Cuore (1984) - full transcript

A whole school year in the life of Henri, a young boy from the the Italian bourgeoisie. He meets his new teacher, Mister Perboni, a very devoted man; and children of working-class families such as Garonne, a boy with a heart of gold; De Rossi, top student in the class; and Franti, the young rebel. But will the morals they are taught still be so noble when they become soldiers in WWI?

HEART

EPISODE SIX

Free Trieste!

Foreigners, get out!

Long live Italy!

What's going on?

Where have you come from?

The front.

They set fire to the bakeries.

What's happening at the front?

Is it true we're winning?

No one has won or lost.

Then when will it be over?

What are the soldiers doing?

Dying but there's always more

coming to take their place.

Anybody home?

Open up!

Anybody there? Open up,

it's me, Enrico Bottini!

Lieutenant, nobody said a word

to me. - They didn't know.

Why lock the doors?

Did somebody die?

Heavens, it's because of the chaos,

stirred up by troublemakers

who have stormed the shops

and even houses.

They set fire to

two convents and a church.

At Borgo San Paolo

and Barriera di Milano.

I know but other houses

have their doors open.

The engineer had them closed

yesterday as soon as he heard.

Many still don't believe it.

He spoke to the other families.

They're all at home.

Nobody ever goes out.

Go up.

Ring loudly to be heard,

because they're in the back study,

the room that overlooks the garden

out of fear of rocks.

Oh, God!

Is it you?

Yes, they gave me leave.

Enrico?

Oh, Rico!

It's the end of the world!

You had to come back today.

Oh, the shame!

Enrico?

Enrico has come back.

Enrico has come back!

Enrico!

And yet I'm crying

instead of being happy.

It's as if we knew

you were coming:

today it's roast with potatoes.

Yeah, that's right.

Today is Saturday.

And on Saturdays,

it's always roasts.

And did they feed you

decently over there?

Of course, Mama.

Do you think we should

keep the blinds open?

Yes, they made us eat.

We weren't dying from hunger.

Say something to Papa,

he's so nervous.

Papa, don't worry.

Nothing will happen.

A flour shortage: some became

impatient and broke a few windows.

Everything's quiet now.

You say that

because you don't know

and you don't know all

those wretches have done.

You fight, do your duty

and they put up barricades.

You're only staying

for two days? - Yes.

How is it possible?

The lady across from us,

her son came back.

He said?

he said that over there

is so terrible now.

With the gas?

and all the rest.

Mama, they say lots of things.

People tell stories

just to hear themselves talk.

Just think,

I even gained weight.

And Maestro Perboni

has come to see you.

And he brought us a card

which you sent from the front.

He was very happy.

You should visit the poor thing.

Well, I'll go take this off.

Take it off?

- Yes.

But you'll put it on tomorrow?

- Why?

Because there'll be guests

and I want everybody

to see and admire you.

So everybody celebrates you.

I don't understand

what's so strange about that!

There it is again.

You wretches!

No, Papa, don't yell or they'll

throw more! - It's only a rock.

From now on,

we'll close the blinds.

Will you put the knot in my tie?

I fixed up your room.

Your diary is in the drawer.

If you can't find something,

let me know.

Thank you.

You know, now I?

Tell me, were you

very afraid over there?

Afraid?

I don't know.

Yes, sometimes.

Try not to think about it,

if you can, for these two days.

"The interrobang is formed by

the question mark

and exclamation point.

It expresses incredulity

in a questioning tone:

He stole?! Is it possible?!"

Not bad, Bottini. Not bad.

Let us have one last question.

The remote past

of the verb nuocere.

"Io no?

io no?"

"Io?

Here?

we have many problems with

irregular verbs? here (qui).

"Io nocqui, tu nuocesti,

egli nocque,

noi noucemmo, voi nuoceste

essi nocquero."

Very well. Well done.

You may go.

How did I do?

- Come forward, Garoffi!

It's no use studying.

You can't beat Derossi.

And yet I will.

He always gets the prizes.

On composition,

we have the same grade

but I'll be first

in the oral exam.

How did it go?

- Very well.

I'll do better than you.

Maybe, but not than Derossi.

I've studied the whole

book by heart.

