The Entrepreneur (L'industriale)

You were a kid, you can't remember who cleared the Chinese through customs.

Hi, tell you... The Americans

And if they hadn't gotten bogged down in Vietnam...

we wouldn't all be in the gutter now. Get it?

Nixon gave them a finger and they took the whole hand.

Same old stow.

Capitalists and arseholes.

Dismantle the Soviet Union. Throw down the wall.

Give them Hong Kong. 11 September.

The Gulf war, Afghanistan, crisis.

You know what's new?

How much time do I have left? 15? 20 years?

I'm going to enjoy them, Nicola.

I don't want a stroke for chasing after the banks,

or getting fucked around by this crooked government.

I don't get you.

Why are you so worried?

For whom'?

Do as I do. A handshake with the workers,

a nice emotional hug with the eldest of them,

and let them all ask Obama for redundancy arrangements!

- Right? - I don't know, but...

- But? - I'm not giving up.

Ferrero, is it true that you bought a new two-seater car'?

No, it's two-bedded!

- Rematch tomorrow? - Pay the dinner first.

- And your American friend? - Yeah, you wish...

- I'll make you look good. - Yeah, like you did in the doubles.

Do you like it?

Oh, Nicola! I haven't seen you come in!

- How come you're not at the office? - If you reduce your fee by half,

I'll bring you the American.

Weren't you supposed to get a call from Germany at 9'?

We postponed.

If they see we're in a hurry, they'll start lowering the offer.

Don't you understand that I'm out of time?

I do, I do.

THE ENTREPRENEUR

May I?

Ranieri, we have examined your refinancing request.

Temporary overdraft.

- Six months. - Whatever.

There aren't sufficient guaranties.

It's been a long time since you've made any relevant credits to your account.

There's no movement!

If I may...

Could I show you something?

I beg your pardon.

So...

This is an old generation photovoltaic module...

...and this is what I want to manufacture.

It's a bet on the future!

We never make bets!

I read in your report that, for the time being,

this product of yours is still in the experimental stage. - Of course.

And if you can't manage to industrialize this product of yours'?

If I'm here it means that I'm certain I can.

How will you finance it?

We can't even cover the overdraft with a mortgage.

Because your entire estate is already mortgaged.

There's no capacity.

You stated in your business plan that you're negotiating

a partial sale of your holdings to a German stock exchange group.

Yes. Zenith should take over 49%

So, you would keep the majority. And the management?

Yes. Does that worry you?

- Shouldn't it? - Listen...

...I've always generated profit. - Not in the last three years.

At this time you don't even have a recovery plan.

We're working on it with the Germans.

Do you believe you'll obtain 3 million euros on the basis of a gerund?

Nicola! Nicola!

- Listen... - That gentleman, your boss, told me:

"I regard you highly. I want to be your friend. "

Today, he didn't even have the courage to look me in the face.

- Money is the only thing that matters. - Money that you give to pigs and dogs,

but you ask for a blood test from me for every euro!

- But we are a bank! - That buys out newspapers, televisions,

soccer teams... That finances parties,

that swindles people with those bullshit shares.

The only thing that you don't do is help people that work.

Nicola, listen...

...I'll give you an advice.

Do you want to avoid taking your books to the tribunal?

Ask your wife, or your mother in law, to sign that refinancing request.

Go fuck yourself!

- Sir. - What?

The city center is blocked, we'll have to take another road.

- There's a student strike. - Another one'?

Yesterday the teachers, today the students.

- Who are those kids? - Sons, nephews... I don't know.

It's crazy. They've been there for 135 days.

MACHINE SHOP RANIERI

- Good day, sir. - Hurrah!

Good day!

All's well! Marvelous!

Just ask and they'll cover you in gold.

There's our Olivieri! Always lying in wait. Come with me.

Any news? Tell me we have the world in our hands.

- Do we? - Actually, I don't think so, sir.

- Good day, sir. - And what do you think?

- I don't know. About what? - She doesn't know.

