All language subtitles for Padre Padrone

Palme d'Or and International Critics' Prize
(FIPRESCI), Cannes Film Festival, 1977

Producer

FATHER MASTER

Freely adapted from
Gavino Ledda's book

with

assistant director / directors' assistants
assistant editor

costume designer
costume assistant

production designer

music composer and conductor
music publisher

director of photography

editing

production manager

production coordinator

screenplay and direction

This is Gavino Ledda, age 35.

Up to 18, an illiterate
shepherd.

Today, a linguist
and author of a best seller

which narrates his life
and inspired this film.

The story begins
in a Sardinian village,

in the primary school
that Gavino attended.

That morning his father
burst into the municipal hall

where a few offices
were converted into schoolrooms.

He always carried this.

Oh yes, thanks.

Miss Teacher,
I've come to fetch him.

I need him to tend the sheep.

I've come to fetch him.
I need him to tend the sheep.

He's mine.

I'm forced to leave the herd
when delivering milk...

...to cut wood or to harvest.

The money I earn barely pays
for clothing

and whatever else a shepherd
cannot produce himself.

Number one.

Number two!

To come here I left my sheep
prey to foxes and bandits.

Gavino has to tend them.

Gavino against bandits?
But he's still a fledgling.

What do you know about shepherding?

Shepherds can fly without wings.

He'll go to primary school
when he reaches 18. Like me.

What does the Government want from me?

That my children die of hunger?

I'm taking the boy 'cause I need him.

I'm at peace. But the law is not.

It wants compulsory schooling.
Poverty is all that's compulsory.

Number three...

He can't go.

Let's go.

You'll earn your money
long before your friends.

You'll be a very good shepherd.

Nobody laughs at Gavino!

Hands on your desks!

On the desk!

Today it was Gavino's turn.
Tomorrow it will be yours.

That's not true.
It won't happen to me.

Mama swore it wouldn't.

We're rich, we have two cows.

Oh God, please, make Papa die

and I'll be good forever.

Have the donkey kick him
in the stomach.

No, in the head so he won't
know what hit him.

It's my brother's turn first.

He's ten months older even
if he is shorter than me.

It's his turn.

As soon as I get home, I'll put
a stool near the window.

I'll climb on it and
then leap out.

I'll jump when everyone's
at the table

so they can see me
and Mama can stop me.

When one's alone way up there,

without a soul around...

Alone, really alone.

I know, they took me up once.

The stillness isn't still,
believe me.

It's overpowering,
like the tolling of a death bell.

I scared you, huh?

I did it, because I want you
to come back as soon as you can.

Before I turn forty.

Poor little thing,
what'll you do up there all alone?

Quick! Your father's waiting.

I'll take you where
the wild apples grow.

I'll dig chestnuts for you
with my bare hands.

If you're quick,
I'll teach you how to trap a hare.

You like nuts?
You'll pick bunches of them.

And we'll go by the rocks,
to the young ravens.

Yesterday, behind the sheepcote,

I found a blackbird's nest
with four eggs.

You have to concentrate:
Your eyes by day,

your ears by night. Learn to know
the fields and the woods.

You'll be alone a lot.
You must learn to find your bearings

in any given moment,
for yourself and the flock.

You hear that rustling?

Learn to recognise it.

Close your eyes.

I don't hear anything.

Listen more carefully.

It's from the oak
that borders the area.

Turn your head.

That is the stream behind the woods.

We passed by it.

And this, is Sebastiano who's returning
from the village on his horse.

He smokes with the ash in his mouth
so he won't be a target in the night.

Ancient vendettas rest on his head.

Listen to the dawn

and the many noises it brings.

Let's see if you're
as strong as a man.

Lift up the pail of milk.

Without spilling it.
Use your voice to help you.

Tonight you'll stay here alone.

Mind the fold.

Don't leave the pen!

Go back to the fold.

There's a snake!

- Where?
- Back there.

Don't be afraid of the snakes.
They don't bite.

Even if they did, who cares?

This pasture and herd are ours.

To be defended and exploited.

I'll show you how to deal with snakes.

Don't take a step out of the pen.

Antonio!

Go away!

Go away.

No one's allowed near here.

Quiet! They'll hear us.

If my father catches us,
this is what he'll do to me.

It was Gavino!

It was Gavino!

It was Gavino!

Go and get the other pail.

Johannus!

Don't move.

Don't move.

