"THE SPECTATOR Cinema Journal N°1- 1953" ""LOVE IN THE CITY"" ""3 hours of paradise"." "Reportage:" ""Attempted suicide"." ""Love at a cost", "Marriage agency"," ""Caterina's Story", "The Italians turn their heads"." "The city is made of stone, steel and people." "Two million people who live, work, and love each other, each in their own way and with different results." "This journal of ours, created with film instead of pen and ink, is dedicated to love in a great city." "Not the one interpreted by strapping men like Kirk Douglas and beautiful women like Marilyn Monroe." "A prestigious love, revisited, corrected and scripted to make you quiver with passion." "The characters in our journal are not actors, but city dwellers." "We chose the actual people who experienced the events reported." "Each with their own ideas, anxieties and hopes." "With someone waiting for them every day." "Love has three elements:" "Anticipation, encounters and farewells." "Ever heard what they really say to each other when they think they're alone?" "Shall we go to the movies?" " No, we need to talk." " What is it?" " Well?" " I'm expecting a baby." "A baby?" "You're sure?" "Yes." "Have you had many girlfriends before me?" " Yes, quite a few." " So I'm one of many." "It's different with you." "Will you always love me?" "I swear I will." "How can I be sure you'll still love me in ten years time, in 1963?" "I want a man who offers me that security." "I can do that." "No one knows that better than me." "I know myself." "In 1963, in '73..." "I can't live without you." "But if you don't believe me, let's end it." " No, I believe you." "Swear it again." " I swear." "We've been married for a year and we've got no kids." " It's not the right time." " Why not?" " We both work." " We've only been married one year." " We'll get a loan." " I don't want any debts." "And I don't want to listen to a screaming kid when I'm old." "I want one now that I'm young." "When he grows up, I can take him to work with me." "It'll be one year tomorrow," "March 28th, it was five o-clock." "Yes." "These are your letters, all of them." "These are yours." " I'd like my cigarette case." " I don't have it." "Not because it's valuable." "But if we're no longer together..." "You got your ring back." "Stop, it's late." " Just one more?" " One?" " You went with him, I know!" " No!" "Andrea doesn't understand me." "But you do." "Yes, I do." "Love is about spontaneity." "Well?" "Let's go." "You know where, we'll be alone." " The landlady's out till midnight." " I want to see the end of the film." "Certain problems are often discussed in the papers." "The bravest journalists present vague solutions." "I'm referring to the market of love and to suicides." "We went to meet the women on the street." "We spoke to those who attempted suicide and were stopped by their benevolent destiny." "All the characters in our report are real people, who will tell us their stories in their own words." "At night, in the dimly lit streets of the outskirts, we find those who must avoid public places to hide their physical decline or to escape the long arm of the law." "The station and the nearby streets are their other hunting grounds." "From nine onwards, the commuters increase in number, urged to seek a quick fling as they are so far from home." "Only the bravest and most experienced walk through the centre, where raids are more likely to occur, but perhaps also a lucky encounter." "Will it be possible to discover the feelings which are hidden by their professional disguise?" "Will it be possible to overcome their contempt and indifference or the vulgar desire that makes them different from us?" "We interviewed some of them." "The first one we spoke to was Jolanda." " What's your name?" " Jolanda." " How old are you?" " 32" " Would you like to change your life?" " You think that's easy?" "You tell me." " Do you live alone?" " With my mom and my two brothers." " What do they do?" " They're unemployed." " Since when?" " A long time ago." "It's not always easy to spot them right away." "Valli looks like she's been out for the night and she's hurrying home." "Valli is one of the oldest ones, her sad career is almost over and she has no savings." "So she wanders around all night, looking for clients, often in vain." "Her colleagues call her "the wanderer"." "Valli, may I ask you a question?" "We know you walk a lot." "How many shoes do you get through every year?" " About twenty." " Twenty pairs of shoes?" " They fall apart." " Do they get worn through walking?" " Yes." " You