Diario di un maestro (1973–…): Season 1, Episode 2 - Episode #1.2 - full transcript
DIARY OF A TEACHER
Loosely adapted from the
novel "A year in Pietralata."
Interpreted by children and inhabitants
of the Roman villages
of Tiburtino Terzo,
Pietralata and La Torraccia.
Yes, professor, but those
two goals were mine...
Today, even Remo has joined us.
He won't participate frequently
because he has to keep working.
But Sacco, even with less skills
than you, still managed to score.
Ever since I kicked Giancarlo out
of the classroom, he hasn't returned.
And with him, Giorgio Mennuni and
Sergio Piazza have also abandoned.
Boys, does anyone have
information about Giancarlo and--
I do! I know where they are!
Apparently the absentees
have been seen hiding.
For days, they've stayed inside an
old housing complex, not far from here.
They're all proposing we
go and find them, right now.
We can go around here, inside
Don Checchino's aqueduct.
That's stupid!
If we go, we have to leave
together, from the main entrance.
Oh, come on, trust us!
- Who here knows the way best?
- I do! I do!
Not me I'm not from Torraccia...
Let's go, teacher, let's go!
- Let's go we can take you there!
- Alright, let's go.
(singing Morricone's "Compañeros")
Vamos, vamos a matar!
"Vamos a matar, compañeros..."
Slow down! They might see us...
- Form a circle!
- What now?
Myself, Munzi, Traversetti...
And him!
- That way we outnumber them...
- Professor, we can surround them!
- And Bonini!
- Make sure you don't hurt him, go!
Come, this way.
- Be quiet!
- Slow down!
- We're almost there.
- It stings, so many thistles!
There! There he is!
- Square! Piazza!
- Boys, leave him!
Mennuni!
Stop! Calm down!
No, no, you're hurting him.
Stop it!
Stop it, boys, enough!
Stop it!
- Let me go! - Romano got hurt!
Look, professor!
Stop it! Enough!
- Enough, understand?
- Hey, don't put your hands on me.
Stop it.
- Enough. - He got hurt!
- Let me see...
What's wrong, Romano?
Oh no, look!
- Take this tissue.
- It's disgusting.
Look what you did!
- Who did that?
- Look at his blood.
- Giancarlo did it.
- Look at his blood, professor.
- So much...
- Lay down.
- This was bound to happen.
- Put something behind his head.
Nothing serious, just a
bit of blood from his nose.
- We need to find some water.
- Yes! There's a fountain.
- Do you feel like walking?
- A little.
Come on, let's help him up.
Find some water, boys.
- Let's carry him up to the houses.
- Then everyone goes back to the class.
- Alright.
- Let's go, Valentine.
Be careful.
Piazza, let's go.
Wait, Romano.
Tilt your head, there.
- The water.
- That's better, isn't it?
Let's use a wet towel now.
Thank you, Remo. Come here.
- Take a sip.
- Do you want to drink, Romano?
- No...
- It's getting better, isn't it?
What's going on here?
Nothing serious, just...
A bit of blood from his nose.
Are you Professor D'Angelo?
I'm the principal.
Good morning.
Now, were you there
when it happened?
Yes, but I wasn't able to
see exactly what happened.
And did this happen inside
of the premises, or outside?
- Outside.
- So, you took it on your own...
The responsibility, the initiative...
Of leaving with the class.
Yes.
- Who hit you?
- No one...
Then, why are you
covered in blood?
Someone made me trip and fall.
- Who was near you?
- Everyone.
Everyone was around you...
But who was the closest one?
- All of my friends.
- Ah, all of your friends...
- And who are these friends?
- Everyone.
The entire class...
The usual suspects.
We were together.
So, no one can
tell me who it was.
- In the middle of the crowd...
- Piazza, come here.
Who was nearest?
You shrug your shoulders?
Is that a proper response?
Excuse me, principal. Maybe
we shouldn't make this a big trial...
I wanted to talk
to the class myself
To establish exactly
how this happened.
Oh, you don't think we
should turn this into a trial?
In here, we have
precise responsibilities!
I just think it's a
little exaggerated--
- You think this is exaggerating?
- Excuse me if I say it...
Come into my office.
Hold this for a little while.
Just like that, in the
worst circumstances,
I had finally managed
to meet the principal.
It's clear someone rushed to
let them know what happened.
Maybe even
exaggerating the facts.
Please, wait outside for a moment.
Let's make something clear.
It is never allowed, in any
circumstance, for a teacher
To talk back to their own principal
in the way you did just now.
It is unheard of.
Understand that this is
not a personal issue...
Of personal prestige...
But just now, the principal
was present the classroom.
The principal, exercising
his precise duty.
- And you willingly talked back.
- Excuse me, principal...
But if you allow me...
I must say, sincerely, that I
held myself back in the class...
- Because my boys were present.
- What do you mean?
Yes. That "trial" that
you wanted to impose,
That invites to
accusation, to interrogation,
In my regard is contrary to
the kind of work that, in difficulty,
And with much effort, have been
trying to teach for a good month now.
- It's entirely the
opposite-- - That is conceit!
Don't forget, dear sir, that I have
25 years of career behind me!
I didn't mean to
offend, dear principal...
Nor to make this a
personal problem.
But I would like to clarify
that my class is very difficult.
And Ms. Olivieri
knows this as well.
But I am blaming you
for a very specific offense.
During school hours, you
took your class and left,
- Without my consent!
- That is true.
But I did it with a
very specific goal,
And a much more
important one, I might add.
That is, to search for three of the
boys that didn't attend the lessons.
Boys for which this school and this
administration have done nothing.
Apart from the inaccuracy
of your statements,
You are acting as a judge for
things that do not concern you.
This is your class file, and these
are the letters we sent to their homes.
Do you want to
deny these as well?
I know the procedure:
Meetings, written warnings...
Paper will not suffice if you intend
to bring the boys back into school.
At least for the ones
that I was trusted with.
If I have to truly
say everything,
Which saddens me,
but in this same room,
I was publicly discouraged
from finding those boys myself.
By the very same person
that acts as your representative.
And this, dear principal, goes
against the very human right to study,
Sanctioned by the Constitution,
and reaffirmed many times
By the educational programs
and administrative norms--
Let's leave the Constitution
apart, we are all too familiar with it.
We shouldn't argue about bigger things,
let's get our feet back on the ground.
I had tried time and time
again to meet with you.
I kept asking Miss Olivier
to make you aware of this.
Because I wanted to explain
the methods I intended to use.
I cannot accept for my colleagues
to be at odds with one another.
I can't accept
incompatibility or dissonance.
I cannot accept that.
But now that things
have reached this point,
It is better to make things clear,
because I was being accused.
I kindly ask you, principal,
to send for Ms. Olivieri
No. Excuse me, you have
to leave this decision to me.
I don't think we should
make a trial out of this...
As you wish.
Since I've been wanting to speak
about this for some time now,
I will ask formally,
if you allow it.
Are you advising me against
bringing this boys into school as well?
That with four months already lost,
they risk never being able to graduate?
If you lay down your
terms in this way,
I can do nothing but to approve--
Nay, applaud your diligence.
I was informed
about your efforts...
In the end, the principal
finally calmed down.
He became more considerate.
I would've put him up to speed
with the new methods I intend to use,
But with all the bureaucratic and
administrative problems at hand,
He clearly doesn't have time to think
about the real problems in his school.
He kept talking for a moment, never
arriving to the heart of the matter.
It's only a matter of agreement.
It is not possible for everyone
to think for themselves.
The school should act
as a harmonic together.
Every action should
be agreed upon,
Programmed, fulfilled in a context
of collaboration and solidarity.
Romano is getting better, professor.
What did the principal say?
Will he suspend one of us?
No. No one.
Thank God!
Do you have to go away?
How come you are
all acting so calmly?
We are always calm, professor.
- Shall we get to work?
- Yes.
Good.
Be careful with the plastic.
- We're working it with Del Croce.
- Can I join them too?
No, come on, help us here.
It's a little crooked, right, Mennuni?
Here, could you put
this away for me, please?
We are building a
vivarium for the lizards.
Luciano's father, a carpenter,
gifted us some materials.
- Applause!
- Who had this? Was it you?
No, it fits just right.
- Now we need the other plank, right?
- No, this one is too small.
You have to flip
it, teacher, look.
If we do it like that, the
vivarium will become too small...
- Under, under!
- Let's put it under, okay?
- Place it on the table.
- We have to put up a net in the end.
- Clean.
- We'll see at the end.
Try using the bottom here.
This one.
- It fits.
- See? We need to make it shorter.
- Shorter.
- It's because the wood is bent.
Another plank, Mennuni!
Is this placed correctly?--
Hang on! This part goes first.
We need another board
here, and another one there.
Give me a pencil.
Let's try to make the next better.
I'll make the next one then.
Be careful with my finger there.
Check out the tadpoles!
There's two in here.
Go grab a stick.
These tadpoles are huge.
Don't go near the shrubs!
You'll draw--
He'll down, professor!
The water is deeper near those shrubs.
Mennuni, did you hear that?
Don't go any further!
The eyes, the eyes!
Watch out for the eyes.
A leech!
Who's going to call the dogs back?
Diana, let's go!
- Come on, Burbirello!
- Mennuni!
Where are my shoes?
- Over there.
- Are you leaving me behind?
- Do you know how tadpoles develop?
- Yes.
- How do they do it?
