La Dolce Vita Page #8

---

They came from all regions of Italy.

We were all there. It was a beautiful,

touching ceremony.

The people bringing flowers

to the tomb of their beloved leader.

Excuse me. I haven't had

the pleasure of meeting you.

- I'm the youngest son.

- Rubini, my pleasure.

The least important, of course.

You want to meet someone else from

the family? Or have you had enough?

- Grandma. Grandma!

- No, don't bother.

Grandma!

- I'd like you to meet Mr...

- Rubini, pleased to meet you.

Good, good.

She's pretending to be asleep

so she doesn't have to talk.

Let's continue the genealogical tree.

Father, meet Mr. Rubini, someone

who looks like he has a real job.

Really? How are you?

Allow me to introduce you

to one of my son's friends.

- What a nice-looking young man!

- Are you a journalist?

I'm beat. I would need a nanny

to take me to bed.

Do you want to do it, Jane?

- Will you be my nanny tonight?

- No!

Lady Rodd, do you ever wash

these dogs? They stink.

They have a wonderful odor.

And this is the historic Irene, this year's

debutante. Who I really want to marry...

- Thanks, I already know who he is.

- Excuse me.

Come on. I'd like to dance.

Which of the two was making

advances, you or him?

Me, of course.

You really want to see your name

in the papers, huh?

- Why don't we go somewhere quiet?

- And where would that be?

My first husband was a journalist.

His news was always exaggerated.

Poor me, I only realized it

at the end of our honeymoon.

It's better to have exaggerated news

than no news at all.

My husband feels the same.

Often, the public demands

these augmentations.

Personally, if you allow me...

...I could give you some news

that isn't so exaggerated.

I know this perfume.

Maddalena!

Where did they find you?

I'm fine, I'm just drunk.

Did you know Jane?

No.

She's an American painter

who lives in Rome.

- Really?

- Everyone invites her...

...to hear the dirty things she says.

You'll see, she's very funny.

Those are the Montalbanos.

Federica, the wolf.

She likes to milk the young ones.

The Confalonieris:

They own half of Calabria and

the nicest flats in Rome.

Little Eleonora:
80,000 hectares,

two attempted suicides.

The Sanseverinos:

Magnificent castle in Tuscany.

And that's Don Giulio and Nico,

his Swedish friend.

Next year she'll be a princess,

you'll see.

Don't make that face.

Do you think we're any better?

At least they do certain things

with elegance.

- That villa in the park, who lives there?

- Nobody. It's vacant.

It's the nicest, as far as style goes.

I'm vacant too, you know?

And what is this gynaeceum?

Great-grandmothers,

great-great-grandmothers.

Beautiful women. They all have

the same eyes, did you notice?

You know, Maddalena,

I thought of you often.

- I don't understand you.

- Really?

Neither do I.

It doesn't matter.

If you're trying to talk seriously,

I don't want to hear it.

How is your friend?

- Are you afraid of serious talks?

- No!

You don't know how to talk seriously,

do you?

Where are you taking me?

Here. This is the room

for serious talks.

- Have a seat.

- What are we doing?

Where are you going?

Marcello?

Marcello, can you hear me?

Did you ever feel me so close?

Where are you?

- Can you hear me?

- Yes.

Where are you talking from?

From a faraway place,

very far away.

It'd be as if I didn't exist anymore,

if I were not to speak.

Maddalena. Maddalena!

Yes, I'm still here. Don't move.

Would you marry me?

- And you?

- Yes, I'm in love with you, Marcello.

Since when?

Listen.

- You know what this noise is?

- I don't know.

And now? Guess.

- A kiss?

- For you, Marcello.

So will you marry me?

Or are you afraid to answer?

Why this question?

Are you a bit drunk?

Yes, a little.

I love you, Marcello.

You know, I'd like to be your wife,

be faithful.

I'd like everything. I'd like to be your

wife and to have fun like a whore.

Tonight, I don't know why, I feel like

I love you a lot, like I need you.

- Is that true?

- Yes, it's true.

I don't know if you're just playing,

but it doesn't matter.

I love you.

I only want to be with you.

You'd hate me after a month.

Why should I hate you?

Because one can't have everything.

You can have one thing or the other.

For me, it's too late to choose. And

I've never wanted to make a choice.

I'm a whore, you know.

It's hopeless, I'll always be a whore.

- And I don't want to be anything else!

- No, it's not true.

You're an extraordinary girl, Maddalena.

I know this.

Your courage, your sincerity...

Really, I need you.

Your desperation gives me strength.

You'd be a marvelous companion.

Because I could tell you everything.

You know everything.

Maddalena, are you listening?

Answer me.

Maddalena, enough playing.

Come back. I want to talk to you more.

We're going on a ghost hunt

at the old villa.

Is Maddalena with you?

Giulio, tell everyone to be careful.

You know that the bridge is rotted.

Once in '22, when I came to Rome...

...I spent a night in a castle

like this near Genzano.

You know, once, in my sister-in-law's

castle, we saw a little girl with a candle.

- Then we found out it wasn't a little girl.

- What do you mean?

- Nor was it a candle.

- Oh, please! Don't be silly, now.

- I'm ready to bet that when I'm dead...

- Listen to the silence!

- Look, there's a light!

- It's the reflection of the candles.

You have such lack of fantasy.

Don't you all remember the story that

the farmers tell about the hunchback?

- Giulio, don't you have electricity here?

- Watch out for the bats, Jane.

Bats? They're my favorite subjects.

Nicolina, be careful, the honorable

is going to jump you in there!

Honey, the door is closed.

There is no key.

It must be here on the floor.

Give me some light.

You know, I can't find it.

- It's not here.

- So?

- So we'll go back.

- Let's break it down.

- Here's the key!

- Give it here.

- Good job, Nicolina.

- Who found it? Nicolina?

When was the last time

you came here?

It's been more than two years.

- What do you use it for?

- I'd make it into a great flat...

...but Father didn't want to hear it.

- So, what's next for the great journalist?

A nice third-page article on the stupid

and corrupted aristocracy?

First of all, I write other things, and then,

you're really not that interesting.

- Who did Maddalena come with?

- Who's Maddalena?

Be careful,

this place must be full of rats...

...cockroaches, snakes and vampires.

- And now even full of sluts.

- Thanks a lot.

I'll go first and light the way

for everyone.

- Giulio, when was this house built?

- Five centuries ago. In 1500.

- Who built it?

- Pope Giulio II.

- You had a pope in the family?

- We had two of them!

- Countess Cristina!

- Irene, if you are scared, come to me.

Two popes, my love.

Come, I'll be your guide.

This way. Come, this way.

Giulio, we're sweeping the floor

with our gowns here.

- Oh, Irene, I could love you up here.

Rate this script:3.0 / 1 vote