like open or closed shoes?" "Closed shoes." " They're not elegant, but..." " They're warmer, right?" "Yes, especially now." "Do you feel the cold or do you resist?" "I resist." "How many hours rest or sleep do you get every night?" "Not a lot, three hours..." "Four at the most." "Around midnight, the vice squad increases their patrols." "Families leave the cinemas and this disgrace must remain hidden." "Women like Jolanda and Valli can be found in certain bars, where they are regulars." "These places, which offer protection, are a haven for those individuals who could be described as "friends"" "or ironically speaking, "protectors"." "In this bar, we interviewed one of the youngest girls, the one drinking coffee." " What's your name?" " Tilde." " How many coffees do you drink?" " About ten." " You like coffee?" " Yes, but..." " Maybe it's not good for you." " It gives me the shakes." "How long can you stay in this bar?" "As long as we want." "If it gets busy, we have to go." "Otherwise we can stay till we please." "Tilde." " Who's he?" "Do you know him?" " Yes, I met him earlier." "What did he want?" "He wants me to work in a variety show." " Would you like that?" " Why not?" " If it's well-paid..." " You need a lot of money?" " Quite a lot." " Someone depends on you?" "I have a child." "Are you married?" "No..." "I'm not." "Did he walk out on you?" "Yes, but I kept the baby." "I was very young and lonely." "Does he live with you?" "I wish!" "He's with his nanny." "Do you have parents?" " No." " Did they die?" " Yes." " How old were you?" " Five." " Did you have other family?" "I went to live with my godmother, but I left." " Wasn't she nice to you?" " She wasn't my mom." "It's gone one o'clock, it's safe to wander around now." "But the streets are deserted and often an obvious proposal provokes cruelly ironic comments." "Get to bed!" "The most difficult hours of the night begin." "The last signs are turned off." "It's half past two." "This woman is called Anna." "Anna, how long have you been here?" " Five or six hours." " How long will you stay out?" "I'll wait for a few more trains to arrive, till the nightclubs close, around three, half past three." "How long do you think you will do this for?" "Until I find someone to settle down with." "Where do you live?" "Can we come to your house?" "You may as well, I'm done for the night." "This is my room, this is a guesthouse." "There's a clerk, two students and me." " Do they know what you do?" " I don't know them." " I never see them." " Do you have a boyfriend?" "He left me a month ago." "This is all he left me with, I'll show you." "Two souvenirs." "A receipt for a coffee we drank together and two tram tickets." "We were together three years, then he ran off with my savings." " Can't you report him to the police?" " I'm scared and I still love him." "I had some savings and now I have to start from scratch." " You don't have anything left?" " Only the rent money." "I've got nothing else." "When you had some extra money what did you do?" "When I had some left over, I'd buy things like this." "It cost 35,000 liras." "What will you do now?" "You must be tired." " Will you sleep or..." " I'll read." " What will you read?" " "Mickey Mouse"." ""Pecos Bill. "" "It's three o'clock." "Like Anna, they go home, one by one, almost always on their own." "Most of them live far away, on the outskirts of the city." "After many hours spent waiting, they wait on the tram for the never-ending journey to start." "Often when they get home, it's dawn and no one's waiting for them." " You live here alone." " It's my friend's house." " You didn't marry." " No, I was meant to." "I prepared the documents three times, but I didn't get married." "I still have the favours." "I have them here, look." "Men make promises, but then..." "Nearly all of them, if you insist on asking them, will tell you stories of abandonment and deceit." "I'm 21." "I was engaged." "I had a baby and was dumped." "My father kicked me out and I came to Rome, to find work." "But no one gives you a job if you have a kid." "Liliana, who we met on the outskirts, among these derelict shacks, recently started going out at night." "A week ago." "She thought of killing herself, but gave up the idea to live." "She could be like any other mother." "Many women like her could be saved with a little true love." "ATTEMPTED SUICIDE by Michelangelo Antonioni" "When faced with suicide we always feel dismayed." "Choosing to die is a mysterious and extreme act." "These people tried to commit suicide." "We