Il mestiere delle armi (2001) - full transcript

"Who first invented these horrific arms?"

Henceforth, carnage and war erupted,

the straightest path
to cruel death opened.

Yet, blame not that wretch…

for we make poor use of what he gave us

"for self-defense
against ferocious beasts."

As the hour approached…

…for which fate, with God's consent,

appointed as our lordship's last,

each of us, forgetful of himself…

FEDERICO GONZAGA
MARQUIS OF MANTUA



…wept with grief how destiny…

LOYSO GONZAGA COUSIN OF FEDERICO

…would senselessly bring death,
at war's greatest need…

to a captain so noble and brave.

He had little occasion
in this last war he waged,

for feats of arms,
we'd come to expect of him.

GROOM OF CAPTAIN DE MEDICI

For these days,

it is custom to proceed
above all by intrigue

and political maneuvering.

Dispatch from his Lordship
Federico Gonzaga, Marquis of Mantua,

to the Rt. Hon. Alfonso d'Este,
Duke of Ferrara…

ALFONSO D'ESTE - DUKE OF FERRARA

Milord Giovannino
was brought to Mantua yesterday,



to be treated for a wound
to his leg

sustained in a skirmish
with Frundsberg Germans.

But doctors pronounced him
in mortal danger.

'Tis not enough to be
loyal and valorous in arms…

DUKE OF URBINO

…as you have been,

if the good name which is yours
is not bolstered

by the religion of our faith,

under whose precepts we were born,
and have lived.

Near daybreak,

he came back to himself,
in torment of every kind.

And the instant he saw me,

he ordered me to have
Maria, his wife,

send him his son Cosimo.

WIFE OF JOANNI DE MEDICI

As he spoke,
death, who called him to the earth,

redoubled his sorrow.

He ordered me to have
his camp bed brought to him,

so as to die as a soldier.

At that, his eyes glazed over and light,

gave way to perpetual darkness.

I learned even His Holiness was moved.

Though, he could not help but grieve

the tragic fate of Milord Giovanni,
his nephew,

the Holy Father recognized

the evil side he knew was in him,
taking precedence over good.

MATTEO CUSASTRO
CHANCELLOR OF GONZAGA

But say nothing more of this…

since God has found a remedy.

The Rt. Hon. Lord Giovanni de' Medici,

Captain of His Holiness
Pope Clement VII's army,

remained ill for four days

then died in the land of Grifone…

LIFE AND ARMY LIFE OF
JOANNI DALLE BANDE NERE

…of the fever

after being wounded in the leg
by cannon fire

in Mantua, the last day of November, 1526.

MANTUA, 30TH NOVEMBER 1526

BOCCADIGARDA PO 6 DAYS EARLIER

German wagons!

You there, in the wagon!
You're too far behind!

Move closer!

Throw them over!

Today, Saturday afternoon…

23RD OF NOVEMBER 1526
FROM VENICE TO THE SIGNORIA IN FLORENCE

…having joined the rear guard
of the Landsknechts near the Po,

milord Giovanni de' Medici
and his light horsemen

charged with such fervor,

that the enemy retreated in confusion,

losing several supply wagons.

General!

The captain of the Medici
attacked our supply wagons!

- That devil and his black bands!
- The order stands.

Avoid any confrontation.

The reason for this harassment
is now clear.

Let's avoid losses
and cross the river quickly.

These Germans of Emperor Charles V,
elite forces,

invaded Italy with 18,000 infantry,

who've already pillaged
some of our cities.

But they've only yet received half-pay,

and harquebuses and blunderbusses aside,
they have no artillery.

The forward march of the German invasion

met with General della Rovere,
Duke of Urbino, and his Pontifical Army,

whose 8,000 infantry and 600 lancers

were preceded by Giovanni de' Medici
with 600 men of arms,

and as many light horses
and harquebus men.

His design

was to slow the Germans down
by harassing them

day and night.

So, Captain De' Medici
had all armor burnished

to take the enemy by surprise
in darkness.

