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Napoletani a Milano (Neapolitans in Milan) (1953)
February 2013
NEAPOLITANS IN MILAN This is a rundown suburb of Naples. Since the end of the war, for the city administration, it's always been a problem dislodging people from these slums. For, when one goes away, two will take his place. The story told by the authors is pure fantasy, but is inspired by facts and relationships of coexistence that at times, in reality, exceed the fantasy itself. The movie camera arrived even here. The types were chosen among the local inhabitants. That's it, like this girl. With some spirit and photogenic quality, one can too become actor or actress. Just as... as an actress can take the role of a township dweller. In this ruin, which, for its sharp profile, the locals call "O' cuorno", The Horn, are holed up six people. No, this one is not important, he's soaking up the sun, leave him alone. Here! Let's look here. Tommaso Piccirillo, an old anarchist, harmless. No, don't be offended. De Rosa, coral worker. And this is Alberto Di Gennaro, by profession, painter. And Antonio Capasso, street vendor. And Donna Irene, former chorister. Antonio Esposito, violin player and her mate. Once Donna Irene even did a screen test, but nothing came of it. Here's Antonio, with his better half. Two of the many characters you will meet in this film. Follow this guy. His nervous gestures, his abrupt and authoritarian manners. His name is also Esposito. He had an insignificant role during Fascism: assault infantryman. But his friends call him "Federal", much to his pleasure. The mayor. It is he who has in hand the township. He's no vet, and exercises the profession. He's no lawyer, and gives legal advice. He's no doctor, and treats dogs and children. In his spare time he reads Horace, Homer. He knows the Code by heart, but can not write. This is his adopted son. He educates him, and puts him on the right track. We find the others in Milan. On the outskirts, in public housing. And at the ILAR company, United Lombardy Steel Industries. The Board of Directors had decided to send engineer Parenti to Naples, to implant a factory. But for the suburb's dwellers, who had found out, this initiative was just a threat. Portable travel pillows! That's him! Porter! - Ready. That's him! That's him! He's arrived! He's here! - Who? - The engineer! Don Salvatore! Don Salvatore! Don Salvatore! Don Salvatore! The Milanese has arrived! - The Milanese has come! Don Salvatore, hands off! Please, don't use your hands, I'm not a kid! I beg you, Don Salvatore! You, lousy rascal! Useless bum! Revolting scoundrel! Look at him! Murderer! I told you I need the assistant, in clinic! Where have you been all night? Answer! Speak up! Where you been? With friends! - At your age? But why can't I know how old I am? Cause you don't know how to take care of yourself. I've raised you! And only I know what it costs me. You're under my guardianship. When you'll be adult, then you'll know. Don Salvatore, will you examine Rigoletto? We're waiting! Ready! Swine! He goes with his friends! Please, heal my poor Rigoletto! What's wrong? - He won't sleep. - No? And you sleep? - Yes. But he complains all night. He's arrived, Don Salvatore! Was always with me, my Rigoletto, when I sang opera. Always near, huh, Rigoletto? You remember? Well, fiber is strong, will pass this crisis too. When? An hour ago, at the hotel Continental. - He'll evict us! What shall we do? Don Salvatore, you promised, you must keep your word! Silence! They're all unnecessary comments. He won't evict anyone. I have my cartridges to shoot. Let's shoot then! I got 3 hand grenades, a shotgun and a Parabellum! Uh, kiddo, shoot my foot! Shut up! Here is not about making revolutions. We'll fight them in legal terms. I wrote to the authorities in Rome. We just need time. I await a reply. He's here with the tools! He's near the Horn. Don Salvatore... Donna Irene, before any other remedy, the dog stinks! That's why it won't sleep. You got used to it, but he didn't. Give it a nice bath... lather it well... Then you put it in the sun... and I return later. Get the Code, hurry up! And come with me. Ready. Come on! They come here, act as lords.. The engineer! - Yeah! It's Salvatore! - He'll deal with it! Where is he? - That one with the hat. There he is. There. That's the Milanese? - Yes, him. You keep quiet, let me do the talking. - All right. Good morning. Good morning. I bet you're the famous Don Salvatore. The patron of the township. - Master? No masters here! We're all free men! Patron! Not master! I'm the mayor here, of the township. I administer these people. I sent a complaint to your company. Indeed, a plea. And as response, you start the works!? The fault is not of ILAR, Mr. Salvatore, this is building land, and the City ordered the eviction 4 times. These papers state it clearly. You know what we do with those papers? The company bought the land to build a factory, not a fairground. A fairground would be better. They might let us in there to sing songs, maybe to dance a tarantella. But not to work in a Milanese factory, I don't think! Well, a factory needs specialists. And of course we can't provide jobs for all these people. What's important is to start, create new sources of production. After all, it's progress. We can't stop it! And you should know that. What? The progress? So look at this! Hey, you've seen the progress? - No, we never saw anything! Sir, we never saw the progress, us. Once it gets here, we'll leave. For now, since it's not here yet, you leave, and now! So you say. - No no no... So says the Code. Here is the Code that... how's it said... Behold, here it states clearly. The execution of eviction, etc. etc. must be notified by a representative of the Public Security Bureau of the district, in the presence of both parties. But this is not the Code! - I know. He took the Orlando Furioso! So this article doesn't exist. - It does. You can check, for I know the Code by heart! This is how you handle your dwellers? - He's not a dweller, this is my adopted son, I do whatever I please. Get away, go to the shop! So, Don Salvatore, see you tomorrow. And as required by the Code. Perfectly! Here G. Garibaldi lived serene hours during his heroic stay in Naples. Sept. 7- 19, 1860 Neapolitans! Finally, your wish has been realized! The home! The true home, where Garibaldi sojourned, is about to become a national monument! What can I say? Don Salvatore has duly reported to the monuments department. So the Commissioner gave order to suspend. But you don't see they fish in troubled waters? Now, to lose more time, they pull out even Garibaldi! Sivieri, let's