All language subtitles for Kristus se zastavil v Eboli _ Cristo si è fermato a Eboli 1979, EN tit

Many years have gone by,
full of war...

...and of that which
we used to call history.

Having wandered
here and there...

so far I haven't been able
to keep the promise made...

...in leaving them,
to my peasants...

that I would go back to them.

And I really don't know if or
when I'll be able to keep it.

But, shut up in a room,
in a closed world,

I like to go back in my mind
to that other world.

Imprisoned in its pain
and customs,

oblivious of history
and of the State,

eternally patient.

To that land, without
comfort or gentleness,

where the peasant lives
in poverty and isolation...

...in his immobile
civilization...

...on a dry earth
in the presence of death.

"I'm Barone. May whoever
finds me take pity on me."

Go on, eat this egg,
it's good for you.

Go on, eat it.

Don't you like it?

- Hey, whose is this dog?
- May I keep the dog?

It's fine with me, but we'll
have to ask the Podest...

- Yes... the dog is mine.
- Keep him quiet, then!

You should put
a muzzle on him.

At least put him on a leash.

I'm sorry to say this, but the
dog should have a muzzle.

I don't want him
to eat my chickens.

From now on
he'll sit with me.

You keep him
on a leash, or else!

Good morning! Hello!

- Are you comfortable?
- Yes, we are.

Okay, let's go.

Christ stopped at Eboli.

Where the road and
the train leave the coast,

and penetrate the sad
lands of Lucania.

Christ never came here.
Nor have time,

the individual spirit, hope,
nor the tie between...

...cause and effect,
reason or history.

No one has ever
touched this land...

...if not as conqueror,
as enemy...

...or incomprehending
visitor.

The seasons flow over the
toil of the peasants today,

as they did 3,000 years
before Christ.

In this dark land, without sin
and without redemption,

where evil is not a moral,
but an earthly pain,

forever present in all things,

Christ never came.

Christ stopped at Eboli.

I'm the only one
who has a car, here.

I bought it with the dollars
that I earned in America.

I thought it was a bargain.

Instead, all I manage to do
is a couple of trips a week,

to take the Podest
to the prefecture in Matera.

How about the mail, here?

Have you seen who's in
charge of it? A donkey!

See those stakes? They used
to stick the heads of bandits...

on them. And they'd leave
them there for a long time.

You can come
whenever you want.

There, that's the municipal
secretary, Sergeant.

Don Peppi', the Sergeant
has something to say to you.

Goodbye, Sergeant.

Who should I give
the order to?

The town hall,
they'll stamp it.

I'm the municipal secretary.

Carlo Levi.

Is there a hotel, an inn?

No, but I can suggest a very
comfortable situation...

...with a relative of mine.
She cooks too.

All right, let's go.

- Which way?
- That way.

Oh, the dog.

Barone! Oh, there he is.

He followed me. Come on!

I'd like to keep him, but I don't
know whether it's possible.

I think so, but we'll have to
ask the Podest. Now he's...

...teaching at the elementary
school. Maybe tonight.

Wait here for me.
I'll come and get you.

Mister Levi, come this way.

Come on in. Come in.

May I?

- Good day.
- Good day.

I know everything, come with
me. I'll show you your room.

- I'll see you at the town hall.
- Thank you, very kind of you.

There, you may choose
whichever bed you like best.

Thank you, madam,
don't worry about me.

Madam, which way
to the square?

Go straight and then turn right.

What are all those ribbons
I've seen over the doors?

Here, when someone dies,
we hang the ribbons...

...from the wreaths
over the doorway,

and leave them there
until they fall off.

Doctor Levi!

I'm Luigi Macalone,
the Podest.

- Carlo Levi.
- Welcome.

Here in town there are
ten other internees,

but you're not allowed
to speak to each other.

They're worthless people,
lowly workers, nothing much.

They can't compare with you.
You're clearly a gentleman.

Why did you get
yourself interned?

Our country is becoming
so great now.

In any case, you'll like it here.
The climate is good, the air...

...healthy. There is a bit
of malaria, but not much.

But you should be careful.
There are lots of bad people.

Better not to befriend anyone.

That way you'll avoid
any unpleasantness.

- Good evening.
- Good evening.

You must respect the curfew,
and I'm at your disposal.

Here everyone
goes to bed at dusk,

and every day you must
sign the internee register.

It's only a formality, but the
people in Matera want us...

...to be scrupulous.
So, we follow the rules.

That's don Traiela, the priest.

He's always drunk. A disgrace
to our town. A desecration of...

...the house of God. We can't
seem to get rid of him. But...

we'll manage to kick him out.
He's been here for many years

as punishment. He taught in
the seminary at Mondragone...

...or Naples. It seems he took
certain liberties with his pupils.

You understand...

Luigi! Luigi!

Let me introduce my uncle, one
of the local doctors of Galliano.

- Doctor Mirillo... doctor Levi.
- Pleased to meet you.

You're a young man,
a handsome young man.

- I wish I were a young man.
- Of course you are.

In this town, you must beware
mostly of the women. Don't...

...accept anything from them.
Neither wine nor coffee.

Nothing to drink or eat. They'd
certainly put a love-potion in it.

Do you want to know
what they make the out of?

Menstrual blood.

I've heard that you too
are a physician.

I'm a graduate in medicine,
but I've never practiced.

I'm no doctor.

In any case, the peasants,
here, don't listen to us.

They never call us and they
never pay. They'll get theirs.

Today, one of those
who hadn't called us, died.

It serves him right. They
are stubborn as mules.

We give them quinine,
and they don't take it.

There's no hope. And their
malaria, naturally, kills them.

Doctor Levi, I'll leave you to it.

Listen, I'd like to ask you...

...if I can keep a dog.
- A dog?

Sure, why not? Goodbye.

There's Sergeant Pugliese.

He's the midwife's lover.

