Storia di una donna (1970) - full transcript

May I suggest that
you learn to drive through

our country without leaving it in ruins?

Do you see what you've done to my car?

Oh, I'm...

I'm very, very sorry.

What are you sorry for?

It was all my fault.

But we should exchange names and license.

For the insurance.

Oh, yes.

I don't think I've ever had
an accident quite like this.



Never.

No, I've never been to Sweden.

But tell me, what do you
do living here in Rome?

I play the piano.

I don't know how good I really am.

I practice, I study hard.

I have some private dreams.

And you?

I'm in my last year at medical school.

I have some private dreams too.

Oh? What are they?

You'd be surprised.

Well, tell me.

Perhaps I wouldn't.



Well, I had an offer to
play professional football.

No, no, no, no.

I love you.

Bruno.

I'm not Bruno.

You play very well.

Thank you.

Your name is Karin Ullman?

Yes.

I'm Liliana Cardini.

I'm Bruno's wife.

I can see that you didn't know.

I'm sorry for you.

Really, I am.

I've been Signora Cardini
for more than five years.

We live in Florence.

Bruno will return there

when he finishes this
year at medical school.

You aren't the first.

Nor will you probably be the last.

It may surprise you,

but it is not too big a price to pay.

Just so that you will understand.

It's my money that has
sent Bruno to medical school.

It's my money that will
make him into a doctor.

The surgeon he wants to be.

He'd be very successful.

He's very clever, our Bruno in many ways.

It's not hard to love him, is it?

You're a very pretty girl.

It's a pity, you had to meet Bruno.

I can also see that

you aren't the usual girl.

But I want this thing with
the Bruno to end, hai capito?

I think now you want it to end too.

Don't let him convince you
what cannot happen will happen.

He's only as free as I allow him to be.

Hai capito?

This time he has been a little too free.

I don't like what it does to him.

I didn't want a moody husband.

It felt as if you've just given me life.

I have?

Bruno's wife.

Bruno's wife.

You aren't the first.

Nor will you probably be the last.

It's not hard to love him.

Is it?

Mama.

Papa.

Mama.

Hey.

Hey, watch out.

Hey.

Hello, aren't you sort of far from home?

Not very.

Hey!

Hello, there.

Do you mind?

No.

Thank you.

I am out of gasoline.

Oh, you are?

You're the same girl, aren't you?

Yes, I am.

Made it back to shore?

You made it back too.

Yes, yes.

I guess I did.

Well anyway, I'm David Frasier.

I'm with the American
embassy here in Stockholm.

I'm Karin Ullman.

Miss Ullman.

Gasoline is over there.

It's in there.

Too heavy for you?

No, I can manage.

You're a useful girl to run into.

It's very lucky for me.

You think so?

Oh, yes.

It doesn't look good.

Hope I can make it back.

I'm sure you can.

Well, I...

Better put the gasoline in, eh?

It's full.

We are having a little birthday party

for one of our neighbor's children.

You'd be very welcome.

Thank you.

Mr. Frasier.

I want you to know how very happy we are

to have you here with us.

Thank you.

Now I have to say something in Swedish

because this moment is very solemn.

We want you all to remember
that when you were seven

there was a lot of people in our house.

Yes?

Even all the way from America.

I'm sorry.

One, two, one two, one, two, three.

Very good.

You play very well.

Oh thank you.

I took it seriously for awhile.

Where did you study?

Where?

Here and...

Rome.

This is quite an
extraordinary day in my life.

What do you do at the American embassy?

Oh, I guess you could say
I'm kind of a political advisor.

A Russian expert.

Budin Rushenkov, I
have a suggestion to make.

A sincere suggestion.

On the question of spies.

Next year, you propose
to send us 493 artists.

Including ballet dancers,
musicians, singers, poets

and the Moscow Circus.

We're also prepared to send
you 351 artists of all kinds.

Now we both understand
that some of these will be spies.

And why not?

Discovering them and catching
them takes up a lot of time

and makes for bad relations.

So, I recommend that you send us...

Seven spies.

Tell us who they are,

and we'll do the same.

On the same day you
arrest ours, we'll arrest yours.

But then just to keep things lively,

we'll each send an eighth spy.

Now, that one we're gonna
have to catch ourselves.

What do you think?

I'm never sure where
I'm gonna be sent next.

I've been to six countries
in the last four years.

All I know is I never met anyone like you.

You're a lovely, lovely girl.

