Original subtitles

Where are you going?

The toothache's killing me.

I'm taking the first truck to Abrazee.

It's all reloaded.

We have to strike camp first.

We're supposed to be moving in a convoy altogether.

Not me.

I'm leaving now.

I'll see you tomorrow.

With no echo to pull?

If the rebels catch you, you'll need more than a dentist.

I must have blamed myself a thousand times for not putting up a big enough

to keep him from taking off like that.

On the other hand, there wasn't much else I could do.

Because there's no way you can force a superior officer to use common sense.

And first, Lieutenant Enrico Silvestri was just that one notch above me.

And second, there's no reasoning with a toothache.

You better hope for an absence, Lieutenant.

You got all the parts in there. The paint died down.

Anyway, that's what they say.

That makes you feel better.

How offended are you, sir?

Watch it!

What do you say?

You really think the war's coming to an end?

That's what they say.

That lieutenant's the best we've got.

Fucking disaster, Lieutenant.

He kept crawling in my ear. I got distracted and went off the road.

Lieutenant, what happened to him?

Nothing. He couldn't wait.

His toothache was killing him. He said he'd walk as far as the construction

site. Walk?

It'll take him two hours.

He said he was sure he'd find a doctor there. Then hitch a ride to the base

at Abrazebit.

Sergeant, let's get this thing out of here.

Let's go.

Let's go.

Come on. Everybody off the track.

and went off the road.

We lost control?

Look, you've already told me this story three times.

Do you know how to write?

Yes, sir.

Then write me up a full report.

Can you manage that?

Yes, sir, Lieutenant.

Well,

get to it.

Yes, sir.

What time did Lieutenant Silvestri get here?

Wasn't he with you?

He left six hours ahead of us.

Are you sure he's not anywhere around?

The captain was just in here looking for him, not more than ten minutes ago.

Something about a path he could inform.

If anybody wants me, I'll be in the mess hall.

Is the captain there?

Yes, sir. He should be in the mess hall.

At ease.

Don't bother to get up.

Ever.

Flaring beauty.

Announces the birth of the day.

Crows and stray dogs scrounge for the last bits of garbage.

Garbage? No, that sounds terrible.

Just describe what you see.

What do you see?

the construction site?

We were up until just the day before yesterday, yeah. We got a squad out

checking the lines, but they didn't find the break yet.

Sorry, Lieutenant.

Want some coffee?

Those barracks over there.

Loss where?

How do you do?

Nothing. Well, are you my first victim today?

Open your mouth.

Wider. Is it going to hurt?

I wouldn't want to be in your shoes.

Open up.

Jesus.

What's wrong?

The cigar.

She don't mind.

What did you let yourself in for?

What did you let yourself in for?

That road.

What a nightmare.

The landscape

out here is indifferent.

It's got nothing to do with us. It doesn't even know we exist.

This dream of Africa.

What was it?

A huge space to fill with our dreams of grandeur. And what have we filled?

Nothing. If anything, it's Africa that filled almost 100 pages of my diary.

How long can a person live with a bullet in their

gut?

Chemical wounds are the worst from what I hear, but I wouldn't know I'm an

architect.

Why?

Watch it!

The main thing is we're only one piece.

At

least,

is your toothache gone? No.

I'm leaving.

What do you mean you're leaving?

I'll walk to the construction site, find a doctor and a truck.

No, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

The convoy will be passing any moment now.

Lieutenant, you mean you're leaving me here all alone?

Want it? Yeah.

The doctor wasn't there.

The medic on duty said the truck to headquarters had already left.

The best he could do was give me a box of painkillers.

So I downed a couple of pills and started back to the highway.

I was hoping I might just catch some kind of transport.

Lieutenant, are you trying to go to Aberystwyth?

Yes.

There's a shortcut that would take you right to division headquarters at Abra

Zebed.

There's no point in going back to the main road.

It would make much better time taking the shortcut.

The shortcut?

This way.

What you do is take this path down to the stream.

Keep going upstream till you reach the lake.

You'll find a road there that'll take you to division headquarters.

A couple of hours at the most.

I got it.

Ah!

Cigarette?

Thank you.

Good luck, Lieutenant.

