Fresh fruit! Tasty veggies!
Look down here!
Fresh fruit! Tasty veggies!
Come.
Look.
See?
Control your sister!
- I didn't do nothin'! - I'll give you what for, li'l brute!
You hear me? Enough, shut up!
I don't want to hear another word!
You come with me, I told you to stay with me.
- You hear me, Elisa? Answer me! - Yes.
Why do they always beat up on me?
Because...
'Cause they're boys and they're stinkers.
You'll see!
What you got here?
What you got?
You're laughing now? All better?
Dummy, come here!
Like that.
Where's she going now?
Stop it!
Lila!
What are you hollering for? Lila's not here.
- Where'd she go? - I dunno.
Maybe she's with Carmela.
What's wrong, Lenù?
Gimme these.
- Those are good. - No. I want these, they're better.
No, these are too big.
Enzo, have you seen Lila?
No, I just got here.
- Will that be all? - Gimme two more, it's not enough.
Put them in, go on.
Buy your fruit from Enzo Scanno!
- Lenù. - Hi.
- You know where Lila is? - We haven't seen her.
- You want glasses? - No, we're taking them outside.
- What's wrong, Lenù? - Nothing.
Goodbye.
Lila!
What's going on?
I need to tell you something.
What?
I only want to tell you.
Can Carmela stay?
All right, you can hear it, too.
- I hurt myself between my legs. - How'd you do that?
Down there?
I've had it for a year already. It happens once a month.
Your belly, your kidneys hurt, but then it goes away.
Really?
Women have it by nature.
- But you need to tell your mamma. - No, I don't want to.
- Who'll give you your pads? - What are you talking about?
- Aunt Flo's paid her a visit. - Who's that?
It means you're grown up and can have kids.
I thought I was dying.
If you died from it, there'd be no more women.
Have you got it?
I haven't got it because I don't want it.
- You'll get it, anyway. - It's gross.
Those who get it are gross, too.
- Carmela, you coming? - I gotta go to work.
Look, Lenù.
You got a stain.
You really do have a stain.
Don't worry, it's nothing.
I felt that Lila didn't want to be my friend anymore.
Since I'd started middle school it was as if I no longer existed.
She was always with Carmela.
They spent the day in the shop, me at school.
And all that made me very sad.
Are you crying?
It's nothing to cry about.
You gotta wash it at once in cold water,
or else you can't get the blood out anymore, got me?
I made you some pads.
You need to pin them firmly in your underpants.
You need to wedge it between your legs.
Are you listening to me?
Don't look at me like that.
Keep it wedged up, if it falls down, it's really embarrassing.
And from now on, lock the door.
Davide Canciano.
Good work.
Alfonso Carracci.
Good.
Cristaldi.
Lost cause.
Read the corrections and bring them back to me.
Cammella.
Greco.
If you go on like this, you'll risk failing the year.
You only have a few months to catch up.
Melchiorre.
Always the bare minimum, you.
Palmieri.
Zero, Palmieri.
Gigliola Spagnuolo.
None of what I did by myself,
middle school, books, Latin,
was thrilling enough.
Lila never showed any curiosity about my schoolwork.
If her voice withdrew from things,
everything seemed tainted and dusty.
Hi, Lila.
Coming home from school?
Yes.
And you? What are you up to?
Nothing, I was working.
- But I saw you writing... - No.
What's the matter?
- Tell me the truth, you were writing. - What are you talking about?
- You were writing another book. - Again with the books?
They're for you, I don't think about novels anymore.
- Will you hurry up? - Sorry, I have to go back inside.
I'll wait for you if you like.
I told Carmela I'd eat at her house.
See you. Bye, Lenù.
- Hi. - Hi, Elena.
- Hi, Carmela. - Hi, Lenù.
- What's new? - Just coming home from school.
Hi, Lenù. - Hi, Alfonso.
- He goes to school with you, right? - Yeah.
He's in my class.
Carmela, what's Lila doing?
What do you think? She's working.
- Doing what? - Working.
Ad a!
Here's the Solaras with their new car...
Ad a!
Go!
Come here, Ada!
Go!
Who made you so gorgeous?
When men see you, they only think of one thing.
Let's take a look at you.
What's going on?
Turn around, do a little twirl.
The girl's all grown up!
- She's wearing lipstick, Marcello. - Show me.