BRIDGE AT SAN NICOLÒ PO
GONZAGA TERRITORY

We were at first uncertain

about the road the Germans followed,

and when they were
eight miles from Mantua,

they seemed to want to cross the river

at Borgoforte or San Nicolò Po.

But on that part of the river,
as there were no more bridges,

they had great trouble
getting to the other side

and halted,
much to the chagrin of the local people.

The bridge is down!

The pontificals cut the ropes.

The German supreme commander,
General Frundsberg,

wished to hasten back to Rome,

having prepared his people
for the extermination of priests

and to plunder the Church's riches.

He boasted of having a golden cord

attached to his saddle, and ranted

about wanting to use it to hang the Pope.

BORGO GABBIANA PONTIFICAL CAMP

An urgent dispatch.

A courier.

Have a courier prepared to leave.

A courier for the Captain De' Medici!

We must flush out Frundsberg

before he crosses the river
and opens his way to Parma.

If he refuses to engage us,
then he wants to march on Rome.

In mid-winter,
he won't find food and ammunition.

He knows how to get them.

That Lutheran!

Not for long.

To Francesco Maria della Rovere,
Duke of Urbino,

commander in chief of the Pontifical army:

"…commander in chief
of the Pontifical Army."

It seems to me

that Italian troops are undisciplined…

- and they don't obey orders.
- "Orders."

Therefore, our infantry cannot…

"Our infantry cannot…"

…sustain the shock…

"Shock…"

…of German troops in the countryside,

regardless of these troops

having no artillery.

And it would be better to harass

these Landsknecht troops

through skirmishes
and hit-and-run attacks,

so as to inconvenience them,
but also to block

their supply lines, the only way to upset

the order and win victory

over such well-organized people.

"…over such well-organized people."

Your loyal and obedient servant,
Giovanni de' Medici.

Here is the pay for a soldier of our time!

An harquebus bullet flattened like a coin!

Colonel Cuppano,

the new firearms change wars,

but wars change the world.

"To the Right Honorable
Captain Giovanni de' Medici."

Your Lordship must be assured

that he is so dear to me,

that I shall always deeply regret

when he makes a request
I cannot satisfy,

such as has occurred today,
with respect to the artillery

"he solicits,
but which I cannot risk doing without."

And certainly, I know no one,

for whom I would do without it
in these troubled times.

"That is why…"

"I ardently pray
the honored Captain De' Medici"

to forgive me for not satisfying

his request for artillery.

"Your devoted brother,
Alfonso d'Este, Duke of Ferrara."

Beards and long hair
are a nest for lice…

and favor the enemy.

- I could eat me a dog!
- And I a bitch!

These rascals of every race and religion

cause all kinds of trouble!
They rape women,

burn haylofts and massacre cattle,

empty trunks and chests,
and what's worse,

they have no respect
for our lands and simple folk.

The Pope's infantry are poorly paid,
the soldiers are penniless.

Enough!

When penniless, they are troublemakers!

Only the Germans leaving
will rid us of the Pontificals.

Those knaves
harm those they should defend

as much as those they battle.

To end this war at minimal cost,

we'd do well to favor
the passage of General Frundsberg

and his army by the Curtatone gate.

The German wants to cross the Po
to get rid of the Pontificals.

Fog tonight, tomorrow clouds.

If the Landsknechts get

one day's advance on the Pontificals,

they can cross the river
and open the way to Milan.

CURTATONE

- Officer of the guard!
- At your service! 1

Discreetly inform the Vicar,
that by order of the Gonzagas,

passage through this gate tonight
is granted to General Frundsberg

- and to his German guard.
- Yes, Your Excellency.

CURTATONE GATE GONZAGA PALACE

In the name of the Father, the Son,
and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

What will they say in Mantua
when they see me…

begging favors from anyone but you?

You shall be blamed.

So, there it is,
the reward for my honor…

which, without hesitation,
I delivered to the world's unkind eyes.

