Original subtitles

A PILOT RETURNS

THIS FILM IS DEDICATED TO OUR BROTHERS, THE PILOTS WHO DID NOT RETURN FROM THE GREEK SKIES

The A.C.I. wishes to thank: the Ministries of Aviation, War, and Culture; the civil and military authorities of Viterbo;

the officers, aviators and others who made an important contribution to this film, made under the auspices of

the General Command of the Italian Youth of the Littorio.

- What's wrong with you today? - Is that your boy?

Boy? But Graziella, what are you saying? Don't you see that he's a soldier?

And are those your other children?

- They're all the same, he's the only son I have. - Where is he?

Come on, we're here for the lesson, not to chat. Let's start again...

1, 2, 3... 1, 2, 3...

Guard, take the suitcases.

- Good day! - Good day.

- Rossati. - Gabrielli.

Ah, you're the one assigned to the 161st squadron?

- Yes. - If you were looking for the 61st, they're all in the air. - Ah...

- Okay, your quarters... - The pilots are on guard duty, then?

Yes, unfortunately.

Your quarters are at the bottom of this alley on the left.

Go straight ahead and at the corner of the building, you turn.

- You'll see the building straight away. - Thank you. - Bye.

- Come here, boy. Is it yours? - He doesn't have an owner.

That's the squadron coming back.

That one with the colonel is captain Ceci.

That's lieutenant Vitali.

That one with the dog is lieutenant Trisotti, he'll be the one who sleeps in this other bed.

Come on, Pookie, come here.

- Good day. - Good day.

- Trisotti. - Rossati.

- How are you finding it here? - Oh, I'm not sure yet.

- How did it go today? - Take it away. Oh, you know...

- Lieutenant, Sir, where should I put this? - Over there, in the wardrobe.

We get very bored out here. we end up going to the city three times a week.

We watch the dancers every so often...

- Very nice, that piece. - It's an heirloom of my father's.

- So tell me, how's our captain? - Very capable. - And his colleagues?

All very good men, a little... you know.

Hey guys, how's it going?

- Oh, thank goodness, the spaghetti! - What were you up to? You're late.

- Ah, what a mess you've made! - It's way too long!

Whoa, whoa! What are you doing? Did you mistake me for a girl?

Anyway, when we were over the target I saw the captain's plane...

... had opened the hatches and was dropping bombs, so I...

Couldn't you make a little less noise when you eat? You sound like a trumpet.

Carry on! After a morning like ours we can eat how we like.

I don't see what we did that was so special. Bombardments, like everyone else.

- Listen to him, how distinguished! - Sounds like you're taking things seriously!

When Marshall Rossi dropped the bombs...

... what that fool was doing with the controls I don't know.

Anyway, I saw that five bombs dropped but the sixth one didn't unhook.

- So? - What do you want to do?

I carried on flying, you know, with the hatches open...

... I gave the plane a push to keep up with the patrol.

Then I unhooked the bomb using the mechanical release and dropped it in the sea.

Whereabouts?

Just in front of "Spaghetti".

- Spaghetti? - Yeah, "Spaghetti".

It's a small port on the Greek coast that we like to call "Spaghetti".

You'll get to know it soon enough.

By the way, what's your name?

Rossati, Gino Rossati.

- And do you know who I am? - I think so... lieutenant Vitali.

Yeah, I've known for 20 years that I'm lieutenant Vitali!

- You should also know that I'm the "Capo Calotta". Know what that means? - The oldest lieutenant...

As well as the Father, the spiritual leader of the "Subalternaglia"...

... the one that all newcomers like you must respect and obey, understand?

Boys, what does a "pulaster" like this have to do for the honour...

... of a seat at the squadron's table? - PAY... FOR... DRINKS!

Over here! 2, 4, 6, 8, 14, 18...

That's about 30 glasses that you'll need to bring out.

- Charge it to lieutenant Rossetti. - Rossati.

It's the same, as long as you're paying.

Drinks for everyone.

Cheers, Rossati! Welcome aboard!

Thank you, captain. To good health!

WE ALWAYS GIVE PRAISE...

... TO THAT FOOL WHO PAID!

WE ALWAYS GIVE PRAISE, TO THAT FOOL WHO PAID!

They're late, as usual.

And as usual we'll have to do all the work.

He makes me laugh, that Vitali. He tells us there a lot to do...

... but then as soon as he eats, becomes tired and lazy and doesn't do thing.

Tonight he can yawn as much as he wants, he won't get me to do anything.

There's that lovely blonde...

De Stefani, Prandi, where are you?

Here, here!

What have you been up to?

We saw the show, nothing special.

Guy's there was that fussy one from the fire brigade...

... but I saw that beanpole, the blonde one...

... and I told her to tell the others that we'd be waiting for them here.

Did you invite the beanpole, too?