The book has 150 pages,

the schoolyear 300 days,

that means?

he would've had to study

half a page a day to know it by heart.

Let me see.

Let's talk about?

about Christopher Columbus.

Page?

- 74.

"Christopher Columbus,

born in Genoa in 1451.

In his early twenties,

departed for Portugal

arriving in Madera

and later in Lisbon.

There, Columbus began

to think of the possibility

of reaching India.

He departed Palos

on August 3rd, 1492,

with a ship and two caravels."

And that's where the page ends.

But when they question you,

they won't tell you the page number.

That's right. I'm an idiot!

What will I do?

Don't worry. I'll indicate

the numbers with my hands.

You'll really do that?

- Sure, what would it cost me?

Now come, let's annoy Derossi.

- Let's go!

Yeah, let's go.

You won't be first anymore!

You won't be first anymore!

You won't be first anymore!

- Who says so?

We say so!

We say so!

We say so!

- Who will it be then?

Him.

Please!

Your composition has

gone very well.

Let's begin with

a geography question.

The most important

tributaries of the Po?

Page 11.

Dora Riparia, Dora Baltea,

Sesia, Ticino, Adda,

Oglio, Mincio,

Varaita, Maira, Tanaro, Taro,

Secchia, Panaro.

Good.

Now a history question.

Who was Mazzini?

(Starts to talk about Cavour)

The family, in which he came

into the world on Oct 1810,

was one of the richest,

most illustrious of Piedmont families.

Stardi?

He was, for many years,

the Piedmont Prime Minister,

he sent an army to Crimea.

Stardi! Pay attention.

Born in Genoa in 1805,

died in Pisa in 1872,

great patriotic spirit,

great literary genius,

inspirer and first champion

of the Italian Revolution.

And out of love

of the fatherland,

he lived 40 years

in poverty and exile,

persecuted, adrift,

heroically unshakable

in his principles and goals.

Good. Well done.

Silence!

Everybody promoted!

To the awards!

O' springtime sun,

upon the field of honor

waves the flag

of our Tricolore.

White is its purity,

red is its fiery ardor,

green is its tenderness,

banner of my heart.

O' blessed homeland,

you're more than

a beloved mother.

The faith you deserve,

I do not want to profane.

It comes from India.

And now come forth:

Piedmont,

Liguria,

Lombardy,

Veneto,

Emilia,

Tuscany,

Umbria,

Marche,

Lazio,

Abruzzo,

Campania,

Lucania,

Puglia,

Calabria?

Here is Calabria, Miss.

- Well done.

Now, show your region

to your schoolmates.

Come, go back now.

?Sardinia,

Sicily!

There, Italy is complete!

- Long live Italy!

Mother let me kiss

our Tricolore,

symbol of my beautiful homeland.

Let me keep it

tight to my heart,

so that no one can take it away.

Our Tricolore is a purple rose,

plant it in the virgin snow.

I'll take and

retain it with love.

Long live Italy

and our Tricolore! Yes!

Yes!

Long live Italy!

Long live the infantry square

of the 49th!

This Italy you have made

yourselves, my children.

But the real Italy,

our great Italy,

was made by your fathers

with their blood,

their tenacity, their virtues.

Now, one of your classmates who has

particularly distinguished himself,

will read one of his essays,

dedicated to our country.

Derossi, step forward.

"I love thee, country of mine!

I love thy splendid seas

and thy sublime Alps,

I love thy majestic monuments

and thy immortal memories,

I love thy glory and thy beauty.

I love thee all with one heart,

oh, cities of my fatherland:

valorous Turin, proud Genoa,

learned Bologna,

enchanting Venice,

Milan?"

Mighty.

" ?mighty.

Florence?"

Refined.

Refined.

"?refined

and awesome Palermo,

immense and lovely Naples,

marvelous and eternal Rome,

I love thee, Holy Homeland,

and I swear that I shall work

tirelessly and honesty,

to wipe away from thy face,

one day,

poverty, ignorance?"

Injustice and crime.

Injustice and crime.

"?injustice and crime.

And should the day come,

that I need give to thee

my blood, my life,

I'll give my blood and die,

shouting to heaven,

thy holy name,

and sending my last kiss

to thy blessed flag."