start anyway, knock in the pegs! And if it's truly a monument? Were it outside the perimeter... A factory with Garibaldi's house in the middle? - Well, we'll see! Will you get out of the way? - Hurray Garibaldi! - Stop it! Go away, Nannina! - So? So it's best waiting 2 or 3 days. The Department will check documentation and evidence. Well, news? I got a call from Milan. No dice: dislodge them and start now. And this? - Same thing, but they put it in writing. Registered letter with return receipt. - Better. Keep it, may come in handy. Mr. Parenti? - The gentleman. - It's me. - I'm from the Prefecture. His Excellency the Prefect sent a car and is awaiting you. - Very kind. Go to the site and wait. Keep the workers ready and avoid any incident. Good morning. - Mr. Parenti is awaited by Mr. Prefect. - Very well. Hello? Mr. Parenti. Alright! This way. Please do go in, Sir. Up, up! Up! Come on, come on! More, more! Higher! But... but what're you doing? But... let me down! I'll report you! You reckless wretches! Let me down! This is a kidnapping, you realize it? I will send you to jail! Yes! I will send you all to jail! Without mercy, got it? Goodbye mister, there's no danger! Under the seat we put food and water. And a blanket. It was all set up, huh? But you will remember me! You will remember Mr. Parenti! Rascals! Rascals! "Funeral Services" Stop! Oh, he's here. Don Salvatore, a letter for you, from the Ministry. Oh, the reply from the Ministry. Very well! Let's hope it's good news. Quiet, quiet, guys. Do not worry. Don Salvatore! Is all right. The Milanese was settled. Good. And we too have been settled! You can free the Milanese. Negative response. Negative? - But you promised... - And what can I do? What... - I too must vacate, you get it or not? Clear off! Be careful! Hey, be careful, we're here below! Come on, tonight we go to sleep outdoors! - Please! I knew it was going to end like this, Dad! Hurry up, for it's late! Push it, I'll pull! - But push how? It's too big! Here, Donna Carmela. But, you got strenght? You got health? So push! Oof! It doesn't go through! Oh Mary, what a mess! I can't take it anymore! Don't worry, mom, we'll pack the next load ourselves. Look! There he is! The mayor, the patron! Dear Don Salvatore, when there was "Him", this wouldn't happen! Come on! - But now he's gone! Stand still with your hands! All right! We will take the rematch! Huh! You'll see the rematch with this, with binoculars in reverse! Let's go. Buffoon! - Scrap of men. - That's crazy! Stuff to tear your hair. We'll do, we'll say... The mayor! Buffoon again. Hey, don't scream! You want me to slap you all? - Who, me? The head! The head! The head! Come on, a bit more. - I'm really fed up! - Pull a bit more, a bit more! Laugh some more, you! Boss, those in the Horn don't want to get out! The anarchist, Piccirillo, stirred them up. Says that not even with the guns! - How many are? Antonio Esposito with Irene the chorister. Alberto Di Gennaro, Pasquale Capasso, Tommaso Piccirillo and Emanuele Coppola. Well, forget it, they'll give in. Let's go on! But, you'll take responsibility? - Yeah, I'll take the responsibility! Let's go on. - Oh... well. Come out! Come! Outta my way! I told you not to go near there! Don't pay heed to that one! Nice guy he is! Where are you going, wretch? Come back! Come on! I want no trouble! I've endured you for 20 years. I'm an artist, I! Huh, listen! Says she's an artist! I wanna blast her brains! - What're you doing? Wait! Get off me! Get off me! Get off me! Wicked woman! Ungrateful! And to say that in August I even took her to the cinema! Forget about her! Leave her alone! Let her go! Let go those who want to! Freedom! Trotsky said that everyone is his own master. And the first one deserting, I smash his head! Hey, somebody! Can I talk to one of the barricaded five? Show up! I order you to vacate! No sir! It takes more than that to bend the forces of freedom! Yes, the sergeant is right! But what are we doing here? Shut up, traitor, coward! It's a useless resistance. - That's what I say too! Shut up, fake Garibaldian! Say, are you afraid, are you afraid? I wash my hands of it! Settle matters and think it over. Soon here will start the digger! The house is insecure! What did I tell you? Get out! So I pull them out with the police? No, never mind. I made start just to establish the principle. I make prop up the house before giving the stop. It's better. Tomorrow we'll see. - Careful with the cart! - Foreman! Here again, you? What do you want? Nothing! I just wanted to congratulate you! Not even the Germans had succeeded, but you made it! Engineer, you must forgive her! She's angry, like everyone else! Don Salvato', I'm sorry! Look... - No, there's a misunderstanding. If these houses are ugly for you, they're ugly as well for us! But sleeping outdoors, is worse! Take care! Come on, walk on. Calm, and walk on. Engineer! Engineer! Sivieri. Sivieri! There are five men underneath! Sivieri! Engineer Parenti! Quick, run! Quick! Sivieri! Sivieri! There he is! Well, what's up? Who's this? The Horn has collapsed! And 5 unfortunates are underneath! They blamed him, and almost killed him. And where do we put him? - Well, he'll make do. Poor people! - What a disaster! He's still asleep! - I'd say! Until five o'clock he walked back and forth. Come on, come on, let's have a coffee. As if we had slept well! Yeah, but if we'd put him in here, what would he think of us? Gimme the comb. - Then why did you bring him? Otherwise in Milan they'd say we kill the Milaneses. Nanni', who do you want to fool? You like him! - And you don't, right? What you said the other day? "He looks just like Douglas Fairbanks Jr!" - But so to speak... Even Donna Carmela likes him. - Me? Girls, you're fool! I don't care! - He's handsome! - Yes, but I already got a boyfriend. We didn't need the Milanese to find a sweetheart. Get down. Don't act prissy, come on. We go there to see what they say. You stay there and don't move. And be careful, cause here in Naples it's no joke. - Stay well hidden! Carmela, I think we can return to the alley. The eviction will be suspended. But we must carry everything. - With the cart. I'll take care of the cart, don't worry. - All right. Then let's go. Cover yourself, it's cold. Sorry if you slept uncomfortably, but we couldn't give you one of our rooms. Oh, no! In Milan you might say that in Naples, we sleep all in the same room! You've heard any news? - No, nothing, nothing. Only what I've told you last night. Oh, but we've got the radio though! Let's hear the newscast. Ah, it still takes five minutes. Take your coffee in the meantime. - Thank you. Thanks also for