My Brilliant Friend (L'amica geniale)

- Lila, please... - No.

- What are we doing? - Now I'll show you.

Stop! Everyone's looking at us.

- Everyone has to see me. - Why?

I said you'll see.

- Everyone has to see me. - Enough! Let's go back.

- Good morning! - Good morning!

- What can I get you? - A tray of pastries.

Gigliola, a nice tray of pastries for Signora Carracci.

Marcello, come and say hello.

It's weird hearing you called "Signora Carracci".

- For me too. - We saw you. Didn't we, Gigliola?

- Yesterday afternoon. - It's true.

- Yesterday afternoon? - That's right.

- At the Rettifilo. - On display in the dressmaker's window.

There was a photo of you in your wedding dress.

The dressmaker wanted a photograph,

but I didn't know she'd put it in her window.

- Or I wouldn't have let her. - Why?

- You looked so good in that dress. - I want my photo in the window too.

That's if anyone marries you.

- You're marrying me, right? - Elena wants to get married too.

- Since when? - What?

I'd marry you even if you are four-eyed.

I'm sorry, Michele, she's already engaged.

- With Antonio. - Mind your own business.

It's just that, poor thing,

he's supposed to do military service.

There's no "supposed to", if he's gotta go, he's gotta go.

It's not good news.

We all know the situation at Antonio's house.

Melina's what she is. If he leaves, how will they get by?

What are you saying, Lila? Explain it to me.

No one in this neighborhood can help him,

except the Solara brothers.

- You razzing us? - No, it's the truth.

Antonio doesn't deserve our help,

but to make Lenuccia happy, 'cause she's a good girl,

we can ask our friend if there's anything he can do.

- Thank you, it's kind of you. - Here, Lila.

I gave you the best ones.

And a few extra of the ones your husband likes.

Thanks.

- Don't even try, absolutely not. - Don't start.

Don't worry, he'll pay later out of his own pocket.

Let us know, then. Have a good day.

You looked beautiful in that photo.

- Thank you. - You could see your shoes too.

- I don't remember. - I do.

Do you want to put my photo in here, too?

No, I'd never dare in this neighborhood.

But I want to put a nice big one

in the shoe store we're opening with your husband in Naples,

in Piazza dei Martiri.

A shoe store? What's this about a shoe store?

I don't know anything about your affairs.

Everyone knows and you know nothing?

Don't you know what your husband does?

You're clever.

If the dressmaker put your photo in the window for advertising,

we'll put one in too, to sell Cerullo shoes.

Don't talk to me, you need to talk to Stefano.

He's the one who decides.

I don't know or decide anything. Have a good day.

Goodbye.

Lila!

It didn't work out between us and that's fine, that's how it went,

but I don't want things left unclear between us

and I don't want to be blamed for things I didn't do.

I know your husband says I took the shoes as an insult.

But I swear in front of Lenuccia:

he and your brother wanted me to have the shoes

to show there were no hard feelings, it wasn't my idea.

You're like children blaming each other.

- Don't you believe me? - No, Marcello, I believe you.

But what you say

and what my father, my brother and my husband say...

I don't give a damn anymore.

Lenù.

Are you okay?

Yes, thanks.

What are you doing at home?

- Why did you go to Bar Solara? - I bought pastries.

- Dressed like that? - Why, don't I look nice?

- Like a pastry, Lenù? - No, thanks.

I'm going home for dinner soon.

- Who was at the bar? - Your friends.

They paid me a heap of compliments.

- Right, Lenù? - Lila...

They looked at me like they'd never seen a female before.

They told me the dressmaker put my photo in her window.

Michele wants to display it in the store in Piazza dei Martiri.

- And you said it was all right? - I said they have to talk to you.

I didn't know anything about the store.

Lenù, you're a respectable girl,

will you explain to your friend that I work all day long?

I work my ass off so she doesn't want for anything.

I give work to everyone, my family and hers.

I work in this neighborhood and she can't make me look like a fool.

