIy.

I received a Ietter. Read it.

''If you ever get this Ietter, it wiII be in spite of the prison censors.''

You must never make the gesture as wide as this.

Why did you stop? Go on.

''They come suddenIy in the night and kick the door of my ceII

''so as not to Iet me sIeep.''

-Why do... -Continue.

Why do you make me read this Ietter?

I'II teII you in a bit.

''Some days, there are the faIse executions.

''They sent me the priest three times aIready

''and I refused extreme unction.

''They gave me castor oiI again, but they shouId reaIize

''that after aImost 20 years,

''I'm used to it. It has no effect.''

Why must I read this Ietter?

You want me to teII you?

Because you're a Fascist! A spy!

You imagine you took us in? You're mistaken.

Does your husband know?

Why do you think you were received?

You're onIy a worm.

You revoIt me! You're disgusting!

I'm getting GiuIia at the hoteI.

We'II be on the first train home.

You'd never do it. You're too much of a coward.

MarceIIo! HoId me.

MarceIIo, I'm frightened.

MarceIIo, pIease don't hurt us.

Swear it! Swear it, pIease.

I don't know.

GiuIia, Iook at this.

Anna! Come here!

It's a surprise!

Look at that coIor. It's a dream!

Come and Iook at this one. Here.

Anna! It's divine!

Look how beautifuI it is! Just Iook!

GiuIia, come on.

It's very big, aII in wood, with enormous beds.

The house beIonged to my grandfather.

Luca and I used to go there often.

Roby, here!

But now with what's going on in Spain, we don't Ieave Paris any Ionger.

AII right, Roby! That's enough! Come here!

La Savoie is beautifuI. I can't wait to get back.

Dottore! Dottore!

Come on, I know you're back there.

Why don't you want to see me?

I've been running after you aII day.

And it's freezing here.

You ought to come out and have a chat now.

What is it you're worrying about?

We'II go somewhere inside. We'II taIk about it.

I have my job, you know.

The time's passing.

You must have a pIan by now.

You haven't stood stiII for an instant.

May I say you ought to be foIIowing him, not his wife.

There's no point in screaming Iike that at the birds, you know.

They don't understand you foreigners. Maniac.

He thinks the birds in Paris are foreigners.

God damn it. Dottore!

I do understand you.

But the operation must be quick and decisive.

Third fIoor.

You don't mind if we stay Iike this a bit?

No.

How siIIy you are.

Remember what you yourseIf said a whiIe ago,

''If I weren't married,'' you said.

Yes, I might have said that. I am married.

It doesn't mean a thing.

You have to understand married to whom.

I Iike him.

Let's try on my new frock.

No. Don't move. I want to dress you.

How strange you are. You want to be my maid now?

What difference does it make? It's my pIeasure.

PIease, don't Iook at me. I'm embarrassed.

There's nothing wrong with it. I'm a woman just as you are.

Yes, but you Iook at me in a way...

Turn around.

How beautifuI!

How much I Iove Paris!

When MarceIIo sees it!

VioIets? VioIets, monsieur?

Do you want vioIets?

These are reaI Parma vioIets.

-They're reaIIy from Parma? -AbsoIuteIy.

Let me have one.

Thank you.

''Ye prisoners of starvation!''

Arise ye prisoners of starvation

Awake ye wretched of the Earth

For justice thunders condemnation

A better world in birth

No more tradition's chains shall bind us

Arise ye slaves no more in thrall

The earth shall rise on new foundations

We have been naught, we shall be all

'Tis the final conflict

Let each stand in his place

The lnternationale

Shall lead the human race

'Tis the final conflict

Let each stand in his place

The lnternationale

Shall lead the human race

Inside.

-Come. -What's the matter?

-Do you Iike reaI Parma vioIets? -They're not for me.

I want you to have them.

You couIdn't have known I'd be at the hoteI.

They're for GiuIia.

It's for you I bought them.

GiuIia wiII be beautifuI tonight.

HaIf past eight at the hoteI.

You know, I'm sad.

Since we've arrived in Paris, we haven't made Iove yet.

Your knees are sharp.

Here's news for you.

The Quadris have a house in the Savoie.

Anna says the Professor Ieaves tomorrow morning by car

whiIe she stays here.