invited them here to tell us their motivations." "Why have they come?" "Judging by their stories, they all have a great need to talk about their experiences." "But they have also come because they understood that this could be of help to them and to others, when dealing with the only truly irreparable act in life." "More often than not, like when love is the motive, it's a temporary depression." "If the sufferer overcomes it, they may rekindle their passion for life." "Sometimes it's a financial or family problem which is the cause." "Love helps conquer all." "If it ends, everything falls apart." "Piazza Santa Croce di Gerusalemme, October 12th, 1952." "It's two o'clock in the afternoon." "These passers-by are about to witness an instant tragedy." "The girl sitting on the bench is Rosanna Carta, she's 25." "She's waiting for her boyfriend, who was with her a few minutes ago." "Rosanna lives alone, in a housing estate in Rome." "Where are you going?" "Stay here." "Rosanna has a dog that keeps her company in the winter evenings." "I love him like a son." " How long were you engaged?" " Eighteen months, he was jealous." "He didn't want me to work, nor did he want me to read." "He found me with a book once and he made a big scene." " What book was it?" " Chekhov." "Tell us what happened that day, on the bench." "I found out I was pregnant." "We'd already argued because he didn't want a baby." "That day, we'd arranged to meet..." "What did he say to you?" "He told me he didn't want to accept any responsibility and he left." " Did you stay there waiting for him?" " Yes, I thought that... it was all over because he wasn't coming back." "What were your thoughts as you sat on the bench?" "I pictured having a baby and not being able to feed it." "Time went by and he didn't come back." "So I got up, knowing what I had to do." "I was hurled to the ground, then he arrived." "He'd just gone for a walk." "He took me to hospital." "The driver of the car wanted to give me 100,000 liras." "But I knew he wasn't to blame so I didn't accept it, even though I needed it, to buy lots of things." "And your fiancé?" "We split up, maybe it was for the best." " So you didn't love him." " I did." "But over time I realized he was selfish." " Would you have married him?" " Yes, the harder things are, the more satisfaction you get, but now..." "During the post-war period, these girls did variety shows." "They were sisters: "Sister Baby" and specialized in exotic dancing." "Then the youngest one married and gave up work." "She had two children, but separated from her husband after two years." "One morning, in an arcade in Rome, passers-by saw a blonde girl fall to the ground." "She'd overdosed on barbiturates, but not enough." "The doctors knew right away it was a fake suicide." "She told them she wanted her husband to take her back." "We asked her why she wanted to go back to him." "When did you last see your husband?" "A few days before, in a car with a woman." ""I bet he's loaded", I thought." "While I had to work all night as a hostess." "But when he came to the hospital," "I realized he couldn't care less about me." "So I tried to kill myself for real." "I tried to jump out of a window, but a stupid nurse stopped me." " Then what did you do?" " I tried to slit my wrists." "But they saw me and tied me up." "I started screaming and they put me in a mental hospital for 23 days." "Meanwhile, I reported my husband who took me back, also for the kid's sake." "I'll get you your plane, just be patient." "You don't seem happy to be home." "It's not that." "It's the same old routine:" "The kids, the house..." "If I could, I'd do it again, but this time I want to die." " Why are you so pessimistic?" " It's my only way out." " Don't you think of the children?" " They're important, of course." "But sometimes you lose your mind." "Desperation drove this woman to leave her house on April 12th, last year." "If she could have sought refuge with the man she loved, maybe nothing would've happened." "But he'd vanished all of a sudden." "I walked along the embankment and seeing all those bridges, I had an idea." "It was there that I started thinking there was no point going on." "I decided to end it all, but there were too many people." "At the next bridge, I walked down the steps." "A boy was fishing on the banks." "He saw me crying and ran away, frightened." "I went in... down there." "Did you jump in?" "No." "I walked in slowly, till the water reached my chest." "I remember that..." "I could still touch the banks with one foot." "So