"RED DESERT" ""Strike"" "Romeo Salviati." "What are you doing in there?" "You're not a manager." "You work to support your family!" "Come out!" "Join us out here!" "Your wife's too ashamed of you to leave the house!" "Where did you buy it?" "At the grocery stores, at the crossroads." "I'll buy it." "But, I've started." "It doesn't matter." "Take this." "Come, Valerio." "Want a bite?" "The temperature's high, sir." "Lower the burners." "They have applicants, but not for work abroad." "They went crazy finding specialized workers for..." "No." "For a friend." "Send some of your men!" "I'll try Beltrami, if you like." "I have to talk to him anyway." "Miss, can you call him for me?" "Right away, sir." "Here's Beltrami." "Who's this?" "Oh, hi." "I wish I had some." "Ugo?" "I apologize." "Are you crazy?" "No way!" "This is a government agency." "No layoffs!" "Nothing there either!" "I told you." "Take these... they had special training... for us." "But..." "They're good." "This one, for example, is a foreman." "What?" "He's in Ferrara?" "That's 50 miles away!" "We'll go to Sicily if we have to." "There you are!" "Meet a friend." "My wife." "Listen." "I'll wait for you in the office." "It was raining." "The road was wet." "She tried to stop." "She hasn't been driving long... and she's so absentminded when she drives." "Luckily, the truck stopped short." "Was she hurt?" "No, not really." "Some contusion, but mostly a shock." "A terrible shock." "After a month in the hospital, she still isn't... quite well." "Now she wants to open a shop, no idea what for, in via Alighieri." "Besides, it really doesn't look right." "Why?" "Never mind those." "This is a hunting reservation." "My father put up those silos." "I don't see you in this work." "Didn't you study mining engineering?" "I intended to go down, but now it's up instead!" "Such is life!" "Since my father died... the responsibility for the firm is all mine." "Oh well." "Just a little..." "Almost 98." "It's normal." "I dreamt... that I was in bed and the bed moved." "I looked." "It was on quicksand... and sinking... deeper and deeper." "Looking for me?" "I was..." "I was passing by, and saw you go in." "It isn't true." "I don't want to start with a lie." "Start what?" "Nothing... to talk..." "I'm sorry that..." "I'd better use blue." "For what?" "The walls... and green for the ceiling." "They are neutral colors that shouldn't disturb." "Disturb?" "Yes, what I must sell." "The things." "What should I sell, in your opinion?" "You don't know?" "I'd like ceramics." "But, I know nothing about them." "Faenza's close by." "It's famous for its ceramics." "Right, I'll write it down." "Write what?" "To go there, to Faenza." "Good God!" "I have to make all those calls." "Did Ugo tell you about me?" "No." "That is... he said you have a child." "I knew he was married... but not to whom." "That's all?" "Yes, about the shop." "When did you get here?" "This morning." "My bags are still in the car." "Why?" "Did you find a room at the hotel?" "No, but why do you worry?" " What do you do?" " What do you mean?" "Do you live in Bologna?" "No, I live in Milan, but I was born in Trieste." "As a child, I was taken... to Bologna... then to Milan." "Now, I've... been in Bologna for some time, but, I'll have to leave." "A little complicated." "Why?" "The truth is... is that I..." "I'm not happy here or there, so, I'm leaving." "Where to?" "Do you leave the light on?" "Yes, it's better." "Today's paper!" "Are you tired?" "Giuliana, are you tired?" "Yes, always." "No, not always." "Sometimes." "Where are we going?" "I don't know." "I thought you..." "Good-bye!" "Can I drive you?" "Where are you going, now?" "I should go to Ferrara..." "Right now?" "Because now I must go home, but perhaps in the afternoon." " Are these OK?" " No, no." "I want some of those." " But they cost more." " It doesn't matter." "I prefer them because they are alive." "All right." "Some fish are extraordinary." "Down deep, some are even transparent." "Did you know?" "Don't tell me such things." "They scare me." "You can't imagine my fears!" "Do you have to love an animal to eat it?" "Yes... perhaps." "For example?" "I don't know." "A little chick... kittens, perhaps... those little, soft graceful ones?" "Come on." "Would you eat me?" "If I loved you." "Is Mario in?" "Do you expect him?" "In a while." "But, sometimes he's late." "May we wait?" "Sure." " Have a seat." " Thank you." "A little wine?" "No, thanks." "Yes, I'd like some." "Be honest." "Did Ugo tell you... about the accident?" "Yes, yes." "It wasn't serious, was it?" "You were hospitalized... for shock." "I met a girl..." "Where?" "In the