Splendor

To The Splendor!

Jordan, should I start loading?

Here, we'd planned an elevator,

but seeing as it's just one floor,

we opted for an escalator.

Here we'll have on display domestic appliances, TVs, hi-fi...

and bathrooms...

What's this?

A cinema. The Mayor gave permission.

The plough digs the furrow

and the sword defends it - Mussolini

...the plough defends it. - Mussolini

Hey, you want to get me into trouble?

Why?

Why? "Mussolini defends the furrow"...

Is he a forest ranger now?

But...

Move it.

- But it's all set up! - Shift it.

Fine.

We have to move it along.

Jordan.

Take this seat, Mayor.

Good evening, Mayor.

Here, you're too ugly!

I'm the sound technician!

Almost all my childhood memories are here...

crackles from the screen as loud as explosions...

Verdi's trumpets and Fritz Lang's sprocket wheels.

Let me through!

In order! Get in line!

Don't push or I'll suspend ticket sales.

Get your money ready and don't push.

Casimiro! Casimiro! They'll tear down the house.

Casimiro!

Press. Excuse me.

Jordan. The where and the when.

And the how and the why!

Jordan, it's standing room only downstairs.

Miss Chantal Duvivier, I want a word with you.

Mr. Avilas's Plus Belles from the City of Light.

And now the great comedian Gnaccharetta!

Your dancing was shit tonight!

You eyed up the clients like a whore!

I'm gonna dock you half your pay.

Les Plus Belles? Stupid bitches, more like!

You were meant to dance in Rome, at The Brigadoon. Not any more.

All you can do is show your ass in a dump like this!

Answer me, I'm talking to you!

Who are you? Who let you in?

Honestly, who is this guy?

What are you doing, Chantal? I'll call the cops!

You bastard! Chantal, you'd do this to me?

If you leave now, you're through!

You'll regret it, you'll never work again!

Not here, not anywhere!

Mon royaume! Is that how you say it in French?

I've never seen such a pretty movie theater.

"Outline of Neorealism".

What's neorealism?

Showing things as they are. See, in films,

you shouldn't try to fool people.

You should tell the truth.

Roma, città aperta...

Schiusa?

Paisa...

Miracolo a Milano...

The boss in that film is a scumbag like yours.

Like all bosses.

He persecutes the beggars. The homeless.

- Does it have a happy ending? - Yes.

Like all fables, it ends well.

You can see it tomorrow if you like.

Tomorrow?

Yes, tomorrow.

Jordan!

Standing room only downstairs.

Standing room only.

Come on, wake up!

THE GREAT WAR

What's your name?

My name's Bruno.

Sir, your hat.

Have you finished?

My name's Jade.

Nice name.

That den of iniquity

should be called the Horror instead of The Splendor!

The owner, not surprisingly, is a commie.

A certain disturbing woman hangs around there, dressed in red,

as befits a daughter of the devil!

We have been warned.

She draws the damned into a dark lair of sin,

lighting their despicable way

with red flashes and reflections

from the skimpy cloth that salaciously wraps her,

trying to conceal her opulent shamefulness.

Red are her fiery eyes, red the sensual mouth,

and red is her tongue!

Hey!

But Italian cinema was the big winner at Cannes.

The jury's special prize...

went to Antonioni's La Avventura.

The prize is reward

for the noble search for a new cinematic language.

And a widely predicted Palme d'Or for Federico Fellini,

for his already famous La Dolce Vita.

An open-air party!

Shake it!

Have the exact change ready.

Don't push and stay in line!

Jordan. The where and the when!

The how and the why.

Jordan! Standing room only downstairs!

I have a ticket for the movie.

There's room upstairs, come.

Know what the most beautiful age is? I'll tell you.

It's your own age, day by day.

- Don't toot, they're resting! - I never do it.

Come on, enough.

- For you. - Thank you.

Shall we give him a ride?

Come on! Look at the poor guy running.

Why? What kind of fun is that?

You didn't like it upstairs?

No, not really.

Standing room only here. Or the front row.

Front row will be fine.

Come on.

- Are you selling eggs? - No, I bought them.

Nice guy. Good profile too.

Go ahead.

It's the same movie today.

Today is the same film as yesterday. And the day before.

I know.

But there's a bit in the film I didn't understand.

Is she awake?

Yes, I've just served her coffee in bed.

Victorina is preparing her breakfast.

- What? - Nothing. Didn't say a word.

What's the matter?

Nothing. Why?

Your eyes are red.

I've had conjunctivitis for thirty years.

It's a pleasure to have such an attentive brother.

Come in.

Good morning.

- What are you doing? - I have to go.

Why?

I don't like it. You sleep on the sofa, and your sister...

Giovanna...

No, Giovanna is very happy. She's always alone, you know.

She's taken a liking to you.

I like her too

but she cried this morning.

Her eyes were red.

No, it's just that she suffers from conjunctivitis.

No. Why would she cry?

Maybe she's understood... that I love you.

Will you help me find a hotel?

There's the Pensione del Sole.

Just for a few days.

Yes. For a few days.

Is that boy you?

And the man next to you, your father?

A handsome man!

He looks like you.

Or rather you look like him.

Who's the other man?

That's Marshall Tito.

A friend of yours?

Well, yes. Although we've never met.

What do they have for breakfast in France?

Bye... see you tonight.

More chicken?

As I left I saw that my sister was preparing homemade tagliatelle.

And I'll have to eat it.

She won't be happy if you don't.

Not really... I'd better go.

Want me to wait?

No, I'll just finish these numbers.

Good night, Chantal.

See you tomorrow.

You're Swedish, right?

I'm French, from Maisons-Laffitte.

Me, I'm Italian.

My father sent me to work at my uncle's hotel-restaurant.

I don't really like it.

So you're going back home?

Unless I find another job.

And you?

I landed here when I was 20.

I was part of the ballet-show: Les Plus Belles.

I stayed here... for love.

When we arrived on tour,

we would play in small places, no Milan or Rome.

One night while I was dancing,

I was taken by a young man in the audience.

Very good-looking. We stared at each other.

When the show was over, the handsome young man