Original subtitles

Midway in the journey of our life I found myself in dark woods, -

for the straight way was lost

I cannot rightly say how I entered it -

I was so full of sleep at the moment -

I left the true way

VILLEALF A FILMPRODUCTIONS PRESENTS

DIRECTED BY MIKA KAURISM�KI

They came for Rosso at midday

He was dreaming of driving a white Alfa Romeo

to Rome or Milan to see friends he did not have

No. Impossible. - What did you say?

Leave me out of this

I decide who's in and who's out

You're in and you know quite well what that means

Remember Luigi? He's out for good

I can't do it anymore. I'm tired

What do you mean?

Do you want us to use your head as a football?

Have a nice trip, Giancarlo

He'd been asked many times before and at first he had liked it

First to the vicinity to scare people who didn't want to pay

And later, when they gave him a gun -

he had done as he had been told and had killed three men

Two from a car -

and one to a red carpet outside a restaurant

He had bou ght fine c lothes and a car -

in which he had taken Marja to see the volcano...

...and the cemetery

Life was good, -

and the killing didn't seem to touch him at all

But when they took Marja away from him -

he no longer wanted to do what he was told to do

But they didn't let him quit

First he failed in Hamburg -

and from then on -

he failed time and time again bec ause he didn't want to succeed

Hi, Giuseppe. - Hi

Everything good? - Just fine

Give me a beer. - No beer for you. Get out

Listen... - Get out!

I have money. Out? I see

Now, though, he had one million liras -

and a plane ticket to Finland. He'd get further instructions in Helsinki

Rosso was tired, fed up and thirsty -

and he had no intention of going

Only when getting off the plane at a small, misty airport -

did he realize that he had come to Marja's homeland -

and first dark nagging doubts arose

Briefly he hated everything he had done and was doing again -

but he pushed the disturbing notion out of his mind -

and took a taxi to the address he was given

Good day. - It's hot in Sicily

Welcome, Rosso! I didn't expect you so soon

Is this all?

Excuse me

Watch it! It's loaded. - I know...

A beautiful gun. - I know. And it isn't hot

Wait!

Your instructions. Good luck, Rosso

Finally Rosso was forced to realize that he had been sent -

to kill the only person he had ever loved besides his family

He had no idea w hat Marja had done -

before leaving Italy, -

or why of all the killers in Sicily he alone should be given the job

Instead of drawing the right conclusions -

and blowing his brains out Rosso let his thoughts -

wander back to the times where the sad memories were c reated

I don't suppose you speak Swedish?

No. I don't either

What are you doing here? - Just a moment. I don't speak Finnish

Maria! I'm looking for Maria...

Marja? Martti!

I don't speak English

What are you saying? - I don't speak English

Well, you're a foreigner

You sure look like one

Are you looking for a job? No, I guess not

See, this is somebody's home. How about getting out...

Want to see the city?

Daughter of the Baltic. Shall we leave?

I'm looking for Maria. She was my woman

I'm Rosso, Giancarlo Rosso

Riding on the bike with a stranger -

Rosso doesn't see the dirty wet city around him -

or feel sorrow or regret

In this complex and impossible situation, he can only believe -

that seeing Marja again w ill solve all problems, -

including the things he will have to say, do -

or leave undone

Two pizzas

Two pizzas - With garlic?

Yes

I know, but I told you I couldn't find her

That wasn't the deal. She wasn't there

No, not there either... This bloody country is enormous

She might be any where. Nobody knows anyhing

Wait. Stop that!

Stop that!

There's an idiot outside. One day, you said!

I can't stay here! I haven't got any money

All right, let them come, then we'll see

Maria! Where is Maria?

Ave Maria. Maybe she's at home

With her parents. At home, you understand?

Martti didn't know what made him buy the car -

in order to take this quiet stranger to his sister's

What will be, will be, he simply thought

As his dark business in Helsinki -

had met a blind end anyway -

and things were all going to hell -

he had nothing against leaving

So they headed towards the north

Hi. Have you seen Marja lately. We've been looking for her

This is Rosso, Giancarlo. From Sicily, Marja's friend

Let's ask mother

When did she leave? - Yesterday

Where did she go? - I don't know

Damn it!

I must take that Italian to her. Do you have any sausage?

In the fridge

Sausage!

Walking through the half empty rooms, Rosso understood -

why Marja had left her home forever, -

tolerating anything -

not to have to return to the stagnated scenes of her childhood

By the way, as the Americans say

We'll find Marja

She's looking for a job in some small town on the coast

I don't think you understand anything I say

I'm talking Finnish, you Italian

What am I doing here with a stupid Italian?