All know the ardor

of the love you have shown.

They know I surrendered myself to you.

They know that never my favors

did I deny you.

How cruel it is

that from this love,
which I thought would burn forever,

I have taken only eternal dishonor.

All that's left to me,
is to suffer the disgrace of my husband,

and I can only expect the certain arrival
of a disastrous fate.

ESTENSI CASTLE FERRARA

In the name of his Majesty, the Emperor,

the German ambassador

for the Duke of Ferrara, Alfonso d'Este!

- His precious Imperial Highness…
- His precious Imperial Highness

Charles V, Emperor of Germany,

has sent to me personally,

a noble ambassador,

that I may partake

of his very honorable investiture.

And also,
to bring me the marriage contract

of our elder son Hercules,

and his beloved daughter,

the distinguished Margaret of Austria.

Firearm known as "falconetto,"

a new, rear-loading mechanism.

Faster to load, greater range of fire.

A great weapon.

Very important.

A big advantage for Frundsberg.

Quickly!

Hide them well.

Dearest wife, please send me six plates,

some bowls, some larger cups,

two tablecloths and eight napkins.

And two woolen waistcoats,

for the region is so damp and cold.

Since our last missive,

nothing has happened here

deserving that I inform your Lordship of.

And if not for the fact

that by these letters,

I may speak to you in your absence,

I should not bother your Lordship.

Keep it straight, move it up!
For God's sake!

Keep to the bank!

Straight on! With the current!

That's it! Give us some slack!

FERRARA

Stop!

Identify yourselves!

I am Matteo Cusastro,

chancellor to
the Rt. Hon. Marquis of Mantua.

I bear greetings from his Lordship
and his promise of hospitality

for General Frundsberg

and the imperial army
in the Gonzaga stronghold.

Fill it, so, it lasts all night.

Read me something.

Here's what Machiavelli writes…

"The loyalty of mercenaries
is short-lived."

Why should they be loyal,
since they do not know you?

To what gods, what saints
can they be made to swear?

Those they adore, or those they blaspheme?

I know of none they adore,

but I know they blaspheme all.

Nothing is more false than the idea

that money is the nerve of war,

"more so than politics."

Captain De' Medici!

- Who is there?
- Luc'Antonio.

Frundsberg's been spotted
on the road to Mantua.

Between Montanara and Curtatone.

Preceded by a squad
bearing the arms of Gonzaga.

- Is that certain?
- According to our patrol.

That vermin Federico.
First, he swears loyalty to the Pope,

then offers protection to the Germans.

It's politics, Sir Aretino.
Like Machiavelli writes,

politics count more than arms.

The Germans have turned back

to cross the Po.
We can't stop them now.

We stop Frundsberg, we stop the war!

Moving at night,
the great risk is the swamps.

The soldier's greatest bother.

War is nothing but bother,
dear Luc'Antonio.

Have light horsemen
and harquebus men ready to leave.

Guards!

One moment!

Wait! A coach is coming out.

Let it through!

Draw up the gate,
but don't lock the chains.

Two sentinels on the watershed
awaiting orders!

Where are you off to
at this hour of night?

Are you looking for hell?

Do you run from crows on your roof?

Are your souls damned to restlessness?

De profundis clamo te Domine.

We're looking
for the Pontificals' quarters.

Look for salvation, depraved souls!

It's a time of meanness and ignorance

and for the triumph of the Beast!

For you, no pardon or salvation!

Anyone there?

Answer!

We want Captain De' Medici.

They're all gone.

They broke camp and they all left.

Go on! Let's keep looking.

Pontifical courier!

Tell Captain De' Medici!

The Germans are through Curtatone!

Pick up the pace!

And stay together!

Vicar, have the guard deployed!

All torches and lanterns out!

All torches and lanterns out!

Quick! No light must be visible
at a distance.

Silence!

Drawbridges up and lock the chains!

Fast!

Order all not to answer anyone!

You there, where are you going?

Stop!

