One of the survival rules people in Palermo learn from childhood
is to accept any wrong with fatalistic resignation,
but my mother was different, she was made of different stuff,
she couldn't accept not getting the permanent post that year either.
So she picked up all her courage and went to the Education Offices
to see with her own eyes who'd got the post in her place.
Excuse me.
As if they'd change the forms!
He was right!
- Has anyone got a pen? - She wants a pen now!
Lococo, Tagliabue and Manfredi.
Lococo, Tagliabue and Manfredi!
Careful! What are you doing?
They've flung me right down at the bottom, you see?
What do you mean "at the bottom"?
Yes, passed by people who came after me up to last year.
How is it they get in and I don't? Can you tell me?
- It's fishy. - I've been conned, Lorenzo!
Sure, a little hand must've interceded at the right moment to fix things.
Even if you know how it works, it still hurts when it hits you.
Meaning? Should I accept because that's how things work?
No, Pia, not at all, but these are only suspicions!
- I won't be conned. - Suspicions won't get us anywhere.
- I won't be conned! - Now listen, we'll check everything.
We'll go through all the papers, one by one,
if you're right we'll lodge an appeal and they'll correct the classification.
- Are you sure? - Start giving me the names.
My dear Massimo, I love you, but I think you've gone mad,
this is a life sentence!
But you church folks always say marriage is important.
I've fallen in love, I feel Patrizia's the right one!
The right one? Now, what do you want exactly?
I want to ask you to marry us.
- Here? - Sure, we've got a beautiful church.
When?
I don't know, we were thinking the end of April.
Let me check. It's difficult.
May, June and July... no way. End of April?
What do you mean by end of April? The 10th, the 11th?
- From the 20th on. - From the 20th on.
Difficult, difficult, I can't find...
Giacì! These are from us... To restore the church of the Madonna.
- Are you interested in Maciste? - In who?
- Maciste. - Who's Maciste?
- My organist, Maciste. - So I get the whole service here.
A family man, with six children, he's in need...
Where on earth do you keep your money?
Don't count! Don't count!
I'll get Maciste's wife too, a beautiful voice, like a singer.
After the ceremony we'll come here for the reception.
We'll put some tables under the awning and some scattered around the garden
and there'll be a big orchestra there, so after dinner we'll dance all night!
- Come over here, love! - It's lovely! Marvellous!
Cinderella didn't marry in such a place! It's for rich aristocrats.
You'll marry here because you deserve the best!
My brother's getting married. It seems impossible.
- Actually there's another little thing. - True.
Are you telling them? Come on!
Yes. Massimo and I have thought a lot about it
and we'd like you two to be our witnesses!
You for Massimo, Pia.
- Could I go without you? - And you for me, Lorenzo!
I'm very honoured, but I'm not sure I deserve it,
they're siblings, but you and I!
We're not siblings but I immediately saw there's a special bond between us.
Do you understand?
- Do you understand? - Yes, I understand.
I'm very honoured and we obviously accept...
We're happy for you and wish you the best!
- Have you thought about the dress? - No.
- So? What do you say? - Really fancy.
Well, fancy...
I've thought about Pia's problem, I mean, if you need...
I can try and get the right channels moving.
- You see what I mean, right? - Listen, we don't want anyone's help.
Official ways exist, right? So we'll follow them.
- Official ways... - Official ways!
Uncle, am I not doing anything at the wedding?
You'll carry the rings, so you'll unsettle a few bridesmaids.
Smile, Salvatore, the world's still packed with women for you!
My uncle was truly in love,
but chasing women was for him a moral obligation.
For me only Alice existed.
Now, children, I'd like you to do a research on Easter,
on the meaning of Easter.
The teacher divided the class into work groups
and after so long, Fofò, Sebastiano, Alice and I were reunited again.
What's up? Have you seen the Holy Virgin?
Despite a bit of rust.
I'm warning you guys. You get cocky and I'll bite both your heads off.
I'm just saying Fofò's had his chance. Has she left you?
