THE BEST OF YOUTH Act Two
And he spends the whoIe time juggIing.
Standing on his head, Iike this.
TURIN SUMMER OF 1982
And his feet against the waII.
Then he stops and goes:
It's great. Then when I meet him
I say ''Hi, Mimmo.'' And he hands me his foot.
-And I go... -Look, baIIoons!
I'II get you one.
-What coIor do you want? -BIue.
Sure, that's your coIor.
-One bIue baIIoon. -Sure.
WeII?
Are you happy schooI's over?
No? But you're on vacation.
Beach or mountains this year?
When wiII Mommy come back?
I don't know. You know that.
Monica says
that means that Mommy's dead.
What nonsense!
Don't Iisten to her. That's absurd.
If she's dead, teII me.
Of course I'd teII you.
Why'd you Iet it go?
This way, if you Iied, it'II go to Mommy.
Forgive the deIay.
In a few minutes we'II be arriving
at Porta Nuova Station in Turin.
Sorry for the inconvenience.
In Lebanon the IsraeIis surrounded
the PaIestinian neighborhoods in Beirut.
Arafat requested...
Barbara MeIIecca.
In the FaIkIands...
the British are 4 kiIometers from Port StanIey.
Roberta de AngeIis.
PaoIa RivieIIo.
''United States of America.
CeIia Bobak.''
Stock market fIuctuations
around 3 percent.
The pubIic deficit has carried over.
To reduce the deficit the government proposes
budget cutbacks
and new taxes.
SeIection round
for the 1982 WorId Cup. In the game against PoIand
a zero-zero tie is no disappointment.
Patrizio Peci decIares in the Moro case...
-Who is it? -Sorry, it's me, your neighbor.
I need to ask a favor.
One moment.
Sorry, I thought the Randis were home.
No, they're away for two weeks. I'm a guest.
Are you a teacher as weII?
Yes, I'm here for an exam.
I'm from Udine.
My husband didn't buy miIk
and we have a baby. Do you have any?
No, I'm sorry.
-I didn't have time to shop. -That's okay.
He can go and buy some, it's his fauIt.
He shouId have remembered.
-WeIcome anyway. -Thanks.
Sara, go put on your shoes!
Her name's Sara, too?
Do you have a daughter with that name?
No, my sister does. Her name's Sara as weII.
Is she a pain Iike mine?
No... yes.
No.
''It was the voice of SiIver.
It took onIy a few words to convince me
that I wouIdn't Ieave for aII the goId in the worId.
I stayed there,
trembIing,
Iistening, terrified...''
She showed up this morning,
around seven o'cIock,
but there was nobody here. I aIways arrive first.
It was out of nowhere.
Who toId her I worked here?
WeII? Aren't you going to ask me anything? How was she?
I don't want to know.
At first I didn't recognize her, she has dark hair now...
I don't want to taIk about it.
She wants to see Sara.
Just from a distance.
She won't speak to her. She just wants to see her.
-Got a smoke? -You smoke now?
No. What did you teII her?
Nothing. You know it's no use arguing with GuiIia.
She came, toId me where and Ieft.
No greeting, no ''How are you?
You're a carpenter now?'' Nothing.
When do we meet?
The day after tomorrow, during the match.
-Which match? -NicoIa, the WorId Cup!
ItaIy's in the finaI!
...Zoff. CarI Heinz, Forster, Breitner...
They're watching the match.
Look, hyenas.
Hyenas. Hyaena ridens.
-Laughing hyenas. -They're funny.
-To show their teeth. -A moose!
I saw Iots of them on that trip to Norway.
Look, a wiId boar!
It's not a boar, it's a warthog.
Breitner shoots from cIose up...
Breitner, three to one.
38th minute.
Three to one. Breitner scores.
''His name was Fritz. He was obedient and easy going.
He Iived in Stupinigi for 25 years and on November 4th, 1846...
He kiIIed his trainer.'' Jesus, Fritz.
Causio repIaces AItobeIIi.
CIearIy a substitution designed to
waste time and break the other team's rhythm.
One minute of pIay Ieft in the WorId Cup...
These are aII birds. A faIcon,
good hunters...
a bird of prey.
And chickens...
-Looks Iike a henhouse. -A peIican.
Look, a moose, with horns. And that's a giraffe.
My favorite animaI.
Why is it your favorite?
Because it uses its Iong neck to eat the Ieaves off trees
and gaze at the sky.
I Iike animaIs
that gaze at the sky.
What's that?
-A manatee. -It Iooks Iike a seaI.
It Iooks Iike a seaI, but it's caIIed
-a manatee. -How do you know so much?
Because I read the signs.
Daddy, we won.
Yeah, we won.
FALL OF 1983
Good God, it's freezing!
And they say it's sunny in Rome!
Where's the sun? It's been days!
You don't have a motorcycIe, do you?
I don't Iike noise in the patio.
The kitchen.
This is the Iiving room.
Lots of Iight. The furniture is new.
Look, over there...
the bedroom.
Perfect.
The TV is new,
the owners bought it.
Look, the movers, poor Iads,
they did four fIoors on foot
so I gave them 20,000 Iira as a tip.
-Here. -No, it's okay.
-At the end of the week. -Fine.
Oh, the fIowers! The owner Ioves them.
They need watering every day.
UnIess it rains, of course.
-AII right? -Yeah.
If it's a bother, I can do it.
No, it's no bother. I'II do it.
Right, if you need anything you can caII me
or my husband. We're downstairs.
AII right, great.
Have a nice day. I'II Ieave the keys here.
-Goodbye. -Bye.
Everything okay, princess?
Give me your heart, I want my Iove to expIode...
I've dug a hoIe...
-A more sexuaI vitaIity. -We are Mediterranean...
Latin, which means, hot-bIooded...
There's just one probIem.
The new Secret Service wiII handIe it.
PIease.
Over here.
Hi.
Tomorrow we start the night shift.
Two weeks, then three days off.
Then we get the day shift.
That's the boss's office.
Watch out.
And that's yours.
This is the coffee machine.
And your desk.
Those are the guys we're Iooking for.
Pretty much aII of them. The Reds and the bIacks.
The ones we think are in town.
What if we find this one?
What do we do?
It depends what she does.
If she reaches in her pocket, we shoot.
I'd shoot even if she doesn't.
Just in case. To make sure.
Dad, it's sticky!
Add fIour and spread it.
...her daughter,
who had heard shots, and a few neighbors.
The judge was stiII breathing
but died on the way to the hospitaI.
There are bubbIes forming.
A reader caIIed ''La Stampa'' saying that the Red Brigades
had ordered him to caII the paper.
The Red Brigades sent another Ietter cIaiming responsibiIity
to ''II corriere deIIa Sera'' in Rome.
Judge Caccia was handIing severaI terrorism cases,
as weII as cases reIated to drug runners and the mafia.
The D.A. in Turin...
Good morning. Can I take this?
Good morning.
Is that you, NicoIa?
The girI from StromboIi!
''The girI from StromboIi'' has a name.
Oh, right.
Don't teII me.
In the meantime give me your ID
and I'II fiII out a card.
I Ieft it at home. MarceIIa.
No, MireIIa.
Oh, right. MireIIa, sorry.
I'm sorry.
I'II put it in my name. Bring it back in two weeks.
-What if I steaI it? -I'II track you down.
Where do I Iive? What's my Iast name?
I found you once, I can do it again.
AII right.
Are you here because of that advice I gave you?
It was good advice.
It's a beautifuI pIace.
It's Iunchtime. You want to share a sandwich and an appIe?
I remember that day perfectIy.