- First, the little legs come out...
The tadpoles stay in the water,
and when they become frogs--
- This one is female!
- They live a double life.
Professor, look at my pants!
Boys, if you want an aquarium,
we first need to build it.
So, we need to grab foliage.
Is this one good?
Or is the one from the swamp better?
Alright, start grabbing
some of the grass.
I can hear the little frogs
going "croak, croak, croak".
- That's enough.
- This one's a male.
Stop squishing it.
Here, look at the female one.
Here she comes!
Mennuni, store the frogs.
- Mennuni!
- Here, give it to me...
I managed to find some
time to visit the university.
I found many of my
classmates again.
"This demand needs to uphold
every pact that constitutes civility..."
"The orientation of pedagogy
must therefore be reversed..."
"Pedagogy cannot determine
a precise methodology..."
Even Roberta.
Two years had passed
since I last saw her.
We had become friends.
"The quantity and quality that we
must introduce in our programs..."
"And the general direction that is
developed depends on etiology..."
"As confirmed by civility studies later
used as a base for educational systems."
"In regards to the man
from the 21st century... "
"An ideology that we cannot refute
without negating our own selves... "
A lesson in pedagogy.
Suddenly, I realized that my
poor classroom at Tiburtino Terzo,
With it's thousands
of daily obstacles,
Had nothing to do with
the things I was hearing.
"It is certainly the most
pressing demand of our civilization."
Roberta will also become a teacher.
In the meantime, she volunteers
at a school inside the slums.
I felt better after talking to someone.
It's important to exchange
experiences from time to time.
But how?
I'll take this, Del
Croce and myself.
Yes sir! Get up here, Speranza.
Let's pick it up and
for it down, come on.
- Aim for this corner.
- It's going to pile up!
Be careful, don't make
me drop the vase...
Don't put pressure on the plastic.
If it breaks, it'll cut
off my entire hand.
See how they're better off in here?
- The Sun gets in sometimes, right?
- No, it never reaches inside.
- Yes, it comes in.
- No, it doesn't!
Do we take it off?
It's pretty, isn't it, professor?
These lizards need
to be close to the Sun.
They'll die!
Sergio Piazza got inside
a car in front of the school.
And with Fabrizio,
they crashed into a wall.
They almost hit
a group of people.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
I was able to sort it
out with the officer.
But, naturally, the
problem doesn't end here.
What should I do?
It has already happened,
and it could happen again.
Talk about frogs and lizards.
I have to sit down and
have a talk with the boys.
The other day, something
very bad happened.
One of you turned on a
car out in the courtyard.
I was even contacted
by an officer.
Now, everyone listens
without speaking.
We absolutely cannot
keep working like this.
Often, you play around.
As if you wanted to
make a fool out of me.
We talked about lizards...
And the tortures you
inflicted upon them.
You wrote into this board.
Here it says:
"But only now we have
understood that, torturing them..."
"Killing them and causing
havoc is of no use."
"We understood because
with our new professor,"
"We have science
lessons with real lizards,"
"And observing them we have
understood their intelligence."
These sentences are stupid.
Because they are false.
Because that same day, and the
day after you continued to torture them.
Not just the lizards, either.
- Yes, it's true.
- Who did it?
Someone also tortured the frogs.
The frogs as well...
Even the frogs.
Be quiet, let me finish.
Be quiet and let me finish!
You know very well that I took
up a responsibility with all of you.
I believed that it was my duty to
bring you back into the classroom.
Instead, even the officer
said it was entirely my fault.
He advised me going to the principal's
office, to suspend the guilty.
I think we have
already discussed this.
I am no one's guardian.
I am here to work, and it's
impossible with the way you're acting.
It's not worth it to talk
about the French Revolution,
Or the Piedmont hills,
or Italy's longest river.
I think there are far more important
topics that we should be talking about.
That is, everything that happens
to you outside of the classroom.
And this is not to
make accusations,
But to understand what we
must do in order to change.
Piazza...
Can you tell us what
happened the other day?
I asked who's car was it,
and they said that it was stolen.
So I stuck a key in there
to see if it worked, and it did.
Then I drove for a
bit, from here to there.
Then, I kept going...
I saw him coming
from the other side.
And he said: "Could you
give me a ride home?"
No, I said: "Where
did you get this car?"
I answered: "It was here."
We got in, and I drove him home.
After that, I came back
to leave it where I found it.
I pushed down on the gas, and
then I saw a man standing there.
He was there, while I
was making the turn.
I got scared, I didn't
know who he was.
I turned the steering wheel,
But I kept looking at the man, and I
crashed into the wall in front of me.
I was about to turn
but I couldn't make it...
So I slammed against the wall...
Even if the car was out there,
did you or did you not steal it?
- No.
- You didn't steal it?
- Yes.
- You did? Why?
I just wanted to drive around...
But if the cops caught me,
they would've thought I stole it.
Thought?
Let's ignore what the police thinks.
According to you,
did you steal it or not?
- No, I didn't steal it.
- Why do you say that?
Can't steal something
already stolen!
"A thief that robs a
thief, is a smart thief."
- You're saying you can steal
from a thief? - Of course!
- But, is it still a robbery?
- Yes.
So, what does it mean?
What does it mean,
who you steal from?
- "Who you steal from?"
- If you steal,
Be it from the owner,
or from the thief...
- It's the same thing, is it not?
- Well, yes...
You become accomplished.
- "Taking... "
- Or leaving.
- "A car... "
- I've never driven a car!
There, you've never done it.
"A car, to drive
around the block."
- Okay?
- A stolen car!
Let's-- Let's make
some kind of a list.
A list of things that happen
outside of the school.
Things you know, even if
you're not even involved.
What else can be, "taken"?
- The chickens!
- Frogs!
- "Taking... "
- Fruit!
- Fruit!
- I said that first!
Orange juice, professor!
- Cow's milk!
- Fruit!
So, let's write:
- "Steal the money."
- They didn't see him.
The owners were not around, so he
went in and started to open the drawers.
He takes the money and leaves.
Listen, Remo... This money--
How old are these boys that
go around stealing the money?
This one friend
was 14, 15 years old.
14 or 15 years old?
And he worked alone?
You know that they also take
the radios. You said, the radios...
- Scooters.
- Bicycles, anything!
They will steal anything!
What is it that
they steal the most?
- Let's say, the scooters?
- The "Lambretta", the "Vespa 50"!
- No, the radios!
- And the radios.
So, let's write...
They look for the most
sought after 50cc engines.
"Radio..."
Boys, let's listen to
what Mennuni has to say.
- "Grab..."
- Steal the cow's milk.
"Stealing the cow's milk."
They kept talking and
talking, so we continued to walk.
We made it to the house, but
I didn't know they wanted to steal!
I leaned against a pole,
outside...
And the owner was looking
out through a crack.
But I didn't see him.
Suddenly, I see the boy reach inside.
He takes the money and runs.
The owner puts on his shoes
and runs after them. Two brothers.
- At night?
- Yes.
The two brothers manage
to get away, he does not find them.
So they took me to the police station.
They asked for my name,
and then took me home.
But the owner was nice, he said:
"You give me back the money,
- "Or you start working in here."
- And you?
- Me? I had nothing to do with this.
- You were there.
They thought I was the look-out!
In my village, someone stole--
- Shall we listen, a moment?
- A poor devil stole hay.
To feed his... You know.
They caught him,
and gave him a trial.
The one that stole money,
got out first.
The poor devil with the hay,
he got locked up.
The lawyer said:
"We're not horses, we don't eat hay."
"We are men,
we eat money."
You hear that?
- Can I go back to my seat?
- Yes.
You too, Franco.
Here we have a list.
Of larceny, and other thefts,
of which you are aware happen.
I would like to make
a distinction with you today.
We wrote:
"Take a car for a ride."
Who thinks this is serious?
It's serious!
Let's say serious,
we pass it to this column.
"Stealing chickens."
- Is it serious or not?
- It's more jail time than the car.
It's serious!
The car was not stolen!
The car is serious, but not
the chickens? What are you saying?
I think chickens
are not serious.
It happens sometimes.
Me too, when--
- You stole some!
- Let me finish.
At camp, I stole chickens.
And we ate them.
But if the farmer found out,
He would have taken us to the police.
No, it doesn't matter.
We can end up in jail for a chicken.
But why? Tell me why!
We can't go on like this.
Romano, we can't
go on like this!
We understand nothing.
- We have to decide.
- I speak first. - That's not true!
- Let's vote!
- We have to decide.
We need to establish that to speak, it
is necessary to respect a certain order.
We already discussed this before.
Can we respect this rule?
Please!
Otherwise, it's chaos.
It went well.
They spoke, exchanged ideas,
About a delicate and
complicated subject like theft.
Seeing I wouldn't get much
further on my own,
I therefore invited a friend.
Listen to me for a moment, boys.
This is a friend,
his name is Raffaele.
He is a young man from the suburbs.
- From Tiburtino?
- No, he will tell you later.
- From Tor Marancia?
- And he has had experiences,
That I believe are important
for the discussion we had previously.
We talked about theft.
Many of you have
written about it.
And we wrote on the board the
motives that lead to theft.
I would like for Raffaele...
- We call him Ralph.
- How? - Ralph.
I would like for him
to tell us his story.
Then we can ask him questions,
to find out more.
He had experiences similar
to those you've described,
But today he, absolutely,
is no longer a thief.
I had met Ralph
through friends in college.