Come here.
- Did you put it on for us? - No, because I like it.
- Get in, we'll go for a spin. - I can't.
- We'll stay in the neighborhood. - I can't.
Come on, get in.
- Really, I can't. - Get in!
Look, she's getting in.
Start her up.
They're going for a drive.
Don't worry, they'll be right back.
Ma'am, I'm all done.
Go eat.
- See you later. - Goodbye.
See that?
Lucky her!
Michele's as handsome as an angel from Heaven.
The Solaras always look like they got a light shining on them.
- Where did they go? - What do you care?
She wants to take a spin with the Solaras.
A spin?
Are you blind? They abducted her.
- What if Antonio notices? - Antonio mustn't notice.
- She'll go for a spin and come back. - A spin? Again?
I saw how they dragged her in.
- What if they hurt her? - They won't hurt her.
They'll do her good. You need to shut up.
They'll hug her, kiss her, but they won't hurt her.
Actually, it's nice.
You don't know anything, of course they'll hurt her!
Those guys don't just kiss, they bite like mad dogs.
And instead little thingies boys have,
they've got purple snakes that squirt poison in your belly.
Poison! What the fuck are you talking about?
She always has to exaggerate.
You saw how handsome they are? They're such hunks.
Sure, they're handsome,
but is that a reason to let them drag us into their car?
They take Ada and we stay quiet, because they're just gonna kiss?
What if they take you tomorrow?
If they take us all, one by one?
Don't worry.
They don't even see you, you're still a snot-nosed kid.
You don't understand shit.
- Where are you going? - Wherever I want.
- Weren't you coming to lunch? - I lost my appetite.
Lila, wait!
I'm busy, if you wanna waste time watching the Solaras
and you're happy how they treat you, go right ahead.
But I have to work, I have to make money.
Or else they'll squash you just for the hell of it.
Just look how the Solaras behave.
Pinuccia Carracci, who's beautiful, they've never bothered her.
You know why they act like this with Ada?
Because she's poor, she doesn't count.
To escape this neighborhood you need money
and to make money you need work that pays.
They don't touch me because I'm ugly.
But if it happens...
until I get rich...
I'll defend myself with this.
Bye, Lenù.
Hi, Lenù.
Hi.
- Got any more? - Inside I've got a full one.
What's going on?
What have you done? Where have you been?
- Nowhere. - Let's go home.
Let's go home.
She came for a drive with us. She even put on lipstick.
- What do you care? - She's my sister.
Then tell your sister to stop slutting around the neighborhood.
- My sister's a slut? - Antonio...
- My sister's a slut? - Your sister's a slut.
Antonio!
Help me!
Pieces of shit!
Antonio!
Help me!
Michele, now come in.
Michele, stop it! Go away!
The fuck are you looking at?
There's more for you, too!
Let's go!
You hear me?
Help me!
Pissant!
Inside, nothing happened here.
Antonio!
It's Pasquale! Antonio, look at me.
Antonio, let's go.
Come.
Let's get outta here.
Antonio...
"Ozia", Greco? "Otia"!
Do you remember what "otia" means?
We said that in this case, "otia" means peace.
So the correct translation is...
God made this peace for us.
Better: a god gave us this peace.
Tell me the paradigm of "fecit".
You haven't even learned the verbs!
Go back to your seat.
We're not getting anywhere like this.
"Fecit" is the perfect tense of "facere".
For tomorrow review all the verbs.
Let's try to translate together...
You don't put cotton wool there, do you?
What?
Your tits, are they real?
Yes, they're real.
I knew it! I bet twenty lire.
If I win, I can give you ten lire.
- But I need proof. - Proof?
You gotta show me there's no cotton wool.
- You're out of your mind. - Wait.
Ten lire, it'll only take a minute.
Just show me there's no cotton wool.
Come on! It'll only take a minute.
- Money first. - What if you've got cotton wool?
I don't.
That day I experienced for the first time
the magnetic force my body exerted on males,
but above all I realized that Lila acted within me
like a demanding ghost.
In her absence, I'd put myself in her place,
or rather, I'd made room for her inside me
and I'd defied Gino.
- There you are. - Thank you.
See how pretty Greco's daughter is now?
So, what are you paying?
Just a sfogliatella? That's 35 lire.
- I only have ten... - No, Mamma.