I was told he was the lover
of the pretty Sicilian mafiosa.

The one who sings all the time.
- Oh really?

- Yes.
- Good.

He's been here 3 yars.

They say he's already
saved up 40,000 lire,

taking advantage of his
authority over the peasants.

10 lire at a time.

The mail! Here's the mail!

The mail is here!

Dinner's ready.

He was my husband. He died
3 yars ago, of an ugly death.

They put the evil eye on him.

But why? Who put
the evil eye on him?

A peasant witch! He
had another woman.

A child was born of this union.
My husband wanted...

...to leave her, but she
gave him a magic potion...

...that made him turn black
all over, until he died.

- A peasant witch?
- That lowly hussy,

that whore
who ruined my house!

Now I have to support a 10 years
old son who studies in Potenza.

All he left me was this
weight on my shoulders!

- Who is it?
- Don Peppi', open up!

- Good evening.
- Good evening.

It's cold and wet
enough to kill you!

My bones are all clattering
together with the cold.

Virgin Mary!

Sit down in front of the fire.

- Good evening, zia Carmela.
- Good evening.

- Good evening.
- Good evening.

- May I sit down?
- Please do.

- What are you eating?
- Some soup.

I'll have some too, because I
haven't eaten since last night.

I'm starving.

What do those two letters
on your hat mean? U.E.?

They stand for "Ufficiale
Esattoriale", tax collector.

I always curse the man who
sewed these letters on my hat.

Nobody, here, wants
to pay taxes. Nobody.

Their excuse is that
we're all so poor, but...

...they all have a pig hanging
under the cellar roof.

Sausages, headcheese,
stuffed pig's stomach...

They have everything.
At my house, instead,

I have to make do with
some bread and cheese.

Would you like some wine?
Could we have another glass?

Thank you.

- Cheers.
- Cheers.

Perhaps the taxes are high.

They're what they are. I'm not
the one who get the money.

I only make them pay.

What do they want from us?

So you go, and take
whatever there is.

Whatever they have, I take.

They have no furniture.
They have a bed,

but beds, by law,
can't be taken away.

- What do they give you then?
- Whatever they have.

For instance, if they
have a goat, I take it.

A rabbit, I take that too.

If someone has a whole
cheese, I take it.

Sometimes, even a bottle
of oil, I take it.

It's an ugly job. Ugly.

And they hate me.
Everybody hates me.

The other day, at Migliano,

with a club with a big head,

they ran after me, 'cause they
wanted to split my head open.

At Ferrantino, a man dared
to come after me with a rifle!

He wanted to shoot me.

An ugly job.

Unfortunately, we have
to make a living.

I'm curious, what have
you got in that case?

It's my salvation.
It takes out...

...all the anger I accumulate
with these people.

When I get away
from these people...

...I'll show you what I do.

- See how beautiful it is?
- Yes, it's beautiful.

This takes out all the poison
these people put in me.

This is a clarinet.

I play in the band in Stigliano.

- Your towel.
- Thank you, madam.

Peppino is a good Christian,
and a clean young man.

Take the bed near the window.
You'll be more comfortable.

- Who's he?
- A doctor from abroad.

- "Good morning"!
- Good morning.

"Good morning"...
this is too much!

Barone!

Where have you been?
Come on, let's go.

Barone, come here!

- Good morning.
- Good morning

I was listening to your record.

De Pinedo's arrival in New
York. Come and listen to it.

- I don't want to interrupt you.
- I'm glad to have a guest.

- Come in. After you.
- Thank you.

1925, the flight over
the three Continents.

Did you buy
this record here?

Oh no, I brought it from
America. My records are...

...all that's left that reminds
me of my years in America.

Homesickness is a weakness.
And I was tricked by it twice.

I came back and I married
a woman from Galliano.

And now I can only dream
of my beloved Sicily.

- So you're Sicilian.
- Yes, I am.

Those are a few postcards my
friends sent me from America.

That's the great
President Roosevelt!

So you were there
when De Pinedo landed.

Of course! All the Italians
of America were there!

When we first saw the plane,
it was like a dot in the sky.

We all started cheering so loud
you couldn't even hear the band.

When I got home, I didn't even
have the sleeves to my jacket!

The people were so wild that
they had been ripped off.

- I'm Levi, and I'm an internee.
- I know. My name is La Sala.

In this town, everyone knows
everything. Know what I mean?

- Well, thank you.
- Thank you, and goodbye.

I tell you that Italy
grows greater and greater!

You must be proud to say
that you are Italian.

Italy has sacrificed its sons
in the name of its greatness,

and you, out of respect for
our martyrs, must learn...

to be Italians. You must be
Italian in name and in fact.

Remember these 3 words:
Civilization, honesty, work!

In order to succeed, take
example from our Duce,

Benito Mussolini!

Barone! Barone, come on.

Kids, give me a hand here.

Come on.

We shouldn't be wasting
good goats this way.

- We have to kill our animals.
- Why is that?

The government has put
a tax on them.

They say goats are bad
for the crops.

This law is good for the
North of Italy, but not for us.

Goats are our only means
of survival. We'd starve if...

...you took our goats away.
And now we've killed it.

Don Carlo!

They're two internees like you.

The blond one is a
communist from Ancona.

They caught him with a poster
with the hammer and sickle.

The other is a student from
Pisa, he too is a communist.

The internees used to be
allowed to be together,

but lately, the Podest
has forbidden all contact.

They just cook in common.

Right, because eating a plate
of spaghetti together...

...might endanger the State.

Damned cuckold!

What are you doing?
Get away!

Damned wretches!
You irriverent little urchins!

This town has been abandoned
even by the grace of God.

They come to church
only to play.

Thank goodness, otherwise
non one would ever be there.

I say Mass to the empty benches.
They're not even baptize.

It's a town of animals!
They're not Christians.

Only mules can walk
on these paths.