I thought, no one better than him
could tell them about theft.
I come from the Alessandrino village.
Behind the Centocelle district, I don't
know if anyone is familiar with--
- Around Torraccia...
- They live there.
So, since I was a little boy,
along with others,
We went outside to have fun.
And we ended up stealing
from vegetable gardens, tomatoes,
Greens, for something to eat, right?
And we also went to the tobacco shop.
At that time, we bought
cigarettes individually.
We bought a cigarette or two,
while another kid stole candy.
My mother started to grow tired and
sent me to the juvenile center at Portese.
Despite this, at 13, I still
continued to run away from my home.
I did not run away because of
a family that was not present,
I was running away...
Because I wanted to be
a star, right? I wanted to be known.
I wanted to be superior to the other
young boys from the villages,
Which was a mistake, as I
realized afterwards.
I left the house, and
along with friends older than myself,
We had an idea.
We took a car from
the Tor Tre Teste neighborhood,
Behind the Coca Cola factory,
and we went into the adventure.
You chose them, these friends,
or did they drag you with them?
It wasn't like a forced option,
it just sort of happened.
Did you mainly steal money, or--
Well, I--
- He already said it!
- You can ask him later.
We left for the village of Albano,
where we left the car.
By foot, we reached
towards Ariccia and Genzano.
At Genzano, we didn't know what to do.
What to eat,
how to pay for the vices we had.
We did it to feel better than everyone
else when in reality, we were nobody.
We were just kids, thugs.
We broke into a tobacco shop,
taking with us valuable things.
And we had a bad time.
I confess it would've been better
if the owners had caught us that moment.
Because they would've
given us a good beating,
I would've understood that
it was a mistake from much earlier.
But they didn't catch us.
We went on like this for a while,
but we always had fear behind out backs.
But how did you break in?
What did you use?
We used a car jack.
- What did you steal--
- If you got into the apartments--
- Mennuni asked if I "jumped fences."
- If you...
That means climbing over inside windows
in order to get inside a house.
Once inside, you start stealing--
I happened to do this once.
But I swear to you that the
fear I felt that day,
I don't believe I'll
ever feel that fear again.
Ralph, excuse me
for interrupting you.
Since the subject can be vast,
let's try to stay focused, right?
I would like to show you what came out
from the things the boys have written.
I would like us to talk about this,
to discuss this with the boys.
"Why do people steal?"
They replied: "To gamble"
"Because of friends who
encouraged me to steal."
"To have fun."
"Because there's not
enough money to eat".
There was also a phrase that
was said during the discussion,
"We are clever and we won't
end up inside the reformatory."
Why was this stated?
"We're clever, we're not
going to a reformatory"
Can someone
explain that to me?
The kids from Tiburtino...
They say they're clever
and don't get caught.
In Tiburtino, there are
only a few police officers.
There is only one police station.
Only six people fit in there.
That's it.
And they only have one patrol car
to move around the neighborhood.
Let's see if it's true that if someone
is clever, they never get caught.
- Let's hear if it's true.
- Sometimes they get caught.
I would say most of the times.
Because you're saying--
"The kids will not end up inside the
reformatory because they are clever."
On my way here, I passed in front of
the detention center at Porta Portese.
Through the big windows, which
I know because I've been there myself,
Through the windows I saw
so many of these young boys,
13 years old,
14 years old, 15 years old...
Sitting on window frames,
behind railings.
They were reading comics,
and I almost felt like crying.
- How is life in jail?
- Very difficult.
Were you beaten inside?
At Porta Portese, for a while now,
children are no longer beaten...
But some punishments are much worse.
Cleaning?
No, there is a much,
much worse punishment.
Every Sunday, you receive
a visit from your family,
Your mother, your father...
They don't let you see them.
Which is worse than a beating.
Because the beating eventually heals,
but those punishments remain.
From jail, after the trial,
they sent me to a reformatory.
But the reformatory is not
a school that re-educates.
On the contrary, it is a place
which in my opinion,
Only worsens the boys.
Maybe you meet people
even worse than yourself.
Even if those boys had a little
generosity and kindness,
- Then they lose it?
- No, it's still there, but...
- It gets buried?
- Exactly, buried, good call.
So they become meaner, they
try to rebel against society.
Against the ones that locked
them inside the reformatory.
Precisely because of being
put in that position.
But now, Ralph, I would
like for you to tell us
How you got out of this situation.
How did you think it through?
What conclusion did you have?
- Well, leaving the reformatory...
- That of Rivoli?
Yes, Rivoli, which was
the last stage I lived.
- The last what?
- Stage.
The last part of my adventures.
- About your career.
- Let's call it a career, then.
An upside-down career.
When I got out,
I understood that I had lost
the years I had spent in there.
Thrown in the trash!
And of that myth I had created, I mean,
that character I had formed of myself,
Of the bully,
only ashes remained.
The entire structure burned down,
and only ashes remained.
From these ashes, I
had to rebuild my life.
Can I ask a question, professor?
Let me tell you, I suffer
a great deal by telling you this.
I suffer, because--
"I WANTED TO BE SOMEONE."
I confess, it would've been better
if someone had caught me the first time.
Ralph, listen--
Just wait a minute.
I wanted to point out,
Ralph said that one of the reasons
Which, as a boy, led him to steal
is contained in this sentence:
"I WANTED TO BE SOMEONE."
Listen, Ralph, there was a boy
that wrote a small essay.
And this phrase was included.
- Now, without saying who wrote it--
- I don't want to know either!
I would like to read it to you,
and to the whole class.
"Why do we commit thefts,
alone or in groups?"
"Because I want to
act like I'm one of the big ones."
"And I see those who
drive a car are big."
"That's why I break into cars, I feel
clever, I want to act like a grown up."
I have the impression this includes it,
"I WANTED TO BE SOMEONE."
There is a problem of feeling
inferior in regards to others,
Between 11, 13 or 15 years old,
the age of moral development in kids.
When I realized this, that
I was part of an economic minority,
An educational minority. I think it's
very important to have an education.
It depends on your boss.
I wanted to rebel,
something inside told me: "Rebel!"
But my conscience didn't
tell me how to rebel.
So I became rebellious with the first
"weapon" that presented itself to me,
Theft.
But theft is not a weapon that
can lead you to a positive outcome.
It was simple ideal,
an essential one.
No one could have
expressed it better than Ralph,
Who was one of them
and experienced it first-hand.
Veneto wants to say something.
You could still recover,
you were a small kid!
Understanding this was like
crossing a threshold for them,
They freed themselves from
a dark sense of guilt, of subjection.
First, like he said, because my family
did not have economic possibilities.
- You wanted to act big!
- Everybody wants to.
Now he plays the altruist...
If he steals food from others,
he won't mind--
They were all speaking over each other
and the discussion lasted a long time.
Unorganized, chaotic,
but infinitely beneficial.
Giancarlo, let me show you
something, this is wrong.
All of the letters "c", "o",
The "q", the "u" too.
- Take the pen, Romano.
- I'll clean it up.
There, now it's clean.
But scissors are a bit dangerous.
- What do you have, Sergio?
- I'll grab a needle, it's finer.
Put a page inside,
and we'll check if it's clean.
We started using typewriters.
One is mine,
I had to look for the second one.
The boys divided into groups.
Some write, others
dictate or correct mistakes.
Then they reverse the roles.
Don't take that!
Romano, ask first, no?
Can you lend it to him?
- Can I take off my sweater?
- Yes.
There is a mistake here.
"Cars".
- With an "h".
- I know.
- Where is the "h"?
- Here.
Slower, your finger keeps slipping.
"We are coming to
this tragic conclusion."
- You need a point.
- "How did it happen..."
- Do I put a period?
- No.
Put a "g".
Shall we read what
each of the groups typed?
Let's start here.
"Ralph started to steal
when he was 12 years old."
"With his friends, he stole vegetables
from the neighbor’s gardens."
"When his mother found out the way he
was living, she got worried."
"And taking advice from the pulley--"
- On whose advice?
- Of the "pulley".
Of the police!
"She had him locked up
in an observation center"
"For minors in the
Porta Portese district."
- "Are your friends older or younger?"
- Raise your voice.
"Some were older, some younger."
"Did you pick them?"
"No, it was the need of
being in company."
"At what age did you
go to the reformatory?"
- "At 15."
- "What was the first thing you stole?"
"A tomato".
Sacco interpreted the role of Ralph.
We can play out the interviews.
"Ralph started stealing fruit..."
"Fruits at the age of 12,
then he started to run away."
"His mother had him locked
up in an observation center, "
"In which he spent five months inside."
"When he came out,
he started to steal again, "
"Until they locked him
up in the reformatory."
"When he got out,
he straightened his thoughts, "
"Now, he took upon
manual works to earn a living."
"Why were you stealing?"
"Because I thought it was the only
way to fight against the upper class."
"How did you feel the
first time you stole?"
"I felt fear."
"After your first stay
inside the reformatory, "
- "Did you steal again?"
- "Yes."
"Because I wanted to feel superior from
the other boys in the neighborhood."
"During your career, did
you have bad company?"
"Bad company has been
the backbone of my life."
"Did you often argue
with your parents?"
"Did you often argue with your parents?"
"No, because we weren't together."
- "Did you work alone?"
- "No, it was always two or three of us."
"I think his father,
when Ralph was little, "
"Should've established a dialogue,
not sending him to a reformatory."
