After New Year's Eve Lila became lazy.
For the whole of the Christmas holidays she did not leave the house.
Rino was furious with her,
he urgently wanted to get rich like the Solaras or like Stefano.
And he blamed her for not going to the shoe store anymore
and for dropping the shoe business.
Look what Rino left for me,
a Befana stocking.
You didn't set a place for your brother.
He can set his own place.
- Why? - Because.
I said he can set his own place.
- Have you gone mad? - Yes, I've gone mad.
He's my son, I'll do what I want.
He's my brother and he's not getting his place set.
What are you doing?
Why are you fighting?
Rino, lovely stocking you left for me, thank you.
Was it a nice surprise?
Get out, or I'll throw it in your face, shithead!
- How dare you? - Go on, if you got the guts.
You think I'm scared of you?
Come here, you bitch!
- You're a clown! - Didn't you like the coal?
It's what you deserve.
For the love of God! If you wake your father he'll kill you.
- Why did you give her coal? - It's what the bitch deserves.
She's useless. She doesn't help in the shop, at home!
- What are you good for? - Drop dead, you pissant!
Look what the Befana brought me.
They're beautiful, Fernando.
The Befana made them especially for my feet.
A true gentleman's shoe.
The person who made these shoes
is a master.
Good on the Befana!
I reinforced them too, but...
They're light.
- And sturdy. - Yeah.
No rough edges.
A shoe like this, with a wide toe...
so unique...
has never been seen on anyone's foot.
And they're comfortable, too.
- Turn around, let me thank the Befana. - Whaddaya mean?
Turn around!
Animal!
I'll make you eat them,
these shitty shoes!
I never want to see you again! Enough!
Animal!
Rino, stop, please!
Get outta here, you pissant!
I'm not working with you anymore, I'll jump off the roof!
I'm gonna kill you with my own hands, get out!
I'm leaving!
- You'll never see me again. - Don't say that, Rino.
Crying like a baby! Aren't you ashamed?
Look at him, clinging to Mommy's apron strings!
You're a man!
Are you going, or not?
You disgust me!
Get outta here!
Mamma, look what the Befana brought us.
Carracci, it's April
and you still haven't memorized the verb conjugations?
What are you doing?
Is that really necessary?
Let's do this: go back to your seat,
calm down and then we'll resume.
Enough! There's nothing funny.
Let's us move on to the Italian exercises.
Take the example of your classmate Elena Greco.
Listen to what she writes about Dido.
"If there is no love, not only do people's lives become arid,
but so does the city."
Come here, Greco.
Well done. A+.
Barbarisi.
Di Napoli.
Not bad.
Lenù!
Hey, Lenù!
- Aren't you going to wait for me? - No.
You're going home without me?
You laugh too much, like an idiot.
- What do you care if I laugh? - I care.
Do you like Alfonso?
I don't like Alfonso, at least not the way you think.
And I don't like you either, I'm breaking up with you.
- I don't believe you. - Well, you'll see.
Can we at least walk home together?
You really don't get it, do you?
I never really cared about Gino.
I don't even know why I said yes.
He's kept me company for a few months, but now I'm sick of him.
He never says anything, he doesn't even make me laugh.
You're right, what with all the other boys at your school.
Lila...
I got A+ for my essay.
Well done.
It was an essay on Dido.
You said some things, do you remember?
I wrote what you said.
The teacher read them out to the whole class.
Mr Ferraro is disappointed you don't go to the library anymore.
- Books give me a headache. - That's not true.
It is.
If you say so, anyway I brought you some.
You don't even go out, you never do anything.
At least read a bit.
Who gives a shit about Dido and books.
I got ironing to do.
Lenù...
This week I got two declarations of love.
What? Two declarations of love?
Yeah.
Lila.
Pasquale.
I haven't seen you at the shoe store, have you been ill?
No, I fought with Dad and Rino.
Best if I stay home for a while.
I'm glad you're well.
What's that face for? What's wrong?
Lila...
- I like you. - Me too.
I like you a lot, but not like that.
I'd like to come and talk to your father and Rino.
Lila, I want to get engaged.
Are you serious?
If you say no, my life won't be worth living.
Pasquale...
I like you,
but the same way I like Antonio,
Enzo.
I like everyone
the way I like Rino.
I don't feel the same way about you as I do about Carmela.
The next day I met him again.
But he just acted normal,
as if nothing had happened.
And the other declaration?
You'll never guess.
Where are you off to all on your own?
Do you live in that car?
I'll come with you.