Either you tell her or I'll have to.

It's getting late.

We need to have a talk. Say hello to Mamma and Papa.

I'll stay if you like.

He's just an asshole.

If you provoke him, he'll beat you to death.

His beatings do nothing to me. Afterwards, I'm better than before.

He can make all the money he wants with whoever he wants,

but he can't have a woman like the one he has in mind.

"I have to work in this neighborhood."

"I give work to everyone, my family and hers."

Lila, come here! Come here!

Lila!

Open up!

Stefano! Stop it! Don't hurt her!

- Lila! - Goddamn it to hell!

- Open up! - Bitch!

Lila...

- Lenù. - What is it?

You're so beautiful.

- I have something to tell you. - Is it good or bad?

- Something I did for you. - What happened?

Lila talked to the Solaras.

They offered to help you get out of military service.

Marcello said he'll take care of it.

They'll take care of it. They'll do it for sure.

What did you do?

What did you do, Lenù?

I never asked you to talk to the Solaras! Don't you see?

You made me look like a guy who sends his woman to ask for favors.

From the people I despise most in the neighborhood!

- It's not like that... - Shut up! Shut up!

You and your friend, who thinks she's queen of the neighborhood

because now she's Signora Carracci.

If Pasquale and Enzo find out, they'll spit at me and they'd be right.

You humiliated me.

Now you can go find the poet's son, you and me are over.

Antonio, what are you saying? I did it for you, for us.

It's over, it's over for good.

I was angry with Lila and I didn't want to see her for a while.

I thought about how she used me to provoke the Solaras,

to get revenge on her husband.

I thought about how she got dressed up,

about how much the humiliation and suffering were making her mean.

Since she'd become Signora Carracci she changed more every day.

Don't complain! We're lucky we can still buy meat.

- No, leave it. - I'll give you a hand.

No, I'll do it.

Stefano Carracci asked me if you will accompany him to the Rettifilo.

- What for? - I don't know.

What did you tell him?

How was I supposed to answer Stefano Carracci asking us for a favor?

Why doesn't he go with his wife?

The whole neighborhood wonders what those two do at night.

Do they play cards, watch television all night?

- That's why she's not pregnant. - Maybe she's busy.

Anyway, we have to be nice to the Carraccis.

When I go shopping they give me credit.

Did I say anything? But tell me something.

At night, have you ever heard me say: "No, I'm tired, let's play cards"?

No! Because you're not a respectable person.

Do you want me to become a respectable person?

A little bit, but not too much.

- Mamma, we're going downstairs. - All right.

Can I hang out the washing with you?

- But I'll carry the laundry. - No, I'll carry it.

You can carry the clothespins.

- Who is it at this hour? - You go.

Stefano, hello.

Excuse the intrusion, seeing as I am busy later,

I wondered if Elena could come now.

- Come in. - Good morning, Stefano.

- A coffee before you go? - Thanks, but I'm in a hurry.

I bet a young man like you has very important things to do!

Lenuccia's ready. Come, Lenù.

Don Vittorio, what's the word in Naples? Do you have to go back to work?

Come.

Hi, Stefano.

- Hi, Lenù. - What do we have to do?

We have to go to the dressmaker who made Lila's dress.

Let's just say I need your special skills.

- I have to study today. - Go out for a drive.

Go!

Don Vittorio, thank you so much, have a good day.

A good day to you, too.

- I'll bring her right back. - Whenever you want.

Let's go.

- Have fun. - Thank you.

If you don't move we'll be here all day!

She's the most beautiful and clever girl I ever met,

but she doesn't want to act like a woman.

You get me?

How can I explain to people what my wife's like?

They don't know anything about my troubles.

Know what she says? That all I think about is money.

Maybe she's right. But why do I do it, in your opinion?

I do it for the family, for her father, for her brother,

for the kids that are gonna come.

Shouldn't they have a life like mine, better than mine?

Am I wrong?

You're educated, tell me if I'm wrong.