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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