I pushed myself off and the current dragged me away." "I bumped into that pillar." "By then, I didn't know what was happening." "I could see lots of people shouting and leaning over." "Then an eddy dragged me down and I lost consciousness." "Some men from that boat rescued me." "What did you do?" "We got our boat and went to rescue her." "She'd been in the water 5 minutes, her clothes had kept her afloat." "She was unconscious because of the water she'd swallowed." "I woke up in the hospital." "My family and others came." "He came too, the man who'd rescued me." "He tried comforting me with kind words, saying that I was too young and didn't know enough about life." "I just looked at him, without saying a word." "So he said:" ""You look like you hate me and that you want to kill me"." "I said, "That's right"." "Weren't you happy to be alive?" "What for?" "Don't you think life has its good moments?" "At that time, I didn't." "I thought life was horrible." " But you're happy now." " Now, yes." "A small guesthouse in the "existential" district of Rome." "A few months ago, a young woman tried to kill herself here." "She's a typical example of that confused youth we often read about it the papers." "She and her boyfriend were in love." "One day, she met a man in his fifties who started to court her." "It was absurd, but with the irresponsible and cruel nature, so typical of an 18-year-old, she accepted." "It was a father-daughter kind of love, but people started to gossip." "Her fiancé found out and left her." " Slow down!" " Come on!" " Antonio." " Yes, miss." " I'm broke." " Same here!" "Pay tomorrow." " Goodnight." " Goodnight, thank you." "Bye." "In her desperation, she locks herself in her room... and with an almost irresponsible calmness..." "I cut as hard as I could, then I stayed here about an hour." "There was blood everywhere." "Then I got dressed and went out to the pharmacy." "I met two policemen on the way and they took me to hospital." "I got seven stitches." "I thought dying was easier." "What were your thoughts as you waited for the blood to come out?" "Nothing, I felt confused..." "I was irritated it was taking so long." "Did you think of your fiancé?" "What were your feelings towards him?" "Strong feelings, I did it for him." "Did you want to hang on to life?" "Life!" "People criticize youngsters because they're tired of living, but in actual fact I'm like that too, I don't give a damn." "When we asked you to do this interview, why did accept so quickly?" "Was it to relive that experience?" "I don't know, for various reasons." "Negative or positive ones?" "Tell me." " Both, really." " What do you mean?" "I thought that talking to someone about it, in an honest way, I'd be able to understand what I did." "And is that so?" "Yes, I think so." "I see everything more clearly now." " I've drawn some conclusions." " Like what?" "You know what?" "The future looks so uncertain..." "I'm 19 and I still don't know what I'll do." "I'd like to..." "I've often thought that..." " It's so difficult." " Go on." "To be honest, I'd like to be an actress." "But not like those beauty queens, I want to do it properly, starting from scratch, like famous actresses." "I want to go to stage school, to study..." " But maybe I'm past it." " At your age?" "Maybe you don't know, but don't you think you're exaggerating?" "This is a factory worker, who through errors and misfortune, experienced a sad love story." "We lived in the same block as kids." "When we got together, I didn't know he was with Marcella." "I only found out much later." "He had to marry Marcella." " Why?" " She blackmailed him." " How?" " I can't tell you." "It's a serious matter, I'm sorry." " I'll pay tonight." " All right." " Two litres." " Then what happened?" "They got married and I kept on loving him." "How did you meet him again?" "I was pregnant with his baby so I thought I'd tell him." "From the day we met again, we rekindled our love affair." "Marcella couldn't accept it." "One day, she said to me:" ""Giacomo's come back to me"." "I took no notice of her, I wanted him to tell me." "I said: "If I'm to believe you and leave Giacomo, he has to tell me"." "So we arranged to meet the next morning, all three of us, in Via di Monte Bianco." "She came with a note and said..." "Giacomo couldn't come, he sent you this." ""Maria, forgive me for not coming." "Marcella will tell you what I have to say." "No hard feelings, please. "" "I told her a note wasn't good enough, I wanted him to come." "I want him to tell me he'd gone back to