"We think that theft
leads to a tragic conclusion, "
"Like what happened to
our friend, Ralph."
"He started by stealing a
tomato out of necessity, "
"And it ended up in vice."
- Read this part as well, Sergio.
- "I also acted like a bully, "
"Acting like a grown up with
cars and mopeds."
"But I don't do that anymore."
"Because I understood that
it was very dangerous."
- Should I keep going?
- No, that's OK.
"How do you feel when
you steal something?"
"When I steal, I feel afraid, that
the owner will take me to the police."
"Or maybe take me to Porta Portese
and leave me there for a while."
"For a month, for example."
- This other paragraph, I read it?
- Yes.
"Yesterday, the professor
introduced us to Ralph."
"And told us that "little Ralphs"
can turn into "big Ralphs."
- "And end up tragically."
- Do you want to read this again?
"Yesterday, the professor
introduced us to Ralph."
"And told us that little Ralphs
can turn into big Ralphs."
"And end up tragically."
This is a concept that
can be further defined, right?
Ralph, what do you think
of what you've heard so far?
I must say...
Certain conclusions
seem very fair to me.
I think they're important for the
future of these children.
Can you give us an example?
The conclusions of the "R" group,
"What do you think of Ralph?"
They said I felt inferior
to who I really was.
That's very fair.
I felt inferior to other young people,
from the upper classes.
But, now that I can think
and reflect upon that,
I think we should all be equal.
So, I think that's very fair,
this next part as well,
Someone else said:
"I think his father,
when Ralph was little, "
"Should have established
a dialogue with him."
"Rather than sending
him to a reformatory."
This is a very important point.
I have to say that
we did a good job.
But it's not over yet,
some concepts still need to
be fine-tuned and corrected,
To express them better.
This text, I would put it there.
Are those his friends?
- We can't see the interview!
- Yes, you have to open the page.
We will display this part.
This part is about Ralph.
We are now going to format
the part concerning Ralph.
The study of delinquency
and theft lasted almost ten days.
This time we made a single presentation
compiling everyone's work.
This one, we can put it there.
- The observation center is about Ralph.
- Exactly.
Ralph gave us a hand. With him,
there were now two professors in class.
Or rather, there was no longer a
professor. Finally, we all worked together.
Let's do the chicken theft as a single
sequence, with the officer chasing--
And then arresting him.
Is that good?
How could we call it?
We have to find a title
for the entire presentation.
"Absurd acts"?
"Thefts"?
- "Facts of the crime world".
- "Facts of Rome".
- "Roman Chronicles".
- "True crime".
It also happens elsewhere...
He proposed: "True crime."
Let's decide.
"Against the law"?
- Does everyone agree?
- Can I write the title?
We'll see who writes it.
I finished painting the car.
What is the car for?
I'm going to draw
Ralph stealing a car.
Be careful, boys,
be careful!
Careful...
Further left!
A little lower, or you
won't be able to hang it.
- A little lower.
- It's good.
Pass me a thumbtack.
Pass the thumbtacks!
- Veneto, pass me a thumbtack!
- We have nails.
Luciano! I have the nails.
- Watch out!
- Can you do it, Fabrizio?
I can't hold it.
You have to put a nail in.
- Put it up there.
- Not this one.
Is it fixed?
"STEALING OF CHICKENS."
"MY FRIENDS AT
THE REFORMATORY."
Come down and see.
Look at the board, the lizards,
the thefts...
I don't want to expect much.
I won't claim to have
made them immune to theft.
But at least we talked about it,
and the boys expressed their opinions.
"GROUP "D" DIARY"
I wanted them to reach
the conclusion on their own,
That stealing involves
harming oneself and others.
But that idea has not taken shape, yet.
And I preferred not to force things.
"INTERVIEW WITH AN EX-THIEF"
Where are the measurements?
Where does the longest side go?
- Right here.
- Very good.
The desks were no longer necessary,
we had formed three groups:
Tiburtino, Pietralata, Torraccia.
We decided to organize
our classroom differently.
There, that's right.
- Wait a minute, let's--
- Done, professor!
Look for the side that
measures one meter and a half.
Careful, take it over there.
Perfect...
- Good.
- Next to the wall.
Franco, Piazza, Veneto and Bonini,
help me removing this desk.
We're going to use the
platform to make a library.
Take the chair.
We're going to make a library.
Let's put it down here.
We have to measure it.
Lean it against the wall.
It's a bit dirty.
Lean it against the wall.
It's 1m 45cm.
You have to measure the thickness.
Romano, do you have the ruler?
Measure the thickness right here.
Three centimeters thick.
What do you have to write?
145...
- Minus 9!
- Three shelves, good.
- It's 136.
- Now I divide by 4.
- Why four?
- To make four sections.
Because with three divisions,
we end up with four spaces.
136 divided by 4.
Take a good look at this calculation.
- It's 34 centimeters.
- Perfect.
We must now divide this platform,
in four different sections.
- It's better if we mark it.
- Use the chalk!
Who marks it?
There we go, Luciano, you do it.
Anyone care to put the
chairs around the tables?
We have to turn this back--
- The desk?
- Del Croce, help me spin this around.
Put them right in front of the holes.
Hold it straight. Good.
Careful. Franco, help me out.
Franco...
- Watch your feet!
- Careful.
Let's put it against the wall.
It's better in the corner!
- There, careful!
- Professor?
Give the hammer to Luciano.
Hold this.
It holds!
Mennuni, bring the shelves, please!
All the objects in the desk,
put them up here.
Mennuni will take them.
It's done.
Look at that! Beautiful!
It came out nicely!
Here, like that.
We could start a saving's box, so
that little by little we can buy books.
- Among others.
- Put them down |4.
We still have things to finish.
Return to your seats.
Put it down.
I prefer to be here.
All these new things
were bought on credit.
Do you know what that means?
They still have to be paid.
We have to do some accounting.
Accounting, so that we can keep...
A box, where we will keep the money that
will help us buy things for the class.
But keeping that box
is not very simple.
I will explain that for a moment.
So, we have to check...
I was reassured about the importance
of taking examples from real issues.
Now that it was about cash management,
belonging to the entire class,
They were all willing to work.
They finally understood the importance,
and the need for arithmetic.
Here, we will write: "Income."
Yes, copy this scheme,
"Income" and "expenses".
Do you know what
these two terms mean?
I know, "income" is
when the money comes in.
"Expenses" is when you spend it.
Exactly, when we "expend" the money.
Clear?
Now we have to establish how much,
each of you, are able to contribute.
- Per day?
- Per day.
- Me, 25 lire.
- 30 lire!
- 25!
- 40!
- 30 lire.
- 50, every other day.
Am I understanding correctly
that you can all give 20 lire per day?
- No!
- Okay?
Professor! We could instead...
For example, maybe he, or myself
have money saved.
And everyday, we put the money we have--
No, I said no, because
sometimes you will put 200 lire,
And then you won't have
anything for the other days,
And we will not be able to
keep accurate accounts.
20 lire. Can you all chime in
20 lire a day?
So let's say 20 lire.
Let's write:
"Monthly contribution".
Note the initials: "M. C."
"Professor's monthly contribution"
- I can give 3,000 lire.
- Per month?
We wrote "monthly contribution".
"Student's monthly contribution"
We said 20 lire.
20 times 16.
Yes?
- That's 320 lire!
- Exactly, that's 320.
Multiplied by 31 days...
Let's count an average of 30 days,
from which we
subtract four Sundays.
- 30 days?
- So, let's say 26.
That's 8,320.
It adds up to 11,320 lire
per month, I think.
Right, now, let's count how much do we
need in order to pay for what we bought.
There are three shelves.
Each shelf costs 1,250 lire.
They didn't give him a discount?
That's 3,750!
You also have to count
the hinges.
We bought 16 hinges,
80 lire each.
So, that's 1280.
1,280.
There is also...
Perhaps, since the first time since
I arrived, I felt optimistic and confident.
The undisciplined and rebelious group
that greeted me the first time,
Had transformed into
a small community,
One where everyone wishes to
contribute, actively and responsibly.
This is what I consider most
important, for the work ahead.
That's 5,630 lire.
In a month, we will get there.
Are you all getting the same result?
Stefano, can you move to the side?
Stay focused.
We must decide who will
be responsible for the fund.
- Remember, it stays valid for a week.
- Can they be re-elected?
They can re-elected.
It's up to us to decide.
Now, who would like
to start being appointed?
- Me!
- We need to vote.
We can vote with ballots.
Keep in mind, every one of you
will take care of the fund.
Because we will take turns.
We vote twice, the first vote for
the fund, the second for the supplies.
Valente Giancarlo.
Valente Giancarlo.
Del Croce.
I'm not convinced...
Bonini.
- Next?
- Giancarlo.
Franco.
- Valente Giancarlo.
- I'm not c, onvinced.
Valente, Sergio.
I need to talk to you, afterwards.
The vote was anonymous,
but we suspected some cheating.
Small disadvantages
of the democratic system.
Piazza.
I need to talk to you.
- When we started--
- Listen to Stefano.
When he read
"Valente Giancarlo",
That was my vote,
everyone wrote their own.
How can you say
who he voted for?
- Let's quiet down for a moment.
- Bunch of fools! Quiet...
There were many candidates.
Now, please...
Those who voted for
Giancarlo raise their hands.
Did you vote for Giancarlo?
No, Giancarlo has five votes!
Giancarlo will therefore be
responsible for the cash register.