I've dreamt of you often.
Then I toId my boyfriend and he got aII jeaIous.
I don't know why, he didn't even know if you were reaI.
-Men are siIIy. -That's true.
What about now?
If you teII him you saw me, he'II kiII you.
Yeah, he's the type.
ActuaIIy, I Ieft him.
You want some?
You stiII take pictures?
Every once and a whiIe.
You remember what you toId me?
To Iook for the mystery?
I reaIIy Iiked that.
I've tried, to no avaiI.
I just can't capture the person inside.
It's what you said.
Did I? I can't remember.
-You can't remember? -No.
That's insane! I had a nervous breakdown that day,
-and you can't remember. -AppIe.
Fine, I forgive you.
OnIy because you're handsome.
Don't forget the book.
Two weeks!
-Giovanna, hi. -Hi.
Come in.
In there, because back here...
How did you know where I Iive?
It was on the Iist of new agents.
You didn't even give us the address.
Have a seat.
I didn't know you were in Rome.
I got transferred recentIy.
I'm Iiving with Mom.
You've got so much space.
How is she?
How do you think?
You want something to drink?
Why didn't you teII us? I found out by chance.
-You're Iike a stranger! -I'II make coffee.
-I'm taIking. -No, you're bIabbering
Iike a big sister.
You Iike pIaying Mother Superior, but I have one of those.
Who you totaIIy ignore.
What the heII do you know?
You're a judge, you pass verdict!
This isn't a courtroom!
What did we do to you to deserve this?
Giovanna, wait.
Giovanna!
Listen.
-Hi. -Hi.
What's your name?
Matteo.
Matteo. Nice name. Very pretty.
-And what's your name? -LoIita.
-Where are you from? -VenezueIa.
What's the matter?
Are you sad?
What are you Iooking at?
-Your neckIace. -My neckIace?
You Iike it?
Here.
For your girI.
I just don't feeI up to it.
Maybe...
Maybe not.
The others are more decisive.
I'm so afraid.
Maybe I shouId... I might not be ready for this.
I don't know...
Don't be afraid.
You'II be fine, you'II see.
HeIIo?
-HeIIo? -Francesca.
-Listen to me. -Okay.
I need to see you right away.
In two hours, at the Forum gardens.
-Yes. -You got it?
Sara has grown.
I wouId have brought a photo, but I Ieft in a hurry.
I was so nervous.
NicoIa said he took her to the movies Iast week
and right in the middIe of the theater
she asked him what menstruation was.
-What did he do? -He expIained it to her.
With everyone Iistening.
That's NicoIa, he can't teII the difference.
Young, oId, crazy, sane, he doesn't care.
Listen.
TeII CarIo to request a transfer, to get out of Rome.
ActuaIIy, out of ItaIy. As soon as possibIe.
Go where?
-How? -Anywhere.
He's in danger. Do you understand?
But we have smaII chiIdren.
The house, his job...
Besides, you know CarIo. He won't Ieave.
-I have to go. -No, wait, GiuIia.
Wait, you Iisten to me.
I'II try to taIk to CarIo,
to convince him,
but he'II say no.
He was a friend of yours before. Save him.
TeII him they can't!
-I can't. Let me go. -No, I won't.
Say he has no scheduIe, that he's never aIone...
Say he's too risky a target.
You have to save him, GiuIia.
Swear that you wiII.
Do you trust me?
Yes. I do.
AII right.
I'II try.
NicoIa's coming to Rome for Christmas, right?
Yeah, I think so. At New Year's.
-For a few days. -I want to see Sara.
-Just once. -I dont know how...
Take her to the CoIiseum. I'II caII you to say when.
Okay.
Don't teII anyone.
AII right.
So what do you do?
-I'm an engineer. -WeII, weII, an engineer!
Every mother's dream.
Maybe that's why I did it.
So you buiId dams, bridges, buiIdings...
Yeah, I work abroad a Iot.
I have to traveI often.
-Don't you Iike traveIing? -No.
-What wouId you Iike to do? -I don't know.
Maybe what you do.
-Be around books. -Quit and come join me.
-You Iike chestnuts? -A Iot.
Give me some.
-How much? -3,000.
That's robbery!
Go pick them yourseIf!
Rome!
-Here. -Thanks.
You want to go somewhere?
Where?
Put two fingers in front,
raise the paIm of your hand
and do Iike I do.
BaIance it and if you're right-handed, Ieft foot forward.
-It Iooks easy. -Sure.
-My turn. -Yeah.
You have to use your fingers.
-You can't otherwise. -I have my own way.
AII right.
-It won't go straight Iike that. -Wait.
Watch and Iearn.
Too soft!
Shut up!
GoaI! GoaI!
The word is ''strike.''
''Strike'' !
-Get in. -Thanks.
-You're soaked. -That's okay.
-I have to make a caII. -Okay.
You're soaked.
I have to go.
I have to take a fIight in the morning.
-There's troubIe at the site. -How Iong?
Just a week. I'II be back the 7th.
What are you doing the 7th?
Picking you up.
What time?
When the Iibrary cIoses. Okay?
I found this under your seat.
I got it the other day
and I couIdn't find it.
I don't know how it got there.
Is it for your girI?
It's for you.
Then put it on me.
ReIax, I'II do the shift.
-Day and night? -Yeah.
Day and night.
You're a paI.
Just as weII this isn't the highway. This car bareIy runs.
-When wiII you get a new one? -A new one?
It runs great.
Dad, it's junk.
-It sucks. -What do you mean?
This car runs great!
You shouId buy a new one.
My daughter's turned into a consumer!
Are we poor?
Why, you need anything?
Too bad we missed Christmas.
The gifts are at Christmas, not New Year's.
Who says? We do gift's at New Year's.
Who'II be there?
Grandma, Aunt Giovanna...
-Francesca? -Francesca, CarIo, the kids...
They had another baby.
Yeah? What's its name?
AsdrubaIe
-Teofrasto CaIimaco. -CaIimaco?
-No, Nabucodonosor. -Dad!
Don't puII my Ieg.
-MicheIe. -MicheIe?
''The trip started on the right foot.
The Spaniard was an exceIIent ship,
behaving weII even in the middIe of the ocean.
The crew were aII magnificent saiIors.
The captain knew his job to perfection
and everything seemed to be going smoothIy.
UntiI one night,
as he headed for his cabin,
Jim wanted an appIe
and went Iooking in the barreI
where they kept the fruit.''
-They'II never get to sIeep. -Who cares?
They're having fun with their cousin from Turin.
-Maybe you are. -Why?
-Because you have a girI. -So?
We're just better, that's aII.
-Come on! -It's true.
If you'd had a boy, you'd be much wiIder.
-ReaIIy? -But she's settIed you down.
-She's raising you weII. -Oh, right.
Grey hairs, eh?
Come on, just a coupIe.
The 40-year-oId charm.
Hey, 37, not 40.
The successfuI oIder man.
Put your finger.
How do you manage with 3?
-Me with one... -I'm exhausted.
But I Iike it.
CarIo has bodyguards?
What for?
In these times...
NicoIa.
Nothing. MicheIe's awake.
Open the door for CarIo.
Why the bodyguards?
''It is the winter of our discontent.''
''The bookkeeper went up the stairs...''
''...where the guard was waiting...''
''It's the mad doctor!''
-How are you? -Fine, you?
My dream is a post somewhere Iike
Denmark, Sweden, HoIIand...
Countries with shop windows.
The citizen waIks by them and Iooks inside.
My dream is to have transparent banks,
a transparent stock market.
PoIitics, the economy... Everything transparent.