her." "She said she'd go and get him." "Half an hour later, he came and said..." "It's the truth." "I'm back with Marcella." "It's time you moved on." "At that moment I couldn't believe he was actually leaving me." "I thought he'd just said it because of her." "But when I saw their expressions I was convinced and I said: "All right, Giacomo." "Don't ask after me anymore"." "And I decided to end it all." "He said goodbye and they left." "I left by myself and decided to do you know what." "I went to several pharmacies and bought some poison to take." "Around midday, I went back to Montesacro and sat down on a bench next to a fountain." "I knew he'd be starting his shift." "I saw them both coming out." "From their gestures I realized that it was over, that he'd never come back to me." "I walked to the fountain, took the pills, and got the bus." " Who found out?" " My brother-in-law." "I still had some pills in my pocket." "I went to get some water from the kitchen and he saw me." "I told him they were headache pills, but he saw the packet and realized it was poison." "So he dragged me to hospital." "Maria!" " Did Giacomo visit you?" " Yes." " Are you back together?" " No, but I see him every day." " Do you live in the same block?" " Yes." "I'm in Block O, he's in Block I and Marcella's in Block C." " Did you ever see Marcella again?" " That'll never happen." "We have different routines and there's so many people here." "Every suicide has a story and perhaps psychology alone can offer an explanation." "Or perhaps..." "as one of our guests said:" ""You've got to live your life, be it good or bad"." "THREE HOURS OF PARADISE" "Every Sunday, from 5 to 8, people dance at the Astoria." "Soldiers and servants dance, they dance the tango, the mambo, boogie and fox trot too." "Three happy hours, three hours of paradise." " Let's make up." " Stop it!" " You always start." " No, you do." "First you argue, then you want to make up." "If you don't stop, I'm going." "May I?" " Why not?" " Because I said so!" " Do you sleep with her?" " Yes." "Sorry, then." "Let's dance." "Nice place!" "You want to dance?" " May I, madam?" " Yes, go on." "Fix your dress." " So many pretty ladies!" " She's hot!" " Wow!" " What a beauty!" "Richetto!" "May I, miss?" " Thank you." " You're welcome." " Sit down!" " Hands off!" " I saw you." " You're crazy!" "It's Gregory "Pecker"!" "Let's dance, come on!" " No." " Go to..." "Gosh, my feet are killing me!" "Sorry, Maria, I told you I can't dance." "That's not true, you're great." "No, we split up, our personalities clashed." " Has it been long since?" " Three months." "I'm glad you split up." " I'm not, I sort of loved him." " You still do?" "No, not at all!" "I'm starting to get over him." " Waiter, two seltzers." " A slice of lemon in mine." "What a looker!" " Watch out!" " Well?" " Baldy!" " Dumbass!" "Get out of here!" "Don't hold me so tight!" "My goodness, it's seven o'clock!" "Wait!" "A journalist's report:" "MARRIAGE AGENCY" "I'm going to tell you about something that actually happened to me." "I was doing a report on marriage agencies." "I knew nothing about them." "Someone gave me an address." "It led me to a large, old building, in an old district of Rome." "On the top floor, under the attic..." " Where's the Cibele Agency?" " What?" " The Cibele Agency." " I don't know." " Try at the end of the corridor." " Can I help you?" "Hello, I'm looking for the Cibele Agency." " What agency?" " Cibele." "The Cibele Agency." " I don't know, what is it?" " A marriage agency." " Try down there." " Thanks." " I know where it is." " Really?" "What do you know?" "I know where the agency is, I'll take you." "Good girl." "Susanna, I'm coming too." " Where are you going, Anna Maria?" " To the agency." " We're coming too." " Is it far?" "Where are we going?" " Did you see some kids go by?" " No." " Where's the Cibele Agency?" " The ones that do certificates?" "Never mind." "Hello." "Excuse me, I'm looking for a marriage agency." " Can you tell me..." " Mister!" "Come this way!" "You want the agency?" "Have a seat." " Is there a long wait?" " Just a minute." "May I have a word?" " Are they waiting to be seen?" " Yes, but they won't be long." "Could you tell..." "who's in charge?" " Mrs. Cibele." " Right." "Listen..." "I'm in a hurry, it's a delicate matter." "Could you ask her to see me first?" "I run this place, I'm an ex-policeman." "I find out the clients' details, I was in the police." "I only need a few hours to know everything." " Do you smoke?" " Thank you." "We only ask women for