Close it.

So, how did it go?

- Zero. - What do you mean?

Zero. Actually, less than zero.

Oh, my God!

Not even a temporary overdraft?

Not even a handshake.

How much "oxygen" do we have left?

Approximately 11- 12 days.

After that, we either pay or they'll present a bankruptcy petition.

I'll be over there.

This is the most melancholic time for a vineyard.

- It resembles you. - Mother, please.

Did you come to ponder over your

misfortunes, or to have breakfast with me.

To have breakfast with you.

And you? Will you carry on reading or have breakfast with me?

I think it's beyond imagination.

He went to the bank this morning, asking for more money.

- So? - They said: "No"

Does that make you happy?

- He's a failure, I always told you that.

His father would never find himself in a situation like this.

He always knew what to do, where to go and what to bring.

- You mean bribe? - What a trite, hideous word!

You young people are so touchy when one talks about business.

Pride over bankruptcy, right?

Of course! On the bones of your ares, with your head held up high.

By the way, is he enjoying grandfather's comfy house'?

Mother, I did not come here to listen to you speak ill of my husband.

- Who is it? - It's Marcella.

Nice... she can play! Does she like music?

- Alberto, could you tell my friend I'm coming? - Straightaway.

It's a shame that, sooner or later, this will sully your name too.

- What did you say? - That, in the end, he'll force me to intervene.

No one will ask you to intervene, don't worry.

- It's become impossible to talk to you. - Maybe it's because you're always

saying the same things, and you're boring me.

Look at the state of you! Wearing those rags!

- You weren't like that before. - Like what?

- Dowdy. - OK, I'm leaving.

By the way...

Instead of wasting time renovating the cafe in that horrendous fashion...

...incidentally, they all close down in the end...

...why don't you design a nice label for my new sweet?

Thank you, mother, I couldn't wish for anything else.

- So? - I can't stand her.

- Is she still angry? - She does not shut up. - What happened'?

Sometimes she's right, but the way she speaks is irritating.

Now she's convinced that I dress like a bum.

- That is a novelty. - As a matter of fact, I don't dress like a bum.

- For once, Beatrice was right. - Marcella...

Lately I've been going crazy, even in my judgements.

- Nicola? - It's not a great period for him.

- Good day. - Good day, Gabriel.

The phone!

- Here. - Thank you.

- Shall I bring your car? - No, there's no need.

I'll be in my office 'till late. Thank you.

- Is he always that nice to you? - Who? - Your Romanian.

Stop it!

Can someone tell me why we can't cash in these transfers?

Good day, what are you doing here? ls there a meeting?

- No, but we heard some rumors that... - What rumors'?

That there's no money for the salaries, for example.

We are very worried.

- Accountant! - I'm here, sir.

- I want to speak with the workers. - When'? - Now.

The workers' council says that they heard rumors,

and now they shall hear me too. - You could've warned us.

So, gentlemen,

let's speak clearly. You already know most things.

I do not like, nor do I know how, to twist words.

The contracts are scarce, the payments are always late,

our warehouses are full and the banks said: "Enough!

- That's the situation. - Does that mean we're closing down?

He's sending us away.

- We're always the ones who pay in the end.

- These explanations can't feed us. - There must be a solution!

What do you want me to say? That everything is OK?

Your representatives have asked me about the money for the salaries.

- And? - I don't have it. There's no money.

- How am I supposed to feed my kids? - What will we do?

I took over this factory from my father.

For 40 years we paid everything and everybody on time.

We never fired anybody.

I'm currently battling to save the factory

and your jobs

Even though no one gives a shit about our ecological products.

I will take this responsibility, but you must decide whose side are you on.

You want to go on strike? Go ahead!

You want to give me a hand?

Thank you. You can stand by my side.

For those who don't fell like it, there's the door.

- I cleaned the glasses. - Why'? They were already clean.

There was no need, Gabriel.

I know what should be done.

- Do you have a concert again tonight? - No, I'll lock myself in until morning.