all the rest. - Don't think about it. Take that cup. Why did you help me? Certainly not for your looks! I did it because... You resent Neapolitans so much already! - But, it never crossed my mind. You just don't know them enough. - Now I do. No... You don't know them at all. You need to know them one by one. Right! Together, you're rather dangerous! You had to heed to Don Salvatore! Enough, thanks. - We don't lack the sugar, look. Don Salvatore is a good man, and highly respected. If he's so respected, he should have pulled those 5 wretches out of that house! What could he do? They wouldn't listen to reason. It was fated. And then beware, they bear yet more a grudge with the Milaneses. Not me, huh! I'd love to go to Milan. Radio news. Investigation is under way for the determination of liability in the disaster of Naples. The collapse has completely destroyed the surviving section of the building that the inhabitants called "the Horn". We learn from Milan that the newspapers gave ample space to the news, emphasizing the grief that... What now, you're leaving? - I've already lost too much time. Thanks for everything. Hey, Federal, you too are back? Should I miss this? I had to come back. I'm important! How do you in the alley, without me? - Ugh! Don Salvato', you had retreated. But now, if you advance, I'll follow you! The papers say it clearly, Federal dear! The responsibility of the Milaneses is big! They gotta pay! - Of course! Five dead, there were! - Five dead there were, five! We must bring an action for compensation to the relatives of the victims! They thought they had put me down! We're always ready to break the chains! Oh, shut up! What do you break? - That's what it takes! Bravo! The shareholders of I.L.A.R. will lose out the soles of shoes. I'll make seal the doors of the Duomo! Of De Rosa have remained plenty. We're many. We're over thirty. But, some went to London, some to America or to France... and I'm left all alone! All alone! - Please! No ceremony, sit down. Thank you. Say thank the lady. - I thanked her. - Goodbye. You understand? The De Rosa are abroad. Tough luck! Don Salvatore... The death of my brother gave me a huge pain. The poor Pasqualino! However, economically speaking, I was relieved. Sure. - He always came to me for help. And I gave, I gave... But Mr. Capasso, this is the right time to recover. No, no, Don Salvatore! I don't want to get in lawsuits. And then I'm fine, I don't lack anything. Please, eat an apple. No thanks, it's cold. - I'll eat it. - The boy will eat it. A tangerine, a pear. - Another time. - Be still with your hands, don't touch. So, nothing doing? - No, no... - Take care. - Goodbye. Don't touch. - I gotta choose! You're the widow Coppola, but children, got any? What did you say? - You have children?- You got kids? - Noo! I live alone from ten years, and I'm a bit deaf due to the fireworks. - Yeah, just a bit! What did you say? - Nothing, farewell! She can't hear a damn! - I can't hear! - So long, bon appetit! What rotten luck! This, Salvatore just wasn't expecting it. What's more, Mr. Parenti has left this morning for Milan. As for the ILAR, who knows which defense plan will prepare. 'Morning, Don Salvatore. Hello. Hey, why don't you come look for me? What's it to you? I seek relatives of the victims. You were not the wife of Antonio Esposito. No. But as if I were. I put up with him for twenty years! For him, I left my artistic career, and I want to be compensated. But compensated for what? By what right? But basically I'm an Esposito too! - Okay, by chance! What does it mean? Why, isn't his name Vincenzo Esposito? He too is an Esposito. In Naples the Esposito's are a lot. Esposito? Huh! De Rosa, Di Gennaro... are common surnames. De Rosa, De Pasquale, Di Gennaro... Esposito... They're many! Di Gennaro, De Rosa... De Pasquale... Capasso! He too is an Esposito! You too! Esposito family! - Present! So then, we said... You have a brother. Two children. A mother-in-law and her sister, who is this here. Remember well, huh? Capasso family! - Present! Coppola family! - Present! Piccirillo family! - Present! Di Gennaro family! - Present! Listen, here the information was accurate. ILAR company, United Lombardy Steel Industries, first floor, hallway to the left, last door. The suitcases are ready? - Yes! - Good! And please, seriousness! Remember, quiet in the street, huh? Walk, don't create incidents. Whatever they say, do not answer. Don Salvatore: the firstborn, Paolo from Cannobio! Yuck! You're so boring, Federal! Hey! What're you doing here? Don Salvatore, I came too. - I can see that. Don Salvatore, you can't deny me the satisfaction to avenge those 5 holy souls! Nannina, who you want to fool? I see, you want to do the romance. I swear! - Come on, get a ticket and return to Naples. Here it's cold... I'll catch a pneumonia! Meanwhile, at the ILAR, as in a fortress threatened by the invaders, the top brass of the company was studying the measures required by the emergency. But they could not find an ally in Mr. Parenti, who knew how those people had struggled to defend their miserable huts. No, Mr. President, don't ask me to stand against those poor people again! For me, they are right! And at the trial, don't count on me. It was you who forced me to rush things. And you, what do you say? - Of course, without the deposition of Mr. Parenti... Alright. For now, Naples is suspended, all right? And you, don't create us trouble with resignation and the like. Especially now. Go back to the management. No blackmail, let's sue them! Sure! We spend 60, 70 million in advertising to become popular, and we want to become unpopular to save some money? Public opinion is against us. Some money? But I know that kind of people! They're Neapolitans, you'll hear their claims! But what do you expect? Will be 7, 8 people! Oh, no! Excuse me, but we had a phone call. They arrived: a train car full. Will be some 50 or 60 people. They're in Piazza della Scala. They're coming here. Alright. They say it's not the case to send police. Of course! They're Neapolitans too! They're here! Yes, it's here. Come on. What's up? What do you want? - We're awaited, by appointment. Come. Good morning everyone. We've arrived, go up! Come on, come on! Come on! Quiet, huh? Relatives of the victims! Nobody knows the grief I have here! No one knows! I do know, I do know! What a fate! Five martyrs! It was an injustice! I've a bad heart. - Calm down! A little air, please. - Quiet, Federal. - I'm sick! I'm claiming a right! - Just a moment! If they'd give me 7 or 800,000 lire, I'd be glad. Even 500,000 lire each, what is it for them? Excuse me. Excuse me. Hear hear... I think that, to