their details, because sometimes they have children." "We need to be very careful." "Are all these people your clients?" "Come with me." "Those two come from out of town." "They want their son to marry, that's him." "They want a girl with long blonde plaits." "Strange, eh?" "Yet that's exactly what they asked for." " Hello." " Hi, sweetie." " Do you arrange many weddings?" " Yes, five or six a month." " Your agency arranges them?" " Yes." "Come in." "I had no idea what reason to give for my visit." "I thought of an unusual story." "I invented a childhood friend, the son of rich landowners, who was forced to live in the country due to a strange illness." "He'd have terrible epileptic fits when it was full moon." "A case of lycanthropy, or werewolf syndrome." "I told her the doctors said that marrying was his last hope." "I never thought the lady would say..." " We'll see to it." " What?" "This one might do." "She washes, cooks and cleans and she's pretty." "She has a son." " May I see?" " No, it's confidential." " Just the photograph." " No, you wouldn't understand." "They're my notes." "This one might be suitable." "She's a brunette, sweet and works for the Post Office." "Did you hear me?" "I told you he's mad." " He's a werewolf and wealthy..." " Right, but..." "How could a well-to-do girl marry a..." "We only have nice girls, we choose them carefully." "Right, Attilio?" "Right, this room is too small for all the photos we get." "We need a second one and maybe one more." "We see all sorts here!" "Some girls make vows to the Virgin Mary to marry a blind man or a disabled soldier." "A blind man's better than a werewolf." "What's your name?" " Antonio Cifariello." " Trust us." "We've found wives for all sorts of men." "Once, a dumb man came." "We understood what he wanted and found him a dumb wife." "Sign this form." "We'll arrange a meeting in a couple of days." "In return of 50,000, broken down as follows." "10,000 when you apply, 25,000 after the first meeting, and 15,000 once they've agreed to marry." " Hello?" " N325?" " Who?" " Is that N235?" "Hello?" "It's Mrs. Cibele, from the marriage agency." " Good morning." " I've got good news for you!" "We found someone." "Hello, sir?" " Yes, I'm here." " I've found our girl." "She's pretty and very nice..." "we mustn't let her get away." "I went to meet the girl who'd accepted to marry a werewolf." "We're over here!" "What a nice car!" "Is it your friend's?" "I won't say a word." "See for yourself." "You can't go wrong with her." " Did you tell her about him?" " No, I didn't." "I did it for the good of your friend." "Let him meet the girl." "Once they know each other, we'll tell her." " But that's..." " Look, I'm the expert here!" "You do your job, I'll do mine!" "We mustn't scare her off." "Let me get her." "Rossana!" "Wait a moment." "Your handbag." " This is Miss Rossana." " How do you do?" "I have to go now, maybe you could go for a spin..." " You have a car." " All right." "Off you go." " Get in!" " From the other side." "Go on!" "Sorry, she's a bit shy." "I'll see you later." "All right." " Goodbye." " Bye." "Let me know what you think." "I'll be at the agency till seven." "Bring her there." "Just a moment." "Now, you're going to be a lady." "A real lady, okay?" "Goodbye, sir." "May I ask you a question?" "What did the lady from the agency tell you?" " That he's young and very rich..." " Anything else?" "That he's got a big house in the country and lots of land." " What did you think?" " I laughed." " It sounds too good to be true." " Why?" "Why would a rich man like that marry me?" "Didn't she tell you he was ill?" "He suffers from a strange illness, he's different to other men." "He's a lycanthrope, maybe you don't know what that is." "He's influenced by the moon, he's a sort of werewolf." "I'm sorry the lady from the agency didn't tell you." "What happens to him?" "When he has a fit." "He writhes on the floor, screaming and shouting." "He doesn't recognize anyone, not even his mother." "The doctors say marriage might cure him." "Poor thing!" "So you would accept..." "Is he a nice man?" "You don't understand, he's very ill." "No woman from his town would marry him, it'd be a life of great sacrifice." "He can't go out alone, he always needs his nurses." "And you'd have to stay there with him." "I'm sure there'll be plenty to do on a big estate." "I suppose so." "But tell me, why would you do such a thing?" "What do you mean?" "Shall we get out?" "Why would you accept to marry him?" " You smoke?" " No, thanks." "I don't smoke." " I'll