"A naval story:" "The White Ship" "Conceived and directed by the "film center" of the Ministry of the Navy" "As in "Uomini sul fondo", all characters in this naval story.." "..are filmed in their environment and in their real life.." "..and they are shown through the spontaneous realism of their expressions" "..and the simple humanity of those feelings.." "..that make up everyone's own ideological world." "Contributors:" "the nurses of the voluntary corps." "The officers." "And the crew." "All war operations shown in the story have been filmed.." "..on location during the battles at Punta Stilo and Capo Teulada." "The story has been carried out on the hospital ship "Arno" and onone of our battleships." "Godmother of war No. 18" "Dear Godmother, I respond to the letter from the 3. of this month" "I hereby thank you for the packet of books you sent me..." " I've got them. - ...want to thank you together with..." " Concerning - ..concerning..." " Yes" "..with my personal admiration for you and your organization." "That's alright." "Take them and send them." "Morero!" "Do you feel how near the end is?" "Night and day and every single hour... ..your smile enchants and encourages me.." "The roadstead is quiet and every man is waiting" "Not a quail is flying in the sky and there's an urge for battle in the air" "From here." "That doesn't work!" "The quail is good and funny." "But the quiet roadstead!" "Always the quiet roadstead." "Come on, change the subject!" "Here we go, eh ?" "The godmother I got you last week ran away, too?" "She didn't write anymore, did she?" "I bet you sent her the photograph." "How often did I tell you not to send your photograph?" "With this face!" "The only woman that can cure you is one of those volontary nurses." "I'll see if I find some free godmothers in the evening post... and this time you don't send your photo, ok?" "If she asks for it, send mine." "Then she'll chase you!" "I still have to write to 3 godmothers and the office closes in half an hour!" "Get going!" "And do it right!" "She's the last one I get for you!" "mhh... that one!" "Is that the godmother that always talks about duties and sacrifices?" "I guess she's a teacher!" "Those are very special." "Some poor fellow has just one godmother.." "..and that's a teacher that cleans noses of first class pupils!" "Let's go to the mountains!" "What a pleasure those letters are!" "Well, the letters might only speak of sacrifices,... but the little teacher is really in love." "She broke a medal in two halfs, one she did keep, and the other half she sent to her sailor, as she wrote to us..." "During war there is only one spirit for all: sacrifice!" "Very nice!" "My grandma has one of those half medals, too.." "..with an inscription on it:" "seperated, but always united!" "Your little teacher never sent a photo.." "..because she's as old as your grandma!" "Real love doesn't count pictures or words, but deeds!" "My little teacher is worth more than your 18 godmothers!" "..and your 4 secretaries!" "Post!" "Post!" " Cadoni?" " Cadoni." " Rizzello?" " Rizzello." " Catalano ?" " Catalano." "That's her." "Lidia Sacchi:" "Department of Trade." "Maria Venzi:" "Department of duties and sacrifices." "Ginetta Dall'Olio:" "Department of Photos." "Vera Nunziante..." "Loveletters." " Hello boys!" " Hello Doctor!" "Which doctor?" "I am Parodi Salvatore the male nurse, and proud of it!" "Sit down, we have a couple of godmothers that are not well, any idea?" "A virgin beauty never hurts." "I am not very well, too." "Too much work!" "The boss said:" "I'd love to give you some time off,.." "...but without you I am worried about the boiler room!" "I didn't insist." "Basso!" "A telegram." "Attention!" "Tomorrow morning 8 o'clock boilerservice room 7 and 8:" "Laimpari!" "Morero, Basso and Taroni to the binoculars Catalano and Sala on board." "Capo Cocchi!" "Tomorrow, my godmother arrives." " What can I do about it?" "She arrives at 7:00, been travelling a while only to meet me." "Well ?" "Can you ask the vice commander, if I can fetch her from the station?" "And who guards the boiler room?" "That's already settled!" "Morero is my substitute." "That's OK!" "You didn't plan to go with the "Spenitor" did you ?" "Yes, I did." "Well, then hurry up!" "I'll call her back with the trumpet." "But how will you find her, if you don't even have a photo?" "Idiot!" "We have agreed on an identifying feature!" "She wrote, she'll wear a bunch of white carnations.." "..and I'll wear a white carnation on my sleeve" "Tell me, how how