Look at this disaster!

When it rains,
the earth gives way,

because there are no trees,
or rocks to hold it in place.

So the clay dissolves,
and it flows...

...like a stream, sweeping...

everything up in its passage
and the houses collapse.

Look at this, this was
the main square.

And up there, that
was my cathedral.

Not that little white church
down in that little square.

And the people here,
are worse than the land.

Profanum vulgus!

Profanum vulgus!

- Good evening, madam.
- Good evening

- May I take a drop of wine?
- Of course you may.

Let me wash my hands and
I'll get you some nice hot soup.

I'm sorry, madam, don't be
offended, but I'm not hungry.

- Don't you feel well?
- No, I guess...

...I'm beginning to feel
the fatigue of the trip.

I'll take him into the other
room so he won't disturb you.

What are we doing here?

Me, I'm here because
they sent me here.

But you...

You're here because
you wanted to come.

And so...

My dear Barone, I came here
because they sent me here,

but you wanted to come here.
And so...

And so, my dear Barone...

Here he is, here's the doctor!

What's happening?

I'm sorry, excuse me...
just a moment.

- Madam, what's going on?
- They know you're a doctor.

No, who said I'm a doctor?

Listen to me,
I've never practiced.

I have no experience.

I couldn't give you
good advice.

Listen, I can give you
some medicine...

...that I brought
here for myself.

See, this child can't breathe,
'cause his tonsils are swollen.

You must take him to Matera
and have them taken out.

I'll give you some medicine
that I brought for myself, ok?

I've never practiced,
I've never been a doctor!

Doctor, my wife is ill,
could you come and see her?

Listen, I...

Doctor, it's my wife...

- I'm not a doctor, I've never...
- All right, all right, come in.

Excuse me,
just a minute, madam.

Could you move your arm?

When you got this fever,
did you shake violently?

- Has she been vomiting?
- Yessir.

This desease is called erysipelas
and it's not a dangerous disease.

But, the prescriptions for
the medicine she needs...

you'll have to get them from
one of the local doctors.

All right.

May I wash my hands?

Go get a clean towel
for the doctor.

Take that coin off her
forehead. It's useless.

- Okay.
- Oh no, it's not useless.

It helps the pain. It helps.

No, the pain will go away
with the medicine.

No, the coin will
make it go away.

Listen, tell me clearly
where my boundaries are.

You can go as far as the
cemetery, and no further.

Well, we're already at the
cemetery. Let's turn back.

Good evening, Baron!
How are you?

Did you have a good trip?

Come in, Baron, come in.
I'm sorry, don Carlo.

Oh, it's nothing.

- Good evening.
- Good evening.

Change the pillow case,
as usual.

I'm sorry if I've disturbed you.

May I introduce myself?
Rotunno.

Baron Nicola Rotunno,
from Avellino.

Carlo Levi.

I own some land in Galliano
and in the area around it.

I come here now and again to
collect the rent from my tenents.

I imagine you're here
on business, too.

No, I'm a political internee.

- Goodnight.
- Yes, thank you.

Goodnight, madam

- Where are you from?
- Turin.

I imagine that with you it was
a precautionary measure.

Would you allow me
to help you in some way?

I'm friends with the dearest
friend of the lady friend...

...of Senator Bocchini,
Chief of Police.

We might try to have you
sent back to Turin.

How do you like it here?

Fine.

There are the boundaries,
that I'm not allowed...

...to pass, but otherwise, fine.

Well, what distance
would you need?

Since you so kindly offered to
have me sent back to Turin...

...it seems absurd to worry
about a few yards more or less.

Right... right.

Turin is our goal.

May I turn off the light?

Yes, of course.

The lady I know...

...and who is friends
with Bocchini's lover...

...is, like me, devoted...

...to the Madonna
of Monte Vergine.

I meet her frequently in that
sanctuary and also in others.

Have you ever heard
of San Rocco of Tolfe?

I have personally
witnessed his miracles!

Every year, at the beginning
of August there's a pilgrimage.

It's not far from here.
You should go there once.

Get leave from the authorities.
Better yet, I'll obtain...

...a permission for you.
Then, you too will realize...

...and you'll see that people
come from all over the land.

Men, women, children...

And San Rocco is there
waiting for them.

He comes down from
the sky motionless.

Above his church.

Everyone can see him!

But also the Saint of this
town is a good Saint.

His name is Maurizio.

As for me, I serve Mass
every morning.

At the age of 84, I feel...

...like the most humble
of altar-boys.

What is there that has not
already been given us?

I'm sorry...

In the name of the Baby
Jesus saviour of the world,

I give you my blessing.

Goodnight.

Wake up, don Carlo!

The carabiniere is
looking for you.

- Here I am.
- Are you happy?

Of course I am! This is
the coolest spot in town.

I think it must be
the quietest too.

This town is built on the
bones of the people.

- What?
- Is built on bones!

If you dig a hole, our
dear relatives stick out.

- They get eaten by the dogs!
- So, how did that story go?

Oh, yes! The story
of Nico Nanco.

No, not that one. The one
you were telling me before.

Where the carts full of bones
passed through the town.

Oh, that one! That time
when the landslide came.

When the church of the
Madonna collapsed.

- Then what happened?
- One night,

in passing the church
of the Madonna...

...I felt my strenght
leave me to the point...

...that I had to sit down
on the steps to the chapel.

I couldn't get up again.
Someone prevented it.

So?

So, the voice of a wild
animal started to call me.

It kept calling me by name.

It was the devil,
that prevented me...

...from walking or talking.

So I crossed myself.

The devil started
to gnash its teeth at me.

Like the voice of a beast
being slaughtered!

Then in the darkness
I saw a goat...

...on the ruins of the church.
Then the devil...

disappeared into the abyss.

Go back! Nobody's
going to work today.

The Podest has ordered
everyone in the square.