Sometimes I'm so fucking stupid

Fuck, why did I have to get in this mess?

Water, dirt, barns, and crazy people!

Stop this fucking car!

Are you mad? Do you want a piss?

Get lost

Get lost!

Come on! Get back in, we'll talk. I was only joking

Shut up! That's enough! Go to hell, you and all you Finns!

You're all mad, understand? Do you think you're being funny?

I've never met anybody so stupid!

Swine. And you smell!

Don't try anything!

Do you want me to kill you? Is that what you want?

But so they drive on northward along the coast -

c hecking one small town after another

Wherever they go, Martti knows shady, strange people

He asks questions, wheels and deals -

while Rosso doesn't even bother to try to understand

Wait here. There's something I must do

The melancholy of this God-forsaken land soon gets a hold of Rosso

He gets used to the chill and the ever-present wind

The screaming birds remind him of the stony beaches of Aci Trezza

But the blurred memory belongs to a past he has lost

Rosso knows that somebody has -

crossed his name out long before he was sent here, -

but he doesn't care any more

One night on a side road while Martti sleeps, Rosso understands -

that there is no life for him without Marja

I have my home here beneath the North Star

I sing to you about life because I was born a Finn

I know this song, it's Italian

If the wide world only had a notion of what we've got

The tears my people have shed could fill an ocean

Just a moment...

Mustard, please

Sau-sa-ge

He's my friend

Let him be! He's just a crazy Italian

I'm taking him home

You'd better...

Poor guy, you're a long way from home

She's not running away from you, but the people who sent you

She loves you

If you only knew how much she has told me about you

Or how difficult it was to get her out

Hiding around Europe for three months -

never knowing if there's somebody coming after you

And the same thing here. And then you came

But you won't take her back

I'm taking you to her because I know she wants to see you

Why don't you stay here? Open a pizzeria

I'm searching... for Titina

My Titina

I'm searching but I cannot find her

Who knows where she is?

That night their luck turned

Having buried his only friend in this hostile country -

Rosso continues his journey without destination

He doesn't feel sorrow because he has always considered death -

a release from the pain and suffering on Earth

He know s that the police are after him -

and he hopes in vain that they will stop him

The land around him is desolate and empty

Hello, Maria

So here you are

Come, let's go!

When through impression of pleasure -

or of pain which some of our faculties receive

the soul of wholly centered thereon, -

it seems that it gives heed to no other of its powers

and this is contrary to that error -

which holds that one soul above another is kindled within us

and therefore when aught is heard

or seen which holds the soul strongly bent to it -

the time passes away and we perceive it not -

for one faculty is that which notes it

and another that which possesses the entire soul

the latter as if it were bound, the former free

I want a woman!

You're beautiful. Really

We have no women like you in Italy

Come with me!

I must phone them...

...Perhaps...

I ought to ask my mother...

I have a beautiful house by the sea

I really want to marry you

Eat! Eat!

You must eat! You're young

Would you like a drink?

No, thanks

Wine is good for you. It renews your blood

Have you ever been to Italy? No, I don't think you have

You're really beautiful!

Wait

I have a lot of money. I'm very wealthy

If you come with me we'll never part

That night Rosso has a nightmare

Dark water, green fields

Life begins in a couple of minutes

Quiet. Everything's alright

I'm late... enough

Take it slow

Life begins in a couple of minutes

Everything's OK

The slow traveller moves safely and far

When I reached the foot of a hill, -

there at the end of the valley -

that had pierced my heart with fear

I looked up and saw its shoulders

Already clad in the rays of the planet -

that leads men aright by every path

Then fear was somewhat quieted

That had continued in the lake of my heart -

through the night I had passed so piteously

And as he who with the labouring breath -

has escaped from the deep to the shore

Turns to look back on the dangerous waters

So my mind which was still fleeing turned back -

to gaze upon the pass that never left any one alive

It's me, Giancarlo

Everything's fine

I've almost found her... no...

No need to send anyone. I can do it

Trust me! Have I ever failed you?

Hello?

Hello?

Midway in the journey of our life I found my self in dark woods -

for the straight way was lost

Judge Carlo Palermo was injured in Sic ily today -

when a car-bomb exploded, killing a woman and two children...

I am my self

And I fell like a lifeless corpse falls

S. Tarkkonen www.future film.fi