Parma Customs.

Who are you, Venetian dog?

The salt caique.

From Ferrara to Mantua.

What are you taking?

Always authorized!

So, go fuck yourself!

And your bitch of a mother!

And your pig of a father!

Quick!

Come on!

Tonight, we made it.

Commander Frundsberg
told me he realizes

the damage caused by the passage
of his soldiers through our land.

But it's war. Nothing can be done.

And to you,
he shall ever be most grateful,

for granting permission to cross through,

which gave him the advantage,

gaining him ground on the Papal Army,

and crossing the Po at Ostiglia,
the only bridge left.

But let us shed the last doubt

by sending an urgent dispatch
to His Holiness

to say how much your Lordship

begs the Pope's forgiveness

for what he was forced to do,
in spite of himself.

For you never could have
kept the Landsknechts from passing,

as they'd have forced the way.

Guards! Open up!

Lower the drawbridge!

It's Giovanni de' Medici,

captain of the Pontifical Army,
requesting passage!

We're looking for the Frundsbergs!
Open up!

Tell the Vicar to give the order.

Don't answer.

In the name of His Holiness
and the so-Christian king!

May the Eternal Father
strike you down!

Open this door!

Traitors to the Church!

Or tomorrow, I'll slit your throats,
beginning with the Vicar!

And that whoring Gonzaga!

- Shirkers!
- Vultures!

Traitorous vermin! Bastards!

Bastards!

What now, at this hour of night?

Captain De' Medici.

He came to the Curtatone gate
with his men.

He's after Frundsberg
in the dead of night.

He threatened the Vicar
and Your Lordship.

He says if we don't lower the bridge,

tomorrow morning, a head will roll.

There, wood for the fire.
All we need to keep warm.

Look!

What a strange Christ!

The Christ of the unfortunate,

of those who are hungry,
and those who are cold.

INRI

BANDE NERE BIVOUAC
NEAR THE CURTATONE WALLS

If pay doesn't arrive soon from Rome,
what do we tell the men?

To be content with papal blessings?

Hot wine against the cold?

Dear Luc'Antonio, in Rome, they know

that blessings without arms
don't win wars.

Stand him up.

Pull on the head.

Careful he doesn't bite you!

Or send you to hell to burn your ass.

Me, to keep from dying of cold,

I'd burn Christ and the Madonna!

Dearest wife,

I want you to go to Rome.

The sooner, the better.

You know my needs.

Explain to His Holiness the Pope,

how badly I need means.

In war,
to have prestige with the soldiers,

one must spend whatever it costs.

I had a small bed made

that two men can carry
without too much trouble.

Our little Cosimo has had
a slight fever for two days,

but never doubting he will recover,

we left for Rome,

though, the weather has turned to snow.

SUNDAY 24TH OF NOVEMBER

Where is that bastard Vicar?

You, go tell that whoring Federico

who's always mounting harlots,

that once I've met the Germans,
I shall return

and settle the score with that wretch

who last night, left me outside!

I'll twist his guts until he vomits shit!

Is it our fault

if the Vicar respects the order
to open for no one,

not even the Holy Father,
at that hour?

Eminence.

If he'd bothered to warn us in time,

as gentlemen are expected to do,

we'd have surely
given the order to open

the Curtatone gate for him.

But His Holiness

knows better than anyone
of what stuff Sir Giovanni's made.

He's always been of the most violent sort.

Still a boy, his sword fell
upon a companion in ribaldry.

Holy Mother, what fog this morning!

On the banks of the Po,
near Mantua, tucked away,

General Frundsberg has received

the four pieces of artillery

secretly given to him
by Alfonso d'Este. The German,

now assured of surprising the Pontificals
with the cannon,

has resolved to cross the Po at Ostiglia,

to at last be rid of Captain De' Medici,

whose light horsemen
are quick upon his trail,

making up lost ground,
headed straight for Bagnolo San Vito,

where the avant-garde
of the German army is arriving

in forced march for hours.

