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La Cecilia (1975)
The emperor is waiting for you.
- Your Majesty.. - Mr Rossi. Carlos had me read your book. A socialist communion... A socialist commune. A Commune... I'm interested in your ideas. Does that surprise you? Do you think an emperor could never be interested in socialism? Well, regardless, I too am a believer in progress. I know you've tried to start up a communitarian or communist venture. Before that day comes, it will be necessary -if you'll excuse me for saying- to destroy all this! What may not be possible in Italy, can be done in Brazil. My country is young, scarcely populated; it needs cultured men, with modern ideas; pioneers, lay readers of science. If you want to realize your ideas, think about my offer. I'll give you a piece of land and it will be up to you to make good use of it, and carry out your experiment there in peace. I've thought it through... and I accept. I would have preferred, little girl, something besides your love; My lover is an idea, which I am dedicated to, heart and hand. My heart abhors and defies the powerful of the earth, and my hands make war against the cowards and oppressors. Because we love equality, they call us criminals; But we are workers who do not want any bosses. Rebels, we brandish our blood red flags, and we smash down all the walls between us and true freedom. If you wish, my dear child, we will fight them here below, and the day that we conquer, I will give you my heart and hand. Enzo ! Piero ! Over here ! The road's clear! It's here! We made it! Come over this way! How beautiful it is! I have to leave you now... Thank you for all you've done. See you soon, I hope. I'll be the one bringing you the mail. How do we need to go to get to Palmeira ? Go straight ahead through the forest, until you come to the river and a big tree, and take a right... No, please, could you give us a drawing, a map? Here's where we are. This here is the forest, there's the river, and there's Palmeira. Lord, thank you for this land. I give you my thanks too, non-existent "Lord," for this land! Hey, Alfredo, if I were you I'd plant them closer together. Lorenzini, I'll take care of building the wall! OK! and I'll pound them in deeper. Nine! It's hard! Hardest I've ever seen! Twelve! Thirteen! Man, we've hardly scratched it! Let's leave off there, 13 is a good number! - And why cut it anyway? - It gives good shade! Next year! You remember when you used to come by the workshop. how that old man would groan at our not knowing about the fiber of trees! Oh yeah! Poor old man! The modern State is merely the realization of the old ideas of domination. Could you elaborate? Sure I could but I don't want to! Good answer! Moving on: The state is the ultimate form of religious slavery. How are you going to manage here? No newspapers? No meetings? Well, you're here! Anyway, the bureaucratic, centralizing, police State Won't even let you eat a breadcrumb in peace! you don't want to learn a thing! When anarchy comes the whole world will be transformed and the state will become a bad memory of the despicable past ! the rotten prisons will be shut down priests and soldiers will disappear And all that will be left in the world will be the ideal that drives us! and then, from our hearts, dedicated to that great future, will be banned forever more our suffering and pain... who wants a drink? - no, him first. - but why? when Olimpia comes the whole world will be transformed and our boredom will become a memory of the despicable past! no water! hell, I even refused the baptism water! Will you take me to the river? it's only to try and help you. they're asleep. want to give em a shower? You coming tonight? Are you planting them upside down? Fool! this isn't an enclosure; it's to guard against scavenging animals! Oblong smudges... She sure needs some. Wait : for the ones I transplanted. the harvest looks promising. Shut up ! you're always complaining! So, over your laziness, huh? Laziness is a right, not a privilege! this bird isn't bad at all, a little small though! - and tomorrow, and the day after? - if we want to eat we'll have to plant! comrade farmers, your turn to speak! we have everything to learn from you! Here we are, in school; we're going to learn to seed and work the land. we'll need shovels, garden forks, hoes, a plow... - and seeds. - sure! we'll have to buy them! I propose we send some people to Palmeira. Giovanni speaks Portuguese, and Rocco is learned in cultures. Let's take up a collection to buy tools. all my savings! here's all I've got You know I don't have a dime... Search him, he's hiding dough! hey, you haven't lost the Emperor's letter, have you? It's here. want me to read it again? just to be sure... Long live the emperor! - we're free ! - for sure ! the open road is ours ! - right on, brothers! -hey, man, those are your brothers over there. You off to work for Don Cambarra ? No. Is he your boss ? Nope ! that's over with ! We're free now ! who does this ranch belong to? But... you're Italians, huh? Yep, from Pisa! these guys here are from Rome ! Those dirty