could she abandon those little chaps, if she's a teacher?" "School's over, it's holidays!" "She has done her duty and now she spends her holidays with me." "Rizzello, that hammock carries your registration number." "Better put it away!" "Morero!" "The book says:" "In real love only deeds count" "Attention!" "All traffic towards land is stopped!" "Attention!" "All traffic towards land is stopped!" "Code from command to platoon." "Message received." "Catapult takeoff" "Aerial Reconnaissance" "From the encryption service." "Good." "To the commander of the squadron:" "Catapult the airplane." "Call the pilot and the observer." "OK." "Our position is:... ..a 100 miles through 70 degree of longitude on latitude of Capo Passero" "Observationrange:" "between 140 and 160 degree." "Enemy forces are two battleships one aircraft carrier," "..and an unknown number of destroyers." "Break a leg!" "See you later!" "Hey, what are you doing here?" "I'm writing a poem, I'm off duty" "Duty?" "Poem?" "Move your arse to the medical department!" "I told him: on a battleship there's one spirit for all:" "performance of ones duty" "The aerial observation vessel!" "Fighterplanes were sighted!" "Give out the airraid warning!" "Masks." "Airraid warning!" "Attention!" "Everybody to starboard!" "Everybody to starboard!" "He slipped off stern!" "Confirm information!" "Keep course!" "Any news from the planes?" "I need immedeate orders!" "Bridge in command." "Bridge clears spotted enemy." "Radio direction finder:" "locate airplanes." "Tell me enemy position asap." "OK." "Everybody on post!" "Main power supply in function!" "Aux power supply on slow movement." "Three vents running." "Carburetor 5 on 7, 6 on 8!" "Fuelpump number 8!" "Ready for cast off!" "Burn in hell!" "Cocchi, any news from the surface?" "No." "Break a leg!" "Thanks." "Morero!" "Orders!" "Keep your eyes open!" "OK!" "Let's go up!" "Everybody on post?" "Everybody on post!" "Good." "Watch the water level!" "Hurry, go to your post!" "Enemy sighted!" "Ships sighted starboard." "Commanding vessel!" "Commanding vessel." "Ships sighted starboard!" "Ready for battle." "Ready for battle." "Attention carburetor!" "There's a transmission from the area..." "Training center?" "Third zone on post." "Controlroom alfa, controlroom beta, controlroom c, controlroom delta,..." "Attention: all machines ready for cast off." "Close vents, close bulkheads!" "Attention, main fire control room!" "Closing!" "OK!" "Attention!" "Attention!" "Prauzzi!" "Call for support." "The control room called." "Call back." "On post, Prauzzi?" "Control room is working, the vents are closed... ..and all battle stations are alert." "Hello?" "Yessir!" "All men on post, all hatches closed." "Good." "Vicecommander, call the commander." "Commander!" "Gherino." "Commander, the catapult start has worked well.." "Everything's ready." "Electric services and observation are on post." "Commander?" "Ah." "Very good." "Thanks, commander." "We'll have a contact in a few minutes." "Soon we'll have contact, Attention." "Towers, Attention!" "All engines are running!" "All engines are running!" "Fire control working!" "Range finder working!" "Distance?" "37.000 meters." "Hello?" "We're closing in by 20 degrees direction enemy." "We'll shoot at 45 degrees." "Course: 150." "Speed: 30 knots." "We attack at 29.000 metres, right side, course starboard." "OK, Rossetti." "Attention." "Ready to shoot!" "Attention, reload!" "Follow electric indicators!" "Follow electric indicators!" "Our speed: 30 miles!" "Enemy speed: 25 miles!" "Enemy speed: 25 miles!" "Enemy speed: 25 miles!" "Convenient winds: 20." "Attack !" "Raise distance!" "Hello?" "Controlroom ready!" "Controlroom ready!" "33.000 metres." "Go back!" "Agente, go back!" "30.000!" "Reload!" "Reload!" "Tower 1, attention!" "Tower 2, attention!" "Tower 2, attention!" "Tower 1, attention." "Tower 1, attention!" "Tower 3, attention" "All towers, get ready!" "29.500!" "In a few moments we'll shoot!" "Hello!" "Long live the king!" "Greetings to the duce!" "Let's go!" "Ready..." "29.000!" "Ready!" "Fire!" "We are ready!" "Keep an eye on the heigths!" "Attention!" "Turboventilation starts!" "The heating room!" "Rear enginge ready!" "Ready, Cocchi?" "There's a lot of steam, I already reported it!" "This way's blocked, captain Cocchi!" "Come with me, quick!" "Commander!" "Hello." "We're slowing down!" "Inform the chef gunner:" "We're leaving the formation." "Take it, go on!" "Mr. Boschi, all men are injured and suffer burnings." "Basso is the worst case, he lost