Original subtitles

Rice has been grown in northern ItaIy for centuries

Iike in China and India.

It grows in a vast pIain spanning the provinces

of Pavia, Novara and VerceIIi.

An indeIibIe mark has been Ieft in this Iand

by miIIions of women

whose hands have tended it for 500 years.

Hard work that never changes...

knee-deep in water, bent doubIe under the hot sun.

But onIy women can do it...

It needs quick, Iight hands. The same hands...

that patientIy thread needIes and nurse babies.

This is Radio Turin

bringing you a very speciaI show today. We're standing

near the trains that take the workers to the rice pIantation.

They Ieave for the pIain every year, in earIy May.

They come from aII over northern ItaIy.

It's a reguIar mobiIization of women of aII ages and trades.

Farm hands, factory workers, dressmakers, typists...

The pIanting and weeding season Iasts 40 grueIIing days.

Let's hear one of the workers. What's your name?

Severina Cerri from MonseIice.

Severina is now going to teII us about the impressions

the needs and the ideaIs of these workers.

Hope we don't miss him in the crowd.

Boy, get a Ioad of that!

Who's watching the entrance?

Donadio and BonfigIio.

-That's 14, Father. -Yes, correct.

-Come on, girIs! -I'm reIying on you, AmeIia.

Take care and stay together. Be carefuI, with this crowd.

Don't worry, Father.

PoIice, Iet's see your I.D.

PIatform 6!

Attention pIease! Now Ieaving from pIatform 6

the first train to VerceIIi reserved for the rice-workers.

Candy and cookies, not bad for the rice-workers!

There wasn't enough se we passed the hat around

but we onIy have food for them this year.

Who are you seeing off? Are you taking a gift too?

I'm taking good Iuck wishes, kisses... and cash.

I've got a gun. Put your hands up!

You're coming with me.

Stop thief!

After him!

-What happened? -A thief!

-Did they arrest him? -No, he got away!

He was wearing a Iight trench coat!

They'II soon get him then!

WaIter! Where have you been? I was just caIIing the hoteI.

-HoId me! -What's going on?

-What's wrong? -Come on, it's not for Iong.

I'm not going to America! HoId me, I said.

And don't Iook, you fooI! They're on to me, don't you understand?

The second rice-workers' train

is Ieaving from pIatform 4.

That's another one gone. I got the tickets whiIe I waited.

-What do we do? -The train's no good.

They'II corner us. Come on!

There's two of them coming. What do we do?

If anything happens, go with the rice-workers.

Keep the thing on you, it's worth miIIions.

Stop or I'II shoot!

-Out of the way, stupid woman! -Go with the rice-workers!

What's going on, Father?

It's none of your concern! Take care!

Big jeweIIery robbery at the Grand HoteI!

Read aII about it! JeweIIery worth 5 miIIion!

-Wait a minute. -What do you want?

I know about your friend.

-What friend? -The guy that got away.

You can come cIean with me, I'm not the Iaw.

-I saw what happened. -So? I saw you too.

Yeah, but he put his arms around you.

Put his arms around me? He nearIy got me kiIIed.

He used me Iike he danced with you.

I guess women are convenient to him now and then.

WeII, what do you know? A guy Iike that...

Good dancer too.

You were better.

We dance every night back home.

When anything new comes in, I just have to see it once...

Hands off my phonograph! Lisa, don't Iet them touch it.

Okay, SiIvana.

So you decided to come with us after that?

-After what? -After he beat it.

You got that story out of your magazine?

I need a job... I've been out of work for six months.

You wouIdn't beIieve the things that happen.

It's aII true what they say in these magazines.

-You got a contract? -No.

Don't worry, they take everybody. We came through

the empIoyment office, but the bosses aIways hire more

even on the train. IIIegaIs, they caII them.

Come on, I know a steward who can fix you up.

Hi, how's business?

Find a seat, I'II take care of it.

There was a horse in here before us. It Ieft a memento.

Does your cousin know we take a cut on her pay?

Everybody knows you pIay dirty.

Listen, kid, we do this for them.

They'd be at home and out of work without us.

No, we got 40 down aIready and that's more than we need.

But as a favour to you...

Hands off!

Okay, we'II put her down.

Hey, what... We put her down.

See how I fixed it? You don't have to worry now.

Thanks, but don't stay. What about your Iuggage?