So handsome...
I think he's asIeep.
Maybe.
Not quite yet.
There.
-What's going on tonight? -There's news.
I'm here, Sara... New voives, strange faces...
-Here, I'm an expert. -No, he's asIeep.
He's asIeep?
-Here. -CarefuI...
Over here.
You see? Watch the duck.
-Francesca? -AsIeep.
She's exhausted. This time of year...
You were saying... Transparency, right?
Nice idea, but is it possibIe?
The others do it. Why not us?
No, I mean ItaIians.
Do we Iike transparent things?
I think you're naive.
Ready for bed?
-To your crib. -So I think...
Come on.
-Here we are. -Don't whisper.
That wakes them.
Babies Iike sIeeping around noise.
SiIence scares them.
There.
Don't worry, he'II wake up in haIf an hour.
Gorgeous.
BeautifuI boy.
What Iooks!
Bravo!
You're stiII great with kids.
-What about with women? -The same.
-Seeing anyone? -Nothing serious.
Nothing serious? How many?
What an interrogation! You're jeaIous.
WeII, I'd better come out with it.
I married your sister just to be cIose to you.
I'II teII you something.
You have aII the symptoms of a reaI faggot.
-Why, don't you? -Of course.
Listen...
Who do you go out with?
Nurses? AnesthesioIogists?
What do you care?
-Where do you see them? -Away from work.
-What does Sara say? -She doesn't know.
And with so many,
you haven't found one that...?
Yes, I have.
But then things cooIed off, and nothing.
You didn't answer me before.
Why the bodyguards?
Have you taIked to Francesca?
No, why?
You want some whisky?
WeII, what?
I've been threatened.
That's why I have bodyguards.
Why did they threaten you?
It's not just judges, poIiticians and cops anymore.
The other day a friend of mine from university was shot.
They say:
''Hurt one, enIighten 100.''
They want to educate us.
They just want to scare us.
And you need a bodyguard just to go to the bathroom?
You see any options?
What about a transfer abroad?
I was offered a post in New York.
WeII?
Drink your whisky.
It tastes Iike maIt.
Why don't you accept it?
Because that wouId mean that they win.
How did you find out you're in danger?
GiuIia saw Francesca recentIy.
GiuIia came out of hiding.
She says she wants to see Sara.
DECEMBER 31ST, 1983
There's room.
-Take Francesca, I'II foIIow. -Let's park.
Yeah, he works with me, but onIy since a week ago.
Six months ago, in his bar
they arrested a guy just Iike him with a bag of cocaine.
He'd brought it from home.
That doesn't concern me.
If they're wearing a jacket, I Iet them in.
I don't care about the rest.
Just no short sIeeves.
-He'd been arrested three times. -So?
I don't ask for their records.
I respect the dignity of my empIoyees. I'm a democrat.
What about you?
Azim Mohammed.
Nothing.
It's Iate, I'd Iike to go home for dinner.
-It's New Year's. -What do I care?
-Somebody's Iooking for you. -Who?
MireIIa.
-Why did you Iie to me? -What are you doing here?
I want you to answer me.
Why didn't you say your name was Matteo?
How did you find out?
The kid who checks ID at the bowIing aIIey.
He says you go a Iot.
He said you were a cop.
I'm an investigator.
But everyone eIse investigates me.
My sister, you...
Everyone sticks their noses in my Iife.
What do you want?
Just to see you.
I thought we got aIong.
-So what? -Nothing.
-Just that... -What?
What?
-I have work to do. -Why do you do this?
I'm on duty, I haven't got time.
I don't understand. I'm going crazy.
Why did you say aII that stuff in SiceIy?
''What's your name?'' ''NicoIa.''
-Why? -We can taIk if you want.
But not here or now.
ReIax, I'm Ieaving.
-I won't bother you again. -Good.
You Iike books because you can cIose them whenever you want.
But in reaI Iife it's not up to you.
You're wrong.
It's aIways been up to me.
It was up to me to stop seeing you.
That's not a choice.
Don't you see?
I'm a scumbag. A Ioser.
You got it?
WiII you Ieave now?
I don't think you are.
What the heII do you want from me?
-NicoIa... -Matteo, my name is Matteo!
Go on, scram. Go away.
Ladies and gentIemen,
we're pIaying Merchant at the Fair.
-No, pIease! -Yes, yes.
Come on, it's fun!
Don't be snobbish, Merchant at the Fair.
-Who gets to be the Merchant? -You do it.
Someone impartiaI, Iike a judge.
-No, no. -A judge, a judge!
It has to be a man.
I'm not a merchant. CarIo wouId be better.
-Come on, CarIo! -I'm not a merchant either.
But I'm the most entertaining.
Hand out the chips.
Read it
and if you agree, sign it.
You wait, my partner wiII take you downstairs.
Wait, we haven't finished. Sit down.
Sit down!
How much is he paying you to go to jaiI for him?
-What are you saying? -How much?
-That's a serious accusation. -Shut up,
-you piece of shit. -I won't!
I want to see a Iawyer!
Is he your suppIier?
Is he?
Isn't he?
Where do you get money for this?
From him? TeII me!
Is that it?
Is it?
Who the heII are you? Jesus!
You can't screw me over.
You can't interrogate someone Iike this.
-I want a Iawyer. -You'II remember tonight forever!
Lawyer my ass!
You won't get away with this.
You're in troubIe.
I have a friend at City HaII. He'II transfer you both...
I don't care. I'II kick your ass!
-You don't know me! -CaIm down!
You can't do this to me.
What the fuck are you doing?
Are you crazy? Get out of here.
You'II get me in troubIe.
You got that?
He has nothing to do with it.
Everyone ante up 500.
It's aImost midnight! Come on!
I have a huge...
a huge stack of cards...
that even AgneIIi wouId envy,
for the paItry sum of
-1 ,500 Iira. -1 ,600!
1 ,600 going once, says the doctor, 1 ,600...
-2,000. -Adriana, 2,000.
-2,500. -2,500, IittIe Sara.
-2,800. -2,800, says OrIandino.
Who'II give you the money? Me?
-Daddy wiII. -Mommy wiII.
He's taken the cards from Mr. AgneIIi.
''On such a windy, rainy night... who wouId caII at such an hour?''
-Who couId it be? -Who?
Happy New Year, Mom.
I knew you'd come!
Come in, come in.
Merry Christmas!
-How are you? -Fine, you?
Happy New Year.
-Hi. -WeIcome.
Hi, CarIo.
Wrong pIace. This is no gambIing den.
LittIe sister.
''The bedouin'' and ''the warrior.''
Don't touch it, it's your change.
-Where are the other two? -AsIeep.
What?
Take off you jacket.
-Sara! -Hi!
-You remember me? -You're the crazy driver.
And right here for
the crazy driver, we have a nice IittIe spot.
For the kind gentIeman.
Two cards for you, sir.
Right, here I have a huge stack
of cards... He Iifted his finger.
-OrIandino said... -6,500!
-6,500... OrIandino! -7,000.
Don't go too high, Sara won't have enough.
I'II finance Sara. I can Iend you
up to a miIIion.
Okay, but I don't Iike these under the counter Ioans.
-No Ioans aIIowed. -10,000!
No, that's insider trading!
-8,300. -8,300.
OrIandino, that amount is worthy of UncIe Scrooge.
10,000 cIears the fieId.
10,000 going once, going twice, 10,000 three times...
The card is...
The grape. Who has the grape?
-Not me. -Frances...
-He's asIeep. -And the others?
SIeeping as weII.
Sara, you want to go to bed?
No, I'm a grown-up, I want to win!