negroes are going to sign up with the army! Good riddance... otherwise we'll get no work. We've got plenty work, thank God and his Saints ! make good use of it, it isn't gonna last too long. But we have a colony : la Cecilia. Ours was called Saint Antoine ! Don't say a word about all that! not a word! But why? I don't want any more bosses! You know our experiment has nothing to do with this stuff. Yeah... but don't say a word. OK, OK... I'll have to burn the surplus coffee right before everyone's eyes. But I ask you : whose fault is it ? And that's not all; the prices at the Sao Paulo market keep dropping! But I ask you : who's responsible for it ? Yeah, who? the competition! they're coming in by the thousands, those damned colonists! The government ought to intervene. Plow, sixty contos. we need cattle, and seeds... we need three bags. - what's the price ? - thirty contos. five liras? Shit! Son of a bitch! If we want to spend less money, We'll have to buy it! You're always kidding around... The cow does all the work, right ? Fool, come take up this plow and you'll see. - Can I really ? - go for it did you see? tell me, the deed to this property... we don't have one, do we ? Listen, Rocco Go ahead. I'm listening. You're a farmer, right? Farmer, but a landless one, as you know. a journalist. the earth belongs to those who work it, right ? Sure, I know it well. and so? just so! but that's not enough for you ! it's the best contract. deeds to property like the law ...they only serve the bosses. and there're no bosses here! Hold on a minute ... We aren't alone in this little corner of the world, are we? Well, there's a colony of Poles up north, one of Germans to the west... Are they anarchists? Not so far as I know. Well, then, they have deeds, right? But we don't give a shit ? Well... then we'll have to... put an enclosure around our land. otherwise... comrades, no walls ! no enclosures ! no restrictions on freedom ! Oh, exiles of Italy we're off on our adventure no regrets, no fear... the walls... with walls... Our fatherland is the whole world, ...comes competition, egoism... envy... hate... the Turks are coming ! Ah, fuck off ! see, the earth's axis leans to the side. but the sun's axis doesn't. Get it? the earth spins around the sun. so the side that's closer to the sun is going to be warmer since it's hit straight on by the rays; the further side, is hit less, by oblique rays. if the earth is on this side, it's the opposite: it'll be warmer up north, where Italy is, and cooler in the south, in Brazil. This is April right now, and in ltaly it's warmer; it's spring over there. and in spring... do leaves fall in spring ? they do around here : this is April, but it's autumn here, and in July, it's winter... April is autumn, July is winter... ...so what about December? Is it summer then? Bravo ! You get it, you understand ! want to rest a bit? I'm telling you for the last time: By the end of the week, we ought to be done! You're exaggerating! the earth doesn't stop spinning, ever! shut up. he's right! what do you know about it? you're no farmer. no, but what a farmer knows from experience, we can learn by studying. agriculture is a science too! everyone can have their own method: all I know, is that the earth doesn't give anything without you sweating over it. let's get going! we've been around for more than a century and still... we haven't managed to get a roof over our heads! our calloused hands still burn out in the heat of the sun! look at that! you'll only last a year that way! get off! you've got nothing in your belly? the farm! leave him the hell alone ! it's obvious he's dead ! we're all dead! and I have to do everything around here! he's not used to it! we don't have the soil in our blood like you do. No, Alfredo, don't say that! comrade farmer, here, each is master of his own acts, the only master there is. it's more than 100 years old. yeah, we just cut it. we can make four stools out of it. So, we'll make a mark here, saw it, fit it, and it should hold. it'll never hold! what do you mean? explain yourself! none of us are professionals, we can't explain ! I'll show you. First, we have to build a frame and support it on wood and in the middle, we put transverse trusses. why didn't you say so sooner instead of playing farmer..? ''If Rossi wants to do his little experiment let him not draw away revolutionaries! Let him go off to Brazil, while the social problem demands an urgent, global solution, and go have his little dilettante's experiment... Dilettante ? no way! ...which was so dear to the precursors of socialism. the revolutionaries will remain at their post ! at the very moment when the sicilian workers are getting together, when the railwaymen are organizing, Rossi's group has chosen to desert the front!'' Are we really deserters, then? They haven't understood a thing! Traitors? - Cowards? - Cowards!? Who was it that resisted the king's soldiers with pitchforks? Cowards ? yeah, and all our fights during the strikes, against militarism and colonialism? and you, Giovanni ? your time in prison ? we ought to go back home, huh? as you wish... but