You rotten beast.
You want to do it again

but I'm gonna plug up your arse.

I'll milk you first,
then I'll plug your mouth,

your eyes and ears with your own shit.

I'll screw you
when you turn your back.

You beat me
and I'll shit in the milk.

Then your father will beat you.

You won't be able to.
I'm keeping your arse plugged.

I'll do it all right,
because you're stupid.

You shake, you sweat and stink.

You can't milk me
with those blistered hands.

If you hurt my tits, Gavino Ledda,
I'll shit in the milk.

Gavino is now twenty years old

Leze, guard the flock.

We're going to the fair at Muros.
We took the wrong road.

Which way to Muros?

- Hey, he can't talk.
- Wait.

Wait!

He runs like Tarzan's monkey.

I'll trade this for that.

For this accordion?

One lamb, no, it's not enough.

- But the accordion's busted.
- Ask for two.

Two lambs, minimum.

No, not two.

Yes, two.

The accordion's worth double.
It sounds beautiful. Listen!

That way.

Two lambs. The bandits.

And they even cut your mouth.

I swear!

I swore!

Then what's there to be afraid of?

You'll do without cheese
and sugar to repay me.

Salt in the milk will strengthen you.
Go to bed.

Muros... fair... that way...

sound... accordion...

Iambs... beautiful accord...
beautiful...

fair... beautiful...

Somebody, help me.

Help me...

I'm Gavino

son of Efisio, the shepherd

who's the son of Luca, the shepherd.

The cold has filled
the herd with fleas.

The fattest ones

are under my armpits.

I'm Eligio,
son of Giovanni, the shepherd

who was the son of
Enrico, the policeman.

I had to eat
cheese that was too fresh.

If I breathe hard,
it burns my tongue.

Angels of Paradise who play so sweetly.

I'm Matteo. I pray to you:

please send a pail of boiling water

to put my feet in
so I don't freeze to death.

This is a prayer...

Gavino is slipping away.

I don't know how to hold him.

I'm getting old. Or maybe,

I'm not as clever as I thought I was.

I have to concentrate.
I have to keep my mind working.

Seven times nine.
Sixty-three.

Sixteen times sixteen.
Two hundred and fifty-six.

Thirty-three times nineteen...

Don't tremble, little mare.
Look, I'm steady.

No, I tremble a little too.

If Thiu Giuseppe or Gellon
told the truth,

we'll meet and make peace forever.

Let this day mark peace.

I'm grateful you agreed
to shear the flock with me,

as tradition has it.

- Gellon! Stop! He's dead!
- I'll see if he's dead!

Gellon!

Signora, I'm going. I'm leaving
a guard in front of the house.

Efisio, sell everything.

I'm returning to Australia
before they kill me too.

You're like my own family.

Get rid of the houses,
the livestock,

the olive grove.

I'll take care of everything,
though I've little money.

I'd like to have the olive grove.

I planted the whole grove
for your family, tree by tree.

Sebastiano would have approved.

You'll have to meet my price,

if only for the job
of selling off the properties.

Do what you want!

Excuse me, madam,

the police chief
would like to talk to you.

Again?

We'll take care of him.

Put some gold on him.

I'm doing it for you.

Sebastiano is my witness.

Close the window.

I'm doing this for you, Gavino.

With the grove you'll be a landowner.

Your mother and I are old
but you'll profit from it.

In time its worth will multiply
and you'll have all you desire.

You can't even imagine how much.

And so our hands must be united

and I must guide them.

Let's dress him.

He was handsome.

Poor Sebastiano,
he was unlucky.

So rich but it all went wrong.

It'll be different for me.
My father said so.

Forgive me, I shouldn't, but...

I keep thinking of what
I shall have, thanks to you.

An accordion, one of those
real ones

with 85 keys, made of
mother-of-pearl.

I'll be an owner too.

I don't want to get old.

If we have some money,
I'll bathe three times a day.

I'll make love every other day.

Pray for my soul, Sebastiano.

They say that making love often
keeps you young.

And when you're young you're happy.

I don't want them to keep me
from being happy.

I know what I want.
I want to change my name.

They named me after a man,
Grandpa Ignatius.

I'll call myself Dina.
Or Mina, like the singer

and I'll sing like she does.

I'll go to the mainland
and I'll sing.

I want... I want...

I can't think of anything.

Nothing. But I know
I want a lot of things.

Once, supply and demand
were evenly balanced

which was advantageous
for both consumers and producers.