Don Salvatore,.. More than 400,000 they won't grant. And that too is fine, provided it ends! Hey, I let you pee just now, what else do you want? Excuse me. Excuse me! ...this you must consider! - Indeed, we wanted to restore the area. - Sure! But you lash out against us! - It's not fair! - Wait a minute! By what authority, I don't know. - Is it you who must protect those people? Yes, sir. Why? What's so strange? I took to heart their interests, moral and material, and I'm ready to defend them, as long as I have strength and blood! I'm ready to undersign it by betting my head! They do not care about your money. Could it maybe repay them of the lost loved ones? No! It will only allow them not to starve to death. That's all. You marvel that five individuals could maintain so many people. No, I marvel that are dead right those five! Come on, you're exploiting us! Yes, always the same old tune! Earning a living using cunning, improvisation, the stroke of genius! But not one's arms! I, my dear Don Salvatore, I came to Milan at the age of 18 years! And I learned to work! Why, you think one can come to Milan only at 18? No, this is a witticism, is not an answer! I have worked! I worked like crazy in a climate of cold, fog, that... excuse me, be patient,.. that only I know how I feel my bones! And in Naples? In Rome? Oh, yes! Lying down! In the sun of Via Caracciolo or Via Veneto? But give me a break! But, we have the sun and we shouldn't use it? Oh well, then we'll pack it and send it here, as you send us the panettone. That okay? Lawyer..! Excuse me, what is your name? - Nocera. - Good! Nocera, Campobasso... Lawyer, I swear that I'd like to have bones like yours. But I don't think you want a stomach like mine or of those unfortunates outside. Yes! Lawyer Nocera is right! You came in perfect Neapolitan style! Accurate staging, weeping, mourning... And to ask what? Money! You are a beautiful lady. And blessed be the mother who gave you birth! And on this point I think we all agree, right? But! I can't allow you the "perfect Neapolitan style". Because, according to Mr. Nocera, we are the ones who spend the day studying the way how to rip off people. Right? And you don't think that by admitting this fact, you should also try to understand which was the factor that determined it, no? Since I don't believe that, by a strange natural phenomenon, in a point on the earth are born only fraudsters and idlers, and in another, gentlemen and workers? But come on! Did you think that we'd come here like Pulcinella to thank you for the misfortune we had? Gentlemen, we're wandering from the point! Mr. Aianello, your requests are excessive. We'll never come to an agreement. - Well, make me a counterproposal. Excuse me, we discussed for three hours, and you keep saying no, no, no! Here is a counterproposal! Why not give him a job? Don't you think, Mr. president? A job? - In a factory. Give them work! And you, what do you think? The proposal of the lawyer seems good. Mrs. Vittorini, you represent the majority of the shares. A job here in Milan? Well... it's an idea! Well, I think that would be fine, but where do we put them? Yeah, where? If I may, why don't you entrust them to Mr. Parenti? He knows them well now, he esteems them. Perfect, at the ILAR! Okay, Parenti? Why not? Oh, excuse me! We are deciding among ourselves, but the answer is up to Don Salvatore! Lawyer... One sees that the fog hasn't altered you at all, right? You too spend the day seeking a way on how to cheat your neighbor! But this time you won't succeed! Because we do accept! And if I may, I'll give the news to those concerned. Salvatore, what did you conclude? Finally! Don Salvatore, so, they give us the money? Not a penny! - But how, but how? They make us work! - What? We've come so far! How much they give us? - Shut up, wretches! I had to agree not to look bad. You want to return to Naples, stretch out your hand and panhandle again? They offer us work. - Work! - A real job, you realize it? Maybe we can eat every day! - At last! - Even in Naples we eat. But no, no, I repeat, nothing doing! Either pay in advance or go! Clear off! But what is this distrust? We pay on week end. Our luggage is guarantee. - Which luggage! I know these bags, the police station is full of them! Come on, on, out, move out! This is a hotel, not a hospice of charity! What times! Once tourism was encouraged! - And now what? What do we do here? - I'm going back to Naples! - Of course! Come on, are we joking? Let's go by here, let's see where it leads... Federal! May you be damned! Hey! Ferdinando! Look there! What a pleasure, in Milan! A big shot! So, we came to Milan. This guy of the hotel, here... More lucky the Di Gennaro family. The owner of the guesthouse was accustomed to a small clientele, to which necessarily she had to make some concessions. Pilgrims, young tourists or traders for the Milan Fair. - It depends... How many are you? - One family. Come, come! All right! A family a little large... We'll huddle up a bit. Come on up, the lady is so good hearted! And Don Salvatore was hosted by Giovanni, the foreman of the factory. It sure was a great misfortune! Oh, moved us all, y'know? I mean, five fathers of families! And of big families, even! - Eh, they're large families! But you southerners... you always say that you have no work... And then... all those children! That's a good point. Everyone says that in Naples there's too many kids... Some have 5, some have 7, some have 10... To me, it's that children are not marked on the expense account... Wake up! Who knows! Perhaps it is so... We have had only one daughter. This one. Here is. Ah! She's a beautiful girl. - She lives here? No. She's married for a couple of months. She slept in the room that now we gave to Mr. Salvatore. I thank you both, you were really very kind. Not to say, huh? But me, certain rivalries, I don't understand them at all. And to say that I'm a true Milanese, eh? Of the Dome! Piazza Fontana! Well, this is said to say, but then, in practice... The cities are still called Naples, Rome, Milan, Turin, Florence, Genoa... Just as when they were many republics. - So, how should we call them? But in no way! Why must they have different names? To create sectionalism? What does this mean? The city is one only. The streets, are many. I think that we feel distant from each other because of the trains, the travels. Traveling intimidates, you know? That's right, for there is: sleeping-car, seat reservation, the travel pillow, and rails, rails, rails! And especially those signs! Fast train Naples-Rome, express train Rome-Milan. If they were called trams instead of trains, we would no longer get the