I kept wondering why he wished me good luck like that.

I mean, all I had to do was stay on the path and I'd get there.

He was a strange guy.

He didn't look like a laborer.

He was more like a student.

Very middle class.

What do you mean?

I'm not sure.

Something about his face.

His eyes.

Anyway, the pain had calmed down a little.

Want to smoke?

No? All right.

Something else.

I know you're hungry, so I have something for you to eat. This is yum,

good.

Go ahead.

Huh?

Yeah, I think you're right.

Something more spiritual.

Bible.

This is, uh... It's Bible.

Yeah. You like that?

Good.

Put these on.

You want it?

Yeah.

No, you cannot have that. That's mine.

No.

Watch.

Yeah.

It doesn't keep time.

She was very happy.

Mariam. They're all called Mariam around here, but this Mariam was really

special.

When I was buckling the watch around her wrist, she kept staring at me.

I had this queasy feeling I was putting on a wedding ring.

I figured if she really didn't want anything else, I might as well leave.

Afterwards, I fell asleep.

My toothache was finally a distant memory.

A lot of things became distant.

Too bad we can't get a little conversation going here.

It's about all that's missing.

Lake.

Damn it.

The road. I have to find the road to the lake. Find my camp.

All right.

Hargaz! Hargaz!

Good. Where is Hargaz?

Where is it?

I finally found the lake, but the sun was already going down.

She died a little before dawn.

Were the shots heard by anyone?

No.

I picked her up, laid her on her toga.

I pulled the four corners of the toga together and tied them into a knot.

Then I carried her over to the rocks.

I found a narrow crevice.

It was very tight, but just wide enough that I could load her into.

Then I gathered some stones.

Just when I was about to drop them on her, I remembered the wristwatch I gave

her.

So I stuck my arm down into the crevice, but I could barely feel her arm under

the cloth. She was so far down.

Finally, I got the watch unbuckled so I could pull it off her and put it in my

pocket.

And then I filled in the crevice with rocks.

That way not even a fucking hyenas could get to her.

I went to the scene of the accident, put out the fire, scattered the ashes,

gathered the empty cartridges.

I poured dirt over any traces of blood. I didn't leave a trace of us anywhere.

Anywhere.

I went to the creek.

And I washed the blood off my hands and out of my shirt. And I remember I...

I wanted to scream. I wanted to plant my eyes.

And then I left.

I didn't get very far.

But before I heard this mournful sound, like some

primitive violin playing.

I couldn't tell if it was a religious procession or a picnic.

All I could think of was that they were Martians people.

And that's all?

Yes.

That's the whole story?

Yes, goddamn it! I told you everything! Why can't you listen?

Well, reporting all this won't bring the girl back to life.

It would be the usual investigation.

All very official, very formal, but basically a sham.

And your acquittal would be a foregone conclusion.

In other words, a confession would achieve absolutely nothing.

Except maybe a postponement of the leave you've been waiting six months for.

Mail call, sirs.

Your wife?

Assembly.

Gentlemen, the construction site was overrun last night. Oh, God.

Yes, the whole area was supposed to be secure.

The squad checking the lines ran into a survivor just after dawn. And by the

way, they found the lines cut in four different places.

The company's formed ranks, Captain.

Good. Now, a native Zapier battalion from headquarters south has moved out to

start combing the area from here to this point here.

And let's hope those killers leave the villages alone.

Anyway,

they should re -secure the site sometime this afternoon.

And there's a unit of light armor from the 6th on the way.

Since our own men were down there...

I have obtained special authorization to send our battalion down as well.

Gentlemen, I want to get there first.

It's the men on the bridge. Yes, sir. And see if you can get the telegraph

working again. Right away, sir.

Yankee, take your squad and secure the top of the bridge.

Let's go.

Keep moving.

Lieutenant, look!

Deserters probably killed him in the mop -up.

No.

Who are you?

A Christian.

What is your name?

Johannes.

Robin.

It's all right.

Don't be afraid.

No.

You can keep them.

What's your name?

Elias.

Elias.

Platon, fall in. Move it.

In line.

Mark!

Sorry, I'm late Kevin

Bon

Appetit

A little applause, everyone.

Benny.

Your leave.