Understand?

But now, with the olive
oil market fluctuating,

it's very difficult to make a deal,

due to recent agreements
in the EEC. Understand?

With a few of the
Mediterranean countries like

Greece, Spain and Turkey
that produce more and sell for less.

But 10,000 lire per pressing
is fair.

No, with the abolition of
import tariffs,

prices for the local product
have dropped considerably

and each lot has to be
contracted separately. Understand?

My son's a bookkeeper and can
explain the situation better.

We'll take the whole crop and give you
8,000 lire per pressing.

But 10,000 seems like
the right price.

The latest EEC provisions
have conditioned prices

and we've had to act accordingly.

8,000 lire a pressing.

You're doubting my son?

Go on, tell him.

Your offer's too low.

Shut up, snotty nose!

If you don't like it, you can leave.

I can defend our interests.
It's none of your business.

Maybe the kid wants
to go work with our servants.

No!

Come.

Go and get your accordion.

He plays really well.

OK, you can eat now.

There are lots of leftovers.

Enough to make yourselves
a hot meal.

Our dreams ended with the frost.

Winter was mild till
the end of January.

So much so,
it felt like spring.

Nature was awakening.

The olive trees

deceived by the balmy weather,
were blooming ahead of time.

They were sprouting
in the heart of winter.

The end of February
brought the end of the world.

An arctic cold as never before.

Entire groves wiped out
throughout the region.

And our grove was destroyed too.

The milk's frozen.

- Let's go to the grove!
- It's useless to go look.

It's all dead.

The frost last night
went through to the roots.

Turn off the lights.

It's black beneath the bark.
The whole trunk is turning black.

The trees were in bloom.

I'm going back to bed.

Be quiet and let me sleep
until midday.

Give me the jug.

Get the syrup.

And the glasses.

What are you doing?

- Delicious!
- You like it?

- Um, good, you take some too.
- Makes me cold just to look at it.

It's like ice cream.

Look at Papa!

The sky is clear.

Too late, it's useless.

Where are you, Justice?
Sitting on my balls?

Aren't you lifting?

He's too weak.

His master only feeds him
bread and salt.

You didn't make it
at the brothel!

How'd he pay?

His Uncle Tonino beats him,
doesn't pay him.

To keep him quiet he took him
to Sassari at Christmas.

But when he got to the room,
under pressure...

Couldn't do it, huh?

Don't you like women?

Shut up, Mario. You never even had
a woman before you were thirty.

I asked him when he got back:
"How'd it go?"

He said: "They're all right,
except they have no tail."

- What was missing?
- The tail!

Screw you. I'm leaving.

I signed up to go work in Germany.

What's he doing?

- Pinuccio's emigrating.
- To Germany, to his cousin.

Change!

You'll still be serving a master.

At least he'll call me by name.

By name?

I never knew yours. When they
talk about you, they say:

"Thiu Peppe's servant,
Peppe's serf."

- So you're leaving?
- And about you they say:

"Thiu Efisio's servant is milking,
is eating, is scratching,

"has gone to pasture."

Not me.

My master calls me by name.
He's my father.

I'll sign up too.

Me too.

So am I.

Me too.

Anybody else?

Yes, me.

Thiu Gavino has spoken.

Write me in.

I can't read or write anything.

I'll add your name.

- You can all come to my father.
- I'll come.

Germany!

...sacred oaks of Sardinia, goodbye...

Hold me!

Hold me up!

- There's a signature missing.
- Which signature?

His father didn't sign.

- What did my father do?
- He didn't give his permission.

What?

He didn't give his consent.

- He said yes.
- But he didn't sign.

- What do you mean?
- Didn't you read the regulations?

I can't read.

- My father can read.
- But he didn't sign.

Gavino Ledda can't emigrate.

You can't leave.

You have to sign a release.

I can't write.

A cross will do.

Idiots!

The vice-director will see you
after this gentleman.

I'll do the talking.
You only have to sign.

But I want you to know what I'm doing.

I've sold everything.

The flock, the cow, the ruined olive
grove, the carts and the dogs.

I kept the vegetable garden
and the goats.

They think I'm done for.

This head here can't be put down.

We're starting anew.

Our savings go in the bank
at 10% interest.

In 7 years with compounded interest,

I'll double the capital,
then I'll loan to others.

Minimum guarantees,
high rates: 25%.

Ignatia,

you'll go work for Forlj
at 50 thousand lire a month.