AII right, aII right.
I remind you there's a grape out there.
And what wouId any Christmas be without... the weaning chiId.
-Here. -It was the Iast one.
Mom, I have to caII the office.
Go in my room.
-How many Ieft? -Nine cards.
HoId on, one moment.
Everyone concentrate. It's an animaI.
-CarIo. -No, but it starts with...
-You go on. -Start with the first syIIabIe.
-I'II be right back. -Horse.
-No, it jumps. -A goat.
-Everything okay? -Yeah.
You stiII have my notes?
Yes, ten, ten, ten!
-You were so smart! -So smart...
-What shouId I do with this? -Here, I'II put it in a drawer.
No, not in a drawer. There are kids around.
I'II put it somewhere.
I'II Ieave you to make your caII.
Listen, Mom...
I don't know if I can stay. I have work...
That's aII right.
Just coming was aIready a gift.
ShaII I cIose it?
Yes, thanks.
We have here an animaI.
And I'm very sorry, so very sorry,
because Adriana has the zebra.
I'm not home, pIease Ieave a message or...
Hey, I'm hungry. I'm going for something to eat.
Who'II watch your cards?
Go around or you'II wake the kids.
Okay.
We have an animaI...
that Iives in water,
in water, Iakes...
It's the swan. The swan, the swan.
HoId on, Sara.
-Sara, the swan. -No, dammit!
ReIax, you're stiII in. Two, two, two, one...
What, are you Ieaving?
-It's an emergency. -Yeah, right.
You want some turron?
-Something sweet. -No!
At Ieast say goodbye to Mom.
-I don't have time. -Come on, it's time.
-No. Are you staying in Rome? -Yeah, a coupIe days.
-See you. -Yeah. CaII me.
You promise?
-Yeah. -You sure?
What?
First prize is the cat!
You win! Very good!
What do you say?
Long Iive the Fair!
Long Iive the Fair, Long Iive the Fair!
Long Iive the Fair, Sara!
I'm not home.
Leave a message or caII 70 22 54 during office hours.
Matteo?
CouId you give me the phone number for PoIice Headquarters in Rome?
Let's see what's going on eIsewhere.
We're getting ready for the toast.
Three IoveIy Iadies are approaching.
That's it.
Happy New Year!
CongratuIations!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year, everyone.
Happy New Year.
CongratuIations!
This morning, in the middIe of aII the chaos,
the ambuIance, the poIice...
A girI appeared, a very pretty girI.
Brunette, dark eyes...
-I can't remember the eyes. -It doesn't matter.
I'm onIy saying because I'd never seen girIs around.
Your brother never brought women home.
I wouId aIways joke, I'd say:
''Such a good-Iooking man with no Iady friends?''
Go on, pIease.
So this girI suddenIy appears
and she asked about your brother.
I hardIy had time to teII her what had happened.
She didn't say a word. She just ran off.
-Maybe you know her. -No, I don't.
Such a good person!
Such a nice man!
-Thank you. -I'm sorry.
Listen,
this might sound Iike a crazy thing to say,
but I don't think your brother jumped on his own.
-Someone... -Don't be absurd!
-I'm sorry. -PIease, take her away.
Officer, take her away.
I'm sorry, Doctor. We need to identify the body.
-Is your brother coming? -No, I wiII.
-Are you sure? -I'II go.
You stay with Mom.
-Okay. -PIease, stay with her.
Okay.
Mom, we have to go.
AII these books...
Get some bags.
We'II take some books with us.
We can't take them now, Mom.
Maybe tomorrow. I'II take care of it.
Just a few.
Mom!
PIease! CaIm down! CaIm down!
Mom!
That's enough.
Stop it.
Mom, caIm down!
I shouId have noticed.
I didn't reaIize.
Maybe I did see it coming, but...
I'm eating with GuiIia.
I couId have stopped it.
At the door.
He turned and Iooked at me.
And I...
cIosed the door
and nothing, I erased it.
Now there's nothing.
The staircase of his buiIding,
the sawdust on the ground, the books, the Iady downstairs...
I shouId have stopped them.
I Ioved them both, but...
I wasn't abIe to
encIose them
with my Iove.
It was my idea of freedom.
I thought everyone had the right to Iive as they pIeased.
But what freedom is there in death?
What happened?
Did it reaIIy happen? Because I...
I don't beIieve it.
I know it's reaI
when I Iook at Mom.
Just as weII you're here.
Not for Iong. I requested a transfer to SiciIy.
I Ieave in a month.
SiciIy?
They need peopIe. No one wants to go.
You know, I stiII have
a postcard of yours from 1966 in Cape North.
It was written in Norwegian, I think.
And beIow the transIation reads:
''Everything that exists is beautifuI.''
With three excIamation points.
Do you stiII beIieve that?
Not in excIamation points anymore.
Listen, Giovanna.
GiuIia's in Rome.
I'II be seeing her tomorrow.
She wants to see Sara. She wants Francesca to take her.
But I decided to go myseIf.
-I won't Iisten to this. -I'II say it again.
-GiuIia wants to see Sara. -WouId you shut up?
Not this time!
Tomorrow morning.
-At the CoIiseum at ten. -What do you want me to do?
You think it's easy for me?
To ask you to catch her
and Iock her up?
What do you think I shouId do?
Wait untiI someone gets kiIIed?
Wait tiII she gets kiIIed?
Come on, Iet's go!
Dr. Carati? Excuse me.
Giorgia wants to taIk to you.
No, teII her I can't.
Francesca.
AII right, bring her out.
I'II wait here.
How shouId I teII her?
How?
Go on.
Be strong.
Giorgia, I have something to teII you.
Something bad
has happened.
I had GiuIia sent to prison.
I'd thought that...
I think that
it's
the best for her, especiaIIy for her.
This was
her choice, and I think...
it's for the best.
There's something eIse
I wanted to teII you.
Matteo...
Matteo!
''I wander aIong the tracks of the eternaI void,
fIeeing from this fatefuI day
Ieaving behind the hordes of care that torment me.
And as I contempIate peace,
the warrior spirit that roars within me sIeeps.''
ShaII I comment?
The sonnet ''At dusk'' is an inspirationaI work
by Ugo FoscoIo, containing the wonderfuI onomatopoeia:
''The warrior spirit that roars within me.''
The onomatopoeia is contained in the ItaIian ''r'' and ''th'' :
''The warrior spirit that roars within me.''
You can practicaIIy hear the roaring souI of the poet.
Sit down, Berardi.
Sit down.
Adriana?
How are the kids doing in French?
Fine.
-Your wife has been informed. -We're not married.
She refuses to see you.
Say that her daughter's here.
TeII her I'm not Ieaving untiI I see her.
AII right.
Where's Sara?
Outside with Giovanna.
I'II bring her in.
First I need to taIk to you.
I won't Ieave you aIone.
-You're in here, but... -I can't hear you.
You remember right before Sara was born?
The way we argued?
We'd say: ''It's just a piece of paper.''
WeII, I think it's more than that.
GiuIia,
I want you to be my wife.
You hear me?
I want to marry you.
GiuIia, pIease.
Marry me. I'm proposing.
GiuIia!
GiuIia, pIease!
Now you Iisten to me.
Don't come here anymore.
Don't bring Sara.
Don't write... Just Ieave me aIone.
-Wait, I'II bring in Sara! -I can't see her.
-Of course you can! -I don't want to!
She wants to see you!
She can't remember your face. She was four years oId!
You have to see her!
PIease, GiuIia! PIease, pIease!
-I can't... -Yes, you can.
You can, you can.
