It Started in Naples

This is bella Napoli. Beautiful Naples.

I was here once before, with the Fifth Army during the war.

The Neapolitans cheered us all the way up from the beachhead.

Half an hour later, they were selling our gasoline on the black market.

And those kids on the street...

scrounging cigarettes, swiping K rations.

For a while in this town, Spam took the place of spaghetti.

I'm just coming back to settle my brother's estate.

With any luck, I'll be out of here without even drinking the water.

Hiya, girls. I think I knew your older sisters.

One of them has my good-conduct medal.

Well, I'm sure nothing's changed.

Here. I'll carry my own bag, understand?

Give me that bag. I don't want any argument.

Hey, come here. Give me that bag. Come here.

Give me that bag.

How do you do?

What's the big idea?

- Mr. Hamilton? - Yes.

I am the lawyer, Mario Vitale.

This is a young man in my office. Gennariello.

He has been a young man in my office for a long time.

Come, we'll go to my car.

Come.

You know, I hope we can get this all cleared up pretty quickly.

I'd like to be in Rome in time to catch the jet.

I have to be in Philadelphia tomorrow.

What a pity. I would have liked to show you all of Naples.

A fascinating city, fascinating.

But you are in hurry. I, too, am a man of action.

- So we lose no time. - Yeah.

- Please. - No.

You only drink the bottled water.

Yes, but not until I find out where they fill the bottles.

Now, if you could fill me in on everything that happened to my brother.

You see, we weren't exactly a closely-knit family.

A sad affair, very sad. A terrible accident.

But you must look at it this way.

Your brother and his adoring spouse have flown together to heaven.

His who?

His adoring spouse, his wife.

Flown together to heaven.

My brother's wife is very well. She's in Philadelphia, on the ground.

It was my understanding Miss Concettina Curcio...

married your brother, Mr. Joseph Hamilton, 10 years ago.

A man of great stature, your brother, Mr. Joseph Hamilton.

A gentleman in the real sense of the word...

in the old sense of the word.

My brother was a lazy, irresponsible, no-good so-and-so...

in any sense of the word.

Unless he changed a lot in the last few years.

No. Not at all.

Do you have any actual, definite proof that my brother and this...

Curcio woman were...

Well, shall we say, you know...

Yes, there is something fairly definite.

About 8 years old, and so high.

A charming child. Charming.

A child?

A lovely boy, Fernando. Nando, he is called. Your nephew.

It is a surprise to you there is this child?

Well, it'll be more of a surprise to his wife.

I mean the one in Philadelphia, not the one who flew to heaven.

Yes, I can see how it might be.

When Joe left 10 years ago, he told her he was just going out for a short beer.

I am sure he had one. Please.

Please.

Do we just get in, or do they pack us in olive oil?

The child is not here in Naples...

but we'll go and speak to the aunt who is taking care of him.

Now, wait a minute.

I had no idea I was getting involved in anything like this.

In the first place, how can I be sure this is my brother's child?

Your brother was not much good...

but the Curcio family is an honourable one.

- The aunt can explain everything. - I hope she can.

Please, your knee is in the way.

Why don't we all get out and carry it?

What are we doing here?

This is the Festa in honour of the Madonna in Chains.

I thought we were looking for the aunt who's taking care of the child.

An image of the Madonna was found in 1576.

I don't care about 1576.

Lucia.

Mr. Hamilton, this is the Queen of the Festa...

the Queen of Aragon...

Miss Lucia Curcio, your sister-in-law.

Your sister-not-in-law. This is the brother of Joseph.

How do you do? I've so wanted to meet you.

How do you do?

Isn't that a lovely gown Miss Curcio's wearing?

And who is to be King Nasone?

You see, the man with the largest nose is King Nasone.

It was in 1576 that...

No.

- What did you say? - I said I'd like to know...

- It's too bad he has to leave so soon... - I like him.

...'cause perhaps if he'd seen the boy... - The boy?

...we might have found a way for him to take the child off your hands.