I love you.

I love you.

Thank you.

Are you hungry?

Yes, I think so.

David, how nice to see you.

What a pleasant surprise.

How are you, Andrei?

Natasha.

Miss Ullman, Mr. and Mrs. Rushenkov.

How do you do?

Very nice to meet you.

Won't you have a drink with us?

We were going to ask you to join us.

Well, let's start here.

Thank you. Champagne.

Dom Perignon.

You're celebrating something?

You're in good humor?

Nonsense, I'm always in good humor.

I must warn you about this American.

How can you trust him?

He's intelligent, charming,
always reasonable.

He never loses his temper.

How can you trust a man
who never loses his temper?

But about you, I'm sure
he would get unreasonable.

What did he say?

Now that much Russian, I understand.

He said Swedish girls are
the despair of all other girls.

Oh.

My father used to teach medieval history

at the University of Stockholm.

He retired three years ago.

I think he misses it.

I'm sure he does.

You know, in many ways your
parents remind me of my own.

They do.

You can feel how much they want

the best of everything for you.

I'm afraid I was a bit of a
disappointment for my father.

He was a lawyer.

His father and grandfather
were lawyers too.

And he had to wind up with a son

who had no talent for law at all.

I wouldn't think he was too disappointed.

Do you see those big trees on the island?

We can come in there.

I'm being called back to Washington.

Oh?

I've been expecting it.

It's kind of a promotion.

Aren't you pleased?

In a way, but not about leaving.

Do I have to tell you
that I'm in love with you?

I was in love once.

Very deeply in love.

It was in Rome.

His name was Bruno Cardini.

I just think you ought to know about it.

It's over now.

I think about it every now and then, but...

But it's over.

Inside of me.

I think it is.

I was very hurt for a
while, but not anymore.

You're driving stupidly.

I'm not doing the driving.

You have no pride.

You write to her.

She sends your letters back.

You write again.

Begging-

Shut up.

She's not different from the others.

But I frightened her.

That's why she left.

Not because she was good or pure.

Just like the others.

Shut up!

Just like the others!

You love her.

Yes, I love her.

I love her.

I've told you 1000 times.

What more do you want me to say?

That it's a lie.

I wish it were.

You want me to die.

No.

Yes, you hate me.

And you...

You want me to die.

No, I just hate you.

And you love her.

Yes, yes, yes!

You never loved me.

For a night, maybe.

How many nights with her?

How many?

How many?

How many?

How many?

Liliana?

Oh my God.

I David Frasier.

I David Frasier.

Take you, Karin Ullman.

Take you, Karin Ullman.

As my wedded wife.

As my wedded wife.

To love you for better or for worse.

To love you for better or for worse.

And herewith, I give you this ring.

And herewith, I give you this ring.

Higher, mommy, higher!

Hey.

Again.

David.

Now hold it, you'll get paint over me.

Oh, isn't it worth it?

Absolutely.

Thank you for all the roses.

They kill the smell of the paint.

They do?

You're early.

Yeah, I know.

I had an appointment that was canceled.

Oh, marvelous.

Why don't you go and
change your fancy clothes

and come down and help me finish this?

You finished it yesterday

and the painters finished it last week.

Don't you like it like this?

I love it.

I also loved it when it was yellow.

But now it's green, hmm?

You have any idea what you're doing?

Yes, I have.

Oh, David, we're going to be so happy here.

After all these years in an apartment,

I can do what I want.

And it's good for Kathy.

Karin, there's...

something has come up.

Yes?

Before that appointment was canceled,

I was called in by the under secretary.

He wanted to talk to me about-

No.

We're not moving.

We're moving.

It's an occupational hazard
of the diplomacy business.

You've always got to be
ready to travel up or down.

Down?

No. Up.

Way UP-

- Champagne, signore?
- No, thank you.

Ladies and
gentlemen, your attention please.

We expect to arrive in Rome in one hour.

The weather conditions
are good in the ground.

Temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit.

Thank you.

Hmm?

You up?

We're arriving in one hour.

I heard.

- How are you?
- Hello.

- I'm Tom Edward.
- I'm Mrs. Frasier.

Cathy?

This is my daughter.

Hello?

- And this is Mrs. Newman.
- How do you do?

How do you do?

Hello, sir.

Tom Edwards of the embassy.

Welcome to Rome.

Thank you, Tom - Thank you.

This is Louisa, who'll over-feed you.

- How do you do, signore?
- Hello.

