The White Sheik (Lo sceicco bianco)

THE WHITE SHEIK

Rome.

-Porter! -Porter!

-Porter. -Porter.

Porter.

Porter!

The express from Viterbo is now arriving on platform 12.

Porter!

Be careful! What kind of manners are those? Were you raised in a barn?

Wanda! Hand me our bags!

Give me the hatbox first. The hatbox.

Take the hatbox. She's handing me the suitcase.

Give me the suitcase. Careful!

Careful, the contents are fragile. Stay close to me, please.

-Come. Get down this way. -I'm coming.

Come, dear. We've arrived.

Slowly. Careful, don't fall.

-Where to? -Hotel Tre Fiori.

Tre Fiori? Let's go, Blanchè!

-Cavoli? -No, Cavalli. Cavalli, Ivan.

And the lady?

Wanda Giardino, now Cavalli.

Furio, honeymoon suite 5, third floor.

-Would you like a postcard? -No, maybe later.

-I need to make a call. May I? -Over there. Fifteen lire.

I'll call my aunt and uncle now.

Here you are.

Thank you, dear.

Excuse me, Father.

It's Ivan!

We just got here. I called you immediately.

Yes. Yes, with my bride. She's very eager to meet you.

-Ma'am. -I'll put Wanda on the phone now.

She wants to say hello and thank you.

Wanda.

Wanda?

-Excuse me. -Yes?

It's across the hall. You can go that way, too.

-Excuse me. -Yes?

-Is Via XXIV Maggio far from here? -Via XXIV Maggio?

May I?

There it is, down there.

At the end of that street. You can get there in 10 minutes.

-It's at the end of the alley, then turn... -In ten minutes?

In ten minutes.

There you are! Is this your idea of a joke?

Is that your idea of a joke?

-Where's the hatbox? -Over there.

I must say, I was taken aback when I didn't see you.

I was telling Uncle that you wanted to say hello to him.

But the porter called me to the elevator.

The porter! The porter! A woman shouldn't be alone in an elevator with a porter.

I didn't know how to explain it to Uncle.

He's used to being treated with respect.

He has an important position at the Vatican. He's very powerful.

Who do you think you're dealing with? He's very powerful.

If he snaps his fingers in Rome, all of Altovilla Marittima jumps.

I intend to be on the town council before two months are up, you know.

What's more, he's arranged an audience with the Pope for us

at 1 1 :00 in the morning.

We're to see the Pope at 1 1 :00!

Will I have to speak?

No, I don't think so.

That's right. I hadn't thought of that.

No, I don't think so, there'll be more than 200 couples.

In any case, I'll do the talking.

Now, my dear, if you don't mind, I'd like to remove myjacket.

The timing for our audience is most satisfactory.

It fits in nicely with my plans.

In fact, if you think of it, it completes them perfectly.

I've got each minute of the day planned.

7:00 a.m., arrival in Rome. Right? Rest in the hotel until 10:00.

From 10:00 until 1 1 :00, meet the family

and get to know each other.

At 1 1 :00, see the Pope, followed by lunch with Aunt and Uncle.

From 1 :00 p.m. to midnight, we won't have a single free moment.

We'll be seeing the Pantheon, Coliseum, and Roman Forum with Aunt and Uncle.

We'll meet our cousins and together with them proceed to the Appia Antica,

the catacombs, Cecilia Metella, and finally back to Rome.

And tonight,

all lit up,

the Altar of the Nation.

Then, of course,

we'll have an intimate supper,

followed by a restful night.

Your towels.

The maid.

If you want to take a bath, we'll need half an hour's warning.

Oh, yes!

-A hot bath? -Naturally.

-Is there a surcharge? -Two hundred lire.

Yes, there is time, my dear.

It's 9:00 now. Aunt and Uncle will be here at 10:30. Perfect.

A hot bath for my wife!

Perhaps tomorrow I'll take one myself. Okay?

And now,

while you take your bath,

I'll have a nice little nap.

Enjoy your bath, dear.

Thank you.

-Mr Fernando Rivoli, please. -Who?

I'm here to see Fernando Rivoli. I must give him...

Fernando Rivoli never comes here.

He only comes in for his salary on the weekend.

You'll have to wait until Saturday.

But I'm leaving tomorrow.

-May I leave this here? -Put it on the desk.

-Good morning, ma'am. -Good morning, ma'am.

Boys.

Excuse me, dear. Hold Antonio.

What's this?

Nothing, ma'am. She has something for Mr Rivoli.

-A fan... -l wanted to give him...

...and therefore a friend.

Take these to my office.

-What's your name, dear? -Passionate...

-What? -Passionate Dolly.

How delightful!

-I am Marilena Alba Vellardi. -Marilena Alba Vellardi.

The Starry Abyss, Tortured Souls, Hearts in the Storm,

Sin in Damask, Swept Away by Love.

I wait all week for my issue of your magazine to arrive on Saturday.

I pick it up at the station, run home and lock myself in my room.

That's when my real life begins. I read all night long.

Real life is the life of dreams.

Oh, yes.

I'm always dreaming.

There's nothing else to do there. What do you expect? The people are so vulgar.

Young men don't know how to speak to a girl, you know?

When you take a walk on the street...

Cigarette?

No, thank you, I don't smoke.

But may I keep it as a souvenir?

Of course.

I'm afraid I must be going.

No. Please, sit down.

Dear girl, you're right.

Gigione!

One must seek refuge inside oneself, like the Countess Lucilla...

-In Love and Destiny. -Good girl! You remember?

I remember all your characters:

the Countess Lucilla, Felga the Gypsy,

Raniero the Adventurer, and what's-his-name, that guy...

But most of all, the White Sheik.

Fernando Rivoli is sublime!

What a face!

-Good morning, ma'am. -Come in, boys!

We just need a moment.

We've just finished the layout for the latest episode.

-Finished? -Yes, of course.

-Good morning. -Good morning.

An elegance that's more refined every day.

-Do you like it? -Very much.

What a dear!

Three letters to Rivoli, and now you've come to see him.

My dear, you are indeed lucky. He'll be here any moment now.

But it's very late. Too late. I merely wanted to...

What's this, a photograph? May I?

What is it? Let me see, see, see!

Did you draw this yourself? It's a very good likeness.

Look, ma'am. Look what a masterpiece!

It's wonderful!

His turban is perfect!

Such spirit, and a painter, too!

You'll see, Fernando will be ecstatic. Such a generous, sensitive heart!

-What about the pages? -The director needs them right away.

We're working on it! Just a moment.

Has Mr Fernando Rivoli arrived?

Nando? He's downstairs. We've got to get going.

Oh, shut up!

What was I saying?

Let's see.

This line could be...

Listen. My dear?

If you were in the desert at night,

and you knew your sheik was in danger, what would you say?

Who, me?

If I were Fatima, alone in the desert at night?

I'd say... I'd say... I'd say,

"My word, but I am distraught."

No?

-Wonderful! Good girl! -Wonderful!

An exquisitely human line.

-Really? -I'll write it down immediately.

It's simple, just like life.

-Tell them you'll be right down. -I'll take care of it.

Dear girl...

Okay, boys. We'll be right down.

Here.

Here you go, young man. These are for the director, Mr Fortuna.

And take this young lady to see Fernando Rivoli.

Go, dear! Your sheik is waiting.

What happened here?

What happened?

-Augurio, come and see this mess! -Where is my wife?

Where is my wife?

My wife! Where is my wife?

How are we supposed to know where our guests go when they leave?

Would you like a postcard?

She asked me how to get to Via XXIV Maggio,