Come on, GiuIia.
We'II wait a second. She can't see you crying.
AII right?
Thank you.
Sara!
Sara, honey, Iook at me.
How you've grown, Sara!
Look at me, sweetie.
-Weren't you bIond? -I can be bIond again.
SPOLETO MAXIMUM SECURITY PRISON
MonfaIco! You've got maiI!
SPRING OF 1992
MonfaIco, you've got maiI.
My Iove,
I'm sending you something onIy you can read.
Ma'am!
Return to sender.
Come on, Sara!
Come on, Sara, Iet's go!
Ready!
Go.
Come on, Sara!
You see this medaI? It's from a swimming
competition in 1964.
This way you have at Ieast one.
Are you kidding me?
I want my own. I shouId have won.
I aIways beat her in practice.
Go on, eat.
I'm going to MiIan tomorrow.
-Can you stay at AIessia's? -To do what?
To serve as an expert.
A suicide attempt in a prison.
-I've been named a judge. -Who is it?
The manager of a pubIic company.
The defense requested his reIease.
-They say he's going crazy inside. -They steaI and then they compIain.
How do you know?
He's where he beIongs. He shouId have been more carefuI.
-Why do you say that? -PeopIe get into troubIe
and then we pay for it.
Why don't you ask me what I'm thinking?
Because I know.
I know when you think of your mom.
Others without kids can do whatever they want.
Not her.
I think your mom knows that.
That's why she feeIs guiIty.
She shouId. She deserves it.
-She didn't kiII anyone. -Because you stopped her.
She won't see me. She can't.
AII right, what do I care?
But what about you? You write her
and she doesn't answer. You visit her and she won't see you.
You piss me off more than she does.
-What shouId I do? -Find someone eIse.
My friends are crazy about you.
AIessia, for exampIe. Don't you Iike her?
-What are you taIking about? -You have gotten oIder.
I have?
You've got a beIIy.
You shouId be carefuI.
Are you stiII in Iove with her?
I don't know.
I think you are. I read your Iast Ietter...
-You what? -By accident.
It was on the tabIe.
It's obvious you stiII think about her.
-I don't want you to. -If you don't mind,
I'd Iike to handIe my own affairs, aII right?
Fine, sorry.
Did we just have a fight?
No, we didn't.
You and I never fight.
No? Why's that?
Because I Iove you too much.
You don't teII me very often.
There's a Iot I don't teII you.
For exampIe?
I've decided to move to Rome.
With Francesca and CarIo.
I want to study Restoration.
You'd have to check with them first.
It's aIready done.
WouId it upset you if I Ieave?
I know, but I'm Ieaving anyway.
Idiot.
TeII me one thing.
You can't speak, or you won't?
I was summoned by the court. Your Iawyer approved.
Do you agree with this decision?
Say yes or no.
I know you have a daughter.
So do I.
With kids, the shame of being in prison is unbearabIe.
But our kids are much stronger than we are, much more aIive.
They have too much to discover
to be torn apart by what their fathers do.
Or mothers.
Are you here to decide if I'm nuts?
Let's just say your Iawyer wouIdn't mind at aII.
My wife and daughter don't know the truth.
UntiI yesterday, I didn't either.
You didn't know you'd committed a crime?
You work in a hospitaI, right?
There must be companies there paying commissions.
NormaIIy five or ten percent.
Is it possibIe you never noticed?
Or it occured to you,
but you Iooked the other way, Iike miIIions of ItaIians.
Then one day a judge appears.
And says the commissions aren't commissions anymore.
Now they're caIIed bribes.
And that financing poIiticaI parties is iIIegaI.
That I'm a thief.
Now that's news!
Prison isn't just for
poor peopIe steaIing appIes anymore.
Now there's reaI justice.
They forget that they were Iining up to pay.
Buying favors, puIIing strings, eIiminating
competition.
Now they want to change the worId.
BeIieve me, doctor.
Nothing has changed.
It's aII a Iie.
They onIy Iock up idiots Iike me
who get caught.
But the others, and there are pIenty...
keep doing the same: steaIing comfortabIy.
It's ItaIy.
I didn't make it. And neither did you.
It's the ItaIy our fathers created, beIieve me.
No, not my father.
BeIieve me.
Your father was a good person.
And you Iike being one, too, right?
-Have you got a cataIogue? -Sure.
Here.
Thank you.
-Are the photos for saIe? -Yes, most of them.
-''Most''? -WeII...
The one from the biIIboard isn't.
Where was this?
What was he doing?
Have you asked?
No, the person who took it wasn't there.
Here's the name. It's a woman.
Look... MireIIa Uta.
Maybe it was for her.
What was?
The eyes.
Maybe it was for her.
Who couId she be?
Who knows when she met Matteo.
How does she know him?
Why do you ask?
She probabIy passed him on the street.
You're wrong.
They taIked.
If you Iike the book you can keep it.
But I want you to go and meet her.
Who?
Her, MireIIa.
I want you to taIk to her.
How wiII I find her? What for?
-Because I said so. -You're not my boss.
I do what I think is right, and this isn't.
Are you offended?
Do you do as I say?
Have I asked you to Ieave?
How many times have I toId you to move in
with EIda and Gina? Do you Iisten to me?
-I'm better here. -No, you're not.
You think you are, but you're not.
To know for sure you have to try Iiving on the outside.
We're reIeasing everyone, and you insist on staying.
You're not nice anymore. You've changed.
You're not even good.
You were, but not anymore. You were nice, but not anymore.
And they compIain that peopIe don't pay taxes!
They've aIready paid too much, way too much!
Excuse me!
-The station chief? -In back on the right.
-Thanks. -You're weIcome.
Where were you going?
To find who took the photo.
What for?
To taIk to her.
I worked it out with the poIice.
We can go. We can go, can't we?
But I won't take you back to the cIinic.
-No, NicoIa, I can't. -Yes, you can.
-No, no, no... -Yes, you can.
You're aIready out.
You have MarceIIo's jacket on. MarceIIo's wondering:
''Where's my jacket?''
You took the tramway, aII by yourseIf.
You're aIready out.
I won't take you back.
That's the house.
Are the others awake?
I think so.
A bus wiII be coming by to take them to work.
You think I can do it?
You aIready have, don't you see?
Then thank you.
Don't thank me.
Matteo's the one who convinced you to Ieave the cIinic.
This is a gift from him.
-Come and visit me. -Of course I wiII.
I'II come and visit every once and a whiIe.
Come on, smiIe!
This is a big day.
Aren't you happy?
Go on.
-Come with me. -No, I won't.
Get your bag, ring the beII
and they'II open the door.
-Here, you keep it. -No, I gave it to you.
On the Iast page
they Iist the titIe of each photo.
Matteo's is number seven.
-Hi, Giampiero. -Hi, Giorgia.
Sev...
en.
MATTEO WHEN HE WAS NICOLA
Of course, but...
isn't there a way to Iocate her?
I see.
Thanks anyway. Goodbye.
I taIked to the agency, but
she doesn't Iive in MiIan anymore.
She moved to PaIermo to cover the massacre.
What are you taIking about?
They've kiIIed Judge FaIcone.
PALERMO MAY 25TH, 1992
Your honor!
-Where are you going? -To see Doctor Carati.
Not today. You'II have to Ieave.
-I'm her brother, NicoIa Carati. -Can't you see what's going on?
PIease go away.
There's Rosaria, Vito Schifano's widow.
Rosaria wants...
She wants to taIk as weII.
She approaches the CardinaI.
Quiet everyone!
TeII everyone that the Lord wiII punish them.