Well done!

- My compliments.

Very well done.

Excellent.

Return to your seat.

Your hat.

We'll first award

a deserving adult.

Come to the stage

the bricklayer Giuseppe Rabucco.

Where is Giuseppe Rabucco?

Giuseppe Rabucco!

There he is! He's my dad!

Come on, they're calling you.

Come forward, Giuseppe Rabucco.

Thank you. You come too.

Thanks.

Take this diploma and

this savings book.

Thank you. Thank you.

- Well done.

Now you know how

to read and write.

And with this book,

you can record your savings.

Study and save!

Remember: Study and save.

Study and save.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you. - Congratulations.

Thank you.

- Your book.

Thank you. Thank you.

Thank you.

First prize of the golden medal

to the pupil of the 3rd grade

for the willingness to study

and for results achieved.

The award is awarded to?

Amedeo Stardi!

Thank you.

Go, dear.

The second prize is awarded to

Ernesto Derossi.

I don't want it!

Derossi!

- Why are you crying? Derossi!

Where are you going, Derossi?

Come here!

He expected the first prize.

He's always been the head of the class.

Knowing how to lose

is a virtue too.

Sometimes, to win

we must be defeated.

?what you said to the director.

Go on.

Well done.

The third prize is awarded to?

Enrico Bottini!

Yay!

- Well done, Enrico!

Bottini! Your medal?

Go on!

Ah, it's you. Hi.

- Hi.

I came to return

your book on knighthood.

If you want, you can keep it

and give it back next year.

I'm not going to school

next year. - How come?

I must work with my father.

Then we'll never

see each other again.

If you want, you can visit me.

You can come on the locomotive.

Of course, I'll come.

Here, keep it.

- You mean it?

Yes.

- Thanks. That's great.

When you're older,

will you be a knight?

No, they don't have

knights anymore.

I want to be

a railroad man like you.

You'll be an engineer

like your father.

No. I'll be a railroad man.

You'll change your mind.

No, I won't.

- Enrico, who's there?

Nobody! Just a friend who

came to bring me a book!

Alright. I'm going home.

Bye.

Garrone,

I don't want to go to school

if you're not there.

Then let's swear on knighthood.

If I don't come to school,

we'll still see each other all the same.

Swear it.

I swear it.

Come, don't cry.

How much did you lose?

- 30 soldi.

30 soldi?

All that for 30 soldi?

Now, we'll see what

we can do, eh?

I bet that among yourselves someone

has money for licorice and chestnuts.

You know what we'll do?

A nice collection.

The? the first two soldi,

I'll put in myself, OK?

Well, what's so funny?

There's nothing strange about

a chimney sweep losing his money.

Come now, if you have soldi,

hand it over.

8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13,

14, 15, 16, 17,

18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24,

25, 26, 27.

- One moment, Maestra, us too!

Us too! - Bravo, boys!

More money for the chimney sweep.

Thank you. Thank you.

There you go: 30 soldi.

Happy now?

- Yes.

Get Bottini! Get Bottini!

It's a bit beat up.

Thank you.

That's very kind.

Work is never dirty.

And it's never dishonorable.

Never forget that.

Salute the flag, boys.

"I'd give him one thing,

if he asked me: my blood."

Thus exclaimed the father of

my companion, Coretti,

after the King shook his hand.

Long live the King!

- Long live the King!

1, 2! 1, 2!

1000s of Italian have died

for our country!

Right.

"If I knew,

I wouldn't have been born."

Let us join our unit.

To glory.

Corretti?

Corretti!

Cowards!

Just look what

we're forced to do!

To be shut up

in the dark like mice!

Dinner is served!

Lucky you who live in these parts,

you can see something.

We live in Corso Vinzaglio,

where nothing ever happens.

And yet, Ma'am,

it wasn't nice to see.

Scum.

Can you say what happened?

- There's nothing to tell.

The crowd assembled

at Corso Beccaria.

They were yelling, whistling,

insulting the bersaglieri

closing off the street.

The abuse they hurled

at the cavalry

who were monitoring

Corso San Martino.

Scum!

- Abuse? What did they say?