me and Olimpia are staying ! hey, no one decides for me! but yes, I'm staying. what they've written here is false... they haven't understood what we're aiming at here, and perhaps we have not managed to explain ourselves as well as we could. once we're all set up here, I'll go back to Italy, and try to convince them. What, you're going to leave us here? - If Giovanni goes... - We'll make do without him ! Nature has given all people the same rights on this earth. we're fighting a hard war against the thieves and oppressors which will know no peace as long as man dominates man! our fiercest enemies are our exploiters! Hurry up! get to work! what, you're in a rush now? Man, it sure is beautiful! Go easy on it! It's us... can we come in? how's it going? the fever's down. I know that one there're two of them in Tullio. I don't remember that one. we learned it yesterday... it's the seventh letter... Luigi ! right? shall we go on? but.. tell me... are you ...in love? does it concern you ? Me ? Naw, imagine that... Listen, Tullio, do you love freedom ? sure I do, who doesn't? -but are you free ? -sure I am! not every day of my life... Me, I want to be free every single day of my life. -understand? -i understand, i do. you don't want to get married. is that it? well, no! have any kids? a wife? do you miss your family? my god... well, it depends... yes and no... you see, the family isn't everything! we say that, and then one fine day... some anarchist! it's fine to learn to read, but you've got to learn to think! Well, what do you really want? what do I want? I just want to do what I please! with you, for example. your morals... you forget them when it suits you. huh! laugh, laugh... good bye, comrades, good bye good bye wives, sisters, mothers... this society of thieves has exiled us, buried on the seashore we are banished but strong... we're off to the island but we're not ashamed because this ordeal is consecrated by the future but one day we will return, stronger than ever, and we'll have no peace until the rights of each and every worker are fully respected. Some people think people should consume only what they produce so as to stimulate production. others think, and this, to me, is real social justice, that each should consume according to his needs, depending on what the social resources are.'' Let me see that. Even when it's Rossi saying it, it's still nothing but theories ! - But we need theories! - Sure, but which? Me, I've learned one thing from books... Forget it ! they've probably just lost a pig or something. this is the only phrase I've learned from books, and it's good enough for me: "By his very nature, the learned man tends to intellectual and moral perversion. His vices are as follows: Exaggerating his knowledge, and scorning those who do not have his knowledge. Give him power, and he will become the most hateful of tyrants." Yeah... so who said that bullshit? Bakunin! Look what they've done! They've wrecked everything. The enclosure couldn't hold. I should have taken care of it myself! was it poorly made? who was in charge of it? forget about it! what difference does it make? what difference? How about the corn I planted with my own hands?! Yeah, what of it? Did it belong to you? The comrade is right... it's a serious issue! Someone's done harm to the collective. We've got to know who. It was me that made that fence! Well, then we'll judge whether... Judge? Judge what? What judge? Are we in some damned courtroom? You're just another cop! the error of the anarchists that are hostile towards organization, is that they believe that all organization signifies authority, and they renounce all organization, so as not to undergo any authority! We're not impressed! It's a quote from Malatesta ! You're breaking our balls with your irresponsibility! Comrade! We're with you! We farmers know that organizing is necessary! Organization ? Property! Here comes the speech! don't interrupt it! Working people of the world, on this 1st of May, we salute you fraternally. Long live the day when the streets belong to the people, and the bourgeois run and hide! Dirty rats! We celebrate the majestic power of the people. We're at a radicals' banquet here, now, huh! And what do you make of Malatesta's words? Anarchists, revolutionaries, We do not want just some one day of a peaceful workers' strike, we want the longest and most aggressive strike possible!" Milan, Genoa, I see your streets red and black! Comrades! We're with you! To Anarchy! Listen! A procession of Poles! silence, you cockroaches! Come, sweet May, The people await you free hearts salute you! Sweet Easter of the working folk Come and shine out in the great glory of the sun! my dear Enzo, since you're the youngest we're going to baptize you! the news! the news! the Emperor's been deposed ! the Republic has come! Let's drink to the tyrant's fall! let's drink to it, then, even if we owe it to him that we have la Cecilia! Well, Republic's better than Empire! The new authorities... the federal authorities of Brazil want a word with us. the've invited those in charge of La Cecilia to come see them. we'll