This is Nadia, her
daughter who'll help out.

And this is Mario, the gardener.

As well as chauffeur, if you need him.

Mrs. Frazier, do you mind
if I show Cathy the garden?

That's a very good idea.

Come on, darling, let's go.

I guess you'd like to take a look

at the inside of the villa.

Oh yes, thank you.

Please.

Signore.

The ambassador would
like you to go to a party tonight.

- Hi, Carol.
- Hello, Carol.

Now you must be Mrs. Frasier.

Mr. Ambassador, how are you?

Good, how are you?

We're having a great party tonight.

It certainly looks that way.

They're charming.

Waiter?

Waiter!

Where's the waiter?

I've got a whole crew
of them, I can't find one.

What do we have?

- Cheers.
- Cheers.

- Welcome.
- Cheers, everybody.

I would like to show you
off to some of my friends.

Yes?

Will you come?

Excuse me.

Have fun, girls.

Signora.

May I introduce Monsignor Carlo?

Piacere.

- Signora Lagi.
- Piacere.

- Signore Altobane.
- Piacere.

Signore Falco.

Mrs. Frasier.

The ambassador from
Nigeria would like to meet you.

I would be delighted.

- Let's go see him.
- Come on.

Come on along, Frasier.

Oh, excuse me.

I'll be back in a minute.

I missed you.

I missed you.

Have you had anything to eat?

I was waiting for you.

You were?

I didn't know you danced like that.

I didn't either.

Thank you.

You practiced.

Yes, I took that in ambassadorial school.

What are they celebrating?

I don't know, they
celebrate all the time.

Are you HAPPY?

Yes.

- Married?
- Yes.

He deserves you?

He deserves much better.

And the children?

One.

So far.

And your piano?

In all this time, have you played?

Very little, I'm afraid.

Well, shall we see what you
remember and what you forgot?

Ciao, Karin.

Hello, Bruno.

I saw you at that party
the other night, and I...

Well, it's been a long time.

Yes, it has.

I didn't think I'd ever see you again.

What do you want?

Want? I just wanted to
see you again, that's all.

I'm married, Bruno.

I'm very HAPPY-

I want no trouble.

Trouble?

There'll be no trouble.

Why should there be trouble?

Ciao, Karin.

You'll like Manzetti.

He's hoping the foreign
office will send him

back to Stockholm.

He's mad for Sweden.

Why not?

You don't mind going
to the game with him?

No, I love it.

I may have to go to London,
Monday for those state talks.

The ambassador just
can't get rid of that button.

I'm sorry.

But as long as you hurry
back, I won't complain.

I'll hurry back.

- You will?
- Mm-hmm.

David.

- Yes?
- I so Bruno today.

I came home from the conservatory

and his car was parked on the road.

Did you speak?

Yes.

What did he want?

To see me, he said, that was all.

But I told him I was very happy

and that I wanted no trouble.

Trouble?

And he left.

Good.

I just wanted to tell you, that's all.

I'm glad you did.

Roma-Juventus is always a wonderful game.

You will see.

There is number nine for Roma.

He's terrific.

Bruno Cardini.

Absolutely terrific.

He played like an angel.

A genius, smart, sharp.

Five years ago,

Cardini had a nasty accident.

Yes.

On the road to Naples,
his car went off the road.

His wife was killed.

Watch him.

Cardini!

Cardini, Cardini,
Cardini, Cardini, Cardini!

I don't wanna lose you, Karin.

I don't wanna lose you.

Karin.

I love you.

Alitalia flight 603 for London
now boarding at Gate 3.

Funny weather, it's hot.

You know the Romans blame
it on the Sirocco from Africa.

If it gets any worse,
why don't you and Cathy

drive up to Monte Carlo for a few days?

Monte Carlo?

Tom Edwards was talking about it today.

It's about 50 minutes out of Rome.

Cool, nice hotel.

The only one as a matter of fact.

All right, I might.

I better get that plane.

Hurry back.

We're not used to being without you.

DWA flight 271 for New
York now boarding at 8:10.

Cathy.

Oh, I missed.

Once again.

- Cathy?
- I got it.

If you're concerned, we'll be leaving.

It doesn't matter.

I wouldn't have come here if I'd known.

One meeting was enough.

Yes, it was.

' Mommy!

Cathy!

What happened.

- Oh, you're all right.
- I want my mommy.

There, there, you're not hurt.

Oh, poor baby.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

How are you?