They insulted them:

"Death to the officers,

you parasites,

you bloodsuckers!"

And is there really a need

to repeat such blasphemies?

Scum!

- Ah, unfortunately.

No, thank you.

Would you like some more,

Excellency? - Oh, no.

But it's indeed very good.

And how did it end?

They were up to mischief,

as I expected.

They threw stones, broke lamps,

broke glass and windows

and wounded passerbys.

As if breaking windows

could help anybody.

Scum!

War on the front wasn't enough.

Now we have it in our streets.

Why didn't they sweep

the streets with rifle shots?

Didn't they do that right after?

No, no.

They were warned beforehand.

Unfortunately,

there's some restraint?

in shooting protesters as if

they weren't our enemies too.

Dear lieutenant, like over there,

we need a Cadorna here.

But the lieutenant is on leave

and we're boring him

with this nonsense.

And how was it over there?

Awful, right? Awful.

But we must hang in there.

This is an eternal war

for position.

The politicians want it.

They should give all

the power to Cadorna.

Like last year:

Attack and break through.

We took Gorizia in 3 days,

storming in just like that.

We must break through.

First give a good push in

the strategic areas,

then away towards Trieste.

None of that is possible.

The Italian forces are worn out,

the artillery insufficient,

the orders contradictory,

and the morale

of the soldiers at 0.

Enrico!

- Enemy forces?

Well, of course?

of course,

regarding the particulars?

you're perfectly correct,

Lieutenant.

But what matters is

the big picture.

And you're in no position

to be able to judge.

You tend to your sector,

do your duty,

risk your life,

and earn all the honors.

But what matters,

is the generals' point of view.

Above all else,

we must break through

and fracture the enemy line.

Well said.

Defeatism!

Propaganda against the war!

There lies the rot!

It's not defeatism!

It's not propaganda!

Masses of men are being massacred

like in a slaughterhouse!

Divisions are wiped out

to conquer a few meters!

No, get off! I want to speak!

I'm not done yet!

Contempt for those

you call ordinary soldiers!

There's the rot.

You're the rot! You!

It's easy for you to talk

while you're sitting here eating!

Those people in

the street are right!

And if I wasn't wearing this uniform,

I'd be with them!

With those you call defeatists!

Let go of me!

And who doesn't know,

shouldn't speak! - Get out!

You are no longer my son!

No, don't say that!

Come in.

Good day.

- Yes?

It's Bottini.

Enrico Bottini?

I got your postcard!

Who would've believed it?

What a pleasure! Come here.

Come. Come inside.

But you've come from the front?

- Yes.

I'm very glad

you came to visit me.

Are you well?

Let me look at you.

Yes, you look very well.

Take off your jacket.

And sit down here.

Give it to me.

No doubt, you're tired.

But are you?

are you on leave?

Yes.

But I go back tonight.

I've longed to see you,

Maestro Sir.

At the front,

I was with Rabucco,

Muratorino, you remember?

And Coretti.

I heard about poor Coretti.

We were always

talking about you.

Then, you didn't forget me?

How is the front?

As terrible as they say?

In the trenches,

you can think of nothing?

apart from survival.

I wanted to see my folks

again just to talk.

I thought they might

understand me.

But not at all.

Quite the opposite.

So, I left.

I broke with my father.

With your papa?

What happened?

He wanted to show me

off to his friends.

That is, not me, but my uniform.

He had organized a dinner.

They started to talk

about war?

without knowing it.

While eating delicious food?

and drinking good wine.

My soup!

Excuse me, eh?

Then you left halfway

through dinner?

What were you eating?

- Antipasto.

What came next, I don't know,

I left beforehand.

I would've finished eating first.

Stay where you are.

I'll take this one, it's dirty.

Well, seeing that?

that we're both

in the same boat,

that is, both of us starving,

we defeatists?

Sorry, a figure of speech.

Good.

There we go.

This is for you.

- Thank you.

You feel like

you're at the front, eh?

Yes. Just a little bit.

Well, seeing that

it's the same atmosphere then?

Talk to me.

Tell me all.

I'm very sorry.

I realize for him

it must be a shock.

But whom can I be sincere with

if not my father?