You'll send the money home.
I'll make profits with it too.

You'll find money for the wedding
if the family doesn't need it.

You two will go work as day labourers.

In exchange for your earnings
you'll get room and board.

You're the oldest.

I have something else in mind for you.

Our family needs to be respected.

You want to leave?
So go, you'll enlist.

The army.
Either for an army career

or to become a radio technician.

Yes, he'll go to primary school.
I promised him.

I'll teach you myself.
You're not stupid.

Five times five?

I'm not joking.
Let's start right away.

Five times five?

- Thirty.
- Ignoramus.

But don't worry.
They'll promote you anyway, I know it.

The government ordered
the committee to pass shepherds

even if they're ignorant
like you are.

The vice-director is ready for you.

Five times five?

Eight times three?

Sixteen times four?

Yes, sir.

What? Speak Italian!

I repaired the handle...

...which... was torn.

What do you mean by torn?

The handle couldn't be "torn".

Do you mean it was broken?

- Yes, sir.
- I ordered you

to disinfect the barracks.
Did you?

Yessir, I murdered...

I murdered all the ants.

You didn't murder them.
You killed them!

How'd you get through
primary school?

You're a caveman, Ledda!

Yes, sir.

What did you say? Translate!

He said he wants to go home,
because he doesn't speak Italian.

Our little baby wants to go home.
Sorry, mate, you're staying.

You're under house arrest
because dialects are forbidden.

You've been informed!
At ease.

Platoon dismissed.

You two, no Sardinian! Got it?

Ledda!

You come up then.

Me?

- I'll pay you.
- I don't want your money.

I just need money
for cigarettes and screwing.

You talk about money too much,
Gavino Ledda.

I promised to help you study
and I will.

Now try to get to the door
under the niche.

If you don't make it,
no Italian lesson.

What's a niche?

First of all, improve your vocabulary.

See the mimosa tree
by the wall? Look up.

That's the niche.

Today niche means corner.

In art history it means
temple or shrine with statues.

Ready, go.

Improve your vocabulary.

The meaning and origin of words.

I'll lend you a dictionary.

Do you know what a dictionary is?

The flag.

You should always be aware of
the symbolic significance of the flag.

You can forget the names
of your mothers,

your fathers, your brothers,

but not the meaning of the flag.

Symbol of a nation, our dear motherland.

Even a man in a hut,
when he thinks of his motherland,

feels like a king in a palace.

The illiterate overcomes his shame
when facing his country's banner.

Banner, bandana,

ban,

bandit, banditry,

baritone, benevolent,

baroque, basilica,

baron.

Everyone must salute the flag.
It only salutes the Head of State.

State,

stray, strap,

strident, stalagmite,

statute, status,

ploy,

little boy,

yearling,

infant, babe, baby,

welt, chapped, sore, Rapous,

rapacious, wild, agrestic,

domestic,

bucolic, idyllic,

Arcadian, pastoral,

pastures,

pasteurisation,

deportation, separation,

annihilation,

masturbation,

craving, turgid,

languid, lurid,

father,

fatherly, godfather,

paternal, patriarch,

patronise,

electron, neutron, fuse,

tube, the radio tube

is made up of a glass container
inside of which

the component parts
are placed in a vacuum.

Main parts: "plate",
"filament", "catrode"...

"cathode"...

There're many types of radio
tubes according to their functions

For example the dio...
the rectifier diode

transforms the alternating
current into a continuous one.

Normally 0.50 amperes, 200 volts.

The filament causes the cathode
to become incandescent

which emits a load of electrons.

Father, come and get me.
Take me home.

Now I'll test your radios.

Insert plugs in the sockets.
I'll test them one by one.

Insert!

If you work,

I swear I'll study through college.

Even Latin and Greek.

Bravo!

Incendium, incendii,

pater, patris,
frater, fratris,

Dominus, domini,

puella, puellae,
meretrix, meretricis,

sponsa, sponsae,
mamma, mammae.

You said Latin for mamma
was "mater", didn't you?

In Latin, mamma
means "mammary",

"breast", "tits",

"the bosom".

Think in Latin now!

Gavino is a bad pupil.

Cesare is an excellent teacher.

I'm a shepherd and a farmer:

therefore servant of the soil.

I'm a graduate without a job:

therefore servant of the soil.

I am.

You are...

my friend.

Friends know each other well but
you're closed tighter than a clam.

Aeneid, Book Two:

"They all hushed,
eager to catch his words.