Clear?
END OF SECOND ACT
Loosely adapted from the
novel "A year in Pietralata."
Interpreted by children and inhabitants
of the Roman villages
of Tiburtino Terzo,
Pietralata and La Torraccia.
Yes, professor, but those
two goals were mine...
Today, even Remo has joined us.
He won't participate frequently
because he has to keep working.
But Sacco, even with less skills
than you, still managed to score.
Ever since I kicked Giancarlo out
of the classroom, he hasn't returned.
And with him, Giorgio Mennuni and
Sergio Piazza have also abandoned.
Boys, does anyone have
information about Giancarlo and--
I do! I know where they are!
Apparently the absentees
have been seen hiding.
For days, they've stayed inside an
old housing complex, not far from here.
They're all proposing we
go and find them, right now.
We can go around here, inside
Don Checchino's aqueduct.
That's stupid!
If we go, we have to leave
together, from the main entrance.
Oh, come on, trust us!
- Who here knows the way best?
- I do! I do!
Not me I'm not from Torraccia...
Let's go, teacher, let's go!
- Let's go we can take you there!
- Alright, let's go.
(singing Morricone's "Compañeros")
Vamos, vamos a matar!
"Vamos a matar, compañeros..."
Slow down! They might see us...
- Form a circle!
- What now?
Myself, Munzi, Traversetti...
And him!
- That way we outnumber them...
- Professor, we can surround them!
- And Bonini!
- Make sure you don't hurt him, go!
Come, this way.
- Be quiet!
- Slow down!
- We're almost there.
- It stings, so many thistles!
There! There he is!
- Square! Piazza!
- Boys, leave him!
Mennuni!
Stop! Calm down!
No, no, you're hurting him.
Stop it!
Stop it, boys, enough!
Stop it!
- Let me go! - Romano got hurt!
Look, professor!
Stop it! Enough!
- Enough, understand?
- Hey, don't put your hands on me.
Stop it.
- Enough. - He got hurt!
- Let me see...
What's wrong, Romano?
Oh no, look!
- Take this tissue.
- It's disgusting.
Look what you did!
- Who did that?
- Look at his blood.
- Giancarlo did it.
- Look at his blood, professor.
- So much...
- Lay down.
- This was bound to happen.
- Put something behind his head.
Nothing serious, just a
bit of blood from his nose.
- We need to find some water.
- Yes! There's a fountain.
- Do you feel like walking?
- A little.
Come on, let's help him up.
Find some water, boys.
- Let's carry him up to the houses.
- Then everyone goes back to the class.
- Alright.
- Let's go, Valentine.
Be careful.
Piazza, let's go.
Wait, Romano.
Tilt your head, there.
- The water.
- That's better, isn't it?
Let's use a wet towel now.
Thank you, Remo. Come here.
- Take a sip.
- Do you want to drink, Romano?
- No...
- It's getting better, isn't it?
What's going on here?
Nothing serious, just...
A bit of blood from his nose.
Are you Professor D'Angelo?
I'm the principal.
Good morning.
Now, were you there
when it happened?
Yes, but I wasn't able to
see exactly what happened.
And did this happen inside
of the premises, or outside?
- Outside.
- So, you took it on your own...
The responsibility, the initiative...
Of leaving with the class.
Yes.
- Who hit you?
- No one...
Then, why are you
covered in blood?
Someone made me trip and fall.
- Who was near you?
- Everyone.
Everyone was around you...
But who was the closest one?
- All of my friends.
- Ah, all of your friends...
- And who are these friends?
- Everyone.
The entire class...
The usual suspects.
We were together.
So, no one can
tell me who it was.
- In the middle of the crowd...
- Piazza, come here.
Who was nearest?
You shrug your shoulders?
Is that a proper response?
Excuse me, principal. Maybe
we shouldn't make this a big trial...
I wanted to talk
to the class myself
To establish exactly
how this happened.
Oh, you don't think we
should turn this into a trial?
In here, we have
precise responsibilities!
I just think it's a
little exaggerated--
- You think this is exaggerating?
- Excuse me if I say it...
Come into my office.
Hold this for a little while.
Just like that, in the
worst circumstances,
I had finally managed
to meet the principal.
It's clear someone rushed to
let them know what happened.
Maybe even
exaggerating the facts.
Please, wait outside for a moment.
Let's make something clear.
It is never allowed, in any
circumstance, for a teacher
To talk back to their own principal
in the way you did just now.
It is unheard of.
Understand that this is
not a personal issue...
Of personal prestige...
But just now, the principal
was present the classroom.
The principal, exercising
his precise duty.
- And you willingly talked back.
- Excuse me, principal...
But if you allow me...
I must say, sincerely, that I
held myself back in the class...
- Because my boys were present.
- What do you mean?
Yes. That "trial" that
you wanted to impose,
That invites to
accusation, to interrogation,
In my regard is contrary to
the kind of work that, in difficulty,
And with much effort, have been
trying to teach for a good month now.
- It's entirely the
opposite-- - That is conceit!
Don't forget, dear sir, that I have
25 years of career behind me!
I didn't mean to
offend, dear principal...
Nor to make this a
personal problem.
But I would like to clarify
that my class is very difficult.
And Ms. Olivieri
knows this as well.
But I am blaming you
for a very specific offense.
During school hours, you
took your class and left,
- Without my consent!
- That is true.
But I did it with a
very specific goal,
And a much more
important one, I might add.
That is, to search for three of the
boys that didn't attend the lessons.
Boys for which this school and this
administration have done nothing.
Apart from the inaccuracy
of your statements,
You are acting as a judge for
things that do not concern you.
This is your class file, and these
are the letters we sent to their homes.
Do you want to
deny these as well?
I know the procedure:
Meetings, written warnings...
Paper will not suffice if you intend
to bring the boys back into school.
At least for the ones
that I was trusted with.
If I have to truly
say everything,
Which saddens me,
but in this same room,
I was publicly discouraged
from finding those boys myself.
By the very same person
that acts as your representative.
And this, dear principal, goes
against the very human right to study,
Sanctioned by the Constitution,
and reaffirmed many times
By the educational programs
and administrative norms--
Let's leave the Constitution
apart, we are all too familiar with it.
We shouldn't argue about bigger things,
let's get our feet back on the ground.
I had tried time and time
again to meet with you.
I kept asking Miss Olivier
to make you aware of this.
Because I wanted to explain
the methods I intended to use.
I cannot accept for my colleagues
to be at odds with one another.
I can't accept
incompatibility or dissonance.
I cannot accept that.
But now that things
have reached this point,
It is better to make things clear,
because I was being accused.
I kindly ask you, principal,
to send for Ms. Olivieri
No. Excuse me, you have
to leave this decision to me.
I don't think we should
make a trial out of this...
As you wish.
Since I've been wanting to speak
about this for some time now,
I will ask formally,
if you allow it.
Are you advising me against
bringing this boys into school as well?
That with four months already lost,
they risk never being able to graduate?
If you lay down your
terms in this way,
I can do nothing but to approve--
Nay, applaud your diligence.
I was informed
about your efforts...
In the end, the principal
finally calmed down.
He became more considerate.
I would've put him up to speed
with the new methods I intend to use,
But with all the bureaucratic and
administrative problems at hand,
He clearly doesn't have time to think
about the real problems in his school.
He kept talking for a moment, never
arriving to the heart of the matter.
It's only a matter of agreement.
It is not possible for everyone
to think for themselves.
The school should act
as a harmonic together.
Every action should
be agreed upon,
Programmed, fulfilled in a context
of collaboration and solidarity.
Romano is getting better, professor.
What did the principal say?
Will he suspend one of us?
No. No one.
Thank God!
Do you have to go away?
How come you are
all acting so calmly?
We are always calm, professor.
- Shall we get to work?
- Yes.
Good.
Be careful with the plastic.
- We're working it with Del Croce.
- Can I join them too?
No, come on, help us here.
It's a little crooked, right, Mennuni?
Here, could you put
this away for me, please?
We are building a
vivarium for the lizards.
Luciano's father, a carpenter,
gifted us some materials.
- Applause!
- Who had this? Was it you?
No, it fits just right.
- Now we need the other plank, right?
- No, this one is too small.
You have to flip
it, teacher, look.
If we do it like that, the
vivarium will become too small...
- Under, under!
- Let's put it under, okay?
- Place it on the table.
- We have to put up a net in the end.
- Clean.
- We'll see at the end.
Try using the bottom here.
This one.
- It fits.
- See? We need to make it shorter.
- Shorter.
- It's because the wood is bent.
Another plank, Mennuni!
Is this placed correctly?--
Hang on! This part goes first.
We need another board
here, and another one there.
Give me a pencil.
Let's try to make the next better.
I'll make the next one then.
Be careful with my finger there.
Check out the tadpoles!
There's two in here.
Go grab a stick.
These tadpoles are huge.
Don't go near the shrubs!
You'll draw--
He'll down, professor!
The water is deeper near those shrubs.
Mennuni, did you hear that?
Don't go any further!
The eyes, the eyes!
Watch out for the eyes.
A leech!
Who's going to call the dogs back?
Diana, let's go!
- Come on, Burbirello!
- Mennuni!
Where are my shoes?
- Over there.
- Are you leaving me behind?
- Do you know how tadpoles develop?
- Yes.
- How do they do it?
- First, the little legs come out...
The tadpoles stay in the water,
and when they become frogs--
- This one is female!