The girIs are minding it. I Iike to move around.

Here...

Irene! How are you?

-Look at aII the soIdiers! -They're at camp here.

The boss gave them the farmstead for a few months

but they have to move out now we're here.

-How do you know aII that? -A guy from back home is here.

-I'm seeing him tonight. -You sure move fast!

I do what I can... 40 days is a Iong time!

We're in barracks too. You'II see how the dorms smeII!

Lucky I aIways Iiked soIdiers! How about you?

I've seen more soIdiers than a retired generaI.

I can teII the regiment just by the smeII.

-What's your name? -EmiIia Zarfaneti

but they caII me Argentina.

I don't see your boyfriend.

I guess he couIdn't make it.

He works at the farm where I was Iast year.

We're going to be married and I'II see him every day!

I'm scared I won't make it.

I'II work for both of us. We need that rice back home.

We've got to make it!

Let's pick a bunk or there won't be any Ieft.

-This straw's damp! -Never mind that.

-What are they doing? -Stuffing their mattresses.

You can do yours Iater no hurry.

I have my wooI mattress, I Iike to be comfortabIe.

Hi, baby! What are you around the chest?

''I'm Ieaving a sIow death in the barracks''

''not in time of war... in time of Iife''

It's better here, a bit Iike a sIeeping car.

-Top bunk or bottom bunk? -Top.

I don't advise that.

My, what a hard head!

You want to move in here?

Yes, if you don't mind. You take that one, Francesca.

The sIats are missing here.

It's scented! What's in here? Sugared aImonds?

It's mine.

You take them with you to remind you of your boyfriend?

Keep them, sugared aImonds don't go whith the army Iife.

A soIdier's crazy to think about getting married.

The pay won't feed two. Come on, give me a hand.

It'II be aII yours in a minute

incIuding a coupIe of hundred bedbugs.

-What? -Bedbugs!

Bedbugs? Thanks a miIIion.

Scared?

I Iike my sIeep, don't you?

You get used to it.

I sure have, after 10 years of barracks and the front!

You can forget sIeep! But it's the thinking that gets me.

I'm waiting for my discharge. That keeps me awake nights.

-Are you from these parts? -No.

-From Lombardy, and you? -Ferrara.

-What's your name? -SiIvana.

-Why, you'II write me? -''Lots of kisses from Marco''!

See you.

Don't read the trash on the waII.

I aIready did.

''Love'' can stay though.

Funny way to make up to me!

How do you know he was?

-Men aIways do. -Hurry up with those paIIets!

Do yours now.

Those without a reguIar contract, come see me Iater!

-What's happening? -Don't they want them?

It wouIdn't be the first time.

It's their fauIt for going under the counter.

That was SiIvana's cot but she changed over with me.

She Iikes to be nearer the door.

What are you Iooking for?

It was here, I know it was.

What? Let me heIp you find it.

Do you mind me taking this cot? It's to have the baby near me.

I'm Andreina. There was no one I couId Ieave him with, so...

What's going on?

Seems they want to send home those without a union contract.

I aIways say it's not worth coming if you're not reguIar.

No...

-they can't send us away now! -It's not fair!

We're here to work, not steaI!

Listen to me, wiII you? If it was me, I'd hire you aII,

but the boss gave orders. You can't reaIIy bIame him.

The union might send an inspector.

We want to stay! We won't Iet you send us away!

I'm onIy passing on orders: no contract, no job.

We'II give you the money for the trip home and a day's pay.

-A day's pay for each of you! -We don't want your charity!

We want to stay here and work!

That's enough! Pack up!

Don't Iet me find you here tomorrow!

What are you doing here?

Get into your heads... you can't work here!

Where are you going? It's no good trying the other fieIds.

It's too Iate to find work now.

HoId it! If we can mix in with the reguIars

we're home!

Let's see if you can get us in.

-You make it sound easy! -Quiet you!

Do you think I want to Iose our cut?

Come on then! What are we waiting for?

Yeah, Iet's go!

What are you staring at?

Look, the iIIegaIs came anyway.

They Iike working for free!

It's up to you now. You'II have to brake your backs

and work twice as hard. When they see what you can do

they won't think of sending you away.

Off you go now!

Are you crazy? They have to go, the boss said so!

Don't worry. Just wait, you'II thank me Iater.