-WeII... -He'II punish them.
They'II burn in heII,
or even worse!
-Let's hope they convert. -Come here.
You said it yourseIf.
-You teII them! -You just did.
-If they convert... -There is hope.
-They'II be forgiven. -No...
The crowd has noticed
the coffins being brought out.
They gather around...
The moment has arrived to pay homage.
Homage to Giovanni FaIcone,
Francesca MorviIIo,
Antonio Montinaro, Vito Schifano,
Rocco di CiIIo.
''Life is worth a button,''
said Giovanni FaIcone.
I'm a SiciIian, a reaI SiciIian.
It's not necessary, thanks. Wait here.
Hi!
I knew you were here, but things have been a mess.
I saw you this morning.
I couIdn't get cIose.
I'm tired.
We're aII tired.
We don't even know where to start.
I feeI Iike hiding my head Iike an ostrich.
You're no ostrich.
Why are you in PaIermo?
I have to see someone. Are you free for Iunch?
I can't even have you over to my pIace.
We have haIf an hour, we have to stay here.
How's Mom? And Francesca?
I haven't been to Rome in ages.
And Sara?
Sara has turned into a beautifuI girI.
She aIways was. How's your IoveIife?
And yours?
I'm the judge here. I ask the questions.
HeIIo?
Thanks for caIIing.
Yeah, fine. Tomorrow, yes.
Where?
AII right. Good night.
It's not what you think.
We educate our chiIdren to respect others.
We instiII a sense of duty.
We instiII a sense of justice.
We instiII moraIity.
We teach them not to beg for
what is ours by right.
We instiII resistence to the mafia.
We must never forget Giovanni FaIcone.
We must never forget
aII those kiIIed by the mafia.
We must aIways
remember them as our own famiIy.
We must Iove each other Iike brothers.
We must defend our Iove by exampIe.
Sorry to keep you waiting,
but I have to deveIop them this afternoon.
We'II taIk Iater.
Aren't you bored?
Thank you.
The photo you saw was taken here.
Right here.
It was very different.
There were orange tabIecIoths.
Had you known him Iong?
Five minutes.
He said his name was NicoIa.
Later, in Rome...
I don't know why, but he never toId me his reaI name.
I found out for myseIf.
I found out that Iast day.
When...
The next night I Ieft.
I went home.
I wanted to come back to the isIand
to find some siIence.
So you saw him again in Rome?
A few hours before...
I'm sorry.
I can't.
Neither can I.
I stiII can't taIk to anyone about it.
I'm sorry.
I have to Ieave soon.
How can you Iive on an isIand
with your job?
I don't work much.
Enough to get by.
Whenever necessary.
When there's important stuff, Iike today.
Are you going back to Turin?
Yes, tonight.
Back to my daughter.
You have a daughter?
Her name is Sara. She's 18 years oId.
Next year
she'II study Restoration.
-She's aII grown up. -Yeah, she is.
Have you got kids?
One.
He's seven and a haIf.
He starts third grade in September.
His name is Andrea.
And he's as handsome as Matteo.
-Morning! -Good morning.
-Can I heIp you? -No, it's okay, sir.
-Sir? -NicoIa!
Mom, you Iook Iike a poor oId Iady!
I am a poor oId Iady!
Why's it so dark?
-I don't Iike the Iight. -It's Iike a dungeon in here.
-Or a funeraI parIor. -I can't be bothered to open them.
-Without Giovanna... -I'II do it.
-Let there be Iight! -Don't make such a fuss.
Come on, Iook what a nice day it is.
-No, pIease... -Look at that sun!
I have something to teII you.
It's wonderfuI news.
It's about Matteo.
One of those unpredictabIe things he used to do.
In PaIermo I met a woman, MireIIa.
She had an reIationship with Matteo.
-A reIationship? -Yeah, they were in Iove.
MireIIa had a chiId
after Matteo had aIready died.
His name is Andrea.
And I think he'd Iike to meet his grandmother.
A boy?
Yes, Mom. A boy.
The train to NapIes Ieaves in an hour.
We can catch the ferry to SiciIy from there.
Wait a second.
What's wrong, Mom?
You want a gIass of water?
I...
I can't.
I'm not ready.
What do you mean?
-How do you know it's true? -It's true, Mom.
I saw him.
Why didn't she say anything after aII this time?
Why didn't she write?
We think bad news is normaI, but good news is hard to beIieve.
Come on, Mom!
-Let's go. -I can't.
Come on, Mom.
Sara wants to move in with CarIo and Francesca.
I know, we taIked about it.
So I'm the Iast one to hear about it. Great.
-Do you mind? -No, of course not.
On the contrary. I understand.
Sara needs a home with a mother in it.
And Francesca is a great mother.
Thanks, sweetie.
Why?
For never being jeaIous of your sibIings.
Not my sibIings. But there is someone...
-Who? -Your students.
-You're jeaIous of my kids? -Yeah, of your kids.
You took them to museums,
you brought them home, corrected their homework...
You Ioved them more than us.
I had to repIace their famiIies.
At home their parents never taIked to them.
So you taIked to them.
I taIked to them.
And I shouId have taIked more to you.
Mom, that's enough.
Mom, don't Iook at me Iike that.
Don't speak MiIanese, you're awfuI at it.
How did you adapt to Rome?
I Ioved it from the start.
That decrepit air...
Rancid, stuffy...
AII those cynicaI peopIe, so rude...
It's just fuII of irony.
-You know how I met your dad? -No.
In the market. Back then he used to seII
vegetabIes, produce...
He'd bring them from NapIes, one of his businesses.
There he was, at the orange stand,
with a sign: ''Spanish oranges.''
And I said: ''Are they reaIIy Spanish?''
And he said: ''Ma'am, can't you hear the castanets?''
-And what did you do? -Nothing, I...
I bought the oranges and married him.
Andrea, they're here.
HeIIo.
HeIIo...?
HeIIo, Grandma.
-HeIIo. -Hi, uncIe!
Your grandma said ''heIIo.'' Stop crying.
I think they're getting aIong.
I wanted to say... Thank you.
-What for? -For Ietting us come.
-It's normaI. -You couId have said no.
Oh, come on!
-Where's your schooI? -There.
-That's the high schooI? -No, it's in Lipari.
-Where's Lipari? -There. But it has no voIcano.
-Are you afraid of the voIcano? -No.
-What are you afraid of? -Nothing.
How Iucky! I'm afraid of Iots of things.
For exampIe, I was afraid to come here.
-You're afraid of the sea? -Yes.
-You can't swim? -That might be it.
It's easy, I'II teach you.
''I speak of the faith that had never Ieft him,
not even when he was on the verge of desperation.
The faith that comes from experience.
He continued on, as if teIIing himseIf
about his own bravery and taIent.
Everything seemed so cIear...''
Keep reading!
''So cIear that in his mind his tone of voice never changed.''
They're photos... photos of Matteo.
I couIdn't Iook at them again.
I've tried many times.
My hands shake.
You keep them.
Andrea wiII be curious to see what his father Iooked Iike
as a boy.
Can we Iook at them together?
-Goodbye. -Goodbye.
-Thanks for everything. -Bye.
See you soon, eh?
Let's go, Mom.
I'II miss your eyes.
No crying, eh?
Don't make me nervous or I'II smack you one.
Why don't you stay?
-What? -There's pIenty of room.
I'd reaIIy Iike that.
And so wouId Andrea, right?
Yeah, Grandma, stay!
Stay, you heard them.
-I have to cIothes. -You have Iots of stuff.
Have Francesca send anything eIse you need.
-You think? -Sure.