- Is that what he came to Italy for? - No.

With a little luck, we might persuade him.

If you say one word of this to him, I'll tear your heart out.

Miss Curcio, there are a lot of things I have to find out.

Couldn't we go someplace where we can talk this over quietly and...

- Talk how? - Quietly!

Don't address me in that tone of voice. There's no need to shout.

Well, I'm sorry, but that awful band is making so much noise...

Excuse me. That happens to be my Royal Orchestra.

I have to get some information for the family about a lot of things.

About this child. Who brought him up, where they put him?

My nephew is being brought up by me. I didn't put him anywhere.

Well, I'm sorry. I understand that, but of course...

I have a beautiful home, my villa on Capri, the Villa del Palazzo Reale.

The island of Capri is nature at its best.

Nature is the greatest teacher of life...

and I wanted Nando to have the benefit of this teaching.

I am pleased to have met you, but we have no need of you.

Your Highness.

Your Highness. Miss Curcio. Please.

Mr. Hamilton.

What kind of a runaround am I getting here from all of you?

King Nasone.

- Come, I shall introduce you. - Five thousand miles to meet Pinocchio.

The Queen of Aragon, my sister-not-in-law, had vanished.

So I followed her on the first boat...

I could get to the romantic Isle of Capri...

about two seasick hours from Naples.

All I had to go on was the name of her villa, the Villa del Palazzo Reale.

Villa of the Royal Palace.

Here in the picturesque little harbour...

I could feel the magic spell of the magic island.

The carefree, simple natives...

looking for simple tourists.

This looked like just the place my brother would set up housekeeping.

A homey, solid community.

Four grape pickers, and the rest of them drinkers.

No, thanks, my clothes wouldn't fit you.

- Villa del Palazzo Reale? - No.

- Villa del Palazzo? - No, signore, no.

- Miss Curcio, Miss Lucia Curcio? - Sì.

Nando.

Very nice flowers. Fresh pick. 300 lire.

No, thank you.

200 lire. Special for you.

Lose money.

I don't want any flowers, but you take this.

No, lady. Is all right. I got enough money today.

For you.

- From me. - Thank you.

How sweet.

You come with me, sport.

You know Miss Curcio?

Sure. He's my uncle. Aunt.

The Queen of Aragon.

I'll bet there isn't a bathtub in her entire kingdom.

What?

Never mind. Take me to your leader.

Okey-doke. We take carriage. She's my friend. Very cheap.

What you look at, sport?

The evidence. The unassailable, living evidence.

You look exactly like someone I used to know.

Welcome to the family.

Here it is, sport.

- Is this it? - Sì.

Villa del Palazzo Reale?

Sì. Villa of Royal Palace. Two hundred years old.

It doesn't look a day over 199.

No, never mind. I've become attached to it.

Fernando. I hungry. We eat soon?

Lucia.

Mr. Hamilton.

Good evening, Your Royal Highness.

I'm so sorry, I didn't know. Everything is in such a state.

And, Nando, you know who this is?

It's your zio, the uncle from Philadelphia, America.

Michael Hamilton. Please say hello.

- Why you don't tell me? - I like surprises.

I'm so sorry you find us like this.

While I was in Naples, we had this terrible fire, the villa.

The villa to the ground, nothing left.

So we moved here to the servants' quarters.

And I'm so embarrassed. You have no idea.

We could not even save our paintings.

- Lucia! - It was a beautiful home.

Dinner. Food. What I pay you for?

All right, I'm coming.

I'm tired.

Help me, will you, please?

What a life.

So now you know. Now you see. I have been playing games with you.

Here you are, look at my palace.

Now you know why I didn't want you to come...

to walk in here, so American, and say:

"What a terrible place to bring up a child."

No washing machine. No ice cubes. No peanut butter.

The end of the world.

I'm afraid you've misjudged me. I can't stand peanut butter.

Well, this is how we live.

Come, I must feed Nando.

He is all that matters in my life.