Congratulations. What happened to your hand? I haven't seen it from you,

huh? Here it is. And that's the wine. Yes.

Oh,

my son of wine.

Salute.

To a hell of a good leave.

Well,

which one is it good morning or good evening Jesus

she

was she was pretty

I think that you, you would have behaved differently with her.

Who knows?

Look, she would have got killed in the reprisal anyway.

You're not listening to me. I'm not talking about afterwards. I'm talking

first saw her.

Who taught you to salute with your back turned to a superior officer?

We were just celebrating, sir.

My orders for a furlough just came through and we were having a few drinks.

A fellow, you say?

Yes, sir. And once I'm back in Italy, I assume I'll be discharged.

Ah, you assume.

Alcoholic beverages?

Not really, sir.

Just Marsala Luogo.

I want immediate, straightforward, no bullshit answer out of you.

Both of you.

Otherwise, I'll put you up for charges.

French cognac or Italian grappa?

Come on!

Have a seat!

Smoke? Thank you, sir.

Thank you, Major.

Cecilia Marsala.

Marsala with egg? What kind of shit is that?

You ought to be ashamed of yourself.

Come on.

How about it?

Drink up.

Cheers. Cheers. Now, what's this about a furlough?

You mean you really want to go home?

How do you like this French cognac?

It's very special.

Our furlough is the battle. Who said that?

Now, who?

I said it. One of my favorite Maxims.

War is the catapult launching us into legend.

Bravo. To hell with all that wash the dishes, wipe your ass family bullshit.

You're married?

I'm not. He is.

I feel sorry for you.

I'll pack some wine, sir.

Wings, daddy. Give me wings. I'll give you my soul.

He's insane.

Insane.

Crazy. Mad.

A report.

A report.

I assume you're familiar with Nietzsche.

Not personally.

You slut.

You know those girls?

Yes.

Shall I ask them if they have a house to take us to?

No.

All this drinks made me tired.

I need sleep.

Enrico, Enrico, Enrico, Enrico.

There he goes.

Let him go.

It's not funny, Major.

You knew about those girls.

What?

Leprosy.

Come on.

Did you really think two angel pies like that would let you pick them up if they

didn't have leprosy?

Come on. Laugh, damn it. You learned something for a change.

Those two girls never leave that church.

Forty years from now, they'll still be there.

What if somebody didn't know?

Could they catch it?

A couple of assholes like you, sure.

But that's not likely to happen.

Everybody can tell what they are.

See the white turbans they got?

It's a sign.

Nobody ever goes too close to them.

Stick no dick in a white turban. Another maxim.

Come on!

We'll get some!

Enrico!

Who's there?

Mariam.

Sister?

Your sister?

Sister sick?

I don't know.

Yes, you do!

Why does she wear a white turban?

You know all right.

Mariam does not live in blood anymore.

Because she's sick! She's sick!

Isn't that it?

That tall, bald man is your father, isn't he?

You're a lucky man going on furlough, Lieutenant.

Yeah?

And once you're back in Italy, you'll be discharged, right?

You're sailing today?

Stop Jesus

How do you have them home?

That's what happens from going around barefoot.

It's not true they're used to it. It's healthy for them.

Come on in, out of the heat.

Anyway, they're better off medicating themselves with their roots and herbs.

And with our fancy preparations.

Sit down, sit down.

I had in mind a novel about a man who comes to Africa and...

It becomes infected with a mysterious disease.

Maybe I will have some of that ice cream.

Oh, please, help yourself.

Africa had been described to him as the land of rogue deeds.

But instead,

all he finds is death.

Delicious.

I was thinking maybe you could give me some suggestions for this particular

character's disease.

Tropical disease.

For example, something like leprosy.

Why not?

In my opinion, the character probably caught it while he slept in the bed of a

native leper man.

Something like that happen?

Why doesn't your character simply go to bed with a native woman?

No. What you have to realize is that it takes from 10 to 20 years for leprosy to

show up in the human body.

I didn't know that.

Of course, there are recorded cases where the infection occurred rapidly.

Sometimes in a matter of days.

Let me show you something.

Now then.

Infection occurs through mucus from the nasal passages, saliva, and direct

contact between the infected source of the subject or through a cut or an open

wound.