- Yes. - It's my turn then. It's only fair.
- So you still don't get it? - "And it all ended up in a real mess!"
Get it into your heads, it's no-one's turn.
I'm not a doll you pass from one to another.
- So you won't go out with him? - No.
- See? You're one too many. - Want me to break your horns off?
Stop it! Fofò, I'm sorry to remind you, but we're not together any more.
She's dumped you both, mates!
You stop it too. We've got a research to do, can you work together?
Because Sebastiano and I can manage perfectly well.
Hey, the girl's got her head on her shoulders!
- Alright. - Truce.
Shitting yourselves, eh?
What the hell's this language? Is this how you speak in the suburbs?
Fofò, I was saying something.
We start the research tomorrow, you come to my place and we'll work.
- Why is it you who decides? - The teacher named me team leader.
- And who said it's okay for us? - Have you two anything against it?
No.
You're disgusting! You've got no dignity!
As for my father, he'd already started his research
and going through the official acts of the Education Offices he smelt a rat,
so he cross-checked with the archives of the General Register Office.
- Florio! - What is it now, sir?
Come here. Did you get me Zambuto?
What do you need?
The same as the others, life, death and miracles.
- Everything. - Go. Under the letter "Z".
Despite his suspicions, there was no sign of any miracle in those papers.
Florio.
Are you sure you're not related to the old ship owners Florio?
No, the only ship I ever went on was the Naples-Palermo ferryboat.
Zambuto! Here you are, life, death and miracles.
- Is there only one sheet? - It's all there.
- Are we sure? - Alright then!
Faced with the results of his research, my father was speechless.
The real miracle now was to find the right words not to hurt my mother.
- Pia, I've done that research. - So? Speak. Tell me.
These people deserved their points.
So we drop the appeal? It's regular?
It seems so. Most of those who came before you,
have special... qualifications.
And what are these bloody special qualifications I don't have?
Believe me, you should be glad not to have those qualifications.
Francesco Lococo got more points because he's a disabled teacher,
who's had a crippled leg from birth.
Open the door! Open! You wretch!
Tiziana Tagliabue got in as she has sight problems. She's vision-impaired.
Here's the chair.
Then we've got the case of Maurizio Manfredi.
At last I can see you every day, dad!
He got in the classification this year
but got transferred to Palermo to look after his paraplegic father.
- Maurizio. - Dad!
I'll get you the one with bigger wheels with my first wage.
- I don't deserve such a son! - And that's not the end of the list.
There's Sara Zambuto who got in for family reunification,
then we have...
Stop, Lorenzo. Stop.
Let's forget about it. You did what you could.
I'm sorry, Pia.
Maybe you're right,
I should just be glad I don't have those qualifications.
My mother had raised the white flag. Who'd decided not to give up was Marco.
"Nostra antiqua manus bonorum." Translate it.
Though my sister wasn't totally tuned in to him.
Is this man coming or not?
This man's Boris Giuliano, a policeman, so he knows everything about everyone.
Hello.
- Hello, a coffee. Hi, Salvatore. - Hello.
- Who's this beautiful girl? - My sister Angela.
Pleased to meet you. Aren't you eating anything? Are you on a hunger strike?
My sister wants to know where Alfonso Puccio is.
Really?
- Why are you so interested? - Because he's a friend.
Believe me, I'm speaking from the heart, you'll never see that friend again.
Why? Is he dead?
No, because the Mafia never forgets, it has a memory like an elephant,
it bides its time and when you think you're out of it, it strikes you.
Your friend's perfectly acquainted with these rules
and trust me, he'll never set foot in Palermo again.
- Angela! Are you listening? - Sorry, yes...
Come on, what does it mean?
I don't know, it gives me a headache. I give up.
Alright, don't get discouraged so fast, at least try. It's not impossible.
It's just rotten days, I need something else, not this stupid Latin.
I use a strategy to resist,
for example, instead of thinking about the translation,
I think the writer is a person like me who has loved, suffered, dreamed
and who might even want to give us some advice.