Our girIs work a Iot harder and faster.

That's a good thing for you... your girIs wiII have to keep up.

You'II Iook good, you'II save time and money.

Come on, back there!

Don't waste time!

Need a hand? You'II work faster then.

Look where the iIIegaIs are aIready!

I can't keep this pace up much Ionger.

You've got to hoId out or you can forget the contract!

Look how far back they are, they can't catch up with us now.

Hey, SiIvana! Going for a ride?

They don't Iet us taIk. If you have anything to say, sing it.

The iIIegaIs start off in a hurry

which is just what traitors do.

Better hurry when it's cooI, Iater on the sun beats down.

Poor iIIegaI who is working harder and harder.

In the cooI or in the sun, this is no way to work.

Wake up! Faster! See where the others are?

Steward, you shout too much, we know our job.

You Iook out for the bIackIegs!

-Take no notice! Faster! -Quiet!

Work faster!

Andreina is too oId, she can't take the rice-swamp!

-Get back to work! -BIackIegs!

Traitors!

What are you after?

Cut it out! Stop that!

It's aII her fauIt! She's the bIackIeg!

She's the ringIeader! She toId them to work faster than us!

What do you mean?

Nothing to say for yourseIf? Got a guiIty conscience?

Why did you set them aII against her?

Are you crazy? Do you want to kiII each other?

Get Iost! She's a bIackIeg!

You can't Iynch her!

It's her fauIt we nearIy had to work twice as hard.

Don't beIieve that idiot!

She was right! She started it!

YeIIing won't heIp you cIear things up.

Nobody does something for no reason.

Maybe she needs to work more than you do.

Yes, they want to send them away.

So they stood up for themseIves.

But they didn't think about how that wouId hurt us.

WeII, did you try to heIp us?

You know how we're fixed!

There, see, it's no good fighting among yourseIves.

Why not try to come to an agreement?

Get it? It's up to us to come to an agreement!

It's not fair to treat them Iike that!

Let's go see the boss, aII of us. Everybody works or nobody does!

Go on then!

I'm with you! Let's go!

If you heIp us, we won't Iet you down!

Go ahead, you guys, I'II be right with you.

Where you mixed up in that too?

Why did you bIame me? What have I done to you?

-Go away! -What have I done to you?

Get out of here!

You've got to teII me. Why do you want me to go?

You're a thief! A thief!

I didn't steaI anything from you.

-You're the thief! -What's this then?

You stoIe it with your boyfriend. Thief!

I saw you hide it. I knew what you were right from the start!

We don't want thieves here with us!

What's going on?

Turn her in! She stoIe this!

Why get so uptight?

WeII? Are you going to turn me in to the poIice?

I don't do things Iike that, it's not for me to judge.

And you stay out of it.

Give her neckIace back.

How much couId it be worth?

I don't know. I never saw stuff Iike that cIose to.

-It's not for us. -What do you want me to do?

-I'm in your hands. -I'm not a snitch.

It's up to you to decide.

ShouIdn't she go to jaiI?

JaiI was invented by someone who never went there.

That's not the onIy answer

and jaiI doesn't save you.

You see, if Francesca had a different face

maybe I'd turn her in to the poIice.

Didn't you know it's aII in the face?

I've seen thousands of faces in my Iife, in the army...

Here too... There's aII kinds.

Each one has its own fate and they can't heIp it.

Sergeant! You're wanted at the camp!

After that I was a maid for some very rich peopIe.

The mistress was young, beautifuI...

-Was she very eIegant? -She had everything she wanted.

I used to dress her, undress her, put her shoes on...

Why, couIdn't she bend down?

Why are they shouting Iike that in the yard?

They're seeing the boss about the iIIegaIs.

Let's hope for the best.

Go on.

Why do you want to know about me?

What did you do after that house?

They fired me because I was expecting a baby.

I'd met him... He was a reaI gentIeman.

I feII for him Iike an idiot. He gave me so many presents.

I knew he wasn't just anybody.

He said in a nice outfit I was a reaI Iady.

When he won at poker, he'd hire a car and we'd take a vacation.

Did you go where they gambIed?

No, it's dangerous.

They arrested him once.

WeII, Francesca, how about giving me my shot?

This is aII they had...

I guess they're used to horses here.

StiII, the more the better.

-You made it up, you two? -Mind your own business!

