Nine

You kill your film several times...

...mostly by talking about it.

A film is a dream. You kill it writing it down...

...you kill it with a camera.

The film might come to life for a moment or two...

...when actors breathe life into it, but then it dies again...

...buried in film cans.

Mysteriously, sometimes, in the editing room...

...a miracle happens when you place one image next to another...

...so that when, finally, an audience sits in the dark...

...if you're lucky...

...very lucky--

And sometimes I've been lucky.

The dream flickers back to life again.

That's why I'm secretive.

So, what's your favorite pasta?

Finally, a serious question.

Good luck, maestro.

Maestro, maestro, maestro.

Maestro Contini.

How do you begin?

How do you begin this thing?

Page one, page one, page one.

Page nothing.

Guido, you're here.

Been looking for you all over.

The set's coming along, eh? How are you?

My God, you look terrible.

Better go to Makeup. Forgot you got a press conference?

- He has no tie. - Yes. Makeup and Wardrobe.

- Signor Contini, I'm Fausto Milletti-- - He's counting costs.

- The bank wants him here. - Signor Contini--

Don't speak to him. I speak to him.

Okay. I have some questions for Signor Contini.

We all have questions for Signor Contini.

Yes, but please, I think it's customary for there to be an approved script...

- ...and budget before filming-- - Is he going to follow us?

It's not my intention to be difficult, maestro.

I am a huge admirer of Maestro Contini's movies.

Your early films are-- Everybody loves them...

...and I consider it a great honor for me to be here now.

But it's-- Nonetheless, I need a script and the budget.

- Where do you want your messages? - On my desk.

- There's no room on your desk. - Under my desk, in the trash.

- Some of these are urgent. - Get me a cigarette.

We will never be ready to shoot in 10 days.

What? Not ready?

Careful what you say. He's a spy from the bank.

He's not exactly from the bank, Guido.

You have actors waiting. Auditions all morning.

You should see what I found. Two sisters.

Look, they're right-- Dottore , this way!

I need a cigarette.

He needs a shirt and a tie, Lilli.

I need a coffee and a cigarette.

Answer a question, I'll give you a coffee.

Answer another, I'll give you a cigarette. And so on.

Actually, and an aspirin.

- We're late. - Calm down.

Directing a movie is a very overrated job, we all know it.

You just have to say yes or no. What else do you do? Nothing.

"Should this be red?" "Yes." "Green?" "No."

"More extras?" "Yes." "More lipstick?" "No."

Yes, no, yes, no, yes, no. That's directing.

That's right, that's directing.

It doesn't seem to make a blind bit of difference, finally, what the answer is.

So, please, Guido...

...yes or no.

Do you want any costumes in this film?

- Yes. - You see? Simple.

Might I know what period the movie's in?

Yes.

Soon.

You know, I don't allow producers in here.

All right. Okay.

Two minutes, Guido.

He's gone.

Have you written a word of the script?

No.

Are you in a panic?

Yes.

- Is Luisa going with you? - No, nobody.

Dante.

- And his spy. - You need to shave.

- You look terrible. - Why is there no fire escape in here?

What if somebody needed to escape?

I can't face these reporters. I have nothing to say.

You'll be fine.

You're a world-class liar, darling.

Go out there and lie for Italy.

Lie for Italia .

What the hell's wrong with me?

I can't sleep, I can't think, I can't write, I can't breathe.

My heart is racing. Am I dying, Mama?

I owe you flowers, I know.

I'll come to the cemetery at the weekend.

You should have let me bury you in Roma, Mama.

I could visit you every week.

Don't look at me like that.

Oh, Guido, Guido.

This is your Rome, Guido.

The world sees Rome the way you invented it.

Your films did that.

I miss you.

I miss you too.

Oh, let's go!

And we are just waiting for the arrival of Contini any moment now.

Could this film put the maestro back on top?

And here he is!

- Thank you for coming. - Be nice.

Thank you, thank you.

Dante, Guido Contini's longtime producer, is about to speak.

I want to say a few words from my heart.

I'm humbled and thrilled to announce...

...that I'm producing Guido Contini's next film, Italia ...

...which will star, once again, Contini's longtime inspiration...

...the international film star Claudia Jenssen.

We start shooting in 10 days' time in Cinecittà.

That makes it one week from Monday.

Thank you, maestro, thank you very much.

This is our ninth film together.

- Guido Contini. - Thanks for coming, everybody.

Maestro Contini, Maestro Contini.

Yes.

Maestro Contini, your new film is called Italia . Big title.

Actually, it's my shortest title yet.

But hardly a modest one.

But films are not modest.

They cost too much, they take too long...

...and they involve too many people, so...

They should have grand titles.

And might you tell the press what the film is about?

Why?

I don't know what my last film's about.

That was the problem. Nobody else did.

Of course I can tell you what my film is about.

I can tell you the story, I can tell you...

...who I'm going to cast and the music I want to use. I can tell you everything.

But I won't.

I'm afraid if I say anything the word might get out to the press.

Our next film will be exactly as it sounds: Italia .

It's the very spirit of Italy.

Italy as a myth, Italy as a woman, Italy as a dream.

Is this true?

It sounds fantastic. I can't wait to see it.

Do you consider pornography art?

- Signor Contini. - Stephanie.

Could you tell the fashionable women of America...

...who your favorite designer is this year?

I'm less interested in the wrapping than what might be inside it.

Signor Contini, you are a man of the world, yes?

Educated in Britain, a home in Biarritz.

With Italia , is it fair to say that you've come home for good?

- For good? - It's been a long time...

...since you made a movie with your wife.

Do you plan on casting her in this new film?

I told Luisa when we got married...

...that I'd never again make love to my leading lady.

But she hasn't worked at all since working with you.

But why are you being so tight-lipped about this film?

It's a serious question. What's the big deal?

I would like to be here

You want me to be serious in a press conference?

I would like to be there

I thought I was the clown in this circus.

I would like to be Everywhere at once

I know that's a contradiction in terms

Signor Contini, artists do their best work before they're famous.

Now you're famous.

Without wishing to be negative, but your last two films, they are not...

- They were... - Flops?

Your word, "flops."

And it's a problem, especially when

My body's nearing 50 As my mind is nearing 10

I'm just asking if you're nervous. You seem nervous.

- Excuse me? - What I am asking, maestro...

...is have you run out of things to say?

I can hardly stay up

And I can't get to sleep

And I don't want to wake Tomorrow morning

At the bottom of some heap

But why take it so seriously?

After all, there's nothing at stake here Only me

I want to be young

And I want to be old

I would like to be wise Before my time

And yet be foolish And brash and bold

I would like the universe To get down on its knees

And say "Guido, whatever you please

It's okay even if it's impossible We'll arrange it"

That's all that I want

I was wondering if there's a limit to what you can show in a movie.

What would you like to see that I haven't already shown you?

I am lusting for more

Should I settle for less?

I ask you, what's a good thing for If not for taking it to excess?

One limitation I dearly regret

There's only one of me I've ever met

If you have any questions...

I would like to have another me