- They live a double life.
Professor, look at my pants!
Boys, if you want an aquarium,
we first need to build it.
So, we need to grab foliage.
Is this one good?
Or is the one from the swamp better?
Alright, start grabbing
some of the grass.
I can hear the little frogs
going "croak, croak, croak".
- That's enough.
- This one's a male.
Stop squishing it.
Here, look at the female one.
Here she comes!
Mennuni, store the frogs.
- Mennuni!
- Here, give it to me...
I managed to find some
time to visit the university.
I found many of my
classmates again.
"This demand needs to uphold
every pact that constitutes civility..."
"The orientation of pedagogy
must therefore be reversed..."
"Pedagogy cannot determine
a precise methodology..."
Even Roberta.
Two years had passed
since I last saw her.
We had become friends.
"The quantity and quality that we
must introduce in our programs..."
"And the general direction that is
developed depends on etiology..."
"As confirmed by civility studies later
used as a base for educational systems."
"In regards to the man
from the 21st century... "
"An ideology that we cannot refute
without negating our own selves... "
A lesson in pedagogy.
Suddenly, I realized that my
poor classroom at Tiburtino Terzo,
With it's thousands
of daily obstacles,
Had nothing to do with
the things I was hearing.
"It is certainly the most
pressing demand of our civilization."
Roberta will also become a teacher.
In the meantime, she volunteers
at a school inside the slums.
I felt better after talking to someone.
It's important to exchange
experiences from time to time.
But how?
I'll take this, Del
Croce and myself.
Yes sir! Get up here, Speranza.
Let's pick it up and
for it down, come on.
- Aim for this corner.
- It's going to pile up!
Be careful, don't make
me drop the vase...
Don't put pressure on the plastic.
If it breaks, it'll cut
off my entire hand.
See how they're better off in here?
- The Sun gets in sometimes, right?
- No, it never reaches inside.
- Yes, it comes in.
- No, it doesn't!
Do we take it off?
It's pretty, isn't it, professor?
These lizards need
to be close to the Sun.
They'll die!
Sergio Piazza got inside
a car in front of the school.
And with Fabrizio,
they crashed into a wall.
They almost hit
a group of people.
Fortunately, no one was hurt.
I was able to sort it
out with the officer.
But, naturally, the
problem doesn't end here.
What should I do?
It has already happened,
and it could happen again.
Talk about frogs and lizards.
I have to sit down and
have a talk with the boys.
The other day, something
very bad happened.
One of you turned on a
car out in the courtyard.
I was even contacted
by an officer.
Now, everyone listens
without speaking.
We absolutely cannot
keep working like this.
Often, you play around.
As if you wanted to
make a fool out of me.
We talked about lizards...
And the tortures you
inflicted upon them.
You wrote into this board.
Here it says:
"But only now we have
understood that, torturing them..."
"Killing them and causing
havoc is of no use."
"We understood because
with our new professor,"
"We have science
lessons with real lizards,"
"And observing them we have
understood their intelligence."
These sentences are stupid.
Because they are false.
Because that same day, and the
day after you continued to torture them.
Not just the lizards, either.
- Yes, it's true.
- Who did it?
Someone also tortured the frogs.
The frogs as well...
Even the frogs.
Be quiet, let me finish.
Be quiet and let me finish!
You know very well that I took
up a responsibility with all of you.
I believed that it was my duty to
bring you back into the classroom.
Instead, even the officer
said it was entirely my fault.
He advised me going to the principal's
office, to suspend the guilty.
I think we have
already discussed this.
I am no one's guardian.
I am here to work, and it's
impossible with the way you're acting.
It's not worth it to talk
about the French Revolution,
Or the Piedmont hills,
or Italy's longest river.
I think there are far more important
topics that we should be talking about.
That is, everything that happens
to you outside of the classroom.
And this is not to
make accusations,
But to understand what we
must do in order to change.
Piazza...
Can you tell us what
happened the other day?
I asked who's car was it,
and they said that it was stolen.
So I stuck a key in there
to see if it worked, and it did.
Then I drove for a
bit, from here to there.
Then, I kept going...
I saw him coming
from the other side.
And he said: "Could you
give me a ride home?"
No, I said: "Where
did you get this car?"
I answered: "It was here."
We got in, and I drove him home.
After that, I came back
to leave it where I found it.
I pushed down on the gas, and
then I saw a man standing there.
He was there, while I
was making the turn.
I got scared, I didn't
know who he was.
I turned the steering wheel,
But I kept looking at the man, and I
crashed into the wall in front of me.
I was about to turn
but I couldn't make it...
So I slammed against the wall...
Even if the car was out there,
did you or did you not steal it?
- No.
- You didn't steal it?
- Yes.
- You did? Why?
I just wanted to drive around...
But if the cops caught me,
they would've thought I stole it.
Thought?
Let's ignore what the police thinks.
According to you,
did you steal it or not?
- No, I didn't steal it.
- Why do you say that?
Can't steal something
already stolen!
"A thief that robs a
thief, is a smart thief."
- You're saying you can steal
from a thief? - Of course!
- But, is it still a robbery?
- Yes.
So, what does it mean?
What does it mean,
who you steal from?
- "Who you steal from?"
- If you steal,
Be it from the owner,
or from the thief...
- It's the same thing, is it not?
- Well, yes...
You become accomplished.
- "Taking... "
- Or leaving.
- "A car... "
- I've never driven a car!
There, you've never done it.
"A car, to drive
around the block."
- Okay?
- A stolen car!
Let's-- Let's make
some kind of a list.
A list of things that happen
outside of the school.
Things you know, even if
you're not even involved.
What else can be, "taken"?
- The chickens!
- Frogs!
- "Taking... "
- Fruit!
- Fruit!
- I said that first!
Orange juice, professor!
- Cow's milk!
- Fruit!
So, let's write:
- "Steal the money."
- They didn't see him.
The owners were not around, so he
went in and started to open the drawers.
He takes the money and leaves.
Listen, Remo... This money--
How old are these boys that
go around stealing the money?
This one friend
was 14, 15 years old.
14 or 15 years old?
And he worked alone?
You know that they also take
the radios. You said, the radios...
- Scooters.
- Bicycles, anything!
They will steal anything!
What is it that
they steal the most?
- Let's say, the scooters?
- The "Lambretta", the "Vespa 50"!
- No, the radios!
- And the radios.
So, let's write...
They look for the most
sought after 50cc engines.
"Radio..."
Boys, let's listen to
what Mennuni has to say.
- "Grab..."
- Steal the cow's milk.
"Stealing the cow's milk."
They kept talking and
talking, so we continued to walk.
We made it to the house, but
I didn't know they wanted to steal!
I leaned against a pole,
outside...
And the owner was looking
out through a crack.
But I didn't see him.
Suddenly, I see the boy reach inside.
He takes the money and runs.
The owner puts on his shoes
and runs after them. Two brothers.
- At night?
- Yes.
The two brothers manage
to get away, he does not find them.
So they took me to the police station.
They asked for my name,
and then took me home.
But the owner was nice, he said:
"You give me back the money,
- "Or you start working in here."
- And you?
- Me? I had nothing to do with this.
- You were there.
They thought I was the look-out!
In my village, someone stole--
- Shall we listen, a moment?
- A poor devil stole hay.
To feed his... You know.
They caught him,
and gave him a trial.
The one that stole money,
got out first.
The poor devil with the hay,
he got locked up.
The lawyer said:
"We're not horses, we don't eat hay."
"We are men,
we eat money."
You hear that?
- Can I go back to my seat?
- Yes.
You too, Franco.
Here we have a list.
Of larceny, and other thefts,
of which you are aware happen.
I would like to make
a distinction with you today.
We wrote:
"Take a car for a ride."
Who thinks this is serious?
It's serious!
Let's say serious,
we pass it to this column.
"Stealing chickens."
- Is it serious or not?
- It's more jail time than the car.
It's serious!
The car was not stolen!
The car is serious, but not
the chickens? What are you saying?
I think chickens
are not serious.
It happens sometimes.
Me too, when--
- You stole some!
- Let me finish.
At camp, I stole chickens.
And we ate them.
But if the farmer found out,
He would have taken us to the police.
No, it doesn't matter.
We can end up in jail for a chicken.
But why? Tell me why!
We can't go on like this.
Romano, we can't
go on like this!
We understand nothing.
- We have to decide.
- I speak first. - That's not true!
- Let's vote!
- We have to decide.
We need to establish that to speak, it
is necessary to respect a certain order.
We already discussed this before.
Can we respect this rule?
Please!
Otherwise, it's chaos.
It went well.
They spoke, exchanged ideas,
About a delicate and
complicated subject like theft.
Seeing I wouldn't get much
further on my own,
I therefore invited a friend.
Listen to me for a moment, boys.
This is a friend,
his name is Raffaele.
He is a young man from the suburbs.
- From Tiburtino?
- No, he will tell you later.
- From Tor Marancia?
- And he has had experiences,
That I believe are important
for the discussion we had previously.
We talked about theft.
Many of you have
written about it.
And we wrote on the board the
motives that lead to theft.
I would like for Raffaele...
- We call him Ralph.
- How? - Ralph.
I would like for him
to tell us his story.
Then we can ask him questions,
to find out more.
He had experiences similar
to those you've described,
But today he, absolutely,
is no longer a thief.
I had met Ralph
through friends in college.
I thought, no one better than him
could tell them about theft.