People of Galliano,

in Abyssinia the Negus
continues to provoke us.

Down with the Negus!

Until when must we
remain helpless?

How long will the Duce's
patience hold out?

That's a good doggy, Barone,
you sleep and don't listen.

Remember that the Romans
once dominated the world.

Rome's greatness shines
more than ever on its 7 hills!

...On the seven hills.
But here the hills...

...cave in, and turn to dust.

You have to walk behind me.

Good morning. I'm sorry,
maybe I shouldn't have.

- No, no, on the contrary.
- I can come back later.

- Forgive me.
- What for?

Don Cosimino says
you paint and since...

...I too paint, I thought...
- Oh, good!

Please, come in.

- Good day, madam.
- Excuse my mother,

she's deaf. She's almost
ninety. "Vetula et Infirma".

Have a glass of wine,
doctor. Go ahead, drink.

Tell me what you think of it.

It's good, thank you.

You're looking at my books.

Yes, because here,
without books...

In this town even reading
is not worthwhile.

I once had some nice books,
even a few rare editions.

When I came here, those
dogs who brought me here

spread tar all over them,
just to spite me.

Since then I haven't even
felt like opening them.

They have been on the
floor for many years.

This book on S. Calogero of
Avila, you wrote it yourself.

He was a Spanish Saint,
not very well-known.

I did a few paintings,
too, back then...

...that represent various
periods of his life.

Sort of polyptychs.

Would you show them to me?

Are you really interested?

Yes, that's why I'm here.

In that case, I'd be glad to.
Follow me.

Once I enjoyed dabbling
in these little things.

But in this town,
you can't do anything.

They're pretty, with all
this orange. I like them.

- A little more wine?
- No, thanks.

Get out! Shoo!

Get out!

Don Ca', you're glad to see
your sister, aren't you?

How nice!

- Could you take
the suitcase home?

Luisa!

You know how it is.

Many friends don't call out
of caution. We ourselves...

don't call others in order
not to compromise them.

Others, more courageous,
come and ask news of you.

Did Mario Soldati's book
come out?

Yes, you'll get it
with the others.

He told us how you finished
drawing the cover for his book.

While they were arresting you.

So, he told you about that.

I'm coming.

With all these windows, it
might be perfect for painting.

You'd need a woman here.

Yes, I would.
But it's not easy.

Come on, don't exaggerate.
Don't tell me that here...

...even finding a cleaning
lady is a problem.

Here a woman wouldn't go
in the house of a single man.

Just spending time together
implies sleeping together.

- You can't be serious.
- Oh, yes I am.

- They said there was a terrace.
- Yes, upstairs.

Come, let's go see it.

Pretty, isn't it?

Let's see if you've noticed
the best feature of this house.

What's that?

There's a porcelain toilet seat.

I believe it's the only one
in a fifty-mile radius.

When I asked the
commissioner to transfer you

...to a healthier place, he
said there's no malaria here.

At most, one case
a year, he said.

Look, I said, I'm a doctor.

So then he admitted
there is some malaria,

but that if they can live
here, then so can you.

Well, his reasoning
is unexceptionable.

In Matera's pharmacy, they've
never even seen a stethoscope.

They're lucky to have a pharmacy
in Matera, here we don't have one.

In this disaster,
all you can do is paint.

Luisa, don't start again. I do
what I can do and what I like.

I didn't start
painting yesterday.

I don't think it's right. You're
perfectly capable of being...

...a doctor, and you refuse
to do it because you're afraid.

Where could you find a better place
than this to gain experience?

Right, I've found my guinea pigs.

What on earth possesses you,
to talk about guinea pigs?

Get a move-on, do something!

I can't understand why nobody
does anything for these places.

It's time to act! Instead of putting
everything off till tomorrow.

You have an active and
constructive nature.

What you're saying could
have been done ages ago.

But here, people are...

...complicated.

If you spend two weeks
here, you too will change.

The first thing they tell you is
that they'll go away from here.

Before, they went to America,
then Naples, Rome...

Now we're going to Africa,
they say. It's our last hope.

After what I saw in Matera,
I can't really blame them.

I visited that sort of crater full
of caves... they call it "Sassi".

20,000 men and animals live
bunched together in there.

To me it looked like a city
destroyed by the plague.

This is what the lower middle
classes have come to.

Since they can no longer live
like "gentlemen", as they say...

...they must exploit
the peasants.

They take for themselves
the post of Podest, priest...

...pharmacist, police
sergeant and so on.

But since everything
is so close...

...the fight becomes
fierce and mean.

It's a matter of life and death.

So the war
is a way to escape.

Yes, but they're headed
for destruction.

Although, it's possible
that what attracts them...

...is the very possibility
of defeat and annihilation.

From here, things appear
differently than from Turin.

Turin is farther than
India or China, from here.

In Turin there's another pace,
there are other laws...

...that here are
incomprehensible.

Here you can understand why
a young man becomes fascist.

A man reduced to their state,
could become a spy, a thief,

a murderer. But he could also
die a heroic death in Africa.

So they go to war
out of desperation.

Of course they do.

But most of them stay behind.

And their passions grow...

...enclosed within
a handful of houses.

And for me too.
Who knows for how long...

...the boundaries of my world
will remain within the circle...

...of these obscure
passions of theirs.

- What time is it, Carlo?
- I don't know.

I don't even look at
my watch, anymore.

So, you don't want to send
messages to anyone?

- Nothing?
- Send my love to averyone.

The fact is that I feel as if
I've always lived here.

Give it to me, don Ca'.

Well, do you spy on me, now?

I've found a cleaning lady
for you, don Carlo.

Giulia Venere. They call her
the "Santarcangelese".

The Santarcangelese! She's
a witch. She makes potions...

puts the evil eye on people.
The barber is her lover.

She's the only woman here who
can work for un unmarried man.

She's a very clean, though,
and hard-working.

