Letters to Juliet

This is Sophie Hall from The New Yorker .

Hi, Mr. Beal. Thank you for calling me back.

No. I'm not a writer. I'm a fact checker, actually.

It is a bit like being a detective, yes.

Let's see if you are the Robert Beal that I'm looking for.

Can you confirm where you were when you found out World War II was over?

Poughkeepsie? All right. Right, thank you so much.

Yes, the moment the war ended... Oh...

Palm Beach? Okay. Lucky guy.

Thank you very much. Bye.

Bobby, hey, I got nothing,

but there's two more Robert Beals,

and one petty officer, third class.

- - Wait.

I'm gonna call you back.

Sophie Hall.

Can you confirm where you were when you found out World War II was over?

Times Square? I'm in Times Square right now.

I'm standing exactly where the photograph was taken.

I really thought I would never find you.

So, can you... Can I ask you to describe what you saw that day?

The kiss, was it spontaneous or was it staged?

It was.

You're certain?

So you're 100% positive?

Petty Officer First Class Robert Beal, who was the second sailor,

said that the nurse was the bee's knees

and that the kiss was "a completely spontaneous moment

and a celebration of real love."

And he told you this himself?

Yes, he did.

It's not often that I request a personal audience with a fact checker.

It's 'cause I need to know you're sure.

I'm 100% positive.

Great.

I guess people wanna believe in true love, don't they?

Speaking of which, I understand you're headed off to Verona

for a pre-honeymoon?

Explain that to me.

It's just a vacation before the wedding.

It's our last chance to spend time alone

- before his restaurant... - Well,

it's the city of love, isn't it?

Yeah. But I...

Good choice, and good work. Thank you.

I was thinking. What if while I'm there,

I write?

But you're such a good fact checker.

Have a great trip.

Thank you. See you later.

Who goes on a honeymoon without a wedding? You are so lucky.

Well, Victor's restaurant opens in six weeks, so it's our last chance.

Okay, do not let him pay attention to anything but you, okay?

You throw his cell phone in the Adriatic.

But he has to meet suppliers.

- Sophie... - It's fine. I promise.

Okay. Wait, what?

Hey, sweetheart, can I help you carry your magazine?

Okay, no problem.

Oh, my God.

Hey, close your eyes. Close your eyes, close your eyes.

Close your eyes, close your eyes.

Close your eyes. Open your mouth.

- It's good? - Yeah.

Yes? No? Yes?

Yes? I have reinvented the noodle, I'm telling you.

Just try this one because this one's really good.

It's the same thing, but different. Fatter.

- Mmm. - More of, you know... No?

It's good, right? Yeah?

You know, I mean, modestly speaking,

I think I'm creating a masterpiece.

I don't know. I mean, there's one that just came out perfect right now...

- Victor? - ...which is... I think it's this one.

- Victor... - Try it. Even though it's dry.

- Can I just say something? - What?

We're leaving in 12 hours, and you haven't packed for Verona.

- At all. - Yeah, that's right, that's right.

- I get too carried away. - Do we clean this up?

No, no.

Arrivederci, New York! Ciao, beautiful Verona!

It's gonna be incredible.

I know. I'm so excited.

Sophia!

Sophia! Wherefore art thou, my sweet Sophia?

I was talking to my girlfriend. My fiancée.

Arrivederci! Ciao!

- I love this place. I love. Right? - It's amazing.

- I have to show you the most beautiful... - You know what's even more amazing?

- What? - I talked on the phone with Signor Morini,

and he's arranged a private tour for us

with each and every one of my suppliers.

We're starting off with the oldest and most beautiful vineyard in all of Veneto.

Yeah?

Victor.

Sophie, come on. No, you're not getting it.

I mean, we're gonna go to the oldest, the most beautiful vineyard around.

This is romantic.

All right? We're gonna go there, we're gonna drink a little wine,

we're gonna get a little tipsy,

and we're gonna come back and we're gonna...

- -

I mean, how was it?

I tried to talk to Bobby again.

How did it go?

It didn't go, because I didn't talk to him.

- Why? - Because I was scared.

Really? Ugh...

It's time for me to stop checking facts and actually start writing.

Yeah, yeah, it's your passion. You should do that.

There's a great variety.

It's the grape that I told you about

- that they use for the region, Soave. - Right, right.

- Oh, yeah. - You remember?

This is a grape variety we select for months

to obtain these beautiful grapes.

Look at the color. This is typical.

And this bouquet of fruits and flowers.

Mmm.

Mmm!

- Do you like? - This is good.

Oh, yeah, this is very good.

It's fresh flower and fruit. Do you feel it?

Yeah? You feel it? It's so good.

Smile.

- Wanna try my best olive oil? - Yeah!

Sophie.

Is it good?

- Do you like it? - Very much!

- Very good. - Great!

We have to get tickets to the opera before they sell out.

We need to see the Castelvecchio.

We have to see Lake Garda and Juliet's house.

I'll have you try a delicious cheese.

A cheese with a great aroma. It's very good and also cheap.

Sophie, this is beautiful. This is incredible. The smell...

- It ages ten years. - Ten years?

Do you want to try a bit?

- Yeah. - How good.

- What a wonderful aroma. - True.

You can't be disappointed. How is it? Good, yeah?

A delicious aroma.

Sophie, this is amazing! This is great!

I wish I was a little mouse living in your cheese cave.

Just like Topo Gigio! Like a singing little mouse!

Hey! Yeah. We'll talk later. Ciao!

Hey, that was Signor Morini on the phone.

You know, he's inviting us to this incredible forest,

that's just, like, 120 kilometers away.

And they dig these exquisite truffles...

Wait, 120 kilometers?

Yeah, it's not like miles, Sophie.

No, I understand the difference, but I just...

I just don't understand why you wanna go 120 kilometers to see a mushroom.

It's not a mushroom, okay?

It's a truffle. It's a tartufo .

It's the thing you put on top of pasta, you know?

- A tartufo ? - It's something else.

C'mon, you've been having a good day, right?

It was fine.

But now, I just...

To be honest, I don't really feel like going to see a mushroom.

Okay, fine, I get it. I get it. It's fine.

I get it. I mean, just don't call it a mushroom, okay?

Yeah, okay.

You know what? Why don't you go see the truffle place

and I'll go do my thing and sightsee?

Really?

Yeah. Win-win.

"My dear Juliet..."

"Juliet, I'm madly in love, just like you."

"Dear Juliet, help me, I beg you."

"Dear Juliet, the man that I love is not my husband."

"So I feel my..."

Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?

Dear Juliet,

I'm writing to you with a heavy heart.

Maria saw them. They were going nasty in the square!

Are you okay?

I'm afraid...

I'm afraid I can't live without him.

Can anybody tell me...

Why can't I be alone?

Why doesn't he want me anymore?