Mom, can't you hear the castanets?
Can't you hear them?
You know which is the gas? The one on the right!
ReIax, Mom. I've got it covered.
There's Iots of hats. What do I do with them?
I'II keep them.
I didn't put in the fIower dress.
No, hoId on. She wants it. I'II get it for you.
-Here. -Thanks.
Hi, Grandma.
Great. I'm Iearning Roman.
Yeah, and how are you?
Good. Grandma, about the fIower dress...
Are you sure you need it? It's in fashion again.
But on you it wouId Iook ordinary, right.
You're awfuI!
Why do you want to Iook oIder than you reaIIy are?
-That's enough. -Not if I wear it.
-Francesca agrees. -It Iooks great on her.
-Go on, teII Grandma. -No, reaIIy.
You remember that photo with Dad in Capri?
Are you ready?
Are you sure it Iooks good on me?
Yeah, you Iook great.
Though with heeIs who knows...
I can't stand up in heeIs.
Hurry up, the kids are getting out of schooI.
-Can I drive? -You'd better not.
-Come on, Iet me! -No, pIease.
Thank you.
I Iike this pIace.
It's faIIing apart. Too much work.
-But it's pretty. -You have to take care of yourseIf.
I'II taIk to the owner.
Yeah, taIk to the owner.
-When's the break over? -Professor!
SIavery doesn't exist!
-Since LincoIn! -You hear?
What hard workers!
''Parrari picca, travagghiari assai.''
-Less taIking and more working. -Got it?
You're bringing him up right, Professor!
TUSCANY, VAL D'ORCIA SPRING OF 1995
Here we are.
WeII?
A minute of siIence before this poetry, eh?
What? Don't Iook at me Iike that,
it's one of the most beautifuI pIaces in the worId.
-The view is amazing. -Just as weII, because...
-Is this it? -It's made of cIay.
-It's in ruins! -Come on, boys.
Use your imagination!
Men of IittIe faith, with no imagination. This way.
WeII?
Two, three briIIiant soIutions.
-BriIIiant? -BriIIiant?
Look at these cracks! Bigger than my hand!
-It needs to be rebuiIt. -The foundation is cracked!
Yeah, but I caIIed you, Micavi Construction.
But if we rebuiId over cIay...
Here, a beam.
Red ceramic tiIes, Iike the square in Siena.
You been there? AII you do is compIain?
What are you compIaining about? You make a fortune!
-Now you're the owner! -AII I have is debts.
No, the owners aIways compIain.
That's enough of that!
The windows are okay where they are.
I'd use aIuminum...
-Not aIuminum! -AIuminum!
-Not aIuminum! -You'II kiII him!
Look at the kitchen. It's amazing.
Francesca wants a big kitchen.
Look at that chimney. It's magnificent.
Here's the bathroom...
And the kids' bedroom...
Every room has its own bathroom.
Every room. Here's another office...
Or whatever.
Let's see what you come up with.
And here's the probIem: these basins.
I don't know if I shouId keep them. What do you think?
That doesn't matter. The probIem is
you need a Iayer of aeration...
The fIoors, originaI handmade fired cIay.
You know what that costs?
I want originaI handmade fired cIay.
Micavi.
It's an officiaI request.
Micavi Construction, can it be done?
Look at that.
Goddamn it!
Can it be done?
WeII, it depends.
If you ask me with the respect I'm due,
maybe we can obIige.
Where's that wood! I'm starving!
Coming, one second!
You sound Iike a boss!
You know there's a boy chasing after Sara?
Yeah, Francesca toId me.
-What's he Iike? -He comes over every day.
-Every day? -Every day.
He picks her up, takes her to schooI...
-Brings her home at night... -At Ieast he brings her home.
-He brings her home. -Thank God.
What's he Iike? Is he a good kid?
Yeah, Iike us at his age.
That's comforting, thank you.
-You'II soon be a granddad. -Hey, watch it!
-Grandpa, where are you? -Don't provoke me!
-Come on, we're hungry. -We need to start a fire.
CarIo, grab a newspaper.
-We'II make a fire. -My newspapers?
-Your newspapers. -Go find one.
HeIIo?
GiuIia, where are you?
No, she's at schooI. She'II be back Iater.
HeIIo?
-Can I park it here a minute? -Just a minute.
Thanks, I'II be right back.
Hi.
-ShaII I caII her? -No.
-Won't you come over? -No, I'm Ieaving.
Who's that?
Mimmo, her boyfriend.
-I have to go. -Wait a second.
-Don't teII her you saw me. -Why?
-PIease. -I'II give you a ride.
No, stay here.
I can take you.
Stay here.
You mustn't inhibit his gestures.
It wouId be Iike saying they're senseIess.
They might make sense to him, you understand?
Yes. It seems impossibIe to me.
Nothing's impossibIe.
Yeah, but I don't know what to do.
Try to find the sense in them.
Nothing more.
It's Iike deciphering hierogIyphics.
But in the end we managed to decipher them, right?
We'II have the usuaI meeting.
-CaII the others. -We'II meet you inside.
No, Iet's do it out here, under that tree.
Bien, my dear chiIdren,
see if you can guess this animaI.
Now my assistent, Giacomo,
wiII do his mime for us. PIease.
Very particuIar.
This is a very difficuIt animaI,
and Giacomo dispIays his great gift for mime.
-A Iizard! -No, but cIose.
It's an animaI that sIithers... that sIithers...
-A worm! -Not a worm.
-It sIithers, but not a worm. -A snaiI!
Not a snaiI.
It's not poisonous.
And Iet's say it's... It's very smooth.
-A caterpiIIar! -No, it's smooth, so it's a...
-A snake! -Good, a snake!
Giacomo did a marveIous job.
After huge success in Monaco, Paris and London
our very own Giacomo wiII now perform his Iast mime!
This is a very difficuIt animaI.
-A hare! -Not a hare.
NicoIa, shaII I Ieave your maiI in your office?
No, I'II read it here.
The maiI has arrived.
-A fox! -No.
No certificate...
A postcard from Giorgia.
A mouse!
A Ietter... But there's a mistake.
This Ietter is for Doctor NicoIa Carati.
-Who's that? -You!
-Me? -Yeah, you!
You're right! Jesus, I aIways forget!
-You read it, Giacomo. -He doesn't know how!
-Sure he does, you'II see. -I know how to read!
He knows how, too.
No, I'II open it, because
the gIue
is particuIar.
There.
You read it.
So everyone can hear.
SiIence! An important Ietter!
''Dear NicoIa:
I wouId have preferred
not to write
this Ietter.
You mother
has passed away.
She didn't suffer,
she went in her sIeep
very quietIy.
I write you
now
because
she made me promise
that when
she was gone
I wouIdn't
bother
anyone.
A kiss.
See you soon.
MireIIa.''
Good, Giacomo.
You read great.
Very good.
Is there sea where my dad is buried?
No, not cIoseby.
You shouId bring him. Near the sea.
You're right.
I'II bring him. I promise.
What was he Iike?
Him?
He was Iike AchiIIes.
You know who AchiIIes was? Your grandma must have toId you.
He was brave and sad Iike him.
He hoped the gods wouId take him away earIy.
You know how the gods are.
The best peopIe, the ones they Iove most,
are sent to Earth
and Iater taken away. But they Ieave a mark
so that we don't forget them.
You're that mark.
This morning, Iooking at the atIas, you Iooked just Iike him.
We did the same thing, Iong ago. We Iooked at an atIas,
because we wanted to take a trip.
We had to go somewhere far away,
where there was onIy sea.
That pIace was caIIed Cape North.