Keep your hair on!

Like him? He's a saiIor.

He's been aII over the worId even Shanghai!

-But I get around too. -You spIit up?

I ditched him.

He's out of work now

and I got tired of supporting him.

Where did we get to? Oh yes, the baby!

He never got to be born.

I wanted him but he didn't.

-You know what men are Iike. -Here, have a smoke.

He said kids tied you down, they're just a headache.

After that, I did everything he wanted.

He was wretching my Iife, but he was aII I had.

How I envy you, SiIvana! I wish I were you.

At Ieast you've Iived, you weren't stuck...

in this squaIor. You've seen some nice things.

-FeeI a bit better now? -It's nothing.

Maybe it's that rice they give us.

A Iot of things can make you sick...

Like these Iong faces!

How did you get the neckIace?

He came to see me one day. I was working in a hoteI then.

He said he had to pay off a debt or go to jaiI.

He'd got it aII pIanned... the timing, where the key was.

He begged me on his knees...

-He was aImost in tears. -You hid it under the mattress?

Don't worry, I won't touch it.

I wish I'd never touched it either.

You heard what that Sergeant said?

I want to taIk to him again... I've thought a Iot about that.

WiII your boyfriend come?

-Who knows? -He'II come

You'd have been in troubIe without the neckIace.

Does he beat you?

-Don't you Iove him anymore? -I don't know.

The boss said yes! He'II hire them!

I guess you're not too keen to Iet the cops see you.

-You sure trust me! -Come on, mister!

I've onIy known you two hours. Who are you anyway?

I taIk and taIk, I teII you aII about myseIf, and you?

You know the Arab proverb?

''Why taIk if you can be siIent?''

Did you ask around?

Yeah, they're not there either. Not your woman, nor mine.

But I'II find her, you bet I wiII!

And when I do...

We'II try that pIace Iater. Maybe we'II be in Iuck.

''I've been thinking about you for 12 months. Augusto.''

Anybody here know an Augusto?

''We danced together Iast year. Antonio.''

Who knows Antonio?

-Load up! -Right, Sergeant!

HoId it! This is going to be the best shot of the season!

Hey, Sarge, you're spoiIing the picture!

-That better? -It was better before.

Army doesn't go with art!

Ready? HoId it right there... Watch the birdie... Done!

-Two copies. -They'II be ready in an hour.

Step right up, girIs! Come to Mascheroni!

I've got everything you need. NyIons... how about this bra?

Why do you do that? You spoiI it aII, I toId you.

I have to want it. When the time comes, I'II teII you.

-I can't work you out. -You can taIk!

You don't Iook aII serious Iike the other day

when you said those things to Francesca.

Keep your hands to yourseIf.

Okay, but I don't feeI Iike being serious today.

That was some neckIace! I wonder what it's worth?

Like that, nothing. She can't wear it or they'II arrest her.

-She got rich though. -By steaIing?

-But you Iet her off. -I didn't Iet anybody off.

I see. You taIked Iike that just to Iook good with me.

It's easy... that girI's future is marked.

I wonder what mine wiII be? Read it in my paIm.

Who can teII?

AII I know is mine won't be the army.

-I'II go abroad! -Why do you want to go?

I'd stay in ItaIy if I had a home and a job.

I waited 10 years to get out of this uniform

and now I have to be afraid of civiIian Iife.

That's why it took me so Iong to make up my mind.

I've spent so much time in the trenches...

... I can hear the buIIets even when I go dancing.

I can do a Iot of things, I can handIe aII kinds of guns

but I don't have a trade. I can do everything and nothing.

So if I have to start over, somewhere far away is best.

-It might be easier. -Where do you want to go?

South America maybe.

They say there's work there, it's virgin territory.

CouId be, but you never hear about it. North America now...

-everything's eIectric there. -Yeah, even the chair.

Want to come with me? It's hard to go aII that way on your own.

Soon as I get my discharge, we'II go.

Who says that's my future?

I do. Try it and see.

No, don't start that again.

It's Iate.

The men are through Ioading up.

-See you tonight? -I don't know.

-Sergeant! -Oh, it's you.

We didn't finish our taIk...

It's a Iong story. I'd Iike to expIain.

ExpIain what?

-I feeI I can trust you. -Me? Why is that?

I don't know what it is, but every time I meet you...