Shall we go downstairs?
It's so hot here.

What's more important, she
knows the house tile by tile.

She was the mistress
of the house,

and of the bed
of the priest, too.

Don Carlo, have you seen
the well? The priest used it...

...to cool wine bottles,
when he expected guests.

- That's nice.
- You should do it too.

You lower them slowly
into the well in a basket.

When the right moment comes
up, you pull them up and you...

...drink them all to our
health, nice and cool.

Don Luigi, I have 2 letters
to send, but I'd like you...

...to check them right away.
I want them to arrive soon.

You know it perfectly well,
you write very nicely.

And usually I keep
your letters 2 or 3 days.

I had gathered as much.

I like to read your
letters... slowly.

But there is one other things
that's a bit against the rules.

What's that?

Among your books,
I've seen a French book.

- This is forbidden.
- This is a classic.

An author of the
French Revolution.

- It's a dangerous author.
- Oh really?

Carmelo,
what are you doing here?

Don't cry, come on with
Mommy. That's a good boy.

Let's go inside, and I will
give you something to eat.

You sit here and play and
don't bother don Carlo.

What are you crying about?

Come on, stop crying now.

Here's some bread.
You don't want it?

I'll leave it for the ants!

And keep quiet!

Giulia, how many
children have you got?

I've had 17 pregnancies.

17? You must be crazy!

- What does your husband do?
- My husband?

He made me have my first child
and then he went off to America.

And he took the child with
him. I never saw him again.

The children born after that
never even saw their fathers.

- Where's Papa, Carmelo?
- Here.

Only Mama is here.

- America...
- In America?

Good for you, they
all go off to America.

Your Mama is both your
Papa and your Mama.

Giulia, could you move
this stuff for me please?

All you have to do
is keep it dry.

I'll put a bandage on it,
but it's not really necessary.

There you are.

It's done.

I feel better now.

Come and see me
tomorrow, okay? Bye.

Here you always throw
your garbage in the street.

How about this stuff? Are we
keeping it for some reason?

I can't empty it, now.
The angel might get upset.

- What angel?
- Every night, 3 angels come.

One stands next to the door,
one next to the table,

and the third next to the bed.

Oh really?

- And then what happens?
- They watch the house.

If I throw the garbage
in the angel's face,

he never comes back.

- So what'll we do?
- I'll take it out in the morning.

When the sun comes out,
the angel leaves.

Can you hear the angel?

You asked for rain?
Now you've got it.

Naples is our capital,
'cause it's the city of poverty.

There are no more kings
in Naples.

It's just a passage
for America.

Rome is like the capital of
foreign state, for rich people.

New York would
be our real capital,

- if we could have one.
- You're right.

- It's truly a great city!
- You talk well, but you...

...came back here too.
- What can I say?

I'm the only one
who comes and goes.

- Lucky you!
- Every 2 or 3 years I take...

a ship, I go to America, I stay
there a while and come back.

I could even stay here.

I have plenty of money.
But I listen to the radio.

There will soon be war, and
they're not going to catch me!

I'm going to pack my suitcase
and go back to America.

The southern regions,
we're all divided.

Half here and half on the
other side of the ocean.

And the families,
are all split in half.

For those who have stayed here,
America has grown farther away.

All we have left is
the mail, don Carlo.

Occasionally we get a letter
with a few dollars in it...

...from our lucky relatives.

From Rome we get noting and
we've never gotten anything.

Don Carlo, in America
I had a huge salon.

I had 3 employees. Not this
tiny shop you've seen here.

If you like... Don Carlo, could
you like to see the pictures?

Come see the pictures
of my salon in America.

- Have you ever been there?
- No, I haven't.

Then, you must come and see!

Our homesickness was
our downfall! It's all our fault!

Well, don Carlo, living in the
middle of all those skyscrapers!

All that cement, without
ever a piece of land!

On Sundays we'd take a train...

...for miles to get to the country.

Then, all together,
we'd get under a tree...

...and pull our pants down.
How delicious to feel...

the fresh air, nature, not
like those American toilets,

- shiny and all alike!
- It felt like being boys again.

And when we were done,
we'd all yell: Hurray for Italy!

It's not only an army...

...marching towards its goal...

...but 44 million Italians...

...marching together
with this army...

...all united!

Since they are trying
to commit against them...

...the worst of injustices!

That of taking away from
us our place in the sun.

They say African soil is more
fertile, and the crops thrive.

They say they'll give us
all the land we want.

There's plenty of land here.
It's the rest that's missing.

You're right, we're going to
take land away from others.

It's bad luck.

We've had enough! We've
been patient for 40 years.

Now we've had enough!

If these people in Rome have so
much money to spend in warfare,

why don't they spend it here?
To make new fountains,

plant trees, instead of cutting
down the few we have left.

They could repair the bridge.

- It collapsed 4 years ago.
- We don't know how it'll end.

England has a great fleet.

But we have Marconi,
who has invented a new ray.

Even at 1,000 kilometers...

it can stop ships, cars planes...

Just a minute! As long as
it doesn't stop the ship...

...that has to take me back
to America. Right?

- Gentlemen, good day.
- Good day to you!

What can I say
to convince you?

Stay with your brothers
and your mother.

War is an ugly thing,
you might die.

We've sacrificed so much
to make you grow.

You say you're going for
money. I don't need money!

I love you so much...

He's volunteering for Africa! But
we have enough of Africa here!

- I'll see you after the war.
- I hope so.

Carmelo, go and play
with Barone, go on!

Take care, all right?

That old man
used to be a bandit.

He knows people's secrets.

He even knows where the
bandits hid their treasures.

- Do these treasures still exist?
- Of course.

The carpenter found one.
I saw it myself.

He'd put a piece of wood
on the fire. While it was...

burning, he saw something
shiny. They were gold coins!

It's useless to look for them.

Only those predestined
dream of them.