- Sure, what could I do? - And who's going to look after her?

- Him. - Sure, I'll take her.

Ooh-ooh!

- Ah, who's this I see? How's it going? - Great! Yourselves?

Did you know that you have a very complicated little hat?

What a job we have!

You should be thankful that you're flying all day, comfortably sitting down.

It's an exciting profession, that of an aviator...

Just today there was an article in the newspaper on you guys...

You "winged heroes who plough through the very heavens...

... bringing us victory and glory, wearing your hearts on your aircraft...

... offering without limit and beyond human endeavour...

... you, the knights of the modern..." - I'm not even a knight.

"... times, you who offer everything you own: your houses, ..."

... your wives, your very destiny...

... so that tomorrow will finally belong to..." - Don't bore us with this thing.

- It's true, you're heroes! - The newspapers don't give you enough praise.

You deserve much more!

I'll never know how you do it!

Ah...

4, 3, 2, 1, boom! The "Capo Calotta" has yawned!

Come on, it's late.

Right, girls, let's send these heroic children to bed.

Bye, darlings! Good night.

- Ah, my beret! - Here you go. - Thank you!

- Good night. - Goodbye, Miss, see you tomorrow, eh? - Let's go!

How is this possible, every 8 days we have to do guard duty!

With all of the officers that are on the site!

What kind of "Capo Calotta" are you?

I've been there 10 times to protest, they didn't even pay me any attention!

They don't give a damn because it doesn't affect them.

We'll tell the captain.

Ah, yes, good! After that they'll make us do it every day.

- Right, what is it? - The usual boring duty.

It's always the same. When I was a junior officer we would do it every 3 days.

Okay, within half an hour we'll be ready to leave.

Numbers 7, 3, 2, 5, and mine.

Objective: Tepelene.

- And me? Captain, Sir? - You'll come another time.

Yeah, another time! I've flown less than everyone...

Before the War finishes you'll have the chance to see some action.

The other squadron has communicated that they're receiving heavy fire.

Be careful, as soon as you drop change course straight away.

Usual 18 bombs from 50.

Considering the weather conditions we're going to head north east.

The course to be taken is approximately this one.

The usual formation. Okay, go and check your loads and we'll be taking off at 11.

- How are we dropping? - At the usual intervals, naturally.

How is it that you always arrive late to the briefing?

Do you think I want to repeat everything? No, you can tell them, De Stefani.

Come in.

I'll put the bill from the tailor over here.

It's a small tailor in the village but look what he can do!

Look! Look how this blazer fits!

- Oh, it looks perfect! - And such perfection in the shoulders, eh?

- Lieutenant, Sir... - Yes, I'm coming.

It's time.

Ah, you're taking it with you?

That item reminds me of my uncle Giovanni, a real old-world type...

... with this chain on his belly and pendants that jingled with every step!

Dear Mother, I am well. I'm tanned all over from the sun. We're living a very quiet life...

A little to the left.

We're over the port "Spaghetti".

In an hour we'll be home.

- Could you tell me where we are? - Cape Santa Maria di Leuca.

Ugento.

- In that valley, once the War has ended, I want to build a beautiful villa. - Ah!

- We'll be there soon. Tonight we'll go and see the divas! - Eh!

Carriage down!

Take the parachute!

First-aid kit!

Quick! Cognac!

Check out the last one on the left. It's fallen out of line

Has it reported anything, by chance?

No Sir, colonel. It's reported nothing at all.

After the landing it seperated.

And now what's going on?

It's probably Magnaghi bashing the controls.

It's doing another lap of the field.

I've the impression that the carriage didn't come down.

In any case, Trisotti is quite capable. He's doing fine.

Well, Sampini?

We were just terribly unlucky. It couldn't have gone any worse than that.

Right, when will this blessed aircraft be ready, eh?

You're overseeing this work, eh?

As soon as it's ready, inform me right away.

Ah, seeing that your degree paper was brilliant...

... and with that perfect landing you managed, you will be in command of this aircraft.

- Your second in command will be sergeant Pila. - Thank you.

Does that help?

Good bye.

- You'll be happy then, no? - Of course I am!

What's that, a formation? Looks more like mashed potato!

Ready?! Stay in line, otherwise you'll lose it!

Come on guys, come on!

There, behind there.

Okay. Okay, carry on, carry on.

Why would we leave with the bombs we've already dropped?

Guys, unload! We're changing.

- Enough, guys! That's it, enough! - Let's go, come on.

- Poor man! Is he dead! Ah! - You're right, he fell! - Get him up!

- Come on, come on! - Quick! Quick! - Get him up!

- Untie him, untie him quick! - Hold him tightly, tightly.

- Be sure he doesn't escape. - Quickly! Quickly! - Take him! Take him away.

- Go. - Take him, go on. - Take him away.