It's on me.
Do you want a book?
Come in.
Don't just stand there, come in.
Pick one out. There are so many, take the one you like.
All right? Go on.
When you've picked one, come here and we'll make you a card.
Already done? You know what you want.
Excellent choice, "Moby Dick".
A great book.
- What's your name? - Elena Greco.
Greco Elena...
- Date of birth? - August 25 1944.
You're Elena Greco, a former student here?
- So, you're a friend of Cerullo's? - Yes.
Do me a favor...
Take this to her, she forgot it here.
LATIN GRAMMAR - THEORY
- What is it? - Latin grammar.
You can keep the book 15 days. All right?
Here.
And be sure to tell all your friends, your relatives:
this library is open to all.
- Thank you, goodbye. - Goodbye.
Why had she left me on my own?
why did she talk about work when she was still studying?
And why was she studying Latin?
It's no use,
we don't have the money to pay a tutor for you.
We spent everything on the books, the dictionary.
I don't want to get into debt with the Solaras.
You're obviously not cut out for it.
I'm very sorry.
Mamma, is there any more pasta?
Give me your plate.
We can't pay for private lessons,
but you can study on your own.
If you do well in your next test, you'll pass the year.
My daughter is not dumber than Gigliola.
No one's saying you can't do it.
You can do it.
Ma, I'm done, can I leave the table?
Put on your pajamas.
Tomorrow we'll buy you a brassiere, I can't see you like this.
You're not a little girl anymore.
What's that noise? Go take a look.
Lenù!
- Hi. - Hi.
I hear you have my book.
The book Ferraro gave you for me.
Be right down.
I'm here.
Thanks.
Are you studying Latin?
Why?
Because it's beautiful.
I don't understand it, I always get an F.
- You don't study? - Of course I study.
- I don't get it just the same. - Show me how you study.
- My mom said I have to go back up. - A moment.
Come here.
- Read this. - No, come on...
Read it.
- Translate it. - No, I don't want to.
- I haven't got the dictionary. - You don't need it.
Show me how you do it.
I look for the subject.
- "Herculem". - "Herculem" is the subject?
No, you're right.
It's the direct object.
Did your teacher tell to do it like that?
No.
She never says anything,
she sets exercises and that's it, I just do it that way.
All right.
You have to see where the verb is.
Depending on the person of the verb, you figure out what the subject is
and when you've got the subject,
you look for the direct object, if the verb's transitive,
otherwise the other object.
Do you understand what to do?
Where's the subject here?
"Germani"?
Good.
See, you've got it.
I'll never pass the year.
I feel so confused.
- I forget everything I study. - Don't talk nonsense.
Lila...
It's hard.
Not for you.
I gotta go now.
Lila?
- Are we still friends? - Yes.
Can we study together occasionally?
You study for me.
I gotta do something important with Rino.
- What? - I'll show you when it's done.
See you, Lenù. Good night.
From that day on, I didn't see her anymore.
All I did was study and in the end I was the best in the school.
Even better than Alfonso who was a straight-A student
and miles better than Gigliola.
And yet everything seemed foggy to me.
I didn't go out anymore, not even after I passed.
I felt ugly, my books were all that existed for me.
- Where's Lenuccia? - In the bathroom.
Lenù, there's an envelope for you.
- What envelope? - How should I know?
Who is it?
- It's from the primary school. - Open it.
What do they want?
It's an invitation from the school library.
Mr Ferraro signed it.
Are you kidding me now? Read it.
"We are pleased to invite Elena Greco
to the annual award ceremony
for the most frequent users of the library..."
If they paid us for all the books you've read, we'd be rich.
We could ask the stationer if she'll give her a job this summer.
She's so clever she'd be good at selling books, notebooks...
I could see if a job frees up at the courthouse.
At times I felt the need go see Lila, but then I'd drop the idea.
I would have felt how useless the novels I read were,
how drab my life was and my future and what I would become:
an unmarried city employee, sooner or later,
cross-eyed, with a limp.
- You ready? Open up. - It's not locked.
- Why aren't you ready? - I don't want to go.
You're going.
You're always reading, they invited you to the library and you'll go.
Listen...
Take this.
If you like,
on Sundays or on occasions like this
you can wear it.
Why?
You've been good, haven't you?
Thank you, sit down.
Good day, welcome, everyone.