hospital?" "A very sick girl... who wanted everything." "Meaning what?" "The doctor said, "You must learn to love."" ""Love someone or something..."" ""your husband, your son,"" ""a job, even a dog."" "But not husband, son, job, dog, tree, river." "Did she tell what she was feeling?" "The floor seemed to give way." "She had a feeling of sliding down an incline... of going down... of being always about to drown... with no one to help." "Not even her husband?" "Not even her husband." "And he was away." "Not even her son?" "The son... yes," "but that girl... had no children." "By the time she left the hospital, she was asking herself," ""Who am I?"" "She asked me... to tell her." "Now she's well." "Where does your husband work?" "At the Medicina radar." "Are you offering him a job?" "Yes, a well-paid one." "Where?" "If it's far away," "I'd leave things as they are." "And if it's not for long?" "Once he had to go away to a funeral." "I nearly went mad with fear." "If you wish, you could join him." "Does your wife do that?" "Do you know what we'll do?" "We'll go and talk to him in Medicina." "He won't refuse." "There he is." " Hello." " Hello." " Oh, it's you." " How are you?" "All right?" "I'm all right, and you?" "I'm fine too, thank you." "He came to see you." "Tell me, please!" "Yes?" "Who owns these things?" "The University of Bologna." "Aren't you scared?" "No, I'm used to it." "What's it for?" "They form an antenna to listen to the stars." "May I listen?" "You'd have to climb up." "You knew him and you didn't tell me?" "No, I just met him." "The other one." "He was a neighbor." "What did he say?" "Not interested, unless I dazzle him with money." "What?" "Bye, now." "What a pity!" "Plant drainage has to go somewhere." "But, there's no more fishing." "We picked up a sandwich... in Medicina, and a man..." "Do you remember?" "He complained that his eel tasted of crude oil." "I haven't been here in two years." "It's falling apart." "At times, I feel as if I had no right to be where I am." "That's why I keep moving." "Take my gloves." "I'm warm this way." "With all the shoes you have you pick these worn ones?" "Let's wait for them in the car." "We can run the heater." " Shall we?" " Let's go." "Where were you the day of Giuliana's accident?" "In London." "Why?" "Did you return?" "They said it wasn't necessary... that I could." "Did Giuliana complain about it?" "No, not at all." "Why do you ask then?" "The chimneys are smoking!" "Is the strike over?" "No idea." "I don't think so." "Are you a leftist or a rightist?" "Why do you ask?" "Are you interested in politics?" "No." "I was just wondering." "It's like asking what one believes in." "Those are big words." "The answer isn't easy." "After all... what does one believe in?" "In humanity... in a way," "in justice a little less, in progress a little more." "One believes in socialism..." "perhaps." "What matter is to act in a way one believes... right for oneself and for others." "With a clear conscience!" "Mine is at peace." "Does this answer you?" "A nice group of words!" "There they are!" " Mr. Corrado Zeller." " German?" "No." "My pedigree's clear!" "Half of my name's German, too." "It's Max." "My wife." " Nice to meet you." " The pleasure is mine, ma'am." "How are you?" "We've picked a bad spot." "It's my fault." "I knew it, so I prepared... some fish in my shack at the pier." "And that's fish from the sea." "Let's go." "Let's go." "Where's Mili?" "She'll be there." "Are you coming?" "What are you looking at?" "Come on." "You can trust me." "I know these things." "These are quail eggs." "Yeah, sure." "I should know." "I raise quails." "They contain an exciting substance." "True, an aphrodisiac." "More than fertilized eggs." "More than what?" "What are you talking about?" "Where are you from?" "Don't you know about them?" "Hatched eggs!" "There's a cure to be taken from fall to spring." "You drink them the ninth day... before the yolk turns into a chick." "I drank them... the monks gave them to me." "They had two dark spots." "I asked," ""What's that, Father?"" ""The eyes, my son."" ""Swallow without looking!"" "And you did!" "I never touched your eggs." "Milli, with or without eggs you always have bedroom eyes!" "Where's your Augusto?" " I dropped him." " Since when?" "I can't go to bed with a man who earns less than I." "Do you know this game?" "What game?" "What do you feel?" "Not much." "Do it to me!" "I'll respond better!" "Oh man, this is so good." "Don't get carried away, dear." "What is it?" "What have you there?" " Do you feel it immediately?" " Immediately, she asks..." "Eat them all!" "No, come on." "It might be bad for her." "Would you