Bruno.

Bruno.

Bruno.

Eh.

Playboy.

Did you see me fall, mommy?

No, I didn't.

He was a very nice man, wasn't he?

Yes, he was.

Mommy, I love you.

Goodnight.

May I?

Yes.

Your little girl.

- Cathy?
- Yeah.

She's not frightened anymore.

No.

She's forgotten all about it.

Well not entirely, I hope.

Cathy looks just like you.

That's what my husband says.

I don't think so.

But I know.

You know?

Yes.

You gave me your
picture once as a little girl.

I still carry it.

Do you remember when you gave it to me?

Yes.

Well...

here's to you, Karin.

I saw you playing last Sunday.

- Yes?
- It was very exciting.

We were told about what
happened about the accident.

And that you gave up your dreams of-

Being a doctor.

I just didn't want it anymore.

Does your husband know about us?

Yes.

Everything.

I have no secrets from him.

Karin.

You're happy now.

But once we were happy,
the only time for me.

I don't know why I let you
go, why I didn't follow you.

I don't know why.

Maybe I was just afraid of her.

She always knew what I was thinking.

The night it happened on the way to Napoli,

she kept asking me about-

I think I have to go in now.

- No.
- Yes.

Karin.

I'm sorry.

I'll have no other chance to talk to you

to tell you what I feel.

- No, Bruno, no.
- No, Karin.

- No.
- No, Karin, please, please.

Everything I feel is still the same.

Only it hurts more.

And I need you more.

But I can't help that, Bruno-

Please, Karin, listen
to me, it's not all gone.

- Yes, it's all gone.
- No, I don't believe it.

Yes.

I lied to you.

But I loved you, Karin, more
than any man could love you.

I love you now.

Now it's your turn, Cathy.

Bravo.

Oh, no.

You were lucky to win that game.

It was a win.

I'll give you another chance, come on.

Yes.

Dio mio, I almost forgot.

Would it be very rude if I ask you

to look at the football
match just for a few minutes?

Just five minutes.

Okay, fine.

Karin, we're going in.

I'm coming.

You're sorry you invited me perhaps.

I'm always making people
do what they don't want to do.

My first wife, my only one,

divorced me because of my enthusiasm.

She because she was afraid

it wouldn't last.

Clever, clever woman.

I still adore her.

Anyway, I leave for Sweden
tomorrow, and I'm sure

you'll never look at
another football game again.

Maybe I lose weight if I
stop watching football games.

You're not anxious about
leaving Cathy, are you?

With Mrs. Newman?

A little bit.

Not really.

I think we're entitled
to a little personal time.

Just the two of us.

I'm gonna take my month
of home leave in May.

Hmm?

We'll go back to the States.

Take a trip around the Greek Islands.

Oh, that sounds like wonderful fun.

Or maybe even better.

A month in Stockholm.

It'll be marvelous in May.

Visit your folks and let Cathy dig around

in her half-Swedish roots.

Oh, I like that too.

And I never stopped thinking about you.

Liliana knew that.

She never stopped asking.

Digging.

I think in some way

I wanted to punish myself.

Very often I wanted to...

kill her.

That night on the way to Napoli,

We were...

I saw something on the road.

It might've been a shadow.

Maybe I just wanted to stop her screaming.

There's so much I...

I want to be forgiven for.

What are you so mad about?

Keep making the same mistakes.

It's not like you to get mad.

What's wrong, Karin?

Nothing is wrong.

That's not true.

I know what I see and feel.

I don't like the tension in this house.

I don't like it in you or me.

If there's something
bothering you, Karin, tell me.

That's the whole idea
of two people together.

Not just being together,

but talking to each other about anything.

Yes.

I have nothing to talk about.

Or nothing that you wanna talk about.

Yes, David, nothing.

Nothing.

David.

Yes. Mr. Ambassador.

Are you feeling, all right?

Yes, sir, I'm fine.

When we were talking to Mazzoli,

I thought you were
troubled or not feeling well.

No, sir, not at all.

It was a good meeting.

It was a good meeting.

Well goodnight, David.

Good night, sir.

Do you love him?

- Answer me, do you love him?
- Bruno.

Do you have with him what
we had, that we still have?

Is it the same? Is it?

It's too late, Bruno.

- Too much has happened.
- No, it's not too late, Karin.

It's not.

I have my own life now.

We can begin again, Karin.

You know we can.

We can forget.

Forget?

Can you forget?