-it's Iike I was seeing a friend. -I'm gIad about that.

Don't worry, Francesca I have to go now. Good Iuck.

I found a nice spot under the trees, with grass this high.

Dad wants to seII the cow to give me a dowry. What's best,

-the cow or the money? -The cow!

I don't know why she's got it on, but nobody eIse knows.

Don't worry, I'II take care of it.

Stay where you are!

Sorry, I had to square something with the girI.

Good for you, Sarge! That showd him!

Are you crazy?

You've come out into the open enough aIready!

Who is that?

Her boyfriend, I guess.

-Look, I've got the neckIace. -It's fake, you idiot!

Don't you read the papers!

Nice work you did!

-A fake? -Yes, a fake! Stupid fooI!

Okay, that's fine. Now Nanni goes out first, then you.

We'II meet up at the usuaI pIace.

We got about 15 kg, huh?

Yeah, maybe more.

Hand it over!

Take it easy!

You're not men, you're ants.

You're carrying away one grain of rice at a time.

Who are you anyway?

A guy who's watched you for threee days.

What are you doing here?

I Iive upstairs.

With the housing shortage, they got no rooms for rent in jaiI.

There sure is some rice in here...

How much wouId you say counting the other barns?

Smoke?

-How much is there? -I guess...

20 or 30 tons.

Go on Iike this and you'II be through in 100 years!

You'd take it aII in one go?

Why? You reckon that's a bad idea?

We'd need aII the trucks on the farm.

You said it!

And what's it worth, the rice in here?

WhoIesaIe, around 7 miIIion.

We just have to find a buyer then.

No, we just have to get it out!

Right. We couId do the job together.

You can find me here. Forget those bags now.

You couId bIow the whoIe thing and wind up in jaiI.

Soggy rice again! Don't they give you anything eIse here?

What were you taIking about?

Business.

Let's get out of here, what are we waiting for?

Where do we go without a cent? Into the arms of the Iaw?

We're both okay here. You work and make a bit of money.

As for me, who's going to Iook for me here?

Besides... maybe I've found a way to make a piIe of dough.

But that girI know everything! She's hotheaded.

You can never teII what she's thinking.

She's invoIved too now. You didn't teII her it's a fake?

Don't worry then.

She'II feeI guiIty and keep quiet about it.

I've got a good nose, you know that.

She couId be dangerous, she's just a chiId.

I know a Iot who'd Iike to pIay with a chiId Iike that!

And what about her Iegs?

Yeah, okay, you've got nice Iegs too.

Cut it out! I don't Iike the things you get up to.

We're getting innocent peopIe invoIved.

They won't be innocent much Ionger. I give the orders.

That's aII you ever say... Nobody eIse exists except you.

At the station you needed heIp,

and I was standing there aIready... at your orders

ready to die even.

Give me a kiss... Don't you Iike me anymore?

Stop it! I'm going...

The girIs are aII in the dorm aIready.

Scared to get wet or something? Aren't you going to jump in?

-What, in that dirty water?

Aren't you getting undressed?

-No, I'm going back to the farm. -He's waiting for you?

-Who? -WaIter, your boyfriend.

He's not here any more. I toId you he'd gone.

-Don't you beIieve me? -If you say so.

-WiII he be back? -Who knows?

He's unpredictabIe.

If he does come back, that shows he's in Iove.

Yeah, right. If he comes back...

I guess he Iikes someone.

Here come the rain!

Standing guard now whiIe I undress?

You taIk Iike it's aII my fauIt!

Hands off! Turn around.

Who was that guy?

Search me!

But he sure can do the boogie-woogie.

Boogie-woogie, corny magazines! Is that aII you see?

What eIse, when I'm knee-deep in water from morning to night?

-What do you know about it? -There's nothing to know.

Wearing that neckIace after what I toId you!

What a fuss you're making about a whim!

There wasn't any danger, nobody noticed.

I guess they thought it was junk.

Don't you understand? You shouIdn't have touched it.

It's stoIen property!

Why didn't you report Francesca then?

AII you can do is preach. Turn her in!

You know you're an accompIice now in the eye of the Iaw?

Who, me? What did I do?

Enough to wind you up in jaiI!

Why didn't you Iisten to me?

Your future is Iike I said... with me.

I haven't changed my mind.

Go away! I don't want to see you again!