a lot of blood." "Get a doctor, immedeatly." "Damage in ventilator Nr. 3." "No problem, keep calm." "From here to propeller ventilator 3!" "Check the heater!" "Quick!" "Stay calm." "Hello?" "It's Boschi." "Boschi?" "A splinter hit the exhaustpipe of the propvent." "I fixed the mainboard - we can start again." "All boilers ready!" "Attention!" "Boiler 7 and 8 are not working!" "We have to gain speed: block the security valves and raise pressure to the max." "Whoever stops is lost" "Morero." "I found that in the boilerroom." "Prepare everything for a blood transfusion!" "Let's start again." "I'm starting." "Platano!" "Attention all towers!" "Attention all towers!" "Fire!" "Are we still in battle?" "Yes, we're still figthing." "How are you?" "Good, sir" "Then, let's go!" "Enemy aircraft attacking at 320 degrees" "Left battery!" "Start firing!" "Make it 400!" "Less in the centre!" "Less in the centre!" "The towers have to fire in higher frequency!" "Men and machines, a single heartbeat" "Attention!" "The enemy retreats behind a curtain of fog." "Cease fire!" "Make a bandage, doctor Tuvillazzi." "Hello, controlroom?" "This is naval medic centre 3." "We have an injured fireman losing a lot of blood we've made a bloodtransfusion, and put him on a drip..." "We hope that his leg can be saved..." "He should be transfered to a hospital ship." "OK." "Officers, corporals and subleaders." "The enemy has left the battlefield forced by our resolute action." "I am proud of you!" "Stand up and be quiet in the memory of the ones we've lost today" "To our comrades who through their sacrifice ...led you to path that was, is and will be... the path of honor, the path of glory!" "Comandi." "To the chief of medical station." "Sirs!" "Inform the commander, immedeatly!" "From headquarters to ship Arno Change your course and reach zone "b" at 24 hours stop" "Sanitary ship will join you to transship the injured stop" "He needs another urgent operation stop Further communication for the night will follow stop" "Be careful with the new route, we are passing mined waters..." "We give out orders to be careful." "OK, affirmative." "Somethings in the water at 3 o'clock!" "It's a small raft, sir." "Inform the medical officer." "That's good." "Did you prepare the station for tonight?" "Yes." "The less severe injured are being transfered already." "Amen." "And the guy from the raft who had been reanimated?" "He is fully recovered" "Can I bring him the little dog he saved?" "OK, bring him in." "They've grown so big, you won't recognize them"" "They keep on asking for you!" "Our thoughts are always with you." "I embrace you gently, yours, Anna." "There's no picture of the kids?" "Last time she said she would send one." "No, there's none." "Come on let's go for a ward round." "The step." "Hello, doctor." "Make it darker." "Open your eye." "Try to open your eye." "Can you see me?" "Doctor, I can see you!" "Very good." "It's OK again!" "Prepare to wash the eye." "He'll have to wear shades to begin with." "For the other eye it's too early" "That picture was in the lettre." "Here it is." "Take a seat, please." "I gathered you in order to tell you some changes of plans:" "The high command informed me, that round midnight a destroyer will deliver all the wounded that have been collected during this victorious battle, that was won by our forces today." "Please prepare a safe and smooth procedure." "I already scheduled the beds in the surgery." "Tommorrow, when we arrive, we'll transfer the injured to the colony." "We'll treat the wounded on board untill further notice." "Mass will be celebrated before we arrive at the harbour." "When we arrive,the nurses will be replaced by new volonteers." "Your replacement is already waiting." "I thank you for your work." "I let you go with a feeling of sadness, but that's the way and fate of the volontary nurse." "The cleared wounded can go to the beds on deck." "Thank you." "Anna, Anna, I can't forget you!" "Anna, Anna, you have the most beautiful blue eyes!" "Anna, Anna, I can't forget you." "Hello!" "Long live the king!" "Hello to the Duce!" "Haile!" "Group chief Voluntary nurses" "You are in the 2nd surgical ward." "The injured have to be transfered from station 3 to station 5." "You are on duty on station 3." "The exact tasks will be assigned by the nurse you replace." "You are in the station for burns, you'll replace nurse Masi, which is responsible for the injured Nr.2 in room 8." "Nurse." "That belongs to him, we wanted to give it to him, when he wakes up, but I think it