I come from the Alessandrino village.
Behind the Centocelle district, I don't
know if anyone is familiar with--
- Around Torraccia...
- They live there.
So, since I was a little boy,
along with others,
We went outside to have fun.
And we ended up stealing
from vegetable gardens, tomatoes,
Greens, for something to eat, right?
And we also went to the tobacco shop.
At that time, we bought
cigarettes individually.
We bought a cigarette or two,
while another kid stole candy.
My mother started to grow tired and
sent me to the juvenile center at Portese.
Despite this, at 13, I still
continued to run away from my home.
I did not run away because of
a family that was not present,
I was running away...
Because I wanted to be
a star, right? I wanted to be known.
I wanted to be superior to the other
young boys from the villages,
Which was a mistake, as I
realized afterwards.
I left the house, and
along with friends older than myself,
We had an idea.
We took a car from
the Tor Tre Teste neighborhood,
Behind the Coca Cola factory,
and we went into the adventure.
You chose them, these friends,
or did they drag you with them?
It wasn't like a forced option,
it just sort of happened.
Did you mainly steal money, or--
Well, I--
- He already said it!
- You can ask him later.
We left for the village of Albano,
where we left the car.
By foot, we reached
towards Ariccia and Genzano.
At Genzano, we didn't know what to do.
What to eat,
how to pay for the vices we had.
We did it to feel better than everyone
else when in reality, we were nobody.
We were just kids, thugs.
We broke into a tobacco shop,
taking with us valuable things.
And we had a bad time.
I confess it would've been better
if the owners had caught us that moment.
Because they would've
given us a good beating,
I would've understood that
it was a mistake from much earlier.
But they didn't catch us.
We went on like this for a while,
but we always had fear behind out backs.
But how did you break in?
What did you use?
We used a car jack.
- What did you steal--
- If you got into the apartments--
- Mennuni asked if I "jumped fences."
- If you...
That means climbing over inside windows
in order to get inside a house.
Once inside, you start stealing--
I happened to do this once.
But I swear to you that the
fear I felt that day,
I don't believe I'll
ever feel that fear again.
Ralph, excuse me
for interrupting you.
Since the subject can be vast,
let's try to stay focused, right?
I would like to show you what came out
from the things the boys have written.
I would like us to talk about this,
to discuss this with the boys.
"Why do people steal?"
They replied: "To gamble"
"Because of friends who
encouraged me to steal."
"To have fun."
"Because there's not
enough money to eat".
There was also a phrase that
was said during the discussion,
"We are clever and we won't
end up inside the reformatory."
Why was this stated?
"We're clever, we're not
going to a reformatory"
Can someone
explain that to me?
The kids from Tiburtino...
They say they're clever
and don't get caught.
In Tiburtino, there are
only a few police officers.
There is only one police station.
Only six people fit in there.
That's it.
And they only have one patrol car
to move around the neighborhood.
Let's see if it's true that if someone
is clever, they never get caught.
- Let's hear if it's true.
- Sometimes they get caught.
I would say most of the times.
Because you're saying--
"The kids will not end up inside the
reformatory because they are clever."
On my way here, I passed in front of
the detention center at Porta Portese.
Through the big windows, which
I know because I've been there myself,
Through the windows I saw
so many of these young boys,
13 years old,
14 years old, 15 years old...
Sitting on window frames,
behind railings.
They were reading comics,
and I almost felt like crying.
- How is life in jail?
- Very difficult.
Were you beaten inside?
At Porta Portese, for a while now,
children are no longer beaten...
But some punishments are much worse.
Cleaning?
No, there is a much,
much worse punishment.
Every Sunday, you receive
a visit from your family,
Your mother, your father...
They don't let you see them.
Which is worse than a beating.
Because the beating eventually heals,
but those punishments remain.
From jail, after the trial,
they sent me to a reformatory.
But the reformatory is not
a school that re-educates.
On the contrary, it is a place
which in my opinion,
Only worsens the boys.
Maybe you meet people
even worse than yourself.
Even if those boys had a little
generosity and kindness,
- Then they lose it?
- No, it's still there, but...
- It gets buried?
- Exactly, buried, good call.
So they become meaner, they
try to rebel against society.
Against the ones that locked
them inside the reformatory.
Precisely because of being
put in that position.
But now, Ralph, I would
like for you to tell us
How you got out of this situation.
How did you think it through?
What conclusion did you have?
- Well, leaving the reformatory...
- That of Rivoli?
Yes, Rivoli, which was
the last stage I lived.
- The last what?
- Stage.
The last part of my adventures.
- About your career.
- Let's call it a career, then.
An upside-down career.
When I got out,
I understood that I had lost
the years I had spent in there.
Thrown in the trash!
And of that myth I had created, I mean,
that character I had formed of myself,
Of the bully,
only ashes remained.
The entire structure burned down,
and only ashes remained.
From these ashes, I
had to rebuild my life.
Can I ask a question, professor?
Let me tell you, I suffer
a great deal by telling you this.
I suffer, because--
"I WANTED TO BE SOMEONE."
I confess, it would've been better
if someone had caught me the first time.
Ralph, listen--
Just wait a minute.
I wanted to point out,
Ralph said that one of the reasons
Which, as a boy, led him to steal
is contained in this sentence:
"I WANTED TO BE SOMEONE."
Listen, Ralph, there was a boy
that wrote a small essay.
And this phrase was included.
- Now, without saying who wrote it--
- I don't want to know either!
I would like to read it to you,
and to the whole class.
"Why do we commit thefts,
alone or in groups?"
"Because I want to
act like I'm one of the big ones."
"And I see those who
drive a car are big."
"That's why I break into cars, I feel
clever, I want to act like a grown up."
I have the impression this includes it,
"I WANTED TO BE SOMEONE."
There is a problem of feeling
inferior in regards to others,
Between 11, 13 or 15 years old,
the age of moral development in kids.
When I realized this, that
I was part of an economic minority,
An educational minority. I think it's
very important to have an education.
It depends on your boss.
I wanted to rebel,
something inside told me: "Rebel!"
But my conscience didn't
tell me how to rebel.
So I became rebellious with the first
"weapon" that presented itself to me,
Theft.
But theft is not a weapon that
can lead you to a positive outcome.
It was simple ideal,
an essential one.
No one could have
expressed it better than Ralph,
Who was one of them
and experienced it first-hand.
Veneto wants to say something.
You could still recover,
you were a small kid!
Understanding this was like
crossing a threshold for them,
They freed themselves from
a dark sense of guilt, of subjection.
First, like he said, because my family
did not have economic possibilities.
- You wanted to act big!
- Everybody wants to.
Now he plays the altruist...
If he steals food from others,
he won't mind--
They were all speaking over each other
and the discussion lasted a long time.
Unorganized, chaotic,
but infinitely beneficial.
Giancarlo, let me show you
something, this is wrong.
All of the letters "c", "o",
The "q", the "u" too.
- Take the pen, Romano.
- I'll clean it up.
There, now it's clean.
But scissors are a bit dangerous.
- What do you have, Sergio?
- I'll grab a needle, it's finer.
Put a page inside,
and we'll check if it's clean.
We started using typewriters.
One is mine,
I had to look for the second one.
The boys divided into groups.
Some write, others
dictate or correct mistakes.
Then they reverse the roles.
Don't take that!
Romano, ask first, no?
Can you lend it to him?
- Can I take off my sweater?
- Yes.
There is a mistake here.
"Cars".
- With an "h".
- I know.
- Where is the "h"?
- Here.
Slower, your finger keeps slipping.
"We are coming to
this tragic conclusion."
- You need a point.
- "How did it happen..."
- Do I put a period?
- No.
Put a "g".
Shall we read what
each of the groups typed?
Let's start here.
"Ralph started to steal
when he was 12 years old."
"With his friends, he stole vegetables
from the neighbor’s gardens."
"When his mother found out the way he
was living, she got worried."
"And taking advice from the pulley--"
- On whose advice?
- Of the "pulley".
Of the police!
"She had him locked up
in an observation center"
"For minors in the
Porta Portese district."
- "Are your friends older or younger?"
- Raise your voice.
"Some were older, some younger."
"Did you pick them?"
"No, it was the need of
being in company."
"At what age did you
go to the reformatory?"
- "At 15."
- "What was the first thing you stole?"
"A tomato".
Sacco interpreted the role of Ralph.
We can play out the interviews.
"Ralph started stealing fruit..."
"Fruits at the age of 12,
then he started to run away."
"His mother had him locked
up in an observation center, "
"In which he spent five months inside."
"When he came out,
he started to steal again, "
"Until they locked him
up in the reformatory."
"When he got out,
he straightened his thoughts, "
"Now, he took upon
manual works to earn a living."
"Why were you stealing?"
"Because I thought it was the only
way to fight against the upper class."
"How did you feel the
first time you stole?"
"I felt fear."
"After your first stay
inside the reformatory, "
- "Did you steal again?"
- "Yes."
"Because I wanted to feel superior from
the other boys in the neighborhood."
"During your career, did
you have bad company?"
"Bad company has been
the backbone of my life."
"Did you often argue
with your parents?"
"Did you often argue with your parents?"
"No, because we weren't together."
- "Did you work alone?"
- "No, it was always two or three of us."
"I think his father,
when Ralph was little, "
"Should've established a dialogue,
not sending him to a reformatory."
"We think that theft
leads to a tragic conclusion, "
"Like what happened to
our friend, Ralph."