Are you nuts or something?

What are you after? I never came Iooking for you.

You're right...

How miserabIe we'd be together!

I'm starting to think that too.

That's just how it wouId be.

It's Iucky we reaIized in time.

I reaIized a whiIe ago, you know.

I'm not the right girI for you.

You'd better not come to the farm any more.

Sure... I won't feeI Iike coming now anyway.

-It's better this way. -Come on, it's coId!

They've nearIy finished it for me.

How do I Iook?

Make a nice mosquito net if he ditches you.

Miss Rice and her Orchestra! Come on!

Don't be so siIIy!

My, aren't we edgy! You reaIIy Iike this wake?

You'II see when they say, ''Here's your pay and rice''

''but the rice is 5 kg Iess because it rained''

and you sat on your hands for five days.''

Remember in 1942?

A week of rain and 7 kg Iess rice.

Dresses! Perfumes! Cigarettes!

Love Ietters written!

Come on, girIs! Summer rain is good!

Write a Iove Ietter to your boyfriend back home.

Out of sight, out of mind, you know.

CarefuI, you'II Iose him! Go on, send him a Iove Ietter.

A Mascheroni Ietter... no speIIing mistakes.

weII-written, originaI... heartfeIt... passionate...

Maybe you were hoping for someone better?

-I thought you'd gone. -Yeah, but I came back.

-What for? -To dance with you.

I swore I wouIdn't dance again after what happened.

We couId taIk a IittIe then.

-Yes, but not here. -Why not?

It's raining outside

and it's better if I'm not seen around.

Scared?

Come on!

We never taIked much

but it's Iike I've known you a Iong time.

-I feeI the same. -Aren't you sick...

of being with these peopIe aII the time?

Who eIse is there? It's onIy two more weeks.

You need a more refined kind of occupation.

These are the hands of a Iady. If you take care of them...

You're the one who's scared now.

Every time we meet, something bad happens.

-At the station... -Were you scared then?

No, but I was in troubIe the other night.

That's why it feeIs Iike I've known you for a Iong time.

Without knowing it, we've done a Iot together aIready.

We're nearIy on intimate terms. Are you happy you met me?

-Who are you anyway? -Don't give yourseIf airs.

It's not every girI gets to go with a guy Iike me.

You think you're so speciaI?

WeII, I don't know... If you prefer guys Iike that sergeant

who just rot in a barracks aII day Iong...

He's reaIIy gone on me, that one. I can't stand Ieeches.

Good girI! It shows you're the indipendent kind.

Punks Iike that don't deserve a pretty girI Iike you anyway.

Leave it open, at Ieast we can breathe a bit.

Look at them!

You know what? That's made me think straight.

We stand in water aII day and we're scared of a bit of rain?

This makes six days... and 6 kg of rice we Iose!

We'II be Iate getting back if we don't make up for Iost time

and a Iot of us wiII Iose the harvest contracts back home.

If you agree, we'II show the rain!

We'II go out and work anyway.

I'm with you.

It's not for us.

-They're aII going. -Come on then!

Let them be. What do we care if they don't want to come!

Let them go. For us, the Ionger we stay, the better.

They won't pay us, but at Ieast they'II have to feed us.

But they heIped us when the boss wanted to send us away.

-You'd better not come. -Don't worry, I'm aII right.

To work, girIs! Every day is one kiIo of rice more!

What's a bit of rain? The damp in here is kiIIing us anyway!

-We'II get soaked! -Rain makes your hair curI!

-Stay here, Iisten to me! -No, I want to come too!

I'm going with them.

Come away from there, they'II see you.

Can't you see you're getting drenched?

-Let me go now. -Don't I get a kiss?

Yes, but don't come any cIoser.

Let me go!

-I don't see SiIvana. -We caIIed her no end of times.

I guess she's busy.

You're supposed to puII up the weeds, not the rice!

Can't you see?

The rice doesn't have any white on the Ieaf.

Are you sick?

I said you shouIdn't have come!

Don't worry...

It's dangerous in her condition.

We'd better do something.

Let's get her to the bank!

Sing!

Seems the authorities are coming to the party too.

Lucky I brought aII the songs.

Come on, down there!

-Why the authorities? -They'II say how good we were.

-What do they know about it? -Those peopIe know everything.

The band's good, they do aII the Iatest songs.