Otherwise, the "monachicchio"
will tell you where to look.

- What's the "monachicchio"?
- The "monachicchi"?

They're the spirit of the children
who died without being baptized,

They're good, but they can be
bad. They're mischievous.

They tickle your feet, they tip
over glasses full of wine...

...they make laundry
blow away.

They take chairs out from under
the butts of women, who fall.

They pinch you,
they pull your hair.

They do all sort of things.

But they're innocent creatures.

Why didn't you call me? How
can you wash your shoulders?

I'll do it. It's the custom
here. Sit up.

I didn't know about it.

You're well made.
There's nothing missing.

So, you've decided you'll
sit for your portrait?

No, that I won't do.

Why not?

Because it can't be done.

You remain prisoner
of the man who paints it.

Who tells you
all these idiocies?

They're not idiocies.

- I'll paint your portrait.
- Why does it have to be mine?

- Paint somebody else's.
- No, I want to paint yours.

- Then I'm leaving.
- No, you'll do what I want!

No, I'm leaving!

Carmelo, why are you
crying? What's wrong?

Now we'll take a nice bath
in that warm water.

Right away.

What is it?

I'm going to put you
right in here.

Let's take your shirt off.

That's right.

Come on, we have to take
everything off, for our bath.

Let's take a nice bath.

The sun is making an eclipse.
Who knows what it will bring?

Oh, Jesus Mary, what on
earth is going to happen?

Dear Jesus, have pity.

It's a sign of God,
for our sins.

It must be those asphyxiating
gasses we use in Abyssinia.

The matter we have
to discuss is delicate.

I wish to speak to you about
it as a friend, as a scholar...

who understands and admires
your learning. Not as Podest.

Well, it's this letter.

If this letter you wrote
to your sister in Turin...

...should be read by
the people in Matera...

...you'd be interned here
not for 3 years, but 5, 7...

...maybe more. Do you
understand what I mean?

But no... Listen, don Luigino,
let's do it this way.

You read me the parts
you disapprove of.

Speak freely.

You tell me what's wrong.

I'm glad to have the opportunity
to discuss these things with you.

Have you realized that
at this point, we are at war?

During a war, ideas are not
are important, the Nation is.

You're for Italy, too,
aren't you?

I'm convinced that you've
been sent here by mistake.

Mussolini can't be informed
about everything.

Some people, with the best of
intentions, commit injustices.

Besides, in a city, one
can have many enemies.

We were speaking...

...of the letter...
- Oh, yes, the letter.

So it appears I'm not for Italy.

I'd never dream of thinking
something like that of you.

But there are others
who might.

The prefecture receives
lots of anonymous letters.

And the prefecture is not
annoyed, on the contrary...

I've already told you, here
there are lots of bad people.

And this letter contains
certain statements that...

- For instance?
- For instance...

"Here, none of the peasants
belong to any political party."

That's all we need.

"They're not fascist...

...just like they belong
to no other party."

This doesn't improve
on what you said before.

Then you add: "What
do they have to do...

with the government,
power, the State?

The State is
'the people in Rome',

who have always existed
and alway will...

...like hail, landslides,
drought, malaria..."

This is a heavy stuff. Let's not
forget that the Duce's in Rome.

"For the peasants, the State
is farther than the sky...

...and more evil, because
it's always on the other side.

The State is a form of fate,
like the wind that burns...

...the crops and the fever
that burns the blood."

It's well written, I admit it,
but do you think...

...these comparisons
are flattering to the State?

Besides, who do you mean
by 'the people in Rome'?

And why give all this
importance to the peasants?

Forget them. Don't
listen to their idle talk.

The peasants are
superstitious and ignorant.

And the more you do for them,
the more ungrateful they are.

You should mix with
gentleman of your own rank.

We are the State. You offended
yourself, by using these words.

Well, yes, I can't say
you're wrong on this head.

You see,
you must admit I'm right.

Well, yes. The kids
that belong to the GIL...

...the people from the
school, the schoolteacher...

...the war widows,
the Florentine ladies...

...the Red Cross ladies,
the mother...

...shopkeepers, journalists,
police officers...

...in other words,
don Luigino...

...what we are used to
call "the Italian people"...

...would agree
with you, right now.

This war is being fought
also for your peasants.

Here they have too little
land on which to grow crops.

And we'll go find some land
in Africa, and give it to them.

We'll give them
more living space.

"Living", that's the right word.

Because here they can't
go on living anymore.

Yes, but it's the gentlemen
who volunteer to go fight...

to conquer the land for them.
Only one, here, wants to go.

I would have gone myself.

But you know as well as I,
my health wouldn't allow it.

Besides, if I had gone, who
would have been left in town

to keep things in order and
promote healthy fascist ideals?

Don Carlo, come here,
I want to show you something.

That memorial stone
bears the names...

...of those who died
in World War I.

There are a lot of names,
for a town as small as ours.

More than 50. Every family
name in Galliano is there.

Guarini, Lupilotto,
Ricciotti, Borelli...

...Cannovale, Marino...
Not one is missing.

No house is without its hero.

And even more were
the wounded and sick.

And what do you write
in your letter?

"Even the great war does
not interest the peasants.

Why does no one tell about
the battles, show the wounds,

boast about the heroism,
as they do in the North?"

"Also the great war was a
great tragedy, which they...

...bore like all the others.
That too was a war of Rome."

You're really obsessed with
this "Rome", aren't you?

It is dangerous, today,
to write things like...

"They die in Abyssinia, as they
did on the Isonzo and the Piave.

...for a history
that belongs to other."

May I have a drop of that
good wine of yours?

- It'll be a pleasure.
- Thank you...

How the days have shortened.

Yes, the winter is close now.

What do you mean by "it's a
history that belongs to other?

Have you ever read the book
on the history of the city of Melfi?

Yes, when you borrowed
it from my uncle.

Do you censor even
my books now?