Do you think so?
Yes, it's also encouraging because thinking of it,
if another Angela made it ten centuries ago then you can too.
- Really? - Yes!
I'm glad you take care of me.
You make me feel less alone.
It's lovely!
But that's enough or we won't get anything done.
So I can make it.
Pia, do you really believe this?
Antonio, I saw the papers with my own eyes. What can I do?
Really? Then let me tell you something,
I needed just a few points,
but every year I didn't get in by a hair's breadth, by a whisker.
- So what did you do? - What did I do?
What could I do? I had to turn to a friend, the right guy!
And he certified I'd taken high level courses.
So you...?
I can't believe it. I can't believe it.
Listen, I know it's wrong. It's unfair. As for that, I don't like it either,
but if you follow the rules you'll die a substitute teacher.
Listen to me, no-one gives you anything here
and I'd had enough of it, like you.
Antonio, but those people might really have problems.
Don't laugh! You're getting an alibi.
Yeah, sure... I'm sorry to tell you, but things turn out another way
and if you wish, I'll prove to you that Antonio Ayala isn't the bad guy,
at least not the worst, if you want.
My mother was upset, because Ayala not only asked her to see the papers
but to actually see the people who'd outranked her.
As for Marco, he felt his time had come
and after careful and considered reflection
he decided to rely on an infallible weapon,
the cassette he'd already slammed in his own face once.
Angela, this is for you, I thought you'd like it.
Thanks.
I've put all my favourite songs, so you get to know something about me.
- And whose is this? - Virgil's.
A singer-songwriter?
No, the Latin poet, it's not a song it's a dedication for you.
What does it mean?
Love triumphs over everything and we give way to love too.
What's the matter? Don't you like it?
Yes, it's beautiful!
- But do you believe it? - Yes, and you must too.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
I myself had given way to Alice's requests for love,
the non-aggression pact with Fofò seemed to be holding.
- What does "Easter" bring to your mind? - A chocolate egg?
Dad said I'll get a two-meter high one this year, last year's was 1.5 meters.
Geez! What sort of surprise do you get from a two-meter high egg?
She doesn't mean chocolate eggs with Easter.
What do we do with chocolate eggs?
Easter's a religious festival, it requires something from the soul.
The chocolate of the soul!
- That's a good one! - Idiots.
We were stuck, only he could help us.
Salvatore's told me everything.
I'm here, but I'm a precise man,
I start from the base, Holy Easter.
Holy Easter for us religious people is fundamental,
because our Lord Jesus dies and then is resurrected,
but he reminds us of the crucifixion,
and above all that judges make mistakes! Judges make mistakes!
That was the first serious miscarriage of justice of our History,
it wasn't our Lord Jesus who had to end up on the cross,
but someone else, who? Ba...? - A baddy?
Barabbas had to go, not our Lord.
Sorry, but can we write about the miscarriage of justice?
No, because there are different versions,
some say one thing and some say another,
but for the people of Palermo Easter also means...
banquets, jaunts drinks, "cassata" and roast goat,
for let's be honest, why must we
Christians always suffer, always cry?
Calm down, the Bible says so too,
there's a time for everything, what does that mean?
- It means... - Good boy,
and for the people of Palermo there's also a time for food and drink.
So?
So take this book and study, it's got History, facts and all the rest.
A book about Palermo?
And what should we study?
What? Am I to do the research? You must do it.
Bye now, I'm off, I've got a backache. Have you understood? Study.
- Is the priest your friend? - Yes.
Then you study!
Imagine Cleopatra make-up with a hairdo or maybe a hat, I've not decided yet.
- And I want a veil. I want a veil! - Yes.
An 8 or 9-meter long train, what do you think?
Yes, you must have a train.
My mother couldn't get her mind off the papers Ayala had given her.
I can imagine Massimo's face.
He'll faint!
Madam, I want the best...
In the end she decided she should look into that wretched classification.
Pia! Pia!
- Oh, sorry. - I'm ready. I'm coming out!