Thank you for joining us here
at our neighborhood library.
We've invited you here
to tell you more about what we do.
As well as the numerous volumes of literature that we have,
novels, short stories, non-fiction...
- Lenù. - Hi, Carmela.
I haven't seen you for ages! Where have you been?
- I haven't seen anyone. - Why?
My mother makes me help out a lot at home.
- Did you pass? - Yes.
Will you two shut up?
We wanted to reward
the most frequent users of the library.
If I may, I'd like to get the prize-giving underway.
In fifth place,
winning a book by Jerome Klapka,
"Three Men in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog)"
is the full title.
The winner is Elena Greco.
Is Elena Greco here?
Yes, of course. Go, Elena.
Come on up, Greco. A round of applause.
In fourth place, winning the book by Rodenbach
"Bruges-la-Morte"
is Rino Cerullo.
Is Rino Cerullo here?
Rino Cerullo's not here.
In third place,
winning the book by Curwood,
"A Gentleman of Courage",
Nunzia Cerullo.
Is Nunzia Cerullo here?
Nunzia's not here either, let us proceed.
Second place,
winning the book, "Voyages Around the World" by Captain Fanning,
Fernando Cerullo.
Is Fernando here?
Fernando's not here either.
At this point, it's not difficult to guess
who the first place goes to...
Raffaella 'Lila' Cerullo.
Whom I don't see.
The prize was "Crime and Punishment"
by Dostoyevsky, an important prize.
Lenù!
- Carmela? - She's gone home.
Which one is Rino's prize?
"Bruges-la-Morte."
- Has it got ghosts in it? - I don't know.
At elementary school I sat next to Rino.
After six, seven years we could barely read
"tobacconist", "grocery store", "post office".
Can I come with you to take him the books?
I don't know.
I want to give them to that blockhead with my own hands.
All right.
Rinuccio won a prize, I can't believe it.
She's so clever that girl, she read them all.
Greco!
Pardon me.
My, how you've grown. And you're so pretty.
- It's not true, Miss. - You're a picture of health.
And you're also good at school, one of the top students.
Yes.
- What are your plans? - I'm going to work.
I won't hear of it. You have to go on to high school.
My parents don't want me to keep studying.
- What did you get in Latin? - A in the end.
A?
Yes.
Forget about him, he's a bricklayer and he always will be.
Besides, he comes from a bad family,
his father's a Communist and a murderer.
He killed Don Achille.
His son's a Communist, too, for sure.
I don't want to see you with him.
I'll see to it that you stay in school.
Lenù.
Shall we go together tomorrow?
To take Rino his prize.
See you at four in the gardens?
Are you a Communist?
Yes.
Do you go to visit your dad in prison?
When I can.
I'll see you tomorrow.
That was the first date of my life.
No boy had ever asked me out.
Come in.
- All right, I'm going. - I'll see you out.
No.
So, it's decided, you're going to high school.
You will continue your studies,
but you've got to be the best in the school, or it'll be trouble.
Yes.
This girl will give us great satisfaction.
And no more talking to Pasquale Peluso.
Walk me to the door. Goodbye.
What is Cerullo doing, working?
Yes, she helps her father and brother in the shoe store.
- Repairing shoes? - No.
She sweeps, cleans up, I don't really know.
I hardly ever see her.
She sweeps and cleans up?
And she knows you passed with a perfect score?
Tell her.
And tell her you're going to high school and you'll study Greek, too.
I will.
Damn you and that fucking school!
We can't even say no, or she'll take it out on Elisa at school.
That Oliviero woman pisses me off!
She gets these ideas and then we have to make sacrifices!
I'll break your legs if I see you with him!
- I only spoke to him... - I don't care!
I'll break your legs, one at a time.
Be careful, Lenù.
I can't believe you'll still be going to school!
You'll make me curse God!
Help me!
What's going on?
Mamma, aren't you ashamed?
What's going on?
- I knew it! - Shut up!
Shut up, go upstairs! Help me.
Melina, calm down.
What's wrong?
They sent her a book.
She's never opened a book in her life.
- It's a book by Donato Sarratore. - That's why.
On the first page he wrote a dedication to her
and he marked the poems he wrote for her.
Melina's love was real, it was requited.
We thought it was all in her head.
Yeah...
That changes everything.
Was Lila good at school?