need delegates... Naw, let's all go down there together ! A letter from Rossi ! Listen! He says that the conferences were somewhat successful, and allowed him to recruit other comrades, and he says our families are ready to come over and join us! Love ties natural affections together and requires no conjugal rituals or bonds we want to keep our love out of reach of those vile marketplaces. and they treat us like we were criminals! Hurry and rise, shining sun of the future we want to live free we wish no more to serve! Laws, small minded and dangerous, the instruments of all fraud, Only obey the desires of the rich and powerful; They only give a little bread to the workers, but give the exploiters all honors. and once more they confirm that we're the criminals! I am fully convinced that the family is the greatest source of immorality, meanness, stupidity, that if I were given a choice of what to destroy, among the great pests: religion, or locusts, property or cholera, war or mosquitoes, the regime or hailstorms, the fatherland or malaria, i wouldn't hesitate to destroy the family. if the family were put under the control of society as a whole, or, as has been said, if it were put in a glass house, that would perhaps slightly attenuate its ferocity, its villainy, its corruption. Charlatans of morality, impostors of religion, liars of art, cretins of school, all those bastards that have made man's character so brutish, have all masked the nauseous reality of the family under the poetic, noble, saintly abstraction... of the family. today, the family is the primary reason for the existence of and the primary support of capitalism, and so it is incompatible with socialism. logic forces you to take ... communism all the way : and either to abolish the family in the same fell swoop that will abolish property ; or to admit and respect both." So let's liberate ourselves from them! What do you know about the family? I have a father, a mother, brothers, sisters. Sure, who doesn't have a family? if we do not liberate ourselves... from the family, it will destroy communism. solidarity will remain a mere theory, as long as man sees on the one side his wife and children, and humanity on the other. but the family cannot be destroyed from outside it, and it can't be destroyed by violence either. reaction and resistance will be immediate and general; it is an institution that must first be destroyed in the popular consciousness, and then crumble by internal self-destruction. when practice... -- the open practice of free love -- will have destroyed the lie of paternity, the family will be half destroyed. the harmony of economic relationships between men and society will be naturally spontaneous, when all women will be seen as possible lovers, and all children as possible sons and daughters. look what I bought! Olimpia, look! The've started hiding their shame! but that one's remained. Robespierre didn't pass through this Republic, that's for sure! the representative of la Cecilia. That's us! That's us! lmpossible ! Yes sir, each and every one of us are representatives of la Cecilia ! Go on, do your job and announce us! Announce the la Cecilia colony, in all its full glory! You invited la Cecilia ? There it is! This is against custom! Hell ! Sorry bout that. Can I have a seat? It's against normal custom, but I'll receive you. The new Rpublique won't keep up the old etiquette! Alright. I'll have to tell you that the task that has been given me... Go ahead, Talk! get to the point! the concession given to mr. Rossi by the ex-Emperor Has been revoked by the republic. If you want to remain on your lands, you'll have to pay! the question of the repurchase of the land is sufficiently serious, to require a debate and a vote. So I ask you to decree the validity of this assembly, the decisions of which will have to be respected by each one of us. Out loud! Whoever is in favor, raise your hands! Is anyone against? the motion is approved! I now move on to read a proposal from the office... the office! ...for us to discuss. The La Cecilia Colony is now going to reimburse the Brazilian government for the price of the lands it occupies. the product of the sale of corn which had been intended to launch industrial activity, will be devoted to paying that debt. So as to deal with the upcoming payment due dates, A portion of the la Cecilia colonists will have to go work at the State building construction sites. The office...proposes that... the comrade farmers, whose knowledge is necessary for getting good yield from our crops, will be relieved of that duty. Our fatherland is the whole world Our only law is freedom And we carry rebellion in our hearts! I'll work doing road-building because it's necessary, but not because some vote requires me to! Fresh air, healthy life! It'll be different here, you'll see. Tosti, come here ! I'd like to introduce you to my wife, my daughter, and my other daughter. She sure has grown! the lusty demon of the ship's hold! She's just dying to see you again. We did a little schoolwork on the ship. At last we're all together again! We've got problems here, but we