OnIy for a day or so, then she's pIanning to join her husband

and wants us to visit with them in the mountains.

I have the address.

Nice, don't you think so?

She toId me they have enormous beds in their viIIa

which make awfuI noises!

And she says there are big, big forests in the neighborhood

where no one ever passes.

Anna says...

Anna toId me you can even make Iove in the snow.

Can you imagine the Professor wandering around in the woods naked?

You had me convinced you were the typicaI new ItaIian.

No such type exists yet, but we're creating him.

-Through repression? -No, through exampIe.

Giving him castor oiI? Throwing him into prison?

By torturing them? BIackmaiIing?

Anna. PIease, dear, caIm down.

CIerici is a Fascist. I'm an Anti-Fascist.

We both knew.

And we decided to have supper together aII the same.

-And get the wives drunk. -The oId Professor and his ex-pupiI.

-GiuIia, what's the matter? -And yet I'm wiIIing to bet.

-GiuIia, what's the matter? -And yet I'm wiIIing to bet.

God, I've drunk so much!

-You may change your mind yet. -ImpossibIe, Professor.

My husband is naive about these things.

I can't forget that CIerici was one of my best students ever.

ReaIIy? TeII me. What was MarceIIo Iike as a student?

-Serious. Too serious. -But you can't be too serious.

ReaIIy serious peopIe are never serious.

GiuIia, did you ever see your husband Iaugh?

No, but then, he's a very serious man. That's his nature.

-Nothing the matter with that. -That's not my nature at aII.

I've an idea, CIerici. You shouId both remain here.

You wiII understand a great deaI about many things Iiving here.

For you, it's an important opportunity.

What do you know, Professor?

He's right.

He's onIy in Paris to enjoy his honeymoon.

By the way, did GiuIia mention my idea to you?

-We have a IoveIy guest room... -With an enormous bed!

And from Ia Savoie you can go back to ItaIy.

Thank you, but I promised GiuIia to show her Paris.

I'm haIf-drunk aIready!

That's spIendid. My husband wiII Ieave tomorrow.

And after you see some more of Paris, we'II join him.

MarceIIo, teII the truth. WouId you Iike us to go?

But of course I wouId. They're reaIIy so kind.

-WeII, aII right. -Perhaps GiuIia doesn't want to go.

No, no!

If you don't Iike me, you can just say so.

Don't embarrass dear GiuIia.

-We'II definiteIy come. Right, GiuIia? -Yes.

Let me sit there.

God, it's going around, the whoIe pIace.

It's Iike that restaurant we had on the train

with that funny fat man.

MarceIIo, wiII you give me a proof of your friendship?

There's something to be sent. A Ietter.

To Rome. To a comrade. I ask you to heIp me.

It has to be deIivered personaIIy. There's no hurry.

When you get back to ItaIy from our pIace.

This might mean prison.

Any one of my men wouId risk much more.

Professor, one wouId say you're doing this purposeIy,

just to get me into troubIe there.

Considering what you're going back to, CIerici,

-a month in a Fascist jaiI may be better. -Excuse me.

What is it?

What's the matter?

Hey, Dottore! Watch out!

What? I'm here to protect you and you want to kiII me?

I don't want to kiII anyone. Here. I don't want to carry it anymore.

What is this aII about?

-You giving up? -No, it's so cIumsy.

I don't even know how to use it. It's in my way, it's so heavy.

Listen to me, comrade!

I want you to Iook straight at me.

We're in a war, right? You give up, you're a deserter.

Everybody's thought of deserting at Ieast once.

-I wouIdn't think of that. -Even I did. ReaIIy. Yes, yes, yes.

But I said to myseIf, ''ManganieIIo, why, what are you thinking of?''

It isn't your patriotism,

it isn't your honor you are betraying.

It is reaIIy you.

After a whiIe,

I managed a hearty pat on my back, smoked another cigar,

and what did I think? ''Let's go.

''Courage now.

''Comrade ManganieIIo?''

Fight or be beaten.

It's freezing!

Hurry. We're going to dance.

You'II make me faII!

Come on.

Thanks.

If you were what you say,

you wouId have agreed to carry that Ietter

and you wouId have used it against our friends in Rome.

WeII, take a Iook. There's nothing written.

I thought it best to put you to the test.

They must stop dancing.

But why?

They're both so pretty.

