My Brilliant Friend (L'amica geniale)

- It's just a sip. - As if!

He drank the whole bottle, he poured it for her sister too.

It's not true, I didn't pour it for her.

You did, you liar!

You saw it too. Come on, help me.

- Can I help? - Professor, that's for the women.

Papa...

- Signora, it was all delicious. - I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Your wife cooks so well that I couldn't hold back.

Did you hear that compliment?

- How is he? - Ugly, he's got crooked feet.

Papa was no better.

- What's that about your father? - Nothing.

Be quiet then. All you do is boss us around.

Pietro's so refined!

Do you really have to go?

Papa, Pietro's got things to do.

I know the professor's got things to do, but I'm sorry he's going.

Signor Greco, I'm sorry too, I wish I could stay.

I had a very good time.

But I really have to leave.

But first I have something important to say.

Quiet now! The professor has something important to say.

- Papa... - Quiet, you.

Signor Greco,

I'm not good at these things.

You...

I imagine you already know, I mean...

I mean...

I'm asking you for your daughter's hand.

If an important person like you asks for my Lenuccia's hand,

for me it is a great honor.

You have an important job, you're from a fine family.

What can I say?

My daughter has happy eyes,

it shows that you love her and that's enough for me.

Then let's celebrate.

But before that, we need to clear something up.

We don't agree with you not getting married in church,

because marriage without a priest isn't marriage.

I understand.

I respect those who sincerely entrust themselves to God.

I'm not a believer, I have my own convictions,

but I don't believe in any god.

But signora, please, you can trust me.

Not being a believer doesn't mean I don't believe in anything.

I have unshakable faith in the love I feel for your daughter.

This love will make our marriage solid,

not an altar, a priest or a city hall official.

If what counts is love,

what would it cost you?

Get married in church then love each other, it's a formality.

No, it's a principle.

If I get married in church, if I take communion,

I become someone who is untrustworthy, who doesn't stick to his principles.

And knowing how your daughter is...

she would stop loving me.

And you, signora...

I can't believe you'd give your daughter to someone untrustworthy.

Since she was small Lenuccia has been out of the ordinary,

she did things no other girl in the neighborhood was capable of.

This girl has never disappointed me.

She's my pride, she's the pride of the whole family.

With what she's done, she deserves to be happy

and if anyone makes her suffer I'll make them suffer a thousand times more.

I know how precious Elena is

and I'm grateful to you for bringing her up this way.

It was my grandmother's, my mother's mother.

My family is very happy for you to have it.

Kiss! Kiss!

Congratulations, my daughter.

Thank you.

- At last, welcome to the family! - At last, Signora Immacolata.

Peppino.

Congratulations!

Gianni.

We've married off this one, now we have to marry off the other three.

All in good time.

- Cigarette? - Thank you, I quit.

The builders are doing a good job, but it's a mess here.

- It's all dirty! - Hi there.

They'll be done in a few days.

It's not your problem, I'm the one who cleans.

Elisa and I will help you.

Why do you need a license if you don't even have a car?

You like wasting money.

So, the phone and the TV are a waste of money, too.

You want to buy a car, I know you.

- How much you got stashed away? - It's none of your business.

No?

Elena!

What're you doing? I just cleaned it!

Then you say it's me!

Enzo!

- Pasquale, what's happened? - Can you come down?

Now? Why?

- Come down, we'll explain. - I'll be right there.

- Where are you going? - Be right back.

Where's she going?

Hi.

Hi, Lenù.

What's happened?

Lila doesn't feel well and she wants to see you.

What happened?

She usually gets back from the factory at four-thirty,

tonight when I came home she wasn't there.

Gennarino was still with the neighbor. I gave him dinner and she came in.

It must have been seven o'clock.

She was very pale.

She wouldn't answer any questions.

All she said was:

"My nails are falling out."

I looked at her hands, I told her there was nothing wrong.

She started screaming.

She locked herself in her room and started saying:

"Call Lenuccia, I want to talk to Lenuccia."

- Did you have a fight? - No.

Did she get injured at work?

I don't think so.

I don't know.

Let's not panic now.

Hopefully Lila will calm down when she sees you.

Let's go.

I'm so glad we found you!

You're an important person now, you must be busy.

What are you two doing together? You've moved to San Giovanni too?

No, I'm the section secretary now.

I often come to San Giovanni for meetings, we met in the section office.

Is Lila a Communist too?

Lila's such a Communist that she's never joined the party.

L'Unità reports a lot about students. They interview them, listen to them.

People who actually work,

factory workers, why don't they let them speak too?

The party stays mum, waiting for Aldo Moro to go to government.

Are we Aldo Moro's lapdogs?

We have to make the revolution!

What do you reckon?

- You're right. - Good, you've always been smart.

Go Lenù, she's in there.

Come in.

I knew you'd come. Give me a kiss.

I know all about you.

I saw you in the papers.

You look so good!

I also know you're marrying a professor, well done.

Forgive me for bothering you at this hour, but I need you.

My head's coming unstuck like peeling wallpaper.

What happened?

I bothered you because you have to promise me something.

If anything happens to me, if I end up in hospital,

if they lock me up in an asylum, if I disappear,

you have to take Gennaro.

You have to bring him up in your house.

Enzo's a good guy, I trust him,

but he can't give the child what you can.

If you don't explain, I can't understand.

Promise first.

All right.

No, don't say all right!

You have to promise now you'll take the boy.

And if you need money, go find Nino.

Tell him he has to help you.

But promise.

"I'll raise your child."

I'll raise your child, I promise.

Good.

Now will you tell me what happened?

I realized immediately that Lila needed to talk.

Talking soothed her.

She told me that for her going to work was a horrible and humiliating effort,

but she had to do it.

Put a little white meat in, not just red.

Bruno, Nino's friend whom we'd met in Ischia,

who had given her a job, was no longer the boy he once was.

His father died, the sausage factory fell on his shoulders

and it broke him.

Listen to this joke.

A man mistakenly enters the ladies' to take a piss.

A woman comes in, sees him and starts screaming.

And he goes: "What the fuck are you screaming at?"

And she goes: "This is only for women."

He turns around and shows his dick.

"Isn't this only for women?"

Didn't make you laugh, eh, girlie?

I know what you need to have fun.

How dare you, you asshole?

Never mind him!

He's all talk, he's harmless.

Harmless or not, he can't fuck with me!

I'll show you!

Bitch!

If they lay their hands on me again, there'll be hell to pay.

You hear me?

Bruno, what kind of shithole is this?

You can't kick up a stink every time.

People need to horse around a bit or it's agony in here.

- I thought you liked jokes. - When I decide I do.

You're always the same.

Go back to work.

Go!