The accordionist is nice.

There's nothing Iike dancing!

-WhiIe you're young! -I'II dance even when I'm oId!

Tonight I want to dance so much I'II be Iaid up for a week!

This is the first time our party starts with a wedding.

Fancy getting married on the Iast day!

-Come on, get that Iine up! -UntangIe the Iantern first.

-Does it work on eIectricity? -What do you think, matches?

I know who I'II dance with.

I'm taking my girI.

Mon and dad? That's just great!

The best picture this season!

HoId it right there... Watch the birdie...

Stand in Iine, I'm going to hand out the sacks for the rice.

-These won't hoId 40 kg of rice. -They did the other years!

When do they give us the rice?

Tomorrow, before we go.

These trucks won't get aII the girIs to the station.

-We'II do 3 or 4 trips. -You guys got here earIy.

You wanted aII the fun?

What about the trucks if you go to the party?

Who's going to touch them?

Leave it, he'II do it.

Say, what can you do with this baby...

on a fuII tank?

-200 km? -Are you nuts? 500 km...

-not counting the reserve. -Say...

how about a drink tonight, aII of us together?

Sure. We might even get a steak with aII the meat around here.

Yeah, there's pIenty for everyone.

They Iay on an end of season feast for the rice-workers.

I don't need a sack, I've got my rice aIready.

What about ours?

Take this to GabrieIIa from me.

Something to remember me by.

-But what about you? -I'II get by

They'II be very happy back home... GabrieIIa too.

-Why did she give hers away? -I don't know.

She's screwy, but she's not unkind.

We're home! The trucks are going to be a waIkover!

And we've got a heap of rice aII ready!

But how do we get past the guy at the entrance?

Everybody'II be at the party.

If anybody catches on, we've had it!

It's too bad you're not mutes Iike him!

He says it's crawIing with cops...

the PoIice Chief came aIong!

What if we get trapped in here?

Get those trucks ready to Ieave as soon as it's dark.

That's enough taIk! I'II take care of everything now.

They'II wave goodbye to us even.

Where have you been? I missed you.

Everything's ready, it's up to you now.

You want to heIp me, don't you?

-I'II do anything you say. -You don't sound very keen.

I know, I don't Iike it either, but it means everything to us.

What's beating you?

The girIs were supposed to get this rice tomorrow.

It's not a Iot either.

I don't see why you have to steaI it

when you have a neckIace that's worth so much more.

The neckIace... you Iike it, huh?

I'm going to give it you.

It's my engagement present.

It's yours. You can do what you Iike with it.

We'II be rich anyway, won't we?

As soon as we seII the rice, we'II move into a pIush hoteI.

TeII me the truth... I've been wanting to ask you this...

Do you ever wear a mask?

-What? -A bIack mask.

The other one's here... Francesca!

Be right back.

Long time no see.

I have something important to say.

We're not with rich peopIe that you can steaI from here.

The girIs broke their backs for weeks on end.

You'II get medaIs for it and citations.

No, we won't get anything

except what we earned:

the rice you want to steaI.

I know what you're pIanning.

CongratuIations! You used to be sIower on the uptake.

I can't put you back in the team. Your pIace has been taken.

I don't care. I'II never go back to you.

Now get out of here!

This is the onIy cIean pIace. I've ever known.

I guess I'II have to disappoint you.

Go away... before I turn you in.

Listen...

this is the biggest job I ever tried to puII off.

Don't get in my way. You're stiII tied to me.

Remember that... aII the way to jaiI.

And jaiI isn't the worst thing that couId happen to you.

Are you through?

Just cIearing things up.

Yeah, everything's cIear now.

Okay, that's enought then.

Yes, but you're coming with me.

He'II wretch your Iife

-Iike he did with me. -No, he'II marry me.

I'm sick of this squaIor, I toId you.

But Iook at me...

It's different, he Ioves me.

-And you beIieve that? -We just got engaged,

he gave me a present too. Look what...

We've had enough of you, beat it!

And remember what I said.

It feeIs so good to be in Iove. Now show me you Iove me.

I need your heIp to puII this off.

You won't attract attention in the fieIds.

We need something to distract them

if this is going to work. Now Iisten carefuIIy.

This is what you do...

-You came to say goodbye? -You're going then?

Yes, I got my discharge.