WeII, what's there to stare at?

This is Paris, and I'm a fashionabIe woman, aren't I?

-You're crazy, compIeteIy. -AII right. Let's dance!

Everyone! AII of you!

Everybody, come on!

-Tomorrow by car at dawn. -Wait!

-What about his wife? -She doesn't go.

Better without her.

We'II meet in Rome!

And the best of Iuck to you!

Who knows what you think of me, Professor?

I've had too much champagne!

It's good for anybody to get drunk once in a whiIe.

You won't beIieve this.

You upset me Iike you're giving me an exam.

If you're prepared, everybody'II pass?

Listen. I'II be going tomorrow with my husband.

You must remain.

PIease remain in town. Do it for me.

Didn't you decide to go with GiuIia and me?

Haven't you observed she can't stand me, your GiuIia?

Pardon!

But GiuIia's so stupid. Can't you see she's drunk?

We've aII Iost our heads a IittIe tonight.

Besides, you're mistaken to say she can't bear you.

She mentioned that she admires you.

-What eIse did she say? -That she finds you seductive.

I changed my mind.

I'II stay with you in Paris. GIad?

Anna! The Professor is propositioning me!

HeIp!

I feeI so happy that in a minute I know I'm going to feeI terribIe!

Ciao!

Damn. I'm beginning to get tired.

-ManganieIIo. -Yes, Dottore.

-I've just had a fantastic dream. -You did?

I was in SwitzerIand.

And you were taking me for an operation in a hospitaI

because I was bIind.

SwitzerIand. It's beautifuI.

And Professor Quadri did the operation.

The operation was a success and I was Ieaving soon

with the wife of the Professor. And she Ioved me.

SwitzerIand.

I remember in MiIan

when I was a chiId, we used to sing a song.

Wait a minute.

In Africa after aII that work and four dead men,

we discovered it was no Ionger necessary.

And my superior, ''You have ruined us aII!

''You're onIy beasts, you are!''

''Now wait a second,'' I said. ''We are men, not beasts.''

That woman shouId have returned to her bed

and stayed there aII day.

God!

-Love can certainIy... -What are you trying to say?

No. Nothing, Dottore.

No. I was saying that sometimes Iove can even perform miracIes.

There!

It's them, isn't it?

Keep about 60 feet back.

There's a car behind us.

-So? -FoIIowing us.

Nothing the matter with that. Why are you so nervous?

Watch out!

Must be something the matter.

Don't get out, pIease, I beg you!

-WeII, why not? -I don't know, but I'm frightened.

We can't just sit here Iike this.

I'II be right back.

Wait here.

Luca!

I thought you were iII.

What is it? What do you want from me?

Look out, I'm shooting.

How disgusting. I've aIways said so.

Make me work in the shit, sure, but not with a coward.

If it's up to me, cowards, homosexuaIs and Jews,

they're aII the same thing.

If it were up to me, I'd stand them aII against a waII.

Better yet, eIiminate them when they're born.

Attention.

Attention.

His Majesty King Vittorio Emanuele

accepted the resignation of His Excellency Benito Mussolini

as head of the government, Prime Minister and Secretary of State.

His Majesty has named as head of the government,

Prime Minister and Secretary of State,

His Excellency Marshal Pietro Badoglio.

How eIegant you are with your mama's hat on!

You even put on the foxes Mama brought from Paris.

Good for Marta!

King Vittorio Emanuele has accepted the resignation

of His Excellency Benito Mussolini

as head of the government, Prime minister and Secretary of State,

and His Majesty has named as head of the government,

Prime minister and Secretary of State,

His Excellency Marshal Pietro Badoglio.

A red appIe.

Ready? HaiI Mary, fuII of grace...

''HaiI Mary, fuII of grace...''

-the Lord is with Thee. -''the Lord is with Thee.''

-BIessed art Thou amongst women... -''BIessed art Thou amongst women...''

...and bIessed is the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.

''...the fruit of Thy womb, Jesus.''

HoIy Mary, Mother of God...

''HoIy Mary, Mother of God...''

...pray for us sinners...

''...pray for us sinners...''

-...now and at the hour of our death. -''...now and at the hour of our death.''

ItaIo caIIed.

-Amen. -''Amen.''

Now to sIeep. Come on, Iie down and sIeep.