The disease attacks the neural nerve endings, the muscles, the eyes, but also

the internal organs such as the liver, the adrenal glands, the testicles, and

the lower limbs.

Your character will be able to tell if he has leprosy by soles that don't heal,

by the formation of nodules, and by the swelling of corresponding glands.

At any rate, he'll be a long time dying.

The disease eats away the body very, very slowly.

Lepros tend to live long lives, you know.

He'd be interned somewhere, be checked on periodically by the police.

Doctors are required by law to report all cases of Penson's disease.

But there is no way in the world your character could avoid being sent to a

leper colony.

Do you have any idea what a leper colony in this promised land of ours would be

like?

Tell you what, you can have this. I don't need it.

Here.

It's just a scratch.

I was in an accident.

That road on the Madison Plateau, truck turned over.

Driver wasn't thinking. He kept looking at me.

I always said the driver training programs here are inadequate. That

in your novel, what will he do?

Will he retire to a leper colony?

Does he have a family in Italy?

He has a wife.

Oh, then he probably wanted to go back to her.

Yes. Now, that's where the plot gets desperate.

Right. Your hero runs back to his wife.

She takes him in. Right. She hides him. Yes. She nurses him. Yeah, yeah. A

realistic odyssey. Realistic odyssey.

But more.

Exactly.

Good.

Best novels are always a bit subversive.

Do you think anyone will publish it?

I don't know.

Well, then, good luck.

Shall we have a look at that ham?

No, it's getting late, and I have to get back to camp.

My driver's probably waiting for me. Where the hell's my driver? No, I want

see that ham.

Suppose I have to wash my own ham.

Just be well.

Well, say hello to our lovable, but stupid Italy for me.

You didn't tell me your name, did you?

Mine's Tiberi.

The sanctus.

Excuse me a second, the sanctus.

I've got the telephone supplies about the water.

They're three days behind in their delivery.

Operator?

It's urgent.

I thought you were just one of the troops. I'm sure the ship doesn't sail

three hours from now.

I'm sorry, but nobody's allowed on board until then.

I'm on furlough. Here are my papers.

Yes, I'm sure they're in order. Only no one is allowed on board.

Take that back.

You're not in order.

It has to be stamped.

Stamped by whom?

The embarkation commander.

At the entrance to the pier where you came in.

Get your papers stamped and come back in a couple of hours.

At the entrance to the pier.

Without that stamp, Lieutenant, you won't be allowed to leave.

From Italy.

Nice and cool.

Something to eat?

No, no thank you.

Why you no drink?

Listen, listen, I gotta get on a ship.

I gotta get on a ship for Italy.

Your ship just left.

Yeah, yeah, I know, but you gotta help me. You gotta help me.

Stow away?

Yeah, stow away.

Five days.

You'll get plenty money. How much?

30 ,000 lira.

How much? 30 ,000 lira. Oh, Christ, 30 ,000?

You got the 1 ,000 lira?

Listen, couldn't I pay you when I get to Italy?

Pay you more when I get to Italy.

No.

I love you, Jenna.

I love you, Jenna.

Come on, Jenna.

Look who's here!

What are you doing here?

I missed the ship.

What did I tell you?

Your destiny is here, not Italy.

Ulysses, stay behind with us.

At home you'll find nothing but disillusionment.

By the way, what happened to you the other night?

Oh, sorry.

Did I hurt you?

No. That didn't hurt.

Excuse me a minute.

I have a little business to take care of.

Be right back.

Do the first and pleasure wonderful view

I got a little surprise for you.

My name is Scissor.

What's yours?

Anyway, next week, I'll be back here. Same thing.

Right.

Major?

Call me Scissor.

What's the matter?

Don't you feel up to it today?

Too many flies.

Look at me.

You're not offended, are you?

Me pay. Get it?

I'm heading back to camp this afternoon.

I'll be back on Friday.

Used to be around.

Yeah.

My ship doesn't leave for five days.

Would you mind if I went with you?

This place is really beginning to make me sick. Uh -huh.

Now you're talking sense.

Bravo.

You can help with the driving.

Have a few laughs on the way.

Yeah. Have a few laughs.