The world is very different.

Completely different from

the one that you?

Go on.

Different from all

the things we taught you.

You won't have to convince me.

Are you amazed?

It's clear you didn't know.

School can't teach everything.

It's the difference between

the world of adults?

and that of children?

No, leave it, thank you.

There are rich parents,

poor ones,

some think one way

some another way,

they fight, they unite,

and we?

have all of their children?

with all of their differences?

united in one class.

In one class.

And the teacher?

is teacher to all of them.

That is school.

There were times,

I kept my thoughts to myself.

Ah, yes.

You know something?

Ever since,

I received your postcard,

whenever I thought of all of you

that were over there fighting,

I imagined you all

like you were at the end?

of every lesson.

And I heard again

the rustling of notebooks,

of schoolbags,

the bell, the clamor of feet,

and? then?

I saw you all lined up

as you left school,

the silence,

and the usher

who closed the gate.

Yes.

And I saw you at the exit,

as if they were sending you,

all over there?

to die.

Like Coretti and so many others.

And all things we taught you?

seemed useless,

absurd.

The war is like

if somebody had stolen?

all my students.

Maestro,

I'm here.

No, no more of this.

Let's go.

You have well other things

to do than to stay listening?

Thank you.

- ?a sad old man's talk.

I'll go with you.

My father took me to the theater

here for the first time

as a reward for promoting.

Excuse me.

I remember that night they gave

a ball the Ballo Excelsior.

CLOTHES COLLECTION

FOR THE SOLDIERS

I brought you

to see this ballet, son,

because I deem it educational

as well as entertaining.

This first illustration represents

the eternal struggle

between good and evil.

The lady in white: the light.

She represents Progress

and is enchained

by the forces of evil.

Now she's breaking the chain.

That man in black

is Obscurantism.

He won't give in to defeat

and fights with the Light.

Light is victorious

and Obscurantism is defeated.

But Light and Progress can do nothing

without the aid of Science.

There's Volta.

He's discovering electricity

which will give new weapons,

new victories to Progress.

But even Volta will fail,

if Light doesn't intervene

to arouse his genius.

"Eureka!", shouts Volta,

and electricity is discovered!

Obscurantism is

once again defeated.

With the discovery

of electricity,

thanks to Italian genius,

humanity heads

towards well-being.

The telegraph is born!

Men communicate to each

other more rapidly.

Families are quickly informed

of a happy event,

or a misfortune happening

to their loved ones.

Always more powerful,

man achieves mammoth works.

Here's the construction

of the Tunnel of Moncenisio.

The railway will pass

under the mountain,

connecting France to Italy.

But the tunnel will begin at

the same time on both sides.

If the calculations are correct,

the two teams, Italian and French,

will meet halfway through.

But God forbid if

the calculations are wrong.

The two teams become lost

in the bowels of the earth.

The last layer is about

to be broken through.

The calculations were right!

The French and Italians

embrace each others with joy.

I don't know what

the world has in store for you,

but I'm sure that

Science and Progress

will make people brothers.

And they'll live in prosperity

with one idea

of peace, well-being

and brotherhood.

People shake each other's hand.

Give thanks to God that

you were born in this time.

Can you go up

and ask for my bags?

What time does your train leave?

At 10.

Well, we still have 2 hours.

Shall we both go to your home?

No, I won't go in.

We've nothing more to say.

Enrico!

Get another leave soon.

But not so short.

- Yes, Mama.

Enrico.

Bye, Silvia.

I knew you weren't a coward.

It was only a moment of weakness.

I apologized for you

to our guests.

I forgive you and I bless you.

Shall we go?

Goodbye.

- Let me.

No, leave it.

- No, let me do it.

Enrico!

I think like you do.

But I know you did it for Dad.

Come back soon.

- Bye.

Goodbye, Engineer.

- Goodbye, my son.

Move forward! 24!

You! 25? Move it!

26!

Come on! 27!

Come! Pass the muskets

to your comrade!

28! Come now!

Alberto!

- 29!

30. Come on!

Keep moving!

Thank you.

Thank you for everything.

You are good.

And goodness

in this day and age?

I'm a socialist.

I've always been.

Goodbye.

THE END

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