bring me one?" "You could have told us, Max!" "Be good." "You're revving up too fast anyhow." "Switch on that radio." "What do you feel?" "Nothing yet." "Too soon." "Give it a little time." "Boys, I'd hate to be wrong, but..." "I really think..." "I want to make love!" "Let's drink to that, boys!" "Come on, let's drink right now!" "Oh man, I'm sorry." " Excuse me." " Don't worry." "Look who's here!" "Excuse me, Mr. Max." "I had no idea." "Never mind, Orlando, come in." "Who's she?" "Come in, Miss, come in!" "Some gal!" "Have a drink!" "There, on the table!" "He's one of my employees." "He works in my factory." "He's like a horse... he has a new girl every other day." "He's incredible." " What's the young lady's name?" " Iole." "Iole, like my boat." "We were talking of things you like, too." "Didn't you tell me about that fat..." "What fat?" "The one some Africans use... to last longer?" "What is it?" "Oh that one." "It's nothing, just crocodile fat and spices... they apply before..." "Apply where?" "Milli, don't act dumb!" "It works for hours." "Did you hear that, Mili?" "It works for hours!" "I don't believe it." "It's true, it's true." "You have no idea what weird things men do in some countries." "For example in Jordan, I saw men eat... mutton fat and honey for breakfast." "And the Chinese eat ground rhinoceros horns!" "Shark fins are an energy booster." "Let me tell you..." "I've tried Royal Jelly." "And it works." "Right, Linda?" "What's that?" "The queen bee's honey!" "It's rejuvenating." "Remember it for your old age, Miss." "If she still wants to make love!" "Did you hear?" "What do you say?" "I like to do certain things, not talk about them." " Right!" " Why not?" "In a pinch, why not talk?" "Because you're a pig!" "It's cold in here, why?" "Aren't you cold?" "Yes, I am." " Max, where's the wood?" " It's down there." "That's not enough!" "I'll get some." "Look!" "How come?" "It might be for the fog." "It's stopping here." "Are any from South America?" "Yes." "But they're big ships, they stop at the tower-island." "I have an idea." "Why not load everything here instead of..." "Naples or Genoa?" "It's quicker and I'll save money." "They go back empty, right?" "Milli, if you're interested that guy should be horny." "He hasn't seen a woman in two months." "I liked that game, do you know any other ones?" "Lots!" "Where did you learn them?" "Just where do you think?" "You devil!" "I hate... your husband." "He's like a vulture, ready to prey on... a factory in bankruptcy or upon a lone woman." "You'll see... one day, he'll get me, too." "They are usually tankers, right?" "Not cargo ships." "Probably, but there's always a dry hold." "Here." "You know... it's true that I want to make love." "But, how can we?" "Do you want to know a secret?" "Never chase after deals." "I stand still, they're the ones going around." "I am not chasing after anything." "I go because I want to." "Because..." "I think it's good to change one's life and work." "Traveling makes sense... if one changes his entire environment." "What's the use otherwise?" "I don't quite believe it." "In two years I bought and immediately resold two lots." " This shack..." " You're selling this one too?" "Sold already to that worker of mine for small change." "I buy and sell fast!" "What are you doing?" "I'm freezing to death!" "Will you help me?" "Come on, boys, don't do that..." "Come on..." "Move the fire, it'll catch better." "No, come on..." "We're going to burn it all, yes." " Who cares?" " Take this one." "Stop, come on..." "No, come on." "You're destroying everything." "It's Orlando's..." "It's quite new." "And this one?" "It's never still, never... never, never." "I can't look at the sea for long and... not lose interest in what happened on land." "At times, I wonder... if work is worth the effort put into it." "Don't you think it's ridiculous?" "My eyes are wet, I think." "What should I use my eyes for?" "To look at what?" "You wonder what to look at." "I wonder how to live." "Same thing." "The doctor!" "He's coming for the one who screamed." "What scream?" "I don't know, someone was screaming before." "What scream?" "The ship wasn't here yet!" "What do you mean it wasn't here?" "It arrived when you were taking care of the fireplace." "You're crazy, it was here already!" "Did you hear it?" "I don't know." "Are we kidding?" "Perhaps you read it!" "Think so?" "Perhaps." "I heard it." "Let's forget about it, please." "What does it matter?" "It matters!" "Someone yelled." "Linda didn't invent it." "All right, Giuliana, you're right." "Don't say "yes" as if I were..." "Giuliana, who could have screamed?" "There's only the