So you were flying to Salonica that day, too?

Of course! We were there, too.

Obviously we were destined to meet each other.

It was a hard fight. Very, very hard fight.

Our last action before arriving in this terrible place.

A filthy place, Fortuna Airport.

"... the Greek Army in Salonica surrendered today...

... to the Germans advancing from Bulgaria."

What's he saying? He's talking about Salonica.

The Germans are advancing.

Stop the damn thing!

Alert, gentlemen!

Come on, Pussy. Come on, let's get out of here. It'll be much better out.

After you, Sir.

- They're Italians. - Damn those guns! - They're here again!

They're terrible, those damn cannons and that insufferable thudding.

What do you want to do? As you were saying, the War for you is just an inconvenience.

For you, my dear boy. The War is finished.

Maybe you will find a lovely Indian girl down there to marry...

... and to get fatter, living in a bungalow in Ceylon.

- You're sending me to India? - Certainly.

- Russell? - Yes, Sir!

- Where is the prisoner? - We passed him just outside in the tunnel.

Go and fetch him!

He's escaped.

Quick boys, run! We must get him, hurry up!

Here he is, Sir.

Well done. Excellent!

My dear boy, taking walks on a night as cold as this is dangerous!

Let's hope that you haven't caught a cold.

Good day! Here's your new prisoner.

- He's dangerous, tried to escape. - Okay.

- That's a nice place. - Yes.

- Lieutenant Lodolo. - Sub-lieutenant.

- Where did you come from? - I'm coming from Paramythia.

We, too were at the hospital of that city.

We were doing quite well but then they drove us out so easily.

Do you have news? How are things going?

Day 10, when I destroyed my aircraft...

... the Germans were already arriving at EGEO. - The Germans?!

Didn't you know that we're at War with Yugoslavia as well?

- We had no idea. - Since when? - Since the 6th of April.

Now it's clear why they brought us here.

And, what's even worse, they have brought us forward, closer to the sea.

He was wounded in the leg and that brought on gangrene.

And how do they expect to cure him here?

There's an Italian medic among the inmates.

... who's assisted by his daughter. He'll help him in any way possible.

- Is it very bad? - Hmm.

- They need to take him to a hospital. - Yeah, hospital, and where would that be?

They made us walk for 5 days to get this place in the middle of nowhere.

Then they just dumped us here to let us rot.

Ah... water... water...

- Where are you going? - I'm going to get water for the wounded man.

- You cannot pass through here. - He's very sick, he has a fever. - Then do it quickly.

I can't stand this cold anymore. This misery, it's turning me insane.

Calm yourself. I have enough strength, even with my family in another camp.

Come, Father.

Franco!

Franco!

My son!

Son! My son!

Dad!

Ah, that's good, I'm coming with you. I've decided.

Be calm, think about getting better.

Don't annoy me with your lectures.

This little bullet I have here inside is nothing for someone like me.

Now go. I'll sleep a little longer, and then tonight...

... here nothing will help me. That, I assure you.

Good day, Doctor. - Good day.

He was moaning all night long.

His injury is very severe. We may have to amputate.

This place is full of people. It isn't the right place for such a procedure.

Then we need to find a better place to operate.

There's a cellar through here with a fireplace. Will that work?

As long as we can boil water with it.

There's no time to lose.

If they give orders for us to move, for him it will be impossible.

Let's go.

Excuse me, Doctor is it very bad?

Yes, we'll need to amputate.

When they first sent us here he didn't seem to have anything wrong with him.

He appeared healthier than all of us.

- Is he delirious? - He has rare moments of lucidity.

Does it seem right to you to bring a man in this condition into a place like this?

Calm down, we will do our best.

They took him to the cellar.

We must amputate. Who will come and assist me?

You, Rossati?

- Where shall I put it? - On the tray.

Do you need anything?

Nikolopoulos...

- Take these over there. - Okay.

53 days without news from home...

- Do you have a wife? - And two children.

Oh...

- Ready? - Everything is ready. Please, go and fetch the water.

Pour it in there.

Cognac.

Anyway, it's a good thing...

... I can drink as much as I want.

Nikolopoulos, bring the instruments.

Tie the strap there.

Tie it, tighter, tighter! Okay, enough.

- Tired? - No, not really.

My child has a high fever, he's delirious!

I beg you, please help him! Call the doctor!

- He's short of breath! - Yes... - Miss, you must rest...

... we'll bring you something to eat. - Thank you.

Doctor, Doctor!

Poor thing, he's a boy of 5 years old.

- You're very brave. - I've been helping my father for 2 years.

It seems to me that you're too young for things like this.

A precocious young woman.

- How old are you? - 18.

- That's everything we have left. - Thank you.

- Where were you born? - In Athens. My father is from Lombardia.

And my poor mother was from Veneto. And you?