Shh.

She's sleeping.

Here we are in all this vastness.

Coward two are revered by the blacks.

And yet, how many are still having a hard time with each other?

There's this clown I know back home.

Accountant at the Farmer's Union.

750 a month.

Works 10 hours a day.

Every Sunday an excursion to the Madonna del Rosito.

Packs a lunch.

Wife, kids, father -in -law.

And the sister -in -law, 37 years old.

Unmarried.

You know who the man is I just told you about?

He was talking about himself.

But it could have been me.

Only, unlike him, I wanted to return to that life he despised.

To that little landscape hugging the side of my house. I wanted to be with my

wife, who would care for me and protect me.

You're sitting there thinking little Caesar let off a little steam. Probably

feels pretty good by now.

Wrong. I feel more depressed than before.

Filthy bastards are coming down all to the hills after all.

prodigally shitty in my pants.

But not because I'm scared of those bandits.

Just that I'm regular as a clock.

What do you want to bet? It's exactly 1530.

Huh?

Time is it?

It's, uh, 1530.

What did I tell you?

Can you see those bandits yet? No.

Hey, mission completed.

Hey, what are you doing?

This is the end of the road for me.

I'm gonna walk back.

You gotta be kidding.

Thanks for everything.

If this is your idea of a joke, Lieutenant, I order you to come back

here immediately.

I'm not joking, Major.

Fuck you.

And fuck off.

There's a lot of money.

You took it.

Yeah, I took it.

And I'm keeping it.

As soon as I get to Italy, I'll give it back to you.

It's unloaded.

You're a fucking crook.

I'm going to report you. No, you won't.

You won't report me because I charge you with stealing from the fucking army.

You're insane.

You ought to have your head examined.

You're an anti -fascist. I had you figured.

Now get out of here.

No, endings are frequently deadened, leading to loss of sensation,

wounds or decaying tissue provoking no pain whatsoever.

Come here!

Johannes.

I'm tired.

I need rest.

I will stop here.

Take that money.

I'm staying here, and you won't tell anyone about it.

I'm talking to you.

Are you deaf?

Oh.

Thank you.

I can't believe it.

You must think.

Where have you been?

That was Mariam's cabin, wasn't it?

It is your cabin now, if you want it.

No. No,

I want to stay with you. I want to stay where you stay.

Don't ever leave me again, Doha!

to the soul!

Because Mariam had... Don't you... Don't you understand? I'm sick!

Mariam was not sick.

I want to tell you how Mariam died.

I told him how fate had used me to fulfill an inscrutable design.

And what happened afterwards.

All the horror I dared not recall until then.

Horror kept locked up behind the memories of Mariam's sweet face.

The Prime Minister has sent the following directive to the commander of

forces staying behind to maintain law and order.

Once Addis Abeba is completely occupied, Your Excellency will issue public

orders to the effect that 1.

Anyone found bearing arms within the city limits shall be summarily shot.

2. All so -called young Ethiopians caught looting or attacking Italian

property ...shall be summarily shot.

3. Anyone caught switching partners, alone in the North, or virtual violence

against a person in the North, shall be summarily shot.

4. All those who have been 24 hours...

I was certain they'd set me down in front of some firing squad.

But instead, nothing happened.

No one had even been looking for me.

Probably everybody was too excited about going home to even worry about you.

Maybe, but I couldn't help wondering if everything I told you wasn't some

bizarre dream.

There's one thing, though, I know is real.

All healed.

What was that?

Lifeboat drill. We're supposed to put on our jackets.

Lifeboat drill.

Jolly.

I lost sight of him for the rest of the voyage.

Didn't even catch a glimpse of him when we disembarked in Brindisi.

Though, to be honest, I didn't try very hard. I would have had to tell him that

the Major was killed that day on the plateau.

The rebels ambushed him.

Poor devil.

Couldn't even defend himself.

because his gun was empty.

I never saw Enrico again, but for years I could smell the hair lotion he used.

It was sweet and clawing like flowers in a cemetery.

Until at last, I stopped blaming myself for not having outwitted a toothache.

We all thought the killing time was over, that we were going to turn our

into tractors and get back to raving our families.

But it didn't turn out that way.