"He started by stealing a
tomato out of necessity, "
"And it ended up in vice."
- Read this part as well, Sergio.
- "I also acted like a bully, "
"Acting like a grown up with
cars and mopeds."
"But I don't do that anymore."
"Because I understood that
it was very dangerous."
- Should I keep going?
- No, that's OK.
"How do you feel when
you steal something?"
"When I steal, I feel afraid, that
the owner will take me to the police."
"Or maybe take me to Porta Portese
and leave me there for a while."
"For a month, for example."
- This other paragraph, I read it?
- Yes.
"Yesterday, the professor
introduced us to Ralph."
"And told us that "little Ralphs"
can turn into "big Ralphs."
- "And end up tragically."
- Do you want to read this again?
"Yesterday, the professor
introduced us to Ralph."
"And told us that little Ralphs
can turn into big Ralphs."
"And end up tragically."
This is a concept that
can be further defined, right?
Ralph, what do you think
of what you've heard so far?
I must say...
Certain conclusions
seem very fair to me.
I think they're important for the
future of these children.
Can you give us an example?
The conclusions of the "R" group,
"What do you think of Ralph?"
They said I felt inferior
to who I really was.
That's very fair.
I felt inferior to other young people,
from the upper classes.
But, now that I can think
and reflect upon that,
I think we should all be equal.
So, I think that's very fair,
this next part as well,
Someone else said:
"I think his father,
when Ralph was little, "
"Should have established
a dialogue with him."
"Rather than sending
him to a reformatory."
This is a very important point.
I have to say that
we did a good job.
But it's not over yet,
some concepts still need to
be fine-tuned and corrected,
To express them better.
This text, I would put it there.
Are those his friends?
- We can't see the interview!
- Yes, you have to open the page.
We will display this part.
This part is about Ralph.
We are now going to format
the part concerning Ralph.
The study of delinquency
and theft lasted almost ten days.
This time we made a single presentation
compiling everyone's work.
This one, we can put it there.
- The observation center is about Ralph.
- Exactly.
Ralph gave us a hand. With him,
there were now two professors in class.
Or rather, there was no longer a
professor. Finally, we all worked together.
Let's do the chicken theft as a single
sequence, with the officer chasing--
And then arresting him.
Is that good?
How could we call it?
We have to find a title
for the entire presentation.
"Absurd acts"?
"Thefts"?
- "Facts of the crime world".
- "Facts of Rome".
- "Roman Chronicles".
- "True crime".
It also happens elsewhere...
He proposed: "True crime."
Let's decide.
"Against the law"?
- Does everyone agree?
- Can I write the title?
We'll see who writes it.
I finished painting the car.
What is the car for?
I'm going to draw
Ralph stealing a car.
Be careful, boys,
be careful!
Careful...
Further left!
A little lower, or you
won't be able to hang it.
- A little lower.
- It's good.
Pass me a thumbtack.
Pass the thumbtacks!
- Veneto, pass me a thumbtack!
- We have nails.
Luciano! I have the nails.
- Watch out!
- Can you do it, Fabrizio?
I can't hold it.
You have to put a nail in.
- Put it up there.
- Not this one.
Is it fixed?
"STEALING OF CHICKENS."
"MY FRIENDS AT
THE REFORMATORY."
Come down and see.
Look at the board, the lizards,
the thefts...
I don't want to expect much.
I won't claim to have
made them immune to theft.
But at least we talked about it,
and the boys expressed their opinions.
"GROUP "D" DIARY"
I wanted them to reach
the conclusion on their own,
That stealing involves
harming oneself and others.
But that idea has not taken shape, yet.
And I preferred not to force things.
"INTERVIEW WITH AN EX-THIEF"
Where are the measurements?
Where does the longest side go?
- Right here.
- Very good.
The desks were no longer necessary,
we had formed three groups:
Tiburtino, Pietralata, Torraccia.
We decided to organize
our classroom differently.
There, that's right.
- Wait a minute, let's--
- Done, professor!
Look for the side that
measures one meter and a half.
Careful, take it over there.
Perfect...
- Good.
- Next to the wall.
Franco, Piazza, Veneto and Bonini,
help me removing this desk.
We're going to use the
platform to make a library.
Take the chair.
We're going to make a library.
Let's put it down here.
We have to measure it.
Lean it against the wall.
It's a bit dirty.
Lean it against the wall.
It's 1m 45cm.
You have to measure the thickness.
Romano, do you have the ruler?
Measure the thickness right here.
Three centimeters thick.
What do you have to write?
145...
- Minus 9!
- Three shelves, good.
- It's 136.
- Now I divide by 4.
- Why four?
- To make four sections.
Because with three divisions,
we end up with four spaces.
136 divided by 4.
Take a good look at this calculation.
- It's 34 centimeters.
- Perfect.
We must now divide this platform,
in four different sections.
- It's better if we mark it.
- Use the chalk!
Who marks it?
There we go, Luciano, you do it.
Anyone care to put the
chairs around the tables?
We have to turn this back--
- The desk?
- Del Croce, help me spin this around.
Put them right in front of the holes.
Hold it straight. Good.
Careful. Franco, help me out.
Franco...
- Watch your feet!
- Careful.
Let's put it against the wall.
It's better in the corner!
- There, careful!
- Professor?
Give the hammer to Luciano.
Hold this.
It holds!
Mennuni, bring the shelves, please!
All the objects in the desk,
put them up here.
Mennuni will take them.
It's done.
Look at that! Beautiful!
It came out nicely!
Here, like that.
We could start a saving's box, so
that little by little we can buy books.
- Among others.
- Put them down |4.
We still have things to finish.
Return to your seats.
Put it down.
I prefer to be here.
All these new things
were bought on credit.
Do you know what that means?
They still have to be paid.
We have to do some accounting.
Accounting, so that we can keep...
A box, where we will keep the money that
will help us buy things for the class.
But keeping that box
is not very simple.
I will explain that for a moment.
So, we have to check...
I was reassured about the importance
of taking examples from real issues.
Now that it was about cash management,
belonging to the entire class,
They were all willing to work.
They finally understood the importance,
and the need for arithmetic.
Here, we will write: "Income."
Yes, copy this scheme,
"Income" and "expenses".
Do you know what
these two terms mean?
I know, "income" is
when the money comes in.
"Expenses" is when you spend it.
Exactly, when we "expend" the money.
Clear?
Now we have to establish how much,
each of you, are able to contribute.
- Per day?
- Per day.
- Me, 25 lire.
- 30 lire!
- 25!
- 40!
- 30 lire.
- 50, every other day.
Am I understanding correctly
that you can all give 20 lire per day?
- No!
- Okay?
Professor! We could instead...
For example, maybe he, or myself
have money saved.
And everyday, we put the money we have--
No, I said no, because
sometimes you will put 200 lire,
And then you won't have
anything for the other days,
And we will not be able to
keep accurate accounts.
20 lire. Can you all chime in
20 lire a day?
So let's say 20 lire.
Let's write:
"Monthly contribution".
Note the initials: "M. C."
"Professor's monthly contribution"
- I can give 3,000 lire.
- Per month?
We wrote "monthly contribution".
"Student's monthly contribution"
We said 20 lire.
20 times 16.
Yes?
- That's 320 lire!
- Exactly, that's 320.
Multiplied by 31 days...
Let's count an average of 30 days,
from which we
subtract four Sundays.
- 30 days?
- So, let's say 26.
That's 8,320.
It adds up to 11,320 lire
per month, I think.
Right, now, let's count how much do we
need in order to pay for what we bought.
There are three shelves.
Each shelf costs 1,250 lire.
They didn't give him a discount?
That's 3,750!
You also have to count
the hinges.
We bought 16 hinges,
80 lire each.
So, that's 1280.
1,280.
There is also...
Perhaps, since the first time since
I arrived, I felt optimistic and confident.
The undisciplined and rebelious group
that greeted me the first time,
Had transformed into
a small community,
One where everyone wishes to
contribute, actively and responsibly.
This is what I consider most
important, for the work ahead.
That's 5,630 lire.
In a month, we will get there.
Are you all getting the same result?
Stefano, can you move to the side?
Stay focused.
We must decide who will
be responsible for the fund.
- Remember, it stays valid for a week.
- Can they be re-elected?
They can re-elected.
It's up to us to decide.
Now, who would like
to start being appointed?
- Me!
- We need to vote.
We can vote with ballots.
Keep in mind, every one of you
will take care of the fund.
Because we will take turns.
We vote twice, the first vote for
the fund, the second for the supplies.
Valente Giancarlo.
Valente Giancarlo.
Del Croce.
I'm not convinced...
Bonini.
- Next?
- Giancarlo.
Franco.
- Valente Giancarlo.
- I'm not c, onvinced.
Valente, Sergio.
I need to talk to you, afterwards.
The vote was anonymous,
but we suspected some cheating.
Small disadvantages
of the democratic system.
Piazza.
I need to talk to you.
- When we started--
- Listen to Stefano.
When he read
"Valente Giancarlo",
That was my vote,
everyone wrote their own.
How can you say
who he voted for?
- Let's quiet down for a moment.
- Bunch of fools! Quiet...
There were many candidates.
Now, please...
Those who voted for
Giancarlo raise their hands.
Did you vote for Giancarlo?
No, Giancarlo has five votes!
Giancarlo will therefore be
responsible for the cash register.
Clear?
END OF SECOND ACT