- What? - Was she good at school?
Yes, she was the best.
Even though I did better in the final exams.
You and Lila are good friends, right?
Yes, but I haven't seen her for a while.
Really? She's turned into such a pretty girl.
What do you think of her?
I don't know.
- What's she like? - Lila?
She's my best friend.
What are you staring at?
Let's go.
Hi, Rino. Hi, Lila.
Hi, Pasquale. Hi, Lenù.
These are yours.
Mr Ferraro gave them to me.
- What were you doing? - Working.
- Why those faces? - The faces of people working.
What are you doing here at this hour?
I took half an hour off, I'm working on the new houses.
They're books from the library. You won this one.
It's a prize? What library?
My stuff.
You brought me "Bruges-la-Morte"?
When he has read the story of this Bruges, tell me if he liked it,
maybe I'll read it, too.
Since when have you ever read a book?
Excuse me, professor!
She read them all, that's why she won.
You're so clever, Lila.
- Know what I'll do with this Bruges? - What'll you do with her?
- Let's go outside, there are girls. - We can talk here.
- Let's go outside. - We can talk here.
Let's go outside.
Pasquale?
Bruges is a city, not a woman.
It says here she's dead.
Your sister knows so many things...
Come with me.
You look really good.
So do you.
No, I don't. I'm covered in pimples.
Did you hear about Melina?
Yes.
Do you realize? We know someone who wrote a book.
He lived near us, I used to see him every day.
Sarratore will make heaps of money like the writer of "Little Women".
With this?
PROOF OF CALM
Who gave it to you?
Antonio, so his mom won't find it.
"To Melina who nourished my song.
Naples, June 12 1958."
So far, these poems have caused nothing but trouble.
Why?
Sarratore didn't have the courage to go to Melina in person,
so he sent the book.
Isn't that wonderful?
Who knows? What if the book's not enough?
If Sarratore doesn't come, Melina will suffer even more.
It's true.
Lila?
I'm so happy to see you, Lenù.
Me too.
Pasquale?
He's gone back to work.
What do we do?
She won't tell anybody.
About what?
Stand here.
We're creating a men's travel shoe.
Swear you won't say anything to anyone.
I swear.
Look at this.
Do you like them?
They're very elegant.
And this one?
Did you come up with them yourself?
They don't look like the ones you see in the neighborhood,
or in photonovels.
We work on them when Dad goes up for his nap,
a little bit every day.
We want to show that they're beautiful and comfortable.
If we can convince him, we can start making them.
Two pairs of shoes today, four tomorrow,
thirty a month, 400 a year.
We'll open a shoe factory with machinery.
And at least fifty workers.
Cerullo Shoemakers.
Lenù, have you seen the car the Solaras have got?
Have you seen how well the Carraccis' grocery store is doing?
People are making money and they want to spend it.
They're really beautiful.
Let's get back to work, if Dad comes back we can't do anymore.
I'll be right back. I'll come with you.
I'll keep going.
Make sure you don't tell anyone.
I heard you passed.
Yes.
Are you going to work?
No.
Miss Oliviero convinced my parents to send me to high school.
What's that?
It's an important school after middle school.
- And what are you going there for? - To study.
- What? - Latin.
And Greek, too.
Greek?
Yeah.
Lenù...
Last week Aunt Flo visited me, too.
So, what are you two doing in this shithole neighborhood?
You go back and forth, back and forth...
You should be showing Naples how beautiful you are.
And Naples is big, it's the most beautiful city in the world.
As beautiful as you are.
Get in, we'll go for a spin around town.
Thanks, but we can't.
Michele, brake!
Did you see the lovely bracelet the porter's daughter is wearing.
Holy Mother!
- See what you did? - It can be fixed.
Don't worry, I'll get it repaired for you.
Don't worry.
Lila, no!
Touch her again and you'll see what happens.
She won't do anything to you, this bitch hasn't got the guts.
Come here and see if I've got the guts.
Stop, Michele.
Get back in the car, we're leaving.
Well done.
Sorry about the bracelet.
Let's go.
Promise you won't say anything to Rino.
The scene's so clear in my mind.
Lila was on Marcello like she'd seen an insect on his face
and she wanted to shoo it away.
What stayed in my head was the absolute certainty I had at the time.
Lila would not have hesitated to slit his throat.