In Liguria, by the sea.

Now we live in Siena.

My father was garrissoned there but then...

And we stayed there.

But you must eat something, you look so very tired...

You've been on your feet all day.

I watched you go up and down those stairs 19 times...

You brought 12 pots of water, you...

You counted everything?

Please, return to your places.

- One moment, we'll go soon enough. - Hurry, hurry.

We must go. We can't stay here.

We're doing well, eh? Chin up!

Stay here, take his temperature.

If the temperature rises, call me.

- Would you like us to read you something? - Yes, read.

"The Duke of Moliterno sat in the magnificent park of his castle...

... decorated with splendid marble statues and murmuring fountains...

... next to the young Marchioness of Belgiojoso.

Sighing, he says: "Therefore yes, Marchioness...

... my heart is broken and lying at your feet...

... pleading for mercy from your divine beauty.

Oh, Marchioness, please do not refuse the offer...

... of your humble and devoted Orlando".

And the Marchioness, benignly: "Look..."

Such light breaths she takes. Just like a little bird.

Around 23 Km from here there's a depot where we may find medicine.

We should get there by this evening.

The doctor says this thing can be cured straight away with the right tablets.

Come on!

That's enough, Jack. There's no time to waste.

Ride over boys!

There's nothing left, no food nor medicine. They burnt everything.

They burnt everything. Anna, you look after the wounded man.

I will see what I can do for that poor child who has pneumonia.

Stop!

- Is this okay? - Yes, that's fine.

We need to boil it for a long time in a small amount of water...

... in that way we create a pulp to aid his breathing.

That's better. Don't worry, we'll look after him, eh?

The others are snoring so much!

Just think, in the world there are lots of people...

... who are waking in their houses in nice warm bed.

- How did you sleep? - Oh, okay. - Are you still tired?

My mother.

- Let me see. - Oh, it's nothing.

But for me, my childhood was something special.

My father used to let me hear the tick-tock of the pendulum on my ear.

Then he would close it...

... by pushing it on his forehead.

They're Italian! With planes like mine!

Maybe it's my squadron.

Watch out!! The Stuka! The Stuka! The Stuka!

- Lieutenant Rossati! - Lieutenant Rossati!

Rossati!

- Rossati! - Lieutenant!

They were on my aircraft; my engineer and my gunner.

Hey, Raffini!

Ah! How are you my dear friends, eh?

- What did you do to your arm? - Wounded and won't heal. - And the others?

We were with the others until we reached the A�os river, but then...

Tornieri should be in a hospital.

- And Curioni? - Curioni, I know was sent to Crete.

Here are my comrades of the air.

It's 11 days since... Eh, so much has happened since then.

Military, come with me. Civilians, over there.

Quick! Quick!

How are you?

Fine, thank you.

- Would you like something? - Would you like anything else? - No, thank you.

- Christ, they're good, eh? - who?

These guys here have found a way to make bread out of horse dung.

Ah, let me eat.

It's not like it's bad for you. In its natural state even the sparrows eat it.

You know, this coast isn't new to me. I remember this dock.

You don't remember? It's the port "Spaghetti".

An hour's flight that way, you'd be home.

At night we can try to cross it.

At the first opportunity, we'll cut and run.

Help!

They're getting so worked up. This is a War after all...

When I was with the Bersaglieri in Kor�e...

... I witnessed the kind of bombings that make this one seem like nothing.

Don't worry, Miss. No need to be afraid.

Little one... And you, are you scared?

Hear them? They're really bombing heavily.

Quiet! Quiet, it's nothing! Quiet! Sit down!

For God's sake calm down, animals!

They're destroying everything.

Are you afraid, Anna?

I know this place.

When we pass over...

... in an hour's flight we're home.

Just think, home is an hour away.

If we leave now, they'll hit us from every angle.

Do you understand, Anna? I'll carry you away, far away...

... once the right moment arrives. I'll carry you by hand.

Maybe in a few days our forces will get here.

Why don't you flee?

Flee? And you, Anna?

You mean everything to me.

Flee, flee! This is your duty. You don't want anything to do with me...

My duty is to stay here, close to my father...

... close to these poor people.

But come back! I'll find you again.

I'll wait for you, forever!

Gino! Gino!

Father!

Gino? Rossati?

Here, Anna, now I can tell you.

He gave me this to give to you.

I'm sure he made it. He's lucky, he is.

Come on, hurry!

Alarm!

Hello? Alarm!

Battery, alarm!

Aircraft: Erika signalling off the coast of Santa Maria di Leuca.

At 6:25, heading north by north-west. Altitude : 200.

Hello? Attention, all positions!

Hello. Airport 35, received! Hey, signal the alarm!

Get down!

- Rossati! - And the others? - The others are in the air!

The Greeks have laid down their arms!

At 10:00 the hostilities were halted!