- Of course not.
- I was joking.

I found it among some
old book of your uncle's.

There are many
on local histories.

This one tells about what
happened in 1500 at Melfi,

which was a populous
and fluorishing city.

Yes, it was one of the
richest cities in this area.

What has this got to do with
what we were talking about?

Oh, plenty. Because...

...by mere chance,
absolutely pure chance...

a French officer at war with
the Spanish, found himself

in this area. He decided
to camp with his soldiers.

The Spanish besieged
the city, conquered it...

...killed all the people
they found...

...people who had no idea
who these people were...

...Charles V, Francis I,
Spain, la France...

They destroyed all the
houses and they gave...

...what was left
to Philip of Orange.

He, in his turn,
after a little while,

gave it all to Andrea Doria,

whom the few surviving
inhabitants of Melfi...

...knew even less.

Andrea Doria never visited
his vassals, nor did his heirs.

They sent the tax collectors
to get money.

And o, for the inscrutable
will of a history that didn't...

...concern them,
peasants of Melfi sank...

...into the worst poverty for
many centuries thereafter.

There, this is "a history
that belongs to others".

So, with this example on the
city of Melfi, you mean that...

also the great war,
even this war in Abyssinia...

No, I only mean that...

...it's only natural for the
peasants to be wary.

The States,
the organized armies...

will always be stronger than
the disorganized peasants.

They must resign
themselves to it.

They are definitely resigned
to always being dominated.

They can't feel as theirs,
the glory of a civilization...

...which hold to be
their mortal enemy.

Occasionally...

...they get rebel against
history and the States...

...and then, don Luigino,
they become bandits.

That's the only war
they feel to be their own.

Perhaps a desperate war,
destined always to fail,

ferocious, incomprehensible
to historians.

- Now you defend bandits.
- They can't be defended.

But we should ask
ourselves...

...why the peasants'
heroes are bandits.

The reason is, that
through the bandits,

the peasants culture
defended its inherent...

...nature from that other
culture, that is always...

...against it and that
eternally subjugates it.

Don Carlo, you speak as
if there were two Italies.

Do you remember the verses
by Dante on that humble Italy

...for which died the virgin
Camila, Eurialo, Turno,

and Niso?

That was the Italy of the
peasants, which resisted...

as well as it could,
and was defeated,

the conquerors who brought
the State and the its religion.

Firsst it resisted Eneas,
then Rome.

An finally, today...

...the Piedmontese.

You are a dreamer,
a poet, a painter, an artist.

You must allow me to say,
you're a bit of an anarchist

with your hatred
for the State.

You see things your way and
embellish them with words.

But the bandits, listen to the
stories of some of the old men,

cut off ears, tongues, noses...

...of the gentlefolk to get their
ransom. And the soldiers cut...

...off the heads of the bandits
they managed to catch,

and they put them on stakes,
at the entrance to the towns.

This is what happened in the
two Italies you speak of.

It's much better to have
only one Italy united,

under the guidance of a man
that the whole world envies.

It seems that Marconi has
discovered some secret rays

...that if the British fleet
merely dares to attack us...

...it'll be blown sky high!

I'll give you back your letter,
but follow my advice.

Destroy it.
It'll be much better for you.

Women, the man who
castrates the pigs is here!

Women, come
and bring your pigs!

Come, bring the pigs!

The man who castrates
the pigs is here!

Women, come
and bring your pigs!

Come, bring the pigs!

Here, woman.

Wouldn't be better to gather
them once they had fallen?

No, we always pick
them off the tree.

If you let the olives fall to
the ground, they turn sour.

- You have to pick them soon.
- Always off the tree.

Three "scope".
How big is a tree?

- How much can it yield?
- Some yield 50 kilograms,

- some 100, and some 300.
- Are thee trees big, here?

It depends...

- I have 4 and 3, seven.
- I didn't do anything.

They look, and they look.
And they see even...?

In the dark,
while you're asleep.

You must look carefully
at all these things,

and we must look
at a dry twig,

at a piece of bread,
at grains of sand...

We must even look at the air.

What does the air do?

Why are you doing that? Do
what you were doing before.

Go on, go on... Well then,
what does the air do?

The air makes
the stars tremble.

Are the star still,
or do they tremble?

- They tremble.
- What makes them tremble?

The air.

Go on, give the basket
to don Carlo, go on.

Carmelino has
brought us a present!

Let's hear it for him!
How nice!

He brought us some figs,
and now we'll eat them.

And Giulia is here too.

- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.

Starting tomorrow, I won't
be coming anymore.

- Why not?
- That's what we've decided.

What is it, has the barber
become jealous?

What are you doing?

Eating our present
for don Carlo!

- An this scrap paper?
- No, leave the paper.

- I want to keep it.
- Give me those brushes!

- What a nice surprise!
- Merry Christmas!

Zia Rosa, you too,
how are you?

How nice to see you!

- Merry Christmas.
- I'll be going then.

- No, wait a minute.
- I've found another woman.

Come on, let's go.
Get away, you brats!

Wait, I want to say goodbye
to Carmelino. Come here.

It's a quarter to midnight
and don Traiela isn't here.

- Maybe he isn't well.
- Sure thing! He's drunk...

...even on Christmas Eve.
See if you can find him.

Hurry, hurry, don Traiela,
they're all waiting for you!

- I'm coming.
- Come on, hurry up!

Come on, don Traiela,
hurry up!

My dear brethren

My dearst of brethren...

Brethren...

- He's drunk.
- I had come here,

this evening, to speak
a little bit with you,

my dearly beloved flock,
on this holiesst of days.

I had prepared a very
beautiful sermon.

I had written it down to read
it, 'cause I have no memory.

I had put it in my pocket, but
now I can no longer find it.

I've lost it and
I can't remember nothing.

It's scandalous!

You offend the population
in the house of God!