feeling of traveling! And if the signs instead of having, don't know, city names, bore street names, Posillipo-Piazza Fontana, Via Caracciolo-Piazza del Duomo, it would be a lot easier! Right? But it's impossible! Trains are trains, and trams, are trams. - Eh, tram! No, I was not saying this! I understand it's unfeasible. I was saying, as... - All right! Come on Rosetta. - Coming! Tomorrow morning, at 6:00 wake up, and at 7:00 in the factory. All right. - At work. You got that? Leave the door open, so you let in some heat. Thank you, good night. - Good night. Goodnight! Goodnight! - Goodnight. That was the last car. Now go to sleep. And in the morning, remember, early. Goodnight! What a day! What a day! Once solved the problem of sleeping, another one arose: waking up. In Naples you're woke by the sun over your eyes. In Milan... Don Salvatore! Don Salvatore! Don Salvatore, wake up! Who is it? What is it? Coffee's ready. Coffee at this hour? It won't make me sleep! Hey, Rosetta! From some time, coffee hurts me. I have a stomach ache that I can't bear. You should smoke a little less! It would be best for health and circulation, huh? Give me the sugar. - It's inside already. Good morning! Good morning. - Hello. You slept dressed? - No, Don Salvatore, I was quick. Have a coffee. - Thank you. - There. You like it? I ask, for I know that you Neapolitans are specialists. Then, I'll teach you how to make the Neapoletan coffee. - Maybe! Come on, Don Salvatore, wake up! But how did you do so fast? How? I'm in Milan and I became Milanese! - The plant is waiting too. Work is work! I wash my face, get dressed and I'll be right. Maria? Maria! Maria! - What do you want? Where is the comb? I gotta do my head. - I gave it to Nannina. Nannina! - What? - The comb! Here is the comb. Give me the dress that's in the fiber suitcase. - All right. Quick, quick! Be careful out there. I beg you, be careful! Hurry up! - Take care. May Our Lady be with you! Watch out! With a health that comes and goes, he goes around dressed so light! Did you call that other one? - Be careful! There's cars in the streets! Vincenzo! What do you want? - Go down, hurry up! How did you sleep last night? - Uh, don't ask! Like crap! Ah, how great! Great! Says it's great! Cleaning of the machines, eight people. One, two, three, four. - ... 6, 7, and 8. - That other one. Come on. This one? Just tell me, and I'll mark. Don Salvatore, menial services! I'm sorry but for now it is only modest tasks. - Well... But no one thought to be coming to Milan to head the factory. So... Materials loading and unloading, 7. - Yes - Right? Alright. - Department of kitchen's cleaning, 11. All of women! Materials handling, 5. Cleaning of the machines, 8. All settled. And... Oh, Nannina. And how do we do? Engineer, as I said, she's a hard head! Get a ticket and return to Naples! Let's go! How do I do? I have no job for you. I can only hire relatives of the victims. But I haven't asked you anything. - I know, but... But why did you come to Milan? I got tired of being there, and this was a good chance to leave Naples. Yeah! But how do I get to help you now? Do not worry, sir! I just came to greet Don Salvatore. I've already found a job by myself. Well, how goes it? - Not bad. This is for Don Salvatore. - All right! Hey, clean it good that bone, it must be polished! - More polished than this? Come on, guys. Get the shovels, and shovel up well there. And quickly, huh? Hey, you! "Girl wanted for cleaning" Have a good day, ladies, thank you! Do we take a taxi? Goodbye. - Goodbye! Good morning. You seek a girl? - You're not from here, are you? No, I'm from Naples. Neapolitan... Can anyone give some references for you? Mr. Enrico Parenti, director general of ILAR. I'm going to ask. Wait. Good evening. - Good evening. Please, you can as well eat? - Yes, sir, have a seat. - Thanks. Come in, come in! Come on in, we eat. Come on. Good evening! - Good evening. - 'Evening. - Good evening. 'Evening. - Good evening. - 'Evening. - 'Evening. - 'Evening. Good evening! Good evening. - 'Evening. I would eat a nice plate of spaghetti. Donna Irene, let's not be provincial! But how, spaghetti in Milan? In my opinion, when traveling, you should eat the local specialties. Here they're good at risotto, minestrone and polenta. Let us eat what they eat, so we go on the safe side. You wish, gentlemen? Risotto Milanese! - We don't have it. No? Minestrone! - Not even. Sold out. Polenta! - Not even, for it's late already. Well, what can you give us? We can give small pasta in broth. Broth? Broth! You want some? No, thankss. The first few weeks went by, and the Neapolitans had almost learned to find their way in the fog, and Nannina in the jungle of the cleaning tools. But while her friends had gone beyond their ambitions, Nannina felt herself far from hers, and awaited patiently the right chance. May I help? I would like some gloves... - Those in the window. Come, come with me in the department. We have some beautiful ones. The assortment is truly important. Look! Look how beautiful they are. - No, not these, miss, too showy. Then these others. That's it, these are good. A bit short? - Do you like this? Excuse me, what color is your dress? - White. So why not take the heavenly or pink ones? - Yes, let's see. They fit very good on white. - These are good. Thank you. And then we also have some beautiful scarves. - Scarves? Let me see. Look at the fabric. And what is the price of the scarf? I'm going. - Wait, don't go. - Okay. Hurry up! You got the money, huh? Now you're all set. - Who's next, move on. First and second week, deductions. And in a month? And this time there is another novelty. Disability and old age. But what's that? The deduction! They give it back when you're old. One works to death now and gets the money in old age? - Yes! What can you do? Wait a minute! We need to collect. - Collect for what? For honoring worthily our dead. We make them a nice memorial stone in marble. I've done even a sketch. - Yeah, sure! For the third week of pay I didn't ask anything! What're you staring? - Don Salvatore... - Come on! Aw, alright, take it. dead! - I remember them just the same! I even dream them at night! - Go away, fool. For the monument. For deposit... We must always remember the dead! - OK, but... Vincenzino's going to Naples. Need anything? So long! Goodbye! Have a good trip! Hey, try to remember the faces. It won't work with me, you've tried 10 days ago! I'm sorry. Go ahead, I'll take another one. Sorry, there is only this one. Let's do that I take you and then I continue. Thank you, very kind. Too much bother, it's true Miss? - Oh, no! You're from Milan? Yes, and you? - I'm