take it for my brother." " You have a brother?" " Yes, there are nine of us." " Do you live in Rome?" " No, in a town called Olevano." " Nine brothers and sisters!" "Seven sisters and two brothers, but they're all young." " Are you the oldest?" " Yes." "Shall we sit over there?" "Sit down." " My dress will get dirty." " No, it's only grass." " You hurt yourself?" " No!" "I'll come up there." "You didn't answer my question." "Why would accept to marry this man?" "I left home last year." "We're not from Rome, but from Olevano." "I'm poor and so is my family." " What does your father do?" " He's a farmer, but he never works." " Never?" " Never!" "There are lots of mouths to feed." "So I left." "My sister-in-law lives in Rome." "She told me I could stay with her but then she said she couldn't support me." "So, one day..." "I hadn't eaten for three days, I felt so weak!" "I was exhausted so I sat down on a bench." "I was in Piazza Risorgimento and there was a paper next to me." "I saw the ad for the marriage agency." "So I thought I'd get married." "I went to see the lady and she said, "Leave it with me"." "She called me yesterday and told me about your friend." "If this friend of yours is a nice man, then..." "I know myself." "I'll become fond of him." "Poor thing, he's ill." "I know it won't be wonderful, but at least I'll be looked after and it won't be that bad, because I'll become fond of him." "Would you let him marry your sister?" "No." "Let's just leave it, forget about it." "You wouldn't be suitable, I'm sorry." "Just forget about it." "I'm sorry." "I know I wouldn't be suitable." "Let's go back." "We drove back to the city in silence." "I wanted to say something to her, not to justify myself, but to help her." "I wanted to tell her to be more confident, to open her eyes to the many encounters life presents daily." "But I didn't want to be rhetorical and I knew it'd be no use." "Her problems, her daily hardships would still be all that mattered to her." "I didn't say anything." "When we said goodbye, I sincerely wished her... good luck." "A TRUE STORY "CATERINA'S STORY"" "No, Caterina Rigoglioso didn't try to kill herself." "She came to Rome in '49 from Sicily to find work, she was seduced then abandoned." "She was sent home and her family disowned her." "She came back to Rome and was arrested." "She was released, and she gave birth on New Year's Eve." "No, she didn't try to kill her illegitimate child, as moralists would describe it." "She kept him and paid a nanny 7,000 liras a month to look after him." "7,000 is an enormous amount of money for an unemployed maid." "No, she didn't resort to stealing." "This an accurate reconstruction of the last act of her story." "The woman you see is Caterina Rigoglioso herself." "The boy is her son Carletto and the location is the same one where her story took place." " Hi." " Hi." "I can't let you in, they're sleeping." "I told them about you, but she wants some ID." "You told her you know me?" "It all needs to be above board." "This is a guesthouse and someone may come to check." "I'll accept 8,000." "Come in, I'll tell her." "But don't get your hopes up, we've turned two girls away already." "Come in." " I'll speak to Madame." " All right." "Wait." " What if she's got no ID?" " I can't do anything for her." "I told you, I don't want any trouble." "Are you sure you don't have any form of ID?" "I've got my expulsion order, I can't ask for my documents." "They'll know I'm still here and arrest me." "I wouldn't stay here in your situation, go home." "I can't go back to Palermo." "I'm sorry," "I'm sorry, there's no persuading her." "Can you give me 100 liras?" "I've got no money." " Here's 100 liras." " Thanks, I'll keep looking." "You'll be all right." " Bye." " Good luck." "Bye, Caterina." " A 100 liras worth of cherries." " Right away." "Are they good?" "They're expensive!" "I'd like a kilo, but they get more expensive every day." " Hey, we're waiting!" " It's a nice day for it." "Caterina, stop!" "I can't take him back, don't you understand?" "He's not mine!" "I've come looking for you two days in a row." "What should I do?" "You owe me three months pay, my husband's in hospital!" "I can't get a job, I've got an expulsion order." "I sleep on the streets like a tramp." "You have to take him, I told the police about you!" "What should I do?" "My husband's in hospital and I have to feed my kids!" "I turned down another mother for you." " But I can't keep him." " Give me some time." "Take him and I'll drop the charges." "Come to the police