"And so Aeneas,
from his high perch, began:

"Would you want, my queen

"that I renew old wounds.

"Who can relate such things
without shedding tears?"

"Dearest father, this is my first letter
and there's a reason.

"I completed all the required exams.

"I found that even "sheep"
can study, or rather, have to.

"But I have to inform you
of a more important decision.

"I'm not going to make a career
of the military

"as you wanted, nor a radio technician.

"I'll remain here to get my diploma

"then I'll return to Sardinia
and study at the university.

"You always spoke of lambs and lions.

"Fine, now I know
who the lions are,

"starting with the small
carnivores:

"the sergeants.

"I'm leaving because I don't want
to feel

"like a vegetarian forced
to eat meat.

"Do you hear me, Papa?"

"If you leave,
it'll make you prey for the hunter

"and anyone can shoot at you.

"I order you not to come home."

Linguist.

Linguist!

You don't fool me with your words.

The others didn't study.
Why should you?

I'm not a laughing stock.

In my house if you don't work,
you don't eat.

A man who doesn't work is
a man to get rid of, a thief.

But you won't steal bread.
You'll have to come to me to eat:

for oil... corn... wine.

I'll only unlock this
if you’ve worked for me.

My house has no interest
in your studies.

Only produce.

I only get that from your arms and legs.

The sweat off your back like me.

Put the roots in deeper.

Ancu ti fèttana in paìghinoso.

Repeat that.

You have to bury the roots more.

No, the curse.

In Barbagia they say:
"Ancu ti facan pedikinoso"

I have to study
these phonetic differences.

"Facan" or "fèttana"?

Is that right?

Starting Monday I'll stay in town
while you milk the goats.

Get up.

I can't. You've used me too much
these past months

and I've neglected my work, my studies.

As of today, I'm putting in 12 hours
for my work, not yours.

I can hardly talk, and I'm weak.

I'm not leaving here.

Call the police if you want.
I worked hard enough.

Now I need to stay here
and I will.

I failed an exam the other day.

Go ahead, laugh.
I stood with my mouth open.

I could laugh thinking about it.

I'll have to catch up
in the spring session.

I must concentrate if I still can.

Don't look at me like that.

Don't order me around.
Here, I'm your father and your master.

You're no master,
and I've had it with fathers

and family blood.
With no blood ties at all,

people have helped me more
than you did these past years.

I prepared this talk all night
and now you'll hear every word.

You patriarchs have done
only two things in life...

- I don't hear anything.
- ...obeyed first, and commanded later.

- I don't hear anything.
- Commands fill your lungs.

Obedience is the air you breathe...

Even if you won't listen.

I'm going to go home
and kill him.

Turn off the radio and get out
or I'll disfigure you.

What are you whistling?
Why don't you slap me?

Hit me.

Hit me!

Mama, come down!

Hurry down.

Come!

- He used a knife!
- That's a lie!

He says it was me
in order to throw me out.

You went like this.

No.

Yes. Yes!

Our Gavino is getting smart

but this little brain here...

He'll kill me.

- I'll go back to the mainland.
- Good idea. But how?

Tomorrow morning there's
a train for Porto Torres.

- No, I'll leave tonight
- With the bus?

- Will you get my coat?
- I'll get the suitcase.

It's under Papa's bed.

That's right.

Who's going to go?

I'll go in.

I have to get the suitcase.

I left for the mainland.
I earned a degree

in Linguistics, the origin
of Sardinian dialects.

I taught.
But I was sick..

I had a stomach operation
and I got better.

I had to return to Siligo
to the shame of my father.

I returned to write my story
on which this film is based

and freely interpreted.

This is not only my story.

Some shepherds say
that their lives made the book.

And I chose to come back
for that very reason.

That's what I believe in,
the art of writing.

I confess that sometimes
I have the driving desire

to flee from this village,
from this square.

It's lively now because you're here,
but come back in winter.

On the mainland,
I'd find far greater attractions.

But I'd be using my position
as a privilege,

just like my father directed his power.

His last victory.

Perhaps it's only a selfish
consideration which keeps me here:

The fear that,

away from my land,
parents,

smells, I'd be mute again.

As I was in the sheepcotes

and the pens of Baddevrustana.

The book begins in a building
like this one

the day my father came
to drag me out of school.

Nobody laughs at Gavino!

Hands on your desks.

Today it was Gavino's turn.
Tomorrow it will be yours.