As soon as our country is rid
of the passage of these armies,

we shall be free from the disaster of war.

It looks like the head of the column.

The Frundsberg guard?

But he isn't there. It's a trick.

Armored forces to the center.

- Forces to the center.
- Forces to the center!

Take position on the knoll.

- Take position on the knoll.
- Take position on the knoll!

In firing range.

- In firing range.
- In firing range!

Charge!

Do not resist!

Do not resist!

Keep to the bank!

Do not resist!

They're retreating! They refuse to fight!

Wretched scoundrels!

Fight like soldiers!

What kind of men are you?

Cowardly bastards!

Although last Friday and Saturday,

we crossed through snow and wind
on a horrible journey,

we arrived in Rome last night,
at our father's house,

safe and sound, praise God.

We were at once received
by your uncle the Pope,

with much affection
and all manner of attention.

I spoke to him of your needs for the war.

The Pope's answer was

that his support will never falter
in whatever, day and night,

burdens your Lordship.

Should we prepare to go back
before nightfall?

Before nightfall…

there is one more thing.

Flush out Frundsberg!

To your mounts, two by two.

Light horsemen, harquebus men,
two by two!

What are you so proud of, blackguards?

Where do you think you're going,
armed like murderers?

No need for your weapons

to exterminate the peoples of this world.

Harken me!
As incensed as you may be,

the vengeance of the Lord is far mightier

than all your swords!

Shut up, priest!

True riches are not of this world!

Stabulum hoc praeponere cielo!

You are nothing but shadow,
hollow effigies!

ANCIENT FURNACES IN GOVERNOLO

It's him!

An ambush!

Retreat!

Cannons!

General della Rovere informs your Lordship

that he's not yet been
brought to his quarters.

We are sure

he was wounded in a skirmish
with the Landsknechts,

who were hidden near an old kiln

in San Nicolò da Po.

Giovanni had gone there
with many light horsemen

and they were taken by surprise,
falconetto fire.

General della Rovere
is therefore very worried,

not knowing where Frundsberg's
artillery comes from.

We have already advised

His Holiness the pontiff

that the Marquis Federico
possesses no artillery.

And the little we have,

we want to keep it as our only defense,

and nothing else.

Though we should certainly not favor

any who would use such firepower
to the church's detriment,

and in particular, against the Pope.

The Germans' artillery,

for as much as we know,

belongs to the Duke of Ferrara,

who ceded it to Frundsberg by night,

under cover and by the river,

in skiffs like those used
for transporting salt

since neither the Duke's officers
nor our own

inspect them closely.

Look!

It's snowing!

Holy Virgin, how it's snowing!

The Right Honorable
Lord Giovanni de' Medici,

captain-in-chief of the Pontifical Army!

The last shot from the falconetto.

- What shame!
- The real shame

is that the winter truce
is no longer observed,

the cold causing more harm
than the weapons.

And our own Giovanni
is first among these fanatics!

He even burnished the metal on the armor,

to fight during the night!
What could be worse?

Honored General,

the error was to attack
Germans with good leadership

who already had
the advantage of position.

But if they refuse to admit their error…

then they shouldn't complain
that the Curtatone gate

remained closed at night,
as is the custom

since the dawn of time!

Milord Gonzaga,

Captain De' Medici expressly sought

your protection, and that of no other.

May God repay you one-hundred-fold

all your profusive favors.

'Tis already a great heavenly reward

to welcome Captain De' Medici.

Wounded in the same leg

as at the Battle of Pavia.

It was truly an honor for me

to do battle
with a man such as yourself.

Your cousin, Marquis Federico,
comes to visit

with General della Rovere,
Duke of Urbino.

- General!
- My heartfelt respects.

Dear cousin,

all of us here are sorry

for our little Giovanni's fate.

Without Captain De' Medici,

His Holiness the Pope now shall

have every reason to be preoccupied

about the outcome of this war.

It's strange that a general like yourself

should abandon the front
to come visit invalids.