don't have any bosses! ...we'll have to seek to organize... Two newspapers recently started up... ...we'll talk about it later. Now we've got to work. I'm back, and I'm not alone! No, not alone! - They seem happy. - no doubt. There's going to be a lot to do. Why are you hiding that? Keep it, it's yours. When you take bread, You shouldn't hide yourself. You know what that's called? That's a credenza. You know what credenza means? Credenza means trust. Everything in there belongs to everybody. Because we trust each other. Get going! CHILDREN ARE NO ONE'S PROPERTY THEY BELONG TO THEIR OWN FUTURE FREEDOM If you ask me, these three are fine. you pick. This one looks good to me. Leave that horse alone! Go play somewhere else! ...if men continue to see women as something that can be possessed, women will have to fight back themselves to free themselves! Bravo ! Who wrote that? Who had that fine idea? What, no answer? Who's that lesson supposed to be for? Who's it intended for? Are these threats? What, lost your voice? Threats? Not for us, though, right? What do you say? Why remind us? We know it well. We anarchists have always fought for women's emancipation, and you know it! sure, in words they have. A lot's been written about it. a lot's been said about it... But what've we gotten in practice? First of all, women must be economically emancipated. After that morals will change, everything will change! Oh yeah? I know some anarchists, really perfect men, Who've got the most advanced of ideas... but when it comes to their wives, they act like sultans. Bless this bread, Lord! How many today? About fifty meters. It's going to rain. We won't run any risks! We'll all work with you! All? Who's that? Us! Your family! - All the others'll just do the same! - What if they don't? Alert, comrades! Strong hearts Are not troubled By pain or death! We'll form a great union! Long live the revolution! Would you like to have a child? Yes. Even if you didn't know the father? Yes. What we call "free love," does it seem natural to you? useful? above all socially useful. Hurry up! What? are you in a rush? - Are people waiting for you? - On the contrary. Take care of your business! Going back home bugs me. Why don't you hang around then? What do you know about the family? Wife, kids, always the same old deal. You didn't have to get them over here! I was hoping things would change. Well, you hoped, and? and then, in eight days, she proved that she didn't understand a single thing! the problems with the kids, food, gossip, bullshit, you know! If you ask me, it's your fault too! my fault? What've you done to get her to understand? -are you really asking? -yeah, why? one fine day, your mind opens up, or what? Yeah, and you end up understanding! and then I lost it. We're not going to wait for Angela, OK? Want to put on a play? Ok, we need a husband and wife... that's the husband. See how good looking he is. and the wife? Who do you want for a wife? you like her? She's too little. But no, no! she's so pretty though! when you talked to him about our project, did he suffer much? you know he did. your companion's suffering... did you think it was reasonable? it's the result of the prejudices that weigh so heavily upon us. are they doomed to disappear ? a bit of silence, please! we're playing! I wanted to ask how we're doing, on our debts over in Palmeira? we've let that problem fall to the side; we've got more pressing ones. But it's been so long that we haven't seen each other. I'd like to speak with you a bit. I have doubts about the way la Cecilia is being run. it's up to the assembly. Sure, I'll stay but I'm going to leave for a minute. I can't think around here. I've left my stuff behind. We'll see each other after the meeting, tomorrow or some other day. But I'm following things, you know. - the problems to deal with tonight... - go deal with them somewhere else! let me write in peace! - that's enough, now! - what's enough? this house, this house was built for everyone! OK Rocco, let's let them have their assembly. Comrade, I'm happy that you're staying. The majority will do the right thing, you'll see. You know I haven't changed my ideas. But who's got ideas about a different system, then? Alas, not I! Are you sure this is a good idea? If you don't trust it... To me this division of the lands does not appear very fair. What do you mean, not fair? Everyone will have the same number of acres, everyone the same! And everyone will work the land the same way? Whoever wants to do more work will have that much more. and the do-nothings will get what they work for too! But not everyone's used to working the land like we are! - Have you eaten? - No, I have to work. - You're going to waste away. - We've got to talk about it. - Come to the assembly tonight. - I've got stuff to do tonight! Come, take my place. He says that it's proven, But if bourgeois ideas win out, what's really been proven then? it won't be enough to practice free love, for us to be understood and imitated! You? Certainly not! I KILL MYSELF EVERY TIME I OBEY... A MAN OR A LAW THAT OPPRESSES ME; I don't like this soup! Shut