Pia?
And that sudden flight didn't unsettle only my future aunt Patrizia.
It's not like mum not to warn us.
I don't understand. Has something happened and you're not telling me?
No, what should've happened? Calm down now, she'll be back soon.
- Sure mum puts the plates here? - Yes.
You see? Here she is.
Where were you, love?
You've no idea what I saw today. They've conned me, you understand?
Conned me! I've even got proof now.
Hang on, what are we talking about?
Francesco Lococo, the disabled teacher, the one with the crippled leg.
Slowly, let me understand. Slowly please.
Francesco Lococo, the disabled teacher, the one with the crippled leg.
Hey, open the door! Open!
Since he got the permanent post his leg's not crippled anymore,
and he even tops up his salary giving tennis lessons in a private club!
- He plays tennis? - Yes, he plays tennis!
- The cripple? - Yes!
Your legs are too weak, Francesco, you must be nimbler.
Like this, look at me, you see?
Try. That's it, you're almost there, come on!
Remember Mrs. Tiziana Tagliabue, the vision-impaired one?
- The blind woman? - The blind woman!
It just so happens she plays poker on Wednesdays and sees well there!
See.
Two pairs.
Flush.
She plays poker?
Not to speak about Saro Manfredi, Mr. Maurizio's father, the one...
- Which one is he? The son of the... - The paraplegic.
- Maurizio? - Dad?
He was so paraplegic he took early retirement
and do you know what he decided to do?
Devote himself to his greatest passion,
something highly important he's importing in Palermo, guess what?
- What is he importing? - Guess!
I've no idea, potatoes, onions... Wait! That special fruit...
He's decided to import tango! Olé!
Darling, calm down.
It's disgusting, it's really disgusting.
This isn't a normal city, you see?
Nothing works as it should, and we must leave!
We must do it for our children! We must go as far away as possible.
Wait Pia! Pia!
Get off to bed you.
Faced with the threat of leaving Sicily, my father saw that to save the day
he had to pacify his own conscience.
She's gone mad, I don't know what to do any more.
Are you telling me? She left Patrizia on the hook at the dressmaker's.
I had to go and pick her up in the night!
- When was that? - Forget about it.
Massimo, you were right.
- We must find another way! - Shit, we've already lost time.
- I know. I said you were right! - I know.
- Are these the papers? - Yes.
Alright, I'll go through them and we'll try to resolve the situation.
- Bye. Bye, Patrì, see you later. - Bye.
- What will you do? - Maybe go to a village in the North,
there must be a little place for me too.
No, please, let's stay here. I don't want to go to the North.
Antonio, please, don't joke, I'm serious.
- I am too. - I feel drained.
You must resist, Pia. You can't give in to them too!
What can I do in this messed-up city,
where nothing works as it should?
You see this railing? Look! Half painted and half not.
What would it take to finish it? It's like that here, it's all half done.
You feel a bit like that too, right?
For years I've seen friends I love leave
because there's nothing for them here.
The rotten ones stay and the smart ones, the best, the most honest ones leave,
but a person as lovely as you can't leave! How could we replace her?
Another Pia doesn't exist.
- Stay with me! - I don't know.
- No, Antonio. We can't! - I've fallen in love with you.
And you were wrong! I'm married and have two kids!
- And you refuse me only for this? - Only?
What about your feelings? Your feelings.
- What do we do now? - We listen.
- To what? - Silence.
Marco, you've been great lately. I'm well.
You deserve it all, Angela.
Sometimes I forget everything, but it's just a few minutes, because...
Because?
Because I can't get Alfonso out of my head.
I know I'm silly, but I miss him.
Angela? Can I tell you what I think?
- It's good he's out of your life. - What are you saying?
Do you realized what you risked by dating that mafioso?
First of all, he wasn't a mafioso, his father was. He was a nice boy.
Angela, you can't get out of certain things.
Just thank heaven you saved yourself and they didn't shoot you down too!