Where's that?
There.
And did you go?
I tried, but didn't make it aII the way.
Your dad wanted to go,
but in the end he Iost interest.
The gods were caIIing him.
Yeah, the gods were caIIing him.
-Why don't you stay Ionger? -I have to Ieave today.
Tomorrow the kids have a test.
-I don't want to go back. -Then stay.
I'II take you to France, to Greece,
to Africa, wherever you want.
Go on, choose.
WiII it be another 3 years?
No, of course not.
It's great to see you, Andrea...
SPRING OF 2000
It's definiteIy beautifuI.
BeautifuI? It's subIime!
A paradise. We toId him when we saw it.
I toId him right away: '' Buy this house.''
-He didn't want to. -And we insisted.
-So we said: '' Buy it.'' -And convinced him.
Look at that orchard! It's new!
-He even put in paIm trees. -In front?
They're smaII, but...
You made a nice IittIe sum on this project, eh?
Money off my friends?
You never make money off of friends.
-No, in spirit. -In spirit, right.
In the spirit of giving without receiving.
But they're driving me crazy.
Your sister is worse than he is.
Watch what you say about my sister.
I'II come after you.
She wants the roof tiIes darker so the match the...
-She has her reasons, right? -Fine, but...
Your car can bareIy make it...
It's getting oId. Like us.
CarIo!
-Francesca! -Is anyone home?
Observe, pIease... observe the arch.
-WonderfuI. -This...
-The orchard. -My favorite pIace.
Very Japanese...
Sara!
-Your daughter's getting married? -Yeah.
Are you happy?
-Yeah. -So teII me.
Did he ask your permission?
He did. With Iots of respect.
He's a good kid.
Good.
He needs a haircut.
You're right.
Look at this opening! It's magnificent.
A great work by a great artist.
You're Iike BruneIIeschi, Leon Battista AIberti!
Some day this wiII aII be yours.
Thanks.
Let's go for a swim.
-A swim? -You bring a suit?
-You seen my gut? -Give me a one-piece.
AII I have is a thong, but...
We're gIad you couId make it.
So are we.
It's amazing here.
That's why I invited you.
-Is everything okay? -Yes.
-And you? -Fine, fine.
Are you gIad your daughter's getting married?
Very much.
-Are you happy? -Yes.
Everything's okay?
-Yes. -Good.
I'm going to taIk to your son.
-I'II Ieave you two. -See you Iater?
-Bye. -Bye.
WeII?
-How are you? -Fine.
Good answer. Concise,
brief.
Growing a beard?
Or have you just not shaven?
How do I Iook?
What matters
is what the girI you Iike thinks of it.
That I don't know.
Then ask her.
What's she Iike?
Pretty?
-Very. -Have you toId her?
-It's not easy. -I know.
But teII her anyway.
First teII her she's pretty,
then teII her so are you.
-What does that mean? -You're handsome.
The question is whether you Iook better with or without the beard.
Is she funny?
I don't think so.
-Forget pIan A. PIan B. -Jump her bones?
How couId I teII my nephew to do such a thing?
What's her name?
-Ermione. -Ermione?
Jump her bones.
Get out of here! I couIdn't.
I know you couIdn't.
-Let go. -No, I won't!
The happy coupIe.
-Such beautifuI curIs! -Leave him aIone, Dad.
Fine, I won't touch.
I need to taIk to you.
Come on.
What is it?
Sara, my Iove:
I'm working in FIorence, at the Iibrary.
The other day I saw a newspaper from 1966
and I found a photo. I thought you might want
to see what your mom and dad Iooked Iike as kids.
You were born of the Iove between two happy peopIe,
and aII the sadness that came after
had nothing to do with you.
I'm trying to start over, far away from everyone.
I know my presence bothers you,
and I hate to bother anyone.
It came a few days ago.
That's you and Mom, right?
In FIorence, in 1966.
What do I do?
It depends how strong you are.
-Are you happy? -Of course!
Then it's time to be generous.
Goodbye!
IN MEMORY OF THE AID GIVEN TO FLORENCE
BY YOUTHS FROM ITALY AND ABRO AD
AFTER THE FLOODS IN 1966
Mom!
GiuIia!
Sara.
Mom!
Mom, have you got a bed?
Yeah, mine, but it's smaII.
We'II squeeze in.
I'd rather sIeep here. I don't feeI Iike driving.
-HeIIo. -Yes?
-Can you take our picture? -Sure.
Here goes. Move your heads cIoser.
Say ''cheese.''
-There. -Thanks.
-You're weIcome. -Arigato.
''Arigato.''
Let's go do a IittIe shopping.
For my new house.
Where can we go...?
There's Iots of stuff here.
This couId be for bread, but it's too sad for me.
These wouId be okay for pIate settings.
I don't know. For pots...
Something brighter, that stands out.
What's that?
A cast to make hats.
-Can we have a Iook? -Sure.
Thank you.
It's the famous ''Maestro di Santo Spirito.''
Two brothers painted it, Domenico deI Mazziere's sons,
AgnoIo and Donnino.
But I Iike Donnino much better,
I think he painted the baby.
Look at it.
It's beautifuI.
''II Maestro de Ia Conversazzione di Santo Spirito.''
And this is one of Maso di Banco's greatest works.
My favorite.
AII these virgins with babies...
Why do you Iike them so much?
You're pregnant!
Nobody knows yet.
How can I heIp?
There is one thing you can do.
-What? -PIay for me.
-Where? How? -There's an organ.
I haven't pIayed in ages. I can't.
Besides, we'd have to ask for permission.
Fine, forget it.
I ask onIy one thing of you,
and you can't because we have to ask permission?
You wanted to change
the worId and now you need permission to pIay?
Right.
Let's go.
One more?
No. I'm dead.
I'II abstain.
Give me a hand, I need a crane.
-SIowIy... -Easy.
-SIowIy... -What are we doing?
CarefuI.
This way, the exit's over here.
However...
you
shouId get one thing straight in your mind.
-ShouId I? -Go ahead.
I wiII.
Stop thinking of your brother Matteo as an obstacIe.
If you continue to think of him as an obstacIe
you'II end up hating him.
Are you drunk?
Yes. Good night.
However...
However.
-It's okay. -There was a thigh there.
You made a mess.
Sure you won't come to the wedding?
No, I'II come visit when the baby's born.
You promise?
Good.
Do you aIways wear those?
The sungIasses?
You Iook better without.
-Bye. -Bye, sweetie.
-Good morning. -Morning.
-Hi. -Hi.
Hi.
You want some coffee?
Yes, thank you.
-Have you had breakfast? -Yes. Some miIk?
Yes, thank you.
Did you sIeep in your cIothes?
No, I didn't sIeep.
Are you worried about something?
Sara?
No, not at aII.
That time, on the boat,
I wanted to kiss you.
Me, too.
NORWAY SPRING OF 2003
Dear uncIe...
or shouId I caII you Dad?
Anyway...
Dear NicoIa: We finaIIy made it.
Sometimes I think I recognize
the pIaces described to me when I was a kid.
Maybe it's just a fantasy.
It's nice doing things with the peopIe you Iove,
even though Ermione is very stubborn
and aIways changing her mind.
Are they aII Iike that?
Why not? Where are you going?
Go on!
Come on, pIease! Come here!
I convinced Ermione to take a fIight with me to Cape North.
She's terrified, but it'II save us three days.
I see the midnight sun faII to the horizon,
but then it stops and never reaches the sea.
I remember my father, my mother and you,
how you aIways say that everything is beautifuI.
I think you're right. Everything is reaIIy beautifuI.