up and eat it! Make yourself respected, or else... Is this little girl your daughter? I left her when she was little, and now she's a woman. Too bad! You won't be able to humiliate her anymore! don't worry about me, I can defend myself. even from your own father? Yeah, well around here it won't be him you'll have to defend yourself from. Who told you I wanted to defend myself? Finally someone really alive! Look at those funeral pallor faces! You see what's happening! It's the triumph of the established order! - It's the family... - And us too. We've already got a parliament, a division of labor, shit, soon enough we'll have cops! and hierarchy! You'll have to intervene! People listen to you... me, they all think I'm nuts. If you ask me, I agree, kid; you are nuts. Why should I intervene? There aren't any leaders here. Hey, I'm not asking you to play leader, just to take proper responsibility, and you know it! I've always taken care of my responsibilities. Everyone has to take care of their own, it's true! Want to see something you've never seen before? - did you talk to him ? - yes. What's he say? he says it's hard for him, he says he's scared, that he loves me, that he's suffering. do you think he's suffering out of egoism? That's what he has to understand... Set it like that with slight movements. If my love must contradict his, I'd prefer to just let things be. And didn't the comrades react? Too late! A lot of our people got busted! What? Even Fortunato? - Anniversary, does it have one "n"? - two. And Matteo, remember him ? We sure used to get wasted with him ! are we doing this embroidery or what? - The kids? - quite well, thanks. lleana, come here! I told you not to talk to him ! But we've always been such good friends. I've forbidden you to speak to that traitor. But he doesn't have anything against you. I don't want you talking to him, is that clear? when you gave yourself to me... you were wholly in agreement, yes. Our behavior towards him... does it seem correct to you? Have you ever thought to love me... Without him knowing? -No. And now, do you love him a little bit more? do you love me a little more? If there is an instinct of property in him, has it been wounded? He's never been my owner. He says that to think that would be an insult to me. What did he feel? surprise? humiliation ? fear of ridicule ? a bit. Resentment towards me ? no resentment. just sympathy for you. Because i was living without love? you know it well. and if it had been a different comrade ? i don't know. A proletarian that wasn't one of us ? no difference. and if it were a bourgeois ? he would have complained about it. he would have suffered. but he wouldn't have left me for that. it's a nice day out today! that's good enough! We kill ourselves busting rocks, and they eat! what the hell have we become here? slaves? - he's right ! - calm down ! our comrades are also dying of so much working the earth! I've had it up to here with being exploited by farmers! they're full of the instinct of property! and have you seen the women? Yeah, they work! all damned day! but to accumulate for themselves! not for the community! To each according to his labor! Ha! you can tell you're not married! to each according to his needs! you pose a good problem, there! What do you think, Giovanni ? Go fuck yourself! In January farmer families arrived, and they clashed with the first pioneers, because of inequalities in work, and because the latter wanted to make their ideas prevail. resources were quite insufficient, for such a great population. we started having food shortages. the struggle for existence became fierce, when needs went too far beyond the means we had to satisfy them. That's what happened to those colonists who were neither patient brothers, nor hunger-strike heroes, but just men like any other. family egotism was unleashed, certain families ate, others didn't. they were fatigued by their privations, but had no bosses or cops, and they worked, as much as they could; they made demands, but they didn't commit any acts of violence. Their stomachs often empty, they were young, but with three years of free life under their belts, free of all law, free of all authority. that's the proof, if you ask me, that communism and anarchy are practicable in bourgeois society. but it isn't over yet! i can tell you though that for me it is over, that there's no more reason to carry on the experiment. after making his first observations, Galileo didn't go back to his great Dome in Pisa every day to watch the light spinning. having proved the uniform periodicity of the oscillations, the light no longer interested him, and doubtless went back to being immobile. but the principle behind the pendulum clock had been proven! what a shitty life! Luigi ! what's the matter with you? What, you haven't had enough? Well, I sure have! La Cecilia is fucked ! I'm out of here! He smokes his pipe. He wants to eat. he isn't content. he takes off his coat. and what's mommy do? when he shows up, he gets up, she helps him take off his coat, She puts the cover on. She's angry. Yeah, mom's always mad, that's for sure! what's