Goodbye, Bruno.

There are no goodbyes, Karin.

We'll see each other again.

I've been waiting for you.

Yes?

I wanted to talk to you.

What is it?

Can't you sit down with me?

David?

I know how angry you've
been with me for some time.

What do you want to say, Karin?

I've been seeing Bruno.

I know.

I saw you leaving the hospital today.

I was quite sure of it for some time.

I'm afraid, I didn't wanna believe it.

It was the last time.

How many times were there?

There were several.

How many times is several?

Three? Five? 20?

David, I know I shouldn't have gone.

I know you told me not
to see him, but I had to.

No one has to do anything.

There's some things-

Personal things between you and Bruno?

I felt sorry for him.

I know.

I know, pity.

I just didn't realize how much pity.

It stirred what was dead inside you.

Only you can't stir the dead, can you?

It's too bad we ever came to Rome.

I couldn't tell them,
"No, don't send me there.

My wife has an old lover."

David nothing happened with Bruno.

Nothing?

It's over.

It was over once. Is it over again?

How often will it be over?

I haven't betrayed you.

There are many kinds of betrayal.

And it's always possible

that something did happen, isn't it?

David, nothing-

It'll be no less so than if you

go to bed with him tomorrow, or next month.

- I haven't.
- All right, you haven't!

But you must try to
understand that I have

some concern about
what's true and what isn't.

For example, the man who saved Cathy,

that was Bruno, wasn't it?

Yes.

Why did you have to lie about it?

I don't know.

Did he know you were going to be there?

- No.
- No?

Were you going to meet
later on? That's a lie too?

What am I supposed to believe from now on?

I remember once when you made a

big point about never wanting to lie to me.

Do you remember that?

Well, maybe the whole thing has been a lie.

A five-year lie from beginning to end.

He's been with us every second, hasn't he?

You never thought of him
even before we came here?

Never?

Yes, I did.

And what it was like with him?

Oh, David... Did you?

Yes, I did!

I loved him.

I told you that.

You cannot always help what you remember.

You can't order your dreams in advance.

What happens to you just doesn't go away

because you want it to.

But doesn't everybody
remember, remember, remember!

Is your brain just a clean
slate with nothing in it?

Nothing that ever hurt?

Nothing that you ever lost?

I want what we had,
that what you had with him!

But that's not possible, is it?

I was stupid and vain enough to think

that we were better together.

That the past wouldn't matter that much

even with all its private
memories and its top secrets

and the fact that it was first.

There's an advantage in that, isn't there?

Because if you're second,
you're second forever,

and that's a tote I'm not swallowing.

Do you love him, Karin?

I don't know.

You don't know.

Well, I know.

I don't want this anymore, Karin.

Not anymore.

I'm sorry I ever did.

I'm sorry I've hurt you, David.

Whatever you want me to I'll do.

I think I ought to go away
until we can talk things over.

With less anger and less pain.

And later we'll decide about everything.

Decently.

I'll leave in the morning.

Why are you crying?

What's there to cry for now?

Let's go.

We're looking at different things.

Good morning, Cathy.

Good morning.

Did you have a nice sleep?

I saw daddy.

You did?

He's still in his room.

He was fast asleep.

But you didn't wake him up, did you?

No.

Oh, that's a good girl.

Oh, good morning, Mr. Frasier.

Good morning, Mrs. Newman.

I read mommy's letter.

It's a...

lovely, lovely letter.

Put them out of your mind, Karin.

Forget them.

Don't you think I have more to forget?

And I do it most of the time.

I just say to myself

it was an accident, so forget it.

Even if it wasn't an accident forget it.

Even if it was murder forget it.

I don't know if it was murder.

Don't know.

Was it?

I don't know.

No.

No, how would you know?

Let's forget it, though.

Let's just forget everything.

Unless you wanna go back.

You didn't answer me.

I know.

Do you wanna go back?

Yes, I think I do.

Why? Why?

We are not what we were, Bruno.

You are not and I am not.

I want to go home.

I don't know what will
happen, but I want to.

Go!

Go!

It's too much.

It's too much.

Tear it out!

Tear it out!

Tear it out!

David, I just received a call from

Jackson at the Associated Press.

Bruno Cardini was killed
about an hour ago up in Cortina.

His car went off the road.

Your wife identified him.

Was she in the car?

No, she wasn't.

If there's anything I can do, David.

No, I don't think there is.

But thank you.

Thank you very much.