Three Coins in the Fountain Page #2

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there were not enough of you.

Tell me... do you get your

best ideas at night? I always do.

Invariably, but hardly material

to write about.

My husband declares that I

was simply born to be a writer.

He says if anyone just took a pencil

and followed me around, they'd have a novel.

My dear lady, I should be delighted

to get behind you with a pencil.

Excuse me.

[Anita] We've learned from long experience

this is the best way to pass the time.

So this is Rome,

where the pigeons eat caviar.

And the secretaries eat alone.

Look, did you ever see

such a handsome car?

- You ever see such a handsome man?

- It's Prince Dessi.

A prince? Do you know him?

- He's a friend of Mr. Shadwell's.

- Part of the Roman scene.

Um, eligible?

Dino is handsome, wealthy, and has

one of the oldest titles in Europe.

As long as he has the first two,

you won't catch him getting married.

Oh, what a shame. Oh!

- What's the matter?

- Oh, I knocked my purse off the railing.

- I'll ask Dino to get it for you.

- Oh, no. Please don't.

- He'll think I did it on purpose.

- He won't mind. Dino!

- Yes?

- We dropped a purse from the balcony.

- Would you mind bringing it up?

- With the greatest of pleasure.

You sure you didn't

knock it off on purpose?

Oh, no, believe me, I didn't.

I'm not that quick-witted.

Well, just in case it was instinct...

perhaps we'd better warn our friend

about Dino before she meets him.

He's known as

"the predatory prince."

And girls who are seen in his company

more than once are known as Venice Girls.

Why?

The time comes when he asks you

to fly to Venice with him.

Once you're known as a Venice Girl,

you might as well go home.

- I hope nothing was broken.

- Thank you. It belongs to my friend.

Maria, this is Prince Dessi.

This is Miss Williams.

- How do you do?

- How do you do?

Fresh from the States.

Of course, you know Anita.

- Oh, yes. We met when I first came to Rome.

- I remember it with sadness.

People said bad things about me, and you

would not permit me to show you Rome.

Have they been telling you

disgraceful things about me too?

- Oh, no.

- That's too bad.

If only half the things said about me

were true, I'd be a happy man.

- I suspect half of them are.

- You see?

There is a conspiracy against me in Rome.

You must excuse me.

I haven't spoken to my host yet.

I'll be back.

He's nice.

Oh, I don't believe

he's the wolf you say.

- Why, he looks as innocent as a little boy.

- Oh, that he does.

But don't try taking him

on your lap to mother him.

You'll find yourself suddenly

screaming for the police.

Well, so much for your first

cocktail party in Rome.

- Shall we walk home or ride?

- Let's walk.

Do you know something strange?

Except for that handsome prince...

not one attractive man

came near us at the party.

Well, I guess now is as good

a time as any to disillusion you.

If you're romantic,

Rome is not the city for you.

Why not?

Well, wealthy Italians don't

waste their time on secretaries...

and the Italians that work at the agency

are too poor.

Oh. No wonder you're

going home to be married.

I'm not even engaged. I gave that

as an excuse at the agency for leaving.

But at least I'm going back to a country

where I hope some nice guy will ask me.

That's why I didn't throw a coin

in the Fountain of Trevi.

Oh, dear. It looks as though

I've wasted a perfectly good penny.

Well, which way?

This way looks sort of interesting.

- You want to try it?

- It doesn't look very respectable.

Good. Let's have a look.

- [Whistling]

- [Chattering]

[Wolf Whistle]

- Anita, somebody pinched me.

- Don't look back.

It's considered an encouragement.

Pretend you didn't notice.

Are you kidding?

I'll kick him in his antipasto.

- Oh, let's go.

- [Speaking Italian]

[Bell Dinging]

- Georgio!

- Oh. Miss Anita.

We've been waiting for you. I thought

you said 7:
00. What detained you?

[Speaks Italian]

I've been showing Maria the city,

and he followed us.

You shouldn't be in this section

unescorted, Miss Anita.

Things can happen

that American girls don't understand.

We understand, all right.

A pinch is a pinch in any man's language.

As long as you are here

and I am here, Miss Anita...

would you allow me

to show you my Rome?

- We'd love to.

- Well, sure.

Bene.

[Speaking Italian]

It's strange.

We have seen each other

every day for two years...

and yet this is the first time

I have ever really talked to you.

I always thought

you didn't like Americans.

- Oh, no. I thought you didn't like Italians.

- Isn't that silly?

What's that monastery?

[Georgio] Oh, no, it's not a monastery.

It's a palazzo.

- Apalazzo? That's a palace, isn't it?

- Mm-hmm.

- Who owns it?

- It's the home of the prince, Dino Dessi.

Oh. Well, you two

just drink your wine.

I'm gonna sit here

and look at the palazzo.

- Does he live there all alone?

- Oh, no.

- Oh.

- He lives with his mother, the principessa.

Oh, how sweet.

But he must get lonely.

What does he do for amusement?

Oh, he has diversions.

He plays the piccolo.

- He plays what?

- The piccolo.

He's an excellent piccolo player.

- My cousin is his teacher.

- [Laughs]

That does it. I think I'll have

some wine with you after all.

Good! This is the wine

that we drink on our festa.

Have you ever been to

an Italian festa, Miss Anita?

No, I don't think so.

We are having one

at our farm tomorrow...

to celebrate my sister's engagement.

You shouldn't go back to America

without seeing an Italian festa.

Uh, if you would like

to come too, Miss Williams...

No, thank you. I have to stay

and write some letters.

My family expect a report from me,

and I can't disappoint them.

- Why don't you go, Anita?

- I'd love to, but I don't think I could.

I know. It's against the agency rules.

Oh, but it's only this once.

You're not gonna let

some silly old rule stand in your way.

Well, it isn't that.

I have packing to do.

My cousin has a truck. He is driving in

to pick up our relatives in Rome.

We could ride in the truck,

if you didn't mind.

Oh, all right, Georgio. I'll be darned if

I'll spend my last weekend in Rome alone.

[Chuckling]

[Shouting In Italian]

[Shouting Continues, Laughing]

Georgio, you're not giving it wine?

Oh, no, no, Miss Anita. Water.

I am sorry to be late,

but unfortunately, a wheel came off.

Andiamo.

[Chuckling]

- This is my cousin, Enrico.

- How do you do?

[Speaking Italian]

- [All Laughing]

- What?

- These are all your cousins?

- Oh, yeah. Cousins, brothers, nieces.

I will introduce you later.

[All]

Andiamo.!

[Shouting In Italian]

% % [Singing In Italian]

- [Shouting]

- [All Imitating Horn Honking]

My cousin has no brakes, nor horn.

Did we frighten you?

Oh, no. I'm all right, I think.

When the driver gives the signal,

we must all toot like horns.

But don't you think it's a little dangerous

to drive without brakes and a horn?

Oh, no. We hang a St. Christopher

medal on the windshield.

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