the matter? Something really serious! What? The mothers have taken the kids from me! Wait! don't go. I also have something important to tell you. I've thought a lot about what happened between us: our relationship's become too complicated, and too personal, too, to be understood by the others. Did you hear what I said? The mothers have taken the kids from me! Yes, I understand. It's just their first reaction, but an indicative one. That's why the others, the families, Must be made to understand our experiment... And why we'll have to give them the necessary elements so they can. That's why we have to... analyze our feelings, and compare our different perspectives. I've put together a few questions for you and for him. that way we'll be clearer on it all. I'll do a psychological evaluation. I'd like if you answered in all honesty. There, it's all there. Hey, get up! Get up! Are you nuts? Cowards! Thieves! - Who's a thief? - You! We? Thieves? the sweat of our labor? We're taking back what's ours! - What? You're leaving?! - Yeah, I'm out of here! Ask yourself whose fault it is! Don't fight! We have common interests. - We need each other! - Speak for yourself! Let them go! Let's be free of this reactionary rabble! - some socialism you've got! - Yeah, and some freedom you've got! The freedom to seduce little girls? Where are you going? Get out! Go, then! Take what you think is yours! no one here, no one is going to fight over a couple bags of grain and a few tools! but they're taking everything! they can't leave! Happy trails! I'm begging you, let's go! Please. Go on, then, leave if you want. Go if you want to. I'm staying! Now let's burn it all! What are you doing? They can still be of use! - For who? - For us! Comrades, let's put out the fires! Giovanni, there's no point! the farm ! this is all your fault ! with your "organization"! Fine. I'm leaving. No ! It's all our fault! All you do is talk about fault! We built something here didn't we? I can explain... I tried to save la Cecilia before it died. And this is the result! We're all alone again! Comrades! Let's begin again! Yes, we'll begin again. That's it, we'll start again... We woke you up early this morning. No regrets! We'll start from scratch! Not from scratch; We've learned a lot, haven't we? We didn't even try to understand what they wanted to do, or what they could have done. It's easy to draw conclusions in hindsight... but i don't think it was entirely them that was wrong! before you criticized them, and now you miss them ? But they changed, with us and we changed with them, naturally. and you, Giovanni, did you expect this ? I think we all felt that something grave was going to happen. but no one wanted this. However I think we can certainly explain this whole episode. But right now, honestly, I doubt you understand everything that's happened here and I even ask myself whether the Italian comrades' critiques were really unfair. one doesn't become a revolutionary far away from revolutionary struggles. The actors ! The actors ! Put on these red rags and wear them like revolutionary bonnets since you're the people of Paris! and the people of Paris must be armed! Long live the people armed! Long live the revolution! We now begin our rendition of "Danton's Death" by Bchner. Luigi will play Robespierre, and all of us will play the people ! Long live the people! String up the aristocrats! Ready! Curtain! What's happening, citizens? What else? The droplets of blood of August and September, Have not sufficed to color the people's cheeks red. the guillotine is too slow! We need a great shower! can you hear the thunderclaps? it's the cannons! our wives, our children, are crying out for bread. We want to feed them their fill with the flesh of the aristocrats! Death to everyone without holes in their jackets! in the name of the law... what's the law? the will of the people! We are the people! and we don't want any more damned law! therefore, our will is law! in the name of the law, there is no more law. Therefore, kill the bastards! You know what's happening here? The rebellion that has arisen in this province must be crushed as soon as possible. The Republic must defend itself and defend its ideals. and that duty falls upon all citizens, you understand. Hold on a minute, I'll translate that for the others. - We don't want anything to do with it! - We're foreigners! We're Italians, not Brazilians. You are Italians when you're in Italy. But in Brazil, you are Brazilians. And you too have been called to duty. An hour from now I will take you to headquarters and you will be assigned to your regiments; otherwise you will be treated as deserters! There's nothing we can do. They're armed. We have no choice. I'd sooner die than give up Anarchy! You're mad! I won't fight because they force me to! Let's go back home! - Let's stay! - Yes, let's go home! Hold on a moment, comrades. Italy? why not? Brazil? why not? It doesn't matter where... But not here. not like this. We don't belong here anymore. we have other things to do. Are you with me? Yes or no? |
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