sea!" "Linda, why did you say "perhaps"?" "I did?" "Damn!" "No doubts, it's smallpox, cholera or leprosy!" "Don't exaggerate!" "One or two flags for epidemics?" "One." "Let's go." "Please, Ugo, let's go!" "Come on, it's probably a precaution." " A case of colic!" " Let's wait for the doctor!" "We do know him." "You know him, too." "We'll ask me how come..." "We won't ask a thing." "Where are my gloves?" "Let's go." "Let's go." "Do you have my bag?" "On the steps." "I'll get it." "Don't go!" "Forget it!" "I don't care!" "But, I have all my shots already." "I don't want you to!" "It's no risk." "I say no!" "Giuliana, come on." "Get into the car." "I'll go." "Corrado, wait." "I'll go." "Let's go." "Forgive me, Ugo." "A mistake." "Didn't you see the ship?" "First you're scared, then..." "No, I didn't see it." "All I wanted was... to drive home." "It was the fog, and I made a mistake." "I swear it, Ugo." "Why should you cry?" "That's nice!" "I'll pack." "How long will you be gone?" "Five or six days." "All right." "Mommy, how much is one plus one?" "Two, of course!" "No!" "Look." "Let's see." "Careful." "Now count!" "One!" "It's true!" "Look at that!" "While I'm away, you can ask Linda to stay over." "Why?" "So you're not alone if you wake up at night." "Yes, yes." "I'll tell her." "Better not." "Like it?" "See?" "You see... how it turns!" " Put it upright." " Yes." "Do you know why it stays up?" " There's a gyroscope in it." " What's a gyroscope?" "They put them on ships." "To steady them on rough seas." "Good-bye." "It's half the price for men and equipment." "He'll go to Buenos Aires, but that's fine." "What do you take along?" "Generators, trucks, pipes, the factory equipment..." "No, your things... your personal things." "Nothing." "Two or three bags." "If I were to leave," "I'd take everything." "All I see and have... at hand every day... even ashtrays." "But then, why leave?" "You would only... miss everything... your street, your city." "When one reads ads..." ""Cause Departure Selling"" "it seems an excuse to abandon everything... or almost." "Why?" "That shouldn't be!" "How do you know what you'll need?" "And then..." "the things, the people, will they be there when you return?" "Will they be the same?" "Perhaps..." "I won't come back." "Were I to leave not to return," "I'd take you, too." "Because... you're part of me... of what I have around." "Had Ugo looked at me the way you do, he'd have found out a lot." "About the accident?" "And the girl in the hospital?" "It was you!" "I was ashamed to admit it." "Not even Ugo knows." "The doctors promised not to tell." "I tried to kill myself." "Remember the Medicina worker?" "Yes." "He was in the hospital with me... and very sick." "Did he too... try to die?" "Him?" "No." "He must be well now." "And how are you?" "Fine." "As you see, Patagonia is near the South Pole." "We get to Buenos Aires... then we fly to Commodoro Riva Davia." "From there, in our trucks some 300 miles inland... from Cateta Olivia." "And housing?" " Who guarantees our wages?" " One at a time." "One at a time." "What?" "And the housing?" "Prefabs with every comfort." "How do we know you'll pay up to the end?" "What about guarantees?" "A deposit in a bank... or something?" "We'll discuss that, too, in a minute." "One thing at a time, be patient." "Is there a hospital?" "Yes, well-equipped and an Italian doctor, too." "He's from Turin." "When can we send for our wives?" "After a year." "But you can phone once a month." "Who pays?" "The company." "Unless you call more often..." " And the sports newspapers?" " They're available." "You'll get... all Italian newspapers... but a little late." "Is there TV?" "Yes, sure, the TV." "You're there to work, not to watch TV." "But if we have TV it's better, right?" "Do women there go bare-breasted?" "Yeah, sure, you wish." "You'd really like that, wouldn't you?" "He says he can't stand." "His legs." "What is it?" "What happened?" "What hurts?" "Here?" "Here then." "Here?" "Does that hurt?" "I don't feel it." "You don't feel it?" "If I do this?" "I know." "You don't want to go to kindergarten." "Look, how pretty!" "Come see the nice ship!" "It's so big... all white." "Come..." "Come..." "Love..." "If you don't say what hurts, what can I do?" "Tell me..." "what hurts?" "Madam, let me try to pick him up." "Yes, try it." "Here." "Oh my God, you can't stand." "Love, please tell me." "How else can I help?" "Hold him up." "It's not possible." "Come here." "Love, how did it start?" "Tell me." "You woke up this way?" "Or was it last night?" "Tell me, love." "A thermometer." "Did he get his fourth polio shot?" "Sure, the doctor said so." "Then