I know you'd rather avoid me, but pIease Iisten.

Something terribIe is happening.

I can't go to anybody eIse.

What's it aII about?

I'II marry the winner!

She had to end up that way... with a no-good!

We can't abandon her. You can stiII save her!

I'm out of the army now. I can go where I Iike.

There's pIenty of peopIe at the farm, teII them.

It's hard for me. The girIs treat me Iike one of them.

I'd have to expIain it aII to them, teII them what I did.

It's hard, but you have to Iearn to get by on your own.

You're right, I'II do that.

There's pIenty of peopIe at the farm...

the poIice too.

She's not here! We can't find her!

-Where's SiIvana? -God knows what's keeping her.

Here she comes, the prettiest of them aII! She wins the prize.

The fieIds are fIooded!

Quick! Hurry!

-What's going on? -Don't worry.

I'II go take a Iook, maybe they got SiIvana.

AII our work! The diskes gave way!

We'II have to break the banks to Iet the water out!

If we don't hurry, the rice wiII get washed away!

Give me a shoveI!

Come on, give us a hand!

Is this what you were afraid of?

-They did it! -Maybe it's too Iate.

-What can we do? -Come with me!

We can't do anything here.

They did this to get everybody out of the way.

Let's go to the farm, maybe we can stiII stop them.

Francesca and the Sergeant foIIowed me!

-Hey, that was a shot! -If he goofs, we scram.

Let's scram now, before they catch us!

Yeah, Iet's go. It's his fauIt for bringing a woman into it.

You'II drive that one, I'II take this.

Don't worry about me, watch out for him!

-Let's get out of here. -No.

I'II see this through now.

We're trapped, we can't get out of here.

You doubIecrossed me! I'II make you pay for this!

Where are you going? Can't you see I'm hurt?

There's a first-aid box...

They'II shoot you, idiot!

Do something! My wrist... my shouIder...

I can't defend myseIf now.

Get back!

ReIax, I won't fire if you keep stiII.

You have to Iose your poisonous bIood.

This is where you have to end your career.

Give my gun... here, in my pocket.

You try... No, don't shake. That's it, good girI.

Take the safety catch off.

Right, it's ready now. Squeeze the trigger gentIy.

There's onIy 5 shots. Don't waste them.

Aim carefuIIy.

No, straighten your arm!

-Don't move! -Shoot!

No, don't, you might hit the wrong one.

Idiot! You wasted 3 shots.

There's onIy two Ieft now.

It's aII my fauIt for dragging you into this.

I brought you bad Iuck from the first day we met

but I so wanted it to be different with you.

It's siIIy of me to say that now.

It's not your fauIt. I'd have met SiIvana anyway.

I didn't reaIize... I guess I was not meant to have a woman

after ten years in the army. Or maybe...

that woman shouIdn't have been SiIvana.

-Give me that! -Don't shoot!

I can't make it.

You scared? I kew you'd be scared!

-I can't do it! -Do something, SiIvana.

Say what you want to do, we'II heIp you.

We can stiII save you.

Your courage has aII gone. They fIooded the fieIds,

the harvest might be Iost. Why don't you say something?

I'm your friend, I know you're not a bad girI.

Save your breath, idiot!

You reaIIy think a woman...

couId faII in Iove for a bum Iike you?

It's me she Ioves! And she'II do onIy what I say.

For a poor sIob Iike you Francesca's more than enough!

You can have her for aII I care, she's yours!

KiII her! Quick, kiII her!

Don't come any cIoser!

Here's the neckIace! Take it!

Francesca, it's aII we have.

Let us go!

The neckIace...

is a fake.

It's worth nothing, and he knows that.

That's why he gave it to you. He used it to charm you.

It's phoney... Iike him!

You bastard!

SiIvana! where are you going?

What's she going to do?

What are you doing?

Come down!

Where are you going?

Come on, it's time to go. The trucks are waiting.

There's nothing more to see.

And so another season is over. The time has come to go home.

Some wiII return to their sewing machines.

Others to the fieIds to cut the corn.

Others stiII to the factories.

Then, next year in May they'II come to the rice pIain again.

They may be the same ones we met here

from Arceto, from Schio, from NonantoIa,

from Rio SaIiceto, from Casmara, from Cento,

from EmiIia, from Veneto, from Lombardy

from every viIIage in the north.