-ItaIo? -Yes. ItaIo.

-What did he want? -He'II expect you at the usuaI pIace.

ltalo. After all this time.

How awfuI they aII are!

CeIebrating because the King threw out MussoIini,

when yesterday they were aII for him.

I can't wait tiII we get them out of here.

Why see ItaIo? What's the use of it?

If he caIIed it means he needs me, and I'm going.

I was aIways the one who took him around.

I took him everywhere.

He used to say that when I described things to him

it was Iike seeing them with his own eyes.

Go to sIeep.

MarceIIo, you've got to take care, you hear?

Why?

What do you mean?

Nothing.

Wait, Iisten. What are you going to do now?

The same as everyone eIse who thought Iike me.

When there are so many of us, there's no risk.

I know, but I want to say the business with Quadri...

I don't know what you're taIking about.

In Paris, Anna,

maybe in order to get me away from you,

toId me you worked for the secret poIice.

-And you? What did you answer? -That it wasn't important.

That I was your wife and I Ioved you.

And if you worked for them, it was your decision.

But then, when the Quadris were kiIIed,

how scared I became.

And what do you think of it now?

WeII, I think that, after aII,

it was an important step in your career.

That's right.

MarceIIo, don't go out!

They couId hurt you.

I won't be in danger.

After aII, what have I done? My duty.

But why do you want to go?

I want to see how a dictatorship faIIs.

Mama! Where are you? I'm afraid.

I'm here, darIing. I'm coming.

MarceIIo?

There's something that's stiII stuck to you.

-Where? -Here.

Oh, yes.

What about eating?

As Iong as there are cats around, I manage.

They say cat meat tastes Iike rabbit.

Too bad we didn't meet yesterday.

I had a whipped cream cake at home.

-With reaI cream? -Yes, why not?

-You need eggs for that. -Somebody I met Iives in the country.

He sends me bread, too.

Fresh eggs? Bread?

He keeps me suppIied. I never Iack for anything in my house.

Chickens, butter, fresh cheese.

-And potatoes? -Potatoes, too.

If you come home with me, I'II be happy to make you an omeIet.

-What kind? -A jeIIy omeIet.

You must be tired of eating cats aII the time.

Yes. I ate too many of them. And they're not so easy to find.

-What did you do? -Ate mice.

There are more rats with the cats gone?

Yes, but they're aII skin and bones.

Listen. I don't Iive far from here.

Why don't you come and have dinner with me?

-Is there a pIace to sIeep? -You can stay.

Nice shoes you have. Soft.

They were a present.

I got a present, too. A Siamese cat.

-Was he good? -Too tough.

I have a pair of suede shoes. You can have them.

And I have a nice orientaI kimono. Like Madame ButterfIy's.

You know who Madame ButterfIy is?

Lino!

-Is your name Lino? You! -Me? Why?

You were a chauffeur, right?

-But a Iong time ago. -Yes.

-You had a pistoI. -I? I don't understand you.

And you're aIive stiII.

But I don't know you. What do you want of me?

What's that scar?

-There was an accident. -What accident?

What do you want? Take your hands off me!

Where were you?

What were you doing on March 25, 191 7?

Me? I... Who are you? You must be crazy.

What were you doing on March 25, 191 7?

Let me aIone!

And the 15th of October, 1938.

Where were you? What were you doing?

What were you doing at 4:00 p.m. on October 15th, 1938?

Where were you? What were you doing?

What were you doing? I've got to know.

Murderer! Murderer!

He kiIIed a man, a poIiticaI exiIe,

on October 15th, 1938!

Yes, Professor Quadri!

Luca Quadri!

And his wife Anna Quadri.

He's a homosexuaI, a Fascist!

And his name is PasquaIino!

Semirama!

PasquaIino Semirama!

MarceIIo, don't do that.

MarceIIo, where are you?

-Fascist! -No, MarceIIo!

He, too, is a Fascist. Right here.

-What are you doing this for? -This one's a Fascist.

MarceIIo, no. No, MarceIIo, pIease.

MarceIIo, no, no, MarceIIo!

ItaIo Montanari! Fascist!

No, MarceIIo. Are you crazy?

MarceIIo, why are you doing this? PIease, come back here.

MarceIIo. MarceIIo!

MarceIIo! MarceIIo!