- I wanted to apologize for last time. - I forgot all about it.
- You were right to treat me that way. - I know.
I was wrong, but did you see how well we danced at the party?
- I don't remember. - You don't remember?
- I remember very well. - Then, forget it.
Have a good day.
Lila, all I think of is you.
I dreamed about you last night,
I asked you to get engaged.
And you said yes.
And I gave you a ring with three diamonds,
the same as my grandmother's.
- In your dream, did I say yes? - Yes.
Well, that proves it was a dream.
I'll never get engaged to you because you're an animal.
You and all yours.
What?
I talk to you about my feelings and you treat me like this?
Are you saying you've got feelings?
You know, to say you're an animal is wrong,
it's an insult to animals.
Animals don't do what you did to Ada,
they don't shoot from the balcony on New Year's.
I didn't shoot, it was my brother.
And you know that. Come back!
If you dare follow me again
I'll start screaming in the street.
I'll make the whole neighborhood look.
- You did that to Marcello Solara? - Yep.
Don't tell anyone you treated him like that.
Why shouldn't I? I couldn't care less.
You're crazy.
That asshole! He latched onto me like a parasite.
Is that why you're not going out?
Who cares? I gotta iron my brother's stuff.
Lenù...
Do you think there's something wrong with me?
What are you talking about?
I make people do the wrong things.
- What do you mean? - Rino...
He's all sweetness and light again.
And yesterday he told me
that we're clever,
that no one can stop us.
Maybe he's still thinking about the shoes.
He's only thinking about money, now he wants to buy a car
and a television because he says the rich have them.
He's obsessed.
He wants to take us to get ice cream in Via Toledo on Sunday.
I said no.
Let's go!
Let's get out, look at people, I'll come too.
- I already said no. - Tell him you've changed your mind.
Let's go.
As far as I know, it was the first time Lila had gone into town.
During the bus ride all she did was
stare out the window with admiration,
while Pasquale explained the things she was seeing.
And so, the sadness of that recent period slowly
made way for surprise.
- It's big! - This is Piazza Del Plebiscito.
- What's this building? - The Royal Palace.
Do you know the story of the statues of the kings of Naples?
- Don't, not in front of the girls. - It's funny.
- Where are we going to get ice cream? - Via Toledo.
- Where's that? - Don't worry, you're with us.
- Hey, are you going for a walk? - Hi, guys!
Aren't you tired, always on foot?
Those idiots are here, too?
Pasquale, don't think about it. Everyone knows Gigliola's a slut.
Ada said she wasn't gonna get back in that car again,
but apparently she liked it.
- Enough, she's Antonio's sister. - Tell Antonio to keep her at home.
Let's get ice cream and go home.
- Yeah, go home. - What are you saying, Lenù?
The Solaras take those two wherever they want and we go home?
C'mon!
What am I gonna do with my sister?
- Let's get our ice cream here. - No, we'll get it somewhere else.
I want to look in there.
With all the places there are to get ice cream... let's go.
No, I wanna go there.
- Why do you always have to torment me? - Elena and Carmela wanna go there, too.
- You want to, right? - The girls look like mannequins.
Let's go, Rino.
Have you seen how you're dressed?
- Have you seen how we're dressed? - You saying we're ugly?
No, you're not ugly.
An ice cream and then we leave?
Enough already, we'll go where you like.
These people don't impress me.
Those in the neighborhood think they are big shots but they're nobodies.
- Would you wear that dress? - Not if you paid me.
I'd wear it.
It's like being in another city.
Here comes milady kiss-my-ass.
Lila, shut up!
Lenù? Are your classmates like that?
- No. - Then, it's not a good school.
- It's for classical studies. - It's no good.
Right, Lila?
If there's no one like her, your school stinks.
You know where she should put that hat?
Leave it.
When my girl walks past, you need to clean the floor.
Riffraff!
Goddamnit!
What did you call me?
Say it! What did you call me?
Say it again!
- Say it! - Let's go, Rino!
You're an asshole, a piece of shit.
See that, Pasquale? My sister thinks we're joking here.
She gives orders, says: "I wanna go there."
She thinks if I tell her not to come to this place I'm joking.
When you're where you shouldn't be,
there's always trouble!
But you can't tell Missy anything, she always knows everything.
She always understands everything!
He called me riffraff.
Asshole!
- Me, riffraff! - Rino, you need to calm down.
Calm down, we gotta go.
We came out together we're going home together.
Will you ever give it a rest, Lila?
Listen, I wanna make myself clear,
I'm your big brother and you do what I say.
I can just as