is better, if it is around his neck, when he awakes..." " Don't you think so, nurse?" " Nurse!" " AndÉ when will he awake?" "Soon, don't worry." "Nurse Masi?" "That's me." "I am your replacement." "Is this the injured Nr.2?" "Yes." "He was operated out on the sea." "He'a a sailor." "He was transfered with a hospital ship after the battle." "Nothing?" "But it could have been coming from the other side, couldn't it?" "And where?" "I can see all the other ships from here." "They are at their places - except ours" "Hey.." "What was that?" "A destroyer!" "Isn't it too small?" "No, no." "He had two blood transfusions - He's very weak." "During the night he was calm." "He's still unconcious, but he'll wake up soon." "The fever is down und his pulse is good." "The others are his comrades, all from the same ship." " Are you listening?" "What's wrong?" " Nothing, excuse me." "Basso, everybody's here!" "They left us out in the open with an escort of four torpedo boats." "The vessel was slowing down... ..something went wrong on board." "Round midnight we were tranfered from the destroyer to the hospital ship." "..we didn't hear anything since then." "Can't we get any news?" "How about the officers?" "Easy!" "Don't worry." "It's almost impossible that something happened to them." "You'll see." "Stay calm." "Soon you'll hear a whistle, and that whistle blows for you and a lovely voice, the strongest voice of all..." "Stay calm." "You have to have faith in the things you love!" "What day is today, nurse?" " It's thursday, why?" "Why are you so nervous?" "The morning we left the harbour, I was supposed to go to the station.." "It's alright, save your breath, we'll tell the nurse." "He was on post and I replaced him, so he could go to the mainland." "He had to go to the station to fetch his godmother." "He had the white carnation ready since she had told him this gentle mark of identification." "A good girl, you know?" "She alwas wrote about duty and sacri- fice in her lettres, but she likes him." "She came all the way because of him, but missed him." "She really loves him." "It's true, we didn't believe it, but he knows how to handle women, right, Basso?" "How can I tell her, in which state I am?" "Write her!" " But whereto?" "Where do you think she is now?" "If she came here for you, she must be somewhere in the city waiting for you!" "Search her." "Dictate the nurse a lettre, and she will deliver it." "Send someone to find her, then you can also get an answer in return." "Isn't it so, nurse?" "Don't you think so, nurse?" "Sure." "I'll send someone look for her." "What do you want to write to her?" "This she gave to me and it has brought me luck ever since.." "..except for this one hour.." "Dear Elena... ..I'm doing OK..." "but I cannot tell you anything further." "All I can tell is, that I fullfilled my duties." "Are you doing OK?" "I hope, I will see you soon." "All the best." "All the best from Augusto." "Her name is Elena Fondi." "I send someone for her right away.You'll see: tomorrow you'll have an answer." "Do you wish to write to your family also?" " Yes." " But this one you'll have to write yourself." "If they don't see your handwriting, they'll worry..." "Shall I help you?" "Let's try." "But when he sees the answer,won't he ask, where you got it from?" "You think he'll be happy?" "I'll tell him, that the person I sent to look for his godmother delivered the lettre and came back with an answer." "I don't understand you." "Why don't you reveal it to him?" "Don't you have the courage?" "No, on the contrary!" "I was about to tell him, but..." "When I was teaching, I often thought of him... ..as of a young boy, little older than the ones I had in my class." "But now it's different." "A nurse is a godmother for all that suffer..." "I can't make an exception for him." "Even if I feel more for one patient... ..than for the others." "Dear Augusto, thanks for your message." "I will leave soon." "I am very happy, that you've fullfilled your duty." "Even though this duty seperated us.." "..whenitcalledyou away, just when I arrived... ..andmakesme go backhome, just now that you come back." "Please write to me and tell me all your thoughts and experiences." "Elena." " How high is it, nurse?" " Nothing." "It's all good." "Elena!" "To the strenuous suffering and to the constant faith of the injured in all armies." "To the silent self-sacrifice of those that give them relief and keep their faith alive." "Subtitles translated by Umberto B. and MichelangeloAntonioni add. translations: talpaleone"