What a disappointment you are. You act so sensitive
and then spit out sentences against someone you don't even know!
No, I just don't understand you! From one day to the next
you switch from that idiot on his bike who acts the rebel
to that daddy's boy whose daddy's a mafioso!
I mean, it's two exact opposites! Do you realize? It can't be love!
What do you know about love?
Take me back to the mainland.
So, what does it say?
The head of the government of the time, a kind of Andreotti of the XVII century,
even washed the feet of the poor, the cripples and the messed-up.
Andreotti washed feet? Here's Salvatore's bullshit.
- You're ignorant, the Cacioppo says so. - Geez, we've even got "cannoli".
Leave one for us too.
- I think this Cacioppo is bullshit. - At least one of you is intelligent.
Did you hear the priest? Easter means banquets, roast goat, "cassata".
Right, he's right! We could write the recipe of the "cassata".
Are you mad? Jesus dies and you talk about the "cassata"?
- Chill out! He's resurrected. - What's the "cassata" to do with it?
My mum says the "cassata" resurrects even the dead, maybe he ate some, eh?
It's crap. What Brother Giancinto said is crap too.
While this book saying Andreotti removed corns deserves a Nobel Prize!
Stop it, the 3 of you. The contest's not between us but against the other groups.
Then tell this gobshite, this idiot!
Idiot? If you're that smart do the research then, I'm going.
Stop it, we're here for the research and we haven't written a line.
Apologize and bring him back.
Our truce had fallen through and the first victim was our research.
Lorenzo... I've studied the situation.
So? Is there any hope?
- It depends on you. - On me?
We've got only one bullet, so we must use it well, I mean real well.
We must figure out who's the weakest in the classification
and "bang"! We make him jump.
Behind this classification we have powerful names, important intercessions.
Francesco Lococo is closely connected to the Regional Councillor for Education,
a strong Christian Democrat, we can take our hands off him.
- There goes the first one. - Tiziana Tagliabue
is the second cousin of the Regional Secretary of the ARS,
the Sicilian Regional Assembly. - Sicilian Regional Assembly.
- We can take our hands off her too. - And there goes the second one.
Then we have Maurizio Manfredi, he's connected to the Salvo cousins.
So we can take our hands off him. Basically we're...
Wait! Then we have Sara Zambuto, supported by a communist councillor!
Who could she scare off? We get in and screw her.
How do we do that?
I've told you, it depends... on you.
You must be willing to accept...
a powerful sponsor,
someone who gets in and the thing is settled.
I've made a call, just in case. He's expecting us tomorrow.
- I thought we were to find him together. - Well...
Who's this person? Can we trust him?
Too many questions. You've only one thing to do,
come, don't think about it and don't make a show of yourself. Alright?
- What's the matter, Pia? - I'm cleaning, why? Is it forbidden?
I've got good news!
I don't care, it's useless anyway, isn't it? It won't change things.
Pia! I promise I'll get you that post, trust me.
- How? - Just trust me.
- Why are you still here? - We're not going in.
We haven't got our research.
We'll get a reprimand and my mum will go after me with the broomstick.
You're going in and taking your responsibilities.
Yeah, and you'll take my mum's pounding!
- Look at this! - Geez!
- The research? - Are you going in now?
"The city also loves Easter for food
like the 'cassata' that can never miss"
"as it wouldn't be Easter without the 'cassata'."
"While in the past it wouldn't be Easter if the rulers didn't demonstrate"
"with acts of charity their love for the people."
Well done, Alice, well done, boys. Good work.
Go back to your seat and enjoy this applause with your friends.
- You were great, Alice. - Forgive us.
If it had been up to these two idiots, it would have ended up a mess.
Why, have you written your memoirs?
Are you starting again? Can't you see we can be stronger together?
You know what Alice wanted to tell us? That we were idiots.
Wait, wait! So who is he?
A big shot of the Region.
I've spoken to him and all's settled, he said that...
- Well, he seemed well disposed. - Well, right...
Relax, we're not doing anything illegal.