from Naples. I'm here in Milan for many years. Business. And you? Me? A family girl. Oof! What a nuisance! I quarreled with my boyfriend, and I left him. Indeed, you seem a little nervous. - Oh, never mind. He's a cute Sicilian guy. With a small black mustache. You like mustache? - Yes, but it doesn't matter. Too bad I gotta leave! Or else? Or else... No, no! I really have to go! Perhaps, was being born a clandestine idyll. While another, which had started in an unusual way and then interrupted, was about to resume. Are they good? You've been waiting long? Good evening. - Good evening. I just wanted to thank you for the information you gave to the lady. You can do it. While we have dinner. - Take me to dinner? - Yes! I reciprocate the hospitality you gave me in Naples. Satisfied? No. Because in Naples you would not take me. And not even the first days here in Milan. - Why? Because one could see that I was a girl who made boxes. And now not anymore. You like? Can't hear! - Is it good? Damn your mother's soul! I beg your pardon? - Er... "My Heart and Soul". - Okay. "Anema e core". It's worse than home! No more wine, please! Are you happy? Aren't you a little upset by a life so different? Tell the truth. You'd gladly return to Naples? This is a stupid question. Of course that I would return to Naples. To see my town, Donna Carmela who raised me... But then I'd run immediately to Milan. By now... Is there someone here that interests you? And this is another stupid question. You're right, it's true. This way, ma'am. There is a reserved table. Hello Parenti! - Oh! How are you? - Good evening. Madam... Miss Anna. - Nannina, if you please... But I've met her before, I don't remember where. The other night at the theater, perhaps, she was with me. Maybe. Have a nice time. - Thank you. - Thank you. I said it for you, I didn't want... - ...her to know you're dating a salesgirl. She recognized me, I sold her the gloves some days ago! - Nannina... - Please. Where are you going now? - Please! At one point I too, in Naples, I've let you go, right? That was a disappointment for Enrico. But a bigger one awaited him and his workers a few weeks later. It was a bad winter for the industry, and the factory closed its doors. All personnel fired. For the Neapolitans, history repeated itself. Here too, ILAR showed them the door. Listen well. They closed the Mambrini, they closed the Thermoelectric, but this one won't close. I'm telling you! He's right! They have no qualms: they close. And us, what do we do, we don't eat? We'll do as those at Mambrini! Right! - Worse! - Worse! - Oh, yes! You're right! - The factory must go on just the same! Managers, engineers... It's the workers that count! Us workers, we're important! And from here, we do not move, even if comes the police, mind you. Not even with the police we'll move! We'll stay here! And the factory will be our fort! The police! To the gates, to the the gates! Quick! Lock the gates! Hurry inside! Quick! Close! Get off guys! In front of the gate! The stubborn and violent workers of ILAR oppose the management's rightful decisions. No arrogance of masters will be able to bend the workers of ILAR. The executives of ILAR do not yield to violence. The workers of ILAR will not yield. You can't pass! - No corporal, please! I gotta bring food to my son! Close ranks! Don't use violence, for it's worse for you! - Then you gotta be more human! Madam, orders are orders! - Stand back, you can not pass. Let them through, damn your living ones! - You and your sister! Oh, you're a fellow villager? A neighbor acting like that? Should we get in trouble because we're neighbors,? - It's orders! Orders my foot! Let'em go through! Come on! How picky you are! What do we do? - What... let them pass. But first, check the packages for weapons, got it? Engineer, try and convince them. Get them out. - We'll see. It's me, open up! Engineer Parenti! Let him in! - Come in... What news? - Did you talk to them? What do they say? - Enough! Let him speak. Listen guys, I spoke with the bosses so far. Three hours of discussion. Nothing to do! The balance of the factory is a disaster! And so we were ripped off good, eh? Give them work, then close the factory, and that's that! It's true, it is so! Great indemnity you gave us! I told Tardini that we're all willing to manage the factory up to the balance of new orders. But they don't accept that either. They want to sell, want to sell the machinery. - What? Sell what? They sell absolutely nothing, long as we're here! Engineer, we let collapse the houses on us, but we do not move! Misfortunes and troubles don't frighten us. And we are used to hunger. I say this for us Neapolitans. As to the Milaneses, I believe they'll give you the same answer! That's for sure, engineer! Go tell your masters! - You're wrong, they're not my masters! I resigned. He's a friend! So what do we do here? "The Siege of the Alcazar"? Outside there's life, there's women! Any news? - No, they don't want to hear about it. These guys are tough nut to crack! It's really a lousy life! Hey, good morning! Good morning. What are you doing here? - Fodder for friends. Good! But, tomorrow? Why? - Well, these don't give up, neither do those. They're even without power. Oh, but they are used to it! In Naples is the same. - Yeah, the same situation. What a pity! Now that everything was fine! You know that soon I'll become first salesgirl? Right... You are gaining ground, and I have stopped. Well... It means that, when you will have become poor, but poor poor poor! I will invite you to dinner, and I won't be ashamed of you. Hey, Nannina! Come, come! Coming! Leave it to someone, I'll take you back by car. - No, thanks, don't wait. Some other time, goodbye. No, no, the decision to close the factory is more than justified. Close it and that's that. They're doing a fuss... Workers inside the factory, riot police... The police? They're there pro forma! We didn't even ask to clear off not to aggravate the situation. Of course. We need to close a factory to save the others. Better one than all. We have no capital to throw away! It's true that the Neapolitans have offered to work for free? Yes, it's true. But what do they eat? Let's be fair! We can't keep them in factory without even giving them what to put in the pot! Wait! But even our workers have offered to work for free! - Really? Oh, but then, if even ours were so nice! But Mrs. Vittorini, you represent the majority of the shares! If you think to do well... - Oh, sure! But I see that we're all here. We can begin. Excuse me. I wonder what the workers want. Such decisions are not taken on a whim! They don't realize a budgetary disaster, and