station." "I can't." "If they know I'm here, they'll arrest me." "Come to Ferentino, I know the officers there." "They won't ask you for ID." "I'll pay your fare, come on." "You can stay with me for the night." "Vincenza Marocco, nanny, declares that" "she does not intend to press further charges against" "Caterina Rigoglioso, as she will be taking back" "her son and will pay" "Mrs. Marocco what she owes her." "Read, signed and witnessed." "Elisa, hurry, I need you to look after the baby." "Times are hard, my girl!" "The only way to earn money is to be a nanny." "I have to take on another baby now." "You're not leaving before the winter, what am I to do?" "I can't starve to death." "I work hard, but even if we tighten our belts, we need at least 400 liras a day." "I can't do miracles." "I could've kept Carletto, but he'd have starved to death too." " What about my money?" " I'll send it to you when I get work." " Can I trust you?" " I'll sign an I.O.U." " What good is that?" " I'll pay you back." " You'd better, you see how I live?" " I will." " Why are his eyes red?" " They always are in the morning." "Bye, Carletto!" " Lidia loves Carlo." " Bye, Vincenza." " See you." " Bye, Lidia." " Caterina, are you going to Rome?" " Yes, goodbye." "Caterina, tell Donata Tonino's fine." " I'll say hi to your mom for you." " Tell her I want my wages." " All right." " Say goodbye." "Bye." " Is this a new baby?" " His mother's well off." "She comes in her boss' car." "Maybe it's his kid!" " Are you going?" " Yes, bye." "We've arrived, be a good boy." "We're arrived, Carletto." "Good boy." "PROVINCE OF ROME ILLEGITIMATE CHILDREN'S ASSOCIATION" " Where do I get my ticket?" " Over there." " Is this the ticket office?" " Over there." "Calm down, you'll get seen!" "Can I have a ticket?" " Is this the queue?" " Go to the end!" " I want to leave my boy here." " You want him admitted?" " Yes." " Are you sick?" " Is the child sick?" " I have no money, no work." " Are you resident here?" " Yes." " What's your name?" " Caterina Rigogliosa." "Rigoglioso's file!" "I need some ID." " I don't have any." " Where's your identity card?" "I lost it." "Mr. Testa, write me a request for information." "You were at the foundling hospital from January '51 to March '52." "You're the one who gave birth in the street?" "I'll give you a request for information." "Go to the police station then come back here." " The police station?" " Are you afraid?" " No." " It's the only way." "If you want him to be admitted right away." "Mr. Testa, is it ready?" " There." " Thanks." "Take it to the police station." "Hopefully, they'll reply right away." "Then come back here." " All right." " Goodbye." "Can I have an advance on my month's allowance?" "Are you hungry, Carletto?" "It's good, isn't it?" "Some more?" "Do you like it?" "No more?" "Waiter." "Yes, ma'am." " How much is it?" " 80 for the biscuits plus the milk." " It's 130 liras in all." " I've only got 100." "Give me that then." "Take these." "Thanks." "Are you hot, Carletto?" "Be a good boy." "Be quiet!" "Come and look." "Carlo!" "Carlo!" "What have I done?" "Oh, God!" "Can I look at the paper, please?" "ESTRANGED MOTHER ABANDONS HER SON" "THE BOY IS BEING LOOKED AFTER AT THE "MARAINl" INSTITUTE" "THE POLICE INVESTIGATES" " What do you want?" " I'm Carlo's mother, the boy who was brought here last night." "Come in." "I've come to take him back." "Come." " Where is he?" " Come." " Where is he?" " Don't worry, he's fine." " I want to see him!" " Sit down." " What's your name?" " Caterina Rigoglioso." " Where are you from?" " Palermo, but where is he?" " I want to see him." " Wait, calm down." "Wait here." "Wait here for me." "MOTHER OF ABANDONED BOY FOUND" ""GIVE ME MY SON BACK" SAID THE MOTHER IN TEARS" "THE SAD ODYSSEY OF A MOTHER WHO DEDICATED HERSELF TO HER SON" "THE MAID WHO ABANDONED HER SON WILL GO ON TRIAL" "SENTENCED TO FOUR MONTHS WITH THE CLEMENCY OF THE COURT" "CATERINA RIGOGLIOSO ACQUITTED FOLLOWING APPEAL" "BECAUSE THE FACT DOES NOT AMOUNT TO A CRIME" "ACQUITTED FOLLOWING APPEAL CATERINA RIGOGLIOSO" "THE ITALIANS TURN THEIR HEADS" " Really?" " I sent it express post." "I sent it express post." "Sorry, miss." "The first issue of "The Spectator" ends here." "It hasn't yet explored all possible aspects of love in the city but left out the obvious and less interesting ones." "Our journal simply wants to explore the most intimate and true reality, and wants to achieve that with the style and objectives of a new and conscious kind of cinema." "THE SPECTATOR N.1 LOVE IN THE CITY"