Yet, I must, in spite all,
rejoice in my destiny,

since I owe it to my misfortune

that I've been led to Loyso's house,

whose friendship to me

is brotherly and more…

and where, if perchance I should die,

I would no longer be seen by the world

as your enemy,
or that of the Gonzaga family.

Our Honorable Marquis Federico

hastened to urgently summon

the master surgeon, Habram,

who with all his science,
shall take care of you.

For myself, for this haste,

as for all the rest,
I am grateful to milord Federico,

for our long-standing friendship
and his charity.

And I thank you, too…

my very honored friends.

But above all, I thank God,

without Whose will, nothing is done.

Master Habram has arrived.

Fine, let's leave him to his task.

FRIDAY 29TH OF NOVEMBER

It's no use. The leeches

refuse to suck.

We tried twice.

It's a sign the blood is spoiling.

The wound is rife with purulence.

Twenty hours passed
before he was cared for.

The doctors declare him in mortal danger.

Nevertheless, nothing
can be said for certain

until the end of the fourth day.

Your fierce nature

has always kept you from making use

of all my wealth

as I wanted you to.

Ask me now for anything

befitting your station

and my own.

Love me…

when I'm dead.

So that the purulent wound

doesn't invade
and infect the whole body…

there is no other choice…

but to cut off his leg.

What it is right to do now,

let it be done.

Here, we should need linen
to make sheets.

There's not one spool left at home.

You promised you'd send me some,

but I know this will not be.

I also sent
your Lordship two robes,

two frocks and one tunic.

And also, two sachets of roses…

to put in your bed…

for the fragrance.

WEDNESDAY 27TH OF NOVEMBER

Everyone out!

Cut it!

With the help of the Almighty.

It pains me that I can't
send the satin you requested.

As I wrote to you, when I am richer,

I'll be of greater service to you.

Am I cured?

MONDAY 25TH OF NOVEMBER

Write to Maria, tell her not to be…

so quick to believe in misfortune…

and that at the next moon…

I shall return home.

This is only to let you know

that right now,

I am about to give birth…

and, being certain
that I bear your Lordship's child…

though, I do not request
any money of you,

I do ask of you the favor

of writing to my husband…

that out of respect for your Lordship,

he won't cease
to keep me company as in the past…

in the sole interest
of the child to be born…

since he shall be of your blood.

Please,

read me something.

De profundis clamo te domine.

Domine, audi voce mea

Fiant àures tuæ intendèntes…

Through the years…

of my life,

I have always lived…

as a soldier,

just as I would have lived

according to the rules of the cloth

had I chosen the priest's robe…

which you wear.

From the abyss,
I cry out to Thee, O Lord.

Hear my voice.

Listen to my prayer.

If thou dost keep
the memory of our misdeeds,

who could ever be saved?

Take pity on me, Lord.

Deliver me from all my misery.

And, in the immensity of Thy love,

erase all my sins.

O death, where is thy victory?

Where the searing iron of thy blade?

The infallible weapon of death

is in the law of sin.

But since I hope in Thee, Lord,

my soul has faith in Thy forgiveness

and my heart awaits Thee

more than sentinels await the dawn.

The Right Honorable Lord
Giovanni de' Medici,

Captain of His Holiness
Pope Clement VII's army

remained ill for four days…

…then died of the fever,

after being wounded in the leg
by cannon fire

in Mantua,

the last day of November, 1526.

The Germans then followed the riverbanks.

In Ostiglia, they crossed the Po.

Rid of Captain Giovanni de' Medici,

nothing more stood in their way.

General Frundsberg, gravely ill,

had to abandon his troops and return home.

The army of His Majesty,

Emperor Charles V,

having joined forces
with the Bourbon troops, conquered

and sacked the city of Rome

in May, 1527.

Because of the grievous fate

of Lord Giovanni de' Medici,

the most illustrious captains
and commanders of all armies

expressed the wish

that never again be used against man,

the powerful firearm.