they go on strike! President... - We can begin, right? So, gentlemen... I need not tell you why I called you all here tonight, and with urgency. As you all know, Mrs. Vittorini owns the majority of shares in the ILAR. It's lean! Well! Split it among your men, and tell them it takes patience! And let's hope in the supplies for Genoa. Good morning. - Good morning. Hello Dad. Er, I mean, my paycheck. I managed. - It's lean! So then, no memorial? What? - The stone memorial, the monument to the dead. The stonemason awaits the rest of the money! - Let him wait, I'll go later. But you have to go soon, and you can't move, with this emergency situation. This way we lose the deposit. How much? - 50 or 60,000 lire. But what is, now you perfume? - Oh, a little vanilla scent, Dad. You know, we're in Milan. Here, that's 60. Well, Dad, I'll run away or I'll miss the train. Goodbye then. Have a good trip! - Thank you. Here's to you, my Nordic beauty! To you, my star! You know I'm getting used to Milan's climate? The cold makes me eat more. And then, I like the mist. Look, look! The pizzas! And how come? These are Neapolitan things! Brava! She can't understand, is Hungarian! I made her learn especially for you. - They seem... those that makes Zaz in the Vomero. Let's uncork a nice bottle! Lambrusco. What a squanderer! Oh, squanderer! Don't be afraid. When business is good! - No... Has arrived my partner from London! Watch out! Beware of the bang! - I'm scared! Hush. - This is a wine that... Look at that! - What do you want? - Get lost! - Where you going? Ha! You're here, huh? I had got it! With women of ill repute! - I'll explain, please! Look... No! No! The ear! The nose! Get out the money! Give me your wallet. Give me the money! I didn't lose anything... - Traitor! Judas! Judas art thou! I am a man! Who is it? Get away, you! No! Don't touch her! I forbid you! Let go! - Ouch! Look at this idiot! Don't let me see you anymore, huh? Swindler! Traitor! It's over! Don't appear anymore before my eyes! It's over! You understand? All right! We shall never meet again! Wilma and I love each other anyway! Even without a penny! What? Who? But look at this miserable! Here, take this picture! And I who even made you the pizzas! Hungarian! And you've got trade in London? Aw, come on, please! Here, take your coat and get out. Come on, is better for you, walk! My daughter pays the light! Get out! Look what the Almighty makes me see! Damn the Navy, I wanna see if he'll dare again, the swine! Lawyer, I can no longer endure the abuse and bullying of my guardian! You're the only lawyer I know here. And you help your fellow citizens, right? - Of course! So tell me: I have the face of a minor? - A minor? And Don Salvatore won't tell me my age! There will be a law for this, right? Sure. The law is for everything! Every thing is foreseen, there's a specific law... But, you don't know your age? No, Don Salvatore won't tell me. And when he adopted me, I didn't understand yet. But you're not son of that Esposito perished in the crash? And 3 months ago, you didn't understand yet? Oh, yes, of course! But I meant an earlier one, lawyer. Don Salvatore is the second. I meant the one who actually made me. Another bastard! Never mind... But this present one is a tyrant, a bully, he beats me every night! And then he slapped me in front of two women. I am a man, sir! Lawyer, let us break this chain! I ask you this like a son, sir! Vincenzino, listen: you must talk to me clearly. You must tell me everything. You understand? Sit. Okay, lawyer, I tell you everything. However, let's not harm Don Salvatore. - No, and why should we harm him? Sit. Don Salvatore raised me, is a good man, a little nervous, but clever though! - Who doubts that? So, he beats you? It's alright. It's me the bastard always in for trouble! - No! But stay here... The days went by, the factory proceeded laboriously trying to meet the new production orders, but the material stocks petered out. Impossible to renew them, since the German or Swedish steelworks grant no credit to whom has no credit. But Salvatore immediately got busy to solve the problem. But... but I told you we got a very important job order! Delivery in a month and a half! At least try to understand the situation! Just to get over this moment! - Engineer... - But... Yes, I understand... But... Yes! Okay, I get it. Thanks all the same. The imports office cannot act! We'll act on our own! There you go. What's that stuff? We need iron alloys, not paper for pulping! Correspondence with relatives abroad. - And this is mine! Why not? My old pal in Philadelphia! Excuse me. This is of my mother's cousin, from l'Etoile. Read! And this is my pal in Nuremberg! Uncle Pasquale from Brooklyn. - This is from Turkey! - And this from Romania! And this from Canada. - From Greece, here. - Buenos Aires. This is from Massachusetts. - From Sao Paulo. And we have from Liverpool, Mexico City, Sweden, Norway, Spain and Portugal! Well? - Surely among these there's someone who can help us! - Oh, come on! But come on! Enough a cablegram, and starts running the whole chain! "Dear pal, dear whatever, we find ourselves into trouble." "Try to exploit a friendship. It is a matter of honor!" Thanks, thank you so much. Let's see what it is. "Check sent" Donna Amalia, Salvatore wrote from Italy! Gennaro, Salvatore wrote from Italy! He's in trouble! Serrazzano! This is important stuff! No! You can't say no! The father of your wife has a lot of connections! Hello? Hello! Ciccillo speaking! I know. Now we see what we can do. Nicola was familiar with Faruk. You have no friends in Cairo? Hello, hello! This is Paris here! So, John, how're you doing? - Very well, my friend. I got a letter from Rocco. It's no good. Damn it, we gotta help him. Isn't Alsatian, your father in law? We must do everything possible and impossible! Is at stake the honor of all of us! Talk to your buddy! And say hello to your wife. Close! Okay? But it was a hard winter for Salvatore. For him, unlike the others, was not easy to acclimatize. He could not stand the rain, the fog.. ...and the cold! The humidity, the fog... But winter never ends! It is long! - Let's see. Oh, Madonna, I die in Milan! Quiet, quiet! Come on, take this hot milk, it will do you good! Ah, the blocked nose.. - I know. It's the cold. - The nose, the nose! Patience! Take the hot milk it will do you good! Well... So... I'm going. Too bad you stay in bed. Too bad, really. Because today all the shareholders will come to congratulate the workers. Say hello to the workers for me, and to the shareholders. So... I'm going. Hey, stay well covered! I don't even think about it! I'll tuck myself in, and