why 24 hours for the diagnosis?" "I won't wait." "I can't wait that long." "I'll call another doctor." "I'm tired of this game." "Draw me a new picture." "Why don't you tell me a story?" "I've told you all those I know." "Why not yesterday's?" "Which one?" "About the kite." "Why not rest a little?" "I'll tell it later." "Once there was a girl on an island." "She was bored with grownups, who scared her." "She didn't like boys, all pretending to be grownups." "So, she was always alone," "among the cormorants, the seagulls... and wild rabbits." "She had found a little isolated beach... where the sea was transparent... and the sand pink." "She loved that spot." "Nature's colors were so lovely, and there was no sound." "She left... when the sun went down." "One morning... a boat appeared." "Not one of the usual boats, a real sailing ship... one of those that braved the seas and the storms of this world." "And, who knows..." "of other worlds." "From afar, it looked splendid." "As it approached, it became mysterious." "She saw no one aboard." "It stopped a while... then veered... and sailed away... silently, just as it had come." "She was used to people's strange ways... and was not surprised." "But, no sooner back on shore..." "there!" "All right for one mystery, but not two!" "Who was singing?" "The beach was deserted." "But the voice was there..." "Now near." "Now far." "Then it seemed to come from the sea," "an inlet among the rocks, many rocks that... she had never realized, looked like flesh." "And the voice... at that point... was so sweet." "Who was singing?" "Everybody." "Everything." "Miss." "Miss." "Miss." "The magazines." "But, then..." "Why... did you tell me..." "What's his room number?" "Pardon?" "Whose?" "What do you mean "whose"?" "Don't you remember the name?" "The name?" "The name..." "The name, I don't..." "Corrado." "The engineer, Mr. Zeller?" "Room 309." "First register, please!" "Your son?" "He's fine." "He doesn't need me." "I need him." "What is it?" "Everything hurts..." "my hair, my eyes, my throat, my mouth..." "Am I shaking?" "A little." "Perhaps it's the cold." "Yes, I'm cold." "So cold." "I'm cold." "You don't love me, do you?" "Why do you ask?" "I don't really know." "I never get enough." "Why do I always need other people?" "I must be stupid." "That's why I don't make it." "I'd like... all the people who ever loved me... here, around me... like a wall." "Giuliana, tell me what happened." "Nothing." "Just think... nothing!" "I'm not well." "I'll never get well." "Never." "You think about it too much." "It's a sickness like any other." "We all suffer from it... more or less." "We all need help." "Who knows whether... somewhere in this world one could be better off." "Perhaps nowhere." "You may be right." "It's go, go, go, only to end up back where we started." "It's happening to me." "I'm just as I was six years ago." "Yet, I don't know... if this makes me want to leave or stay." "When are you leaving?" "I don't know." " What are you looking at?" " There." "At times, I'd like to assault someone." "What's so bad about that?" "At times, I too..." "Help me." "Help me, please." "I'm afraid I won't make it." "I'm scared." "Calm down." "What are you scared of?" "Of the streets, of factories, of colors, of people, of everything." "Giuliana, what are you planning to do?" "Nothing." "It's absurd." "Don't worry about me." "Everybody does..." "The doctors keep talking about me!" "But I feel sick... when I'm left alone." "I can't take it any more!" "I've done everything... to "readjust to reality"... as they say in the hospital." "It's seems I've succeeded, as I've... even managed... to be an unfaithful wife." "Don't think that, Giuliana." "Sure, just don't think." "Fine solution!" "There's something terrible about reality... and I don't know what." "Nobody tells me." "You haven't helped me either, Corrado." "Excuse me... tell me..." "I didn't want to." "Does this ship take passengers?" "No, I really haven't decided yet." "I can't decide." "I'm not a single woman." "But, at times," "I feel..." "separated." "Not from my husband, no." "The bodies... are... separated." "If you pinch me, you don't suffer." "What was I saying?" "Oh, yes." "I have been sick, but..." "I must not think of it." "That is..." "I have to think... that all that happens to me... is my life." "That's it!" "I'm sorry." "Forgive me." "Valerio!" "Let's go, Valerio." " Why is it doing that?" " I don't know." "Watch out." "Why is that smoke yellow?" "Because it's poisonous." "Then, if a little bird flies through there, it dies!" "By now the little birds know." "They don't fly through there any more." "Let's go."