Oh dear Jesus, how dearly
I am paying for my sins!

Help me, Lord. Help
me out of this situation!

Now we'll see what happens.

It's a miracle!

A miracle!
Jesus heard my prayers!

Here we are.
These are the words...

...of one of you.
A son of this town.

The best and the most
faithful of my lambs.

This is a sacrilege! Drunk
in church on Christmas Eve!

Wait! Wai!

"Christmas is drawing near,

and my thoughts fly
towards Galliano,

and all my friends
and fellow citizens,

who will gather together
in our humble church,

to listen to Holy Mass.

Here we fight, in order
to bring our sacred religion...

...to this population of infidels.

We fight to convert all
these pagans to our faith

and do bring them...

...peace and eternal bliss."

I can't accept the reasons
he gives in this letter.

That we are fighting...

...in order to bring our
religion to those people.

- Abyssinians are Christians!
- The Abyssinians are black!

They believe in God!
There's little difference...

...between their religion
and ours. The truth is...

...that we're fighting because
we want more land to till.

Because we need it.

I'd like for Christmas day...

...to be a day of peace
and serenity for everybody,

- even our enemies.
- This is the limit! Let's go!

We won't tolerate
subversive talk in church!

But...

...we must examine
our consciences.

We must ask ourselves
if we have done our duty...

...and can listen with a pure
heart to the world of God.

"Pax in terra, hominibus
male voluntatis."

You don't know Latin.
What does it mean?

It means that on this day
you should have...

...given your pastor
a kid, a small goat...

...according to the custom.
But you didn't do it,

because you are
non-believers.

Because in you
there is no goodwill.

Therefore, you won't
receive God's blessing.

Think about it.

Think about it.

And bring your pastor that kid.

Pay the debts you owe him
since last year, on this land.

If you want the Lord to look
upon you with pity...

...and put his hand
on your heads,

and give peace to your hearts.

But most of all, if you want
peace to return to the world...

and you want this war to end,
which makes you tremble...

...with fear for the fate
of your loved ones...

...and for the fate of our
deeply beloved Country.

Go to Gallianello! I won't
let you back in Galliano!

- Good morning.
- Comein, come on in.

- Sit down a minute.
- My brother's ill.

We live near the swamp.
I brought a horse.

They sent orders from Matera
saying that I can't practice.

Go to one of the local doctors.

That's the way it is.

No, doctor.
Only you can save him.

I can't take this responsability.

I have too many enemies.

If it's known,
I'll lose my job.

- Call one of the local doctors.
- They're good for nothing!

Uncle is too old, and let's not
even mentioned the other one.

Anyway, in this weather,
with no roads, they won't go.

Okay, I understand.
I'll go look for him.

Don Carlo, I have a statement
from the others doctor...

saying that they're ill.

Okay, I'm coming.

- Doctor, how is he?
- It's advanced peritonitis.

Even attempting to take
him to Matera...

...would be useless.
He wouldn't get there.

I'll give him an injection
to ease the pain.

Here, boil the syringe.

Don Carlo is a good man!

He's the only good Christian
who's ever helped us!

What are you afraid of? Send
the Carabinieri after them!

I can assure you that nothing
could be done to save him.

Don Ca', you speak like
that to keep him calm.

That's not true.

I'm saying his case
was hopeless.

What if it happens again,
but the person can be saved?

We're ready to sign a petition.
We want you as doctor!

Well, this is something
that can be done.

Go and tell the others,
the people in the square.

Tell them what you've decided
and make them go home.

Otherwise, the Carabinieri
will come and start shooting.

This is definitely something
that can be done.

Everyone has to go home,
the doctor says!

Otherwise, the Carabinieri
will come and they'll shoot.

No way. The law is
the same for everybody.

The prohibition goes even
for the Podest's daughter.

Is that what you
want me to say?

All right.

Just a spoonful,
for your aunt!

Come on, just a drop!

- That's right.
- Good for you.

- . Another one...
- What's the news?

- He says everyone's equal.
- Tell him he has to come!

I'm the law, here.
I'm above the law!

Go on!

Did you take your medicine?

Good for you, Annuccia!

No... I'll cure his daughter...

...only if I can cure
anyone else in town.

- Go and tell him.
- I shall.

First let him cure my
daughter, then we'll see!

Cosimino!
Tell him it's all right.

He'll cure her
and anyone else.

All right, all right.

Hurray for don Carlo!

What's going on in town?

The bells are ringing!

Can you hear the bells
ringing? What's going on?

Black Shirts
of the Revolution!

Men and women of all Italy!

Italians and friends of Italy...

...beyond the mountains,
and beyond the seas!

Listen!

Marshal Badoglio
sends us this telegram:

"Today, May 5th, at 4 p.m.

At the head of our
victorious troops...

...I entered Addis Abeba!

I announce
to the Italian people,

and to the entire world
that the war is over!"

Officiers...

...of the armed forces
of the State...

in Africa and in Italy,

Black Shirts and Italians all...

...we Italians...

...have created, with
our blood, an Empire!

We shall make it fertile with
the sweat of our brows!

We shall defend it against
anyone with our army!

- Ricci Antonio!
- Here.

You've been pardoned,
you're free.

- Madonia Carmela!
- It's over! It's over!

We're free, finally!

- They've pardoned me!
- Good luck!

Lo Russo Vincenzo!
You're free!

Rossini Mario!

Good luck!

- Good luck, professor!
- Good luck!

Levi Carlo!

Even don Carlo, see?
Good luck!

- Sign here.
- It's all over.

- Congratulations.
- I'm very happy for you.

So suddenly.

- Is it over?
- Yes.

What about those two?

Those two are communists.
How can I convince you?

Good luck, don Carlo!

Good luck! At last!

Go home, it's raining!

Have a safe trip
and come back!

- Goodbye!
- Goodbye!

Carmelino, goodbye.
Take him home, he'll get wet.