forget it all! Hello. Don Salvatore, an orange? Why did you come? I told you to show up only at the factory! Because I don't forget! No, Don Salvatore! I repent! - He repents! As soon as I heard about your serious illness, I had remorse. - Remorse... - And then, you may even die! Better die yourself, useless degenerate! Don Salvatore, if you forgive me, I have another serious confession. I've done another mess. What did you do, stinker? It's the sequel to the first fact. Practically, a single fact. After your surprise in my lover's house, that wretch... I turned to a lawyer. A lawyer? - Yes, lawyer Nocera. Lawyer Nocera? - Yeah. He made me so many questions, and I told him, as to my paternity, some details. You told the details? - I regret it! He's a fellow townsman, what did I know he'd go to Naples to investigate... He went to Naples to investigate? - He returned today. We are thus pleased to congratulate our excellent workers. Which have proven capable of so much constancy, so much zeal, so much attachment to the factory. Let me say that I have always been convinced of this great success. A success that has not surprised us. Since it represents the fruit of the union between the capital and the living forces of work! I am thus pleased to announce you that ILAR has, on its own initiative, decided to grant you an extra bonus of 50,000 lire each. And now, our Giovanni. Come on! Go, Giovanni, go. You ashamed to speak? A nice speech, you speak so well. - Do yourself honor, go. - Speak well. Come, come here. Make a nice chat, huh? Come on, Giovanni, do the speech. Well, I... I thank the ILAR, on behalf of all, for the bonus granted on its own initiative, after 3 hours of discussion with the workers' reps. Here they are. And then... I thank my Neapolitan colleagues because, hey, those guys know their stuff! Morning lawyer. - 'Morning. Morning lawyer. - 'Morning. If you allow, I too would like to say a few words. And I'm so sorry that is not present our common friend, what's his name... Don Salvatore! You allow me, sir? - Please... The Neapolitans know their stuff. Of course. They know it so well that they were capable to pretend being the relatives of the 5 dead of the collapse in Naples. - What? - Exactly so! I've got all the documentation. It was a long and tiring task, but I can prove that these people have extorted your good faith! They shamefully took advantage of a tragedy that has touched the entire nation! Is it true? It is true! And I'll tell you why all this happened. Lawyer, you say that we don't like to work, huh? So why did we come here? - When you came, you had no intention of working. No... We came to extort the good faith of ILAR. But you, didn't you mean to extort our good faith by offering us work? Because you, lawyer Nocera, and all shareholders, you thought that a work proposal would put us to flight! To go to soak up the sun in Via Caracciolo! Since this is the opinion you have of us, you! A justified opinion, I'd say! - Lawyer, how obnoxious you are! But, are you Neapolitan? I do the interest of a company that gives me to live from 15 years, and I can't betray it just to be likable to you! It's right the way you act that creates the misconception by which rightly, here, they think we're all of the same grass! Come on! Oh, sure! For the fake relatives. - That's it! And what have we extorted? Nothing! We were unable to take off you one penny! Just as we wouldn't be able if we were the true relatives of the victims. It's hot. Hold this. The same grass! Right! Since you deem yourself, lawyer, as clean grass, fresh grass. Scented grass! But, the other grass? Us? You want to throw us away? You don't see! You don't see that the more you treat us as bad grass the more we become bad! It took 5 dead for you to see that, in the end, even weeds can turn out good at any time. We want to work, we have the ability. We demonstrated it at every opportunity. You shareholders, do as you wish. Do as you think best. Put us where we're deemed most useful. We like to stay in Naples, and we also like to stay in Milan. As for me, I... I want you to note that, with this suit I came, and with this suit I'm leaving! Don Salvatore... How is he? He still has a little fever. Come in. - Thanks. But, Don Salvatore..! What have you done? Everything is fine. Nocera has lost! Tardini and the others have said the factory is fine as is, and that's it. But, how are you? So... they no longer send them away? Course not! They won't throw anyone out! I'm going away! - What? - Yes! I'm going back to Naples! I need the heat, the sunshine! Here it's cold! - Get to bed, you got a fever, don't be crazy! I did my duty, I fixed up you all! Now it's over! Why, you want to go away now that you taught us to make coffee and spaghetti? That's it, I don't owe anything more. Nice way of reasoning! I owe, I owe..! It's not a matter of owing, it's a matter of affection! A matter of heart! Because us... we like you. You got that? We're here talking of feelings and of not feelings. Southerners! But what do you think? That it's you who gave us feelings? Huh? Since for you it's a matter of affection, huh? - I'll be damned! The sun, Naples..! What are you regretting? You'll see, you will return to Naples. I'll come too. We're all going to take a nice trip! Maybe on the tram, like you said. There will also be the engineer. With Nannina. Enough now! Crouch down, take a good pound of aspirin, or else I go hopping mad! Got it? - But I... - Nothing! Down! Down! We'll take the tram you and me, huh? Posillipo-Piazza Fontana... - Alright, alright, sleep now. Via Caracciolo-Piazza del Duomo. - Yes, yes... But there's a day when all over the peninsula, this great city by one hundred names, the sun is not long in coming. From north to south, the main roads, squares, streets, lanes and alleys, the thousand and thousand houses, so different from each other externally, but so similar in inner feelings, will welcome the sweetness of that warmth, which for once, on the same day, warms and invigorates everyone's heart. Giovanni and Salvatore soon will take advantage to carry out the long-awaited outing. Also Nannina and engineer Parenti, for personal reasons that we know, will take the same tram. As well as Vincenzino, who will certainly marry a good girl authentically Milanese, and who will finally know his true age. Twenty-five years. Let's hope that the words of Salvatore will come true. After all, he's right. The tram is undemanding, and doesn't give the feeling of distance, as may give the train. And above all, it makes us realize that we are close, so close... Nose to nose! END |
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