Calle Mayor: Juan Antonio Bardem 1956

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1

Early morning.

The last bat is finishing his round.

And faraway the first morning train

joyfully whistles.

Here below is the town,

a small provincial town.

Like any town in any country.

The story that is just beginning

does not have precise

geographical coordinates.

The color of the sky, the shape of the

houses, the ads on the walls

or a certain way of talking and

smiling need not have a specific flag

in which to wrap

these men and women

who will start living before our eyes.

Can you hear it?

The sound of the bell inaugurates

the town's still sleepy ambiance.

Then silence returns.

And with it the noise of the

sweepers, who will prepare

Main Street for a new day.

MAIN STREE Get out of my house!

Crooks! Rascals!

Murderers! Bastards!

Criminals!

I'm still alive!

I'm still alive!

I'm still alive!

I'm still alive!

He almost died there.

He had to stay in bed

for three days.

When I ran away his eyes were like

this... He looked like a little kid.

I'd told you that Juan

is something else.

You almost killed someone

important, a philosopher.

And you, Luis, have you read

something by him?

He only reads football results.

- Or the "Farmer's Gazette"

- What's wrong with my newspaper?

It's a complete drag!

Exactly, a drag. Like that looney,

Don Toms, another drag.

Just like this friend of yours,

the intellectual.

Federico is an excellent fellow.

And since you don't give him a hand,

he's been in the library

with D. Toms for one hour.

- Come, we must rescue him.

- Wait, we must finish the match first.

Well, just to give him

the first warning.

Your friends...

are getting impatient.

Oh, well. This publication in which

you're working is very interesting.

IDEAS, arts and letter magazine.

Yes, indeed,

very interesting.

It could be more

if you wrote for it.

If I wrote? Maybe...

Maybe so for you,

but not for me.

You see, I'm through with it.

My complete works are published.

That's the goal, isn't it?

If one supposes I don't have

anything left to say...

Who's making that supposition?

You? It is comfortable.

I don't know. In any case,

I prefer that comfort, understand?

Call it obscurity.

There are more things in the sky and

the earth, Horatio, etc. etc.

Yes, more things, like...

This town, do you know it?

No, I've only been here for

three days. I came only to see you.

It's not been possible yet.

Tomorrow I'm returning to Madrid.

Too bad!

It's my town, a charming

provincial town.

Three things are the

diapason of this town:

The cathedral bells,

The seminarists walking in the

promenade in groups of three

at twilight, and

walking through Main Street.

I hope to actually die. Here it's not

bad, even if it's due to a prank.

A silly provincial prank.

Any idea of who might have done it?

Sort of. Certain folks...

who are bored.

Don't you consider doing

something about that?

Yes, to pay for the coffin.

I broke it.

They need to have fun,

that's the truth.

It's not their fault. This is the

recreational and cultural centre.

I already know it.

Our library too?

We have, among others,

the universal encyclopedia.

A bound collection

of the Province's Gazette

and the classics.

It is one of the town's

cultural elements. There are more.

There is the

secondary education institute.

The discussion group in the new

cafe about our local poet.

- Do you know him?

- No.

- Every year he wins

the "Natural Flower".

There is also Gimnez Vega.

He's a retired army Commandant.

He gives lessons to boys who

want to enter the military academy.

And, first and foremost,

Don Anselmo.

The Cathedral's canon.

And me. I have my siesta here.

It's the ideal place.

Then I take a walk

around my town.

Your friends. They're waiting for you.

Go with them.

They will show you the town.

Theirs, of course.

Main Street, the Modern Theatre.

The old quarters.

And you? Won't you write something?

Someday, perhaps. In that case

I have your address, no?

Federico Rivas, that's it.

- Forgive me.

- See? They're getting bored.

- What do you think of the livestock?

- Excuse me?

- The women.

- Ah.

- Baldie, did you see that?

- Yes.

- What did you have to see?

- Nothing, just someone

who used to be my girlfriend.

You're , aren't you?

That's great!

Look. Luis' shop.

Well, his father's.

The "English Elegance". It's the best

clothes shop on Main Street.

- But they're not doing well.

- Really?

Yes. Juan will be able

to tell you.

Hey, Juan. Come here.

What was your bank's decision

regarding Luis' shop?

I don't know. They

were talking about a mortgage.

Of course.

His bank deals with

the entire town.

Baldie, come. Look!

- He's very shrewd.

- Who?

This one, Jos Mara.

Pepe, the bald one.

Small-time lawyer.

Damn, my boss's wife.

- Good afternoon.

- Good afternoon..

- Taking a stroll?

- Yes, we come from the mass.

- And you?

- Same old.

- Don't you know each other?

- Prez Ramos' missus.

- How are you?

- Charmed.

- I haven't had the pleasure...

- Ah, I thought you knew each other.

Just by sight.

My friend Isabel Castro.

- How are you?

- Charmed.

Are you a relative of Don Rafael,

the one with the pharmacy?

No, no. Isabel is the the daughter

of the late Don Blas.

- The cavalry colonel.

- I see.

Living there, on Main Street.

- Who?

- Isabel.

The weather is not bad,

don't you think?

- It's been a nice autumn.

- Yes, yes.

Will you stay here for long?

- Me? No. I'm just passing by.

- I see.

- He's a writer.

- I see.

Victoria has put a lot of weight

since she got married.

She's satisfied.

How fine she was when

I met her as a spinster.

Who seems not to have any escape

is Isabel. She'll remain single.

She's been around for too along.

- She should vacate the street.

- She's such a pretentious girl.

Such tedious women!

- Won't you buy us a drink?

- What are you having?

- Today I'll have a Manhattan.

- A Manhattan it is, then.

I want to know if you agree.

Federico is leaving tomorrow. We

must offer him a decent farewell.

Have a few drinks here,

then dine at the restaurant.

Then to the New Caf,

and then...

And then to the

Old Quarter.

Look at that monument!

Look. That one is not from here.

She looks like an actress.

She's the best thing

on Main Street.

Getting bored?

And you?

I'm used to it.

I was feeling very lonely

at the beginning.

And now?

Now I'm fine.

The bank job is not bad.

If I hold on a little more, I may

become intervention director.

Would you stay here?

Why not?

I can get married and all.

There's a rich girl

but I must become a director.

I can see that you're popular.

We all know one another here.

This thing of strolling along

Main Street is nice.

- You can see people, girls.

- And do you take any girl out?

You mean, if I have a fiance?

No, I mean if you go out with girls.

What girls? I don't get it. Ah, you're

asking me if I sleep around.

No, not sleeping around.

If you go out...

- Oh. Well, no... You can't.

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