- Pia deserves this post, right? - Yes, yes.
So we're simply taking back what they took from her.
You could've changed your tie.
Wait! You didn't talk about anything else?
No, Pia's story opened his heart, he seemed very generous.
I didn't tell him anything.
My brother-in-law's a number one at the General Register Office!
He'd kill anybody for the escalation!
No, I'm joking, I'm joking.
No, it's not a problem, I give you my word,
he's at your entire disposal, he's very generous, I swear!
Alright, I mean, if it happens we'll listen.
It depends on what we must listen to, Massimo.
Lorenzo, you work at the General Register Office, right?
One might need a document.
Yes, but what does he expect from me? Be clear, what have you promised him?
Have you fallen out of the sky?
You're a civil servant, you know how it works.
- You make yourself available. - Yes but not available for everyone.
Availability isn't a sin, will you get it into that head of yours?
If I need a certificate you give it to me, right? Yes or no?
It's different, you're my brother-in-law I'll help you if I can.
There! Then imagine it's your brother-in-law who's asking.
To learn how to live, you must defend yourself, you know the saying.
- What saying? - Two eyes for an eye.
Alright, Massimo, forget it, I've changed my mind.
- Are you mad? He's waiting for us! - Look, it's just not me, you know!
What will I look like?
It's better this way, imagine if I came, he asked me something and I said no.
You and your usual scenes! You're even scared of going out!
- Forget it, I'm leaving. - Alright go, good boy!
We have a hero!
Don't you think about Pia? Your wife's nothing to you?
Maybe he won't ask anything from you.
You're busting my balls! He's mad!
- Hello. - Hello.
My father had tried, but he couldn't pacify his conscience,
yet, instead of feeling relieved and free from bad thoughts
he started feeling worse.
He didn't know how to face my mother and stayed out all morning
trying to find the courage and the right words to go back to her.
Lorenzo...
I'm sorry, Pia, I couldn't do it. I tried but I couldn't.
The post... I wanted to help you, but I felt I couldn't because...
As usual, when you're upset I don't understand, can you explain?
I asked some help from Massimo and we had to see someone today
who would fix everything and get you this post,
and I swear, I was ready for anything, I would've done anything,
because I can't see you suffer like this anymore.
- And then? - And then...
I didn't go. Only Massimo went.
So if things turn out right I'll have to thank Massimo?
- What are you saying, Pia? - You promised! You promised!
Listen, we don't have to do the same as the others!
Shortcuts, recommendations, subterfuges, exchanges of favours,
that's how disgusting it is!
I won't help turning you into someone like the people who conned you!
Hello?
Massimo.
I don't think I'll make it for dinner tonight because...
What's going on?
Nothing, just a little mishap. I'm at the police station.
- What? - The police station.
- What's going on? - Nothing, relax, just a verification.
Massimo!
If they ask, say I'll be away for a while.
Actually my uncle Massimo risked staying away for a long while,
because the mysterious man he had an appointment with
was called Calogero Puleo, a top executive of the Region
with friends and connections in all the administrations,
a reference point for Cosa Nostra for that kind of procedure.
The police had been tracking his movements for a while
so my uncle got caught up in the investigators net.
I haven't done anything! Is it a crime to chat to a friend?
Tell the commissioner,
he'll send you to a place where you'll find plenty of friends.
What should I tell the commissioner? I haven't done anything.
Let go, you're hurting me!
- Have you finished? - Geez, I haven't even started.
Listen, one last thing,
you tell Patrizia.
Tell her we must postpone the wedding.
- But, Massimo! - Not for long, or she'll worry.
Right, I must ring off, I'm needed.
Bye Pia, bye.
One last breath...
Pia, can you tell me what's going on?
- He's been arrested! - Who has?
Massimo! Today, at the appointment you had to go to.
The hardest for my mother was breaking the news to aunt Patrizia.
Pia!
Who that same afternoon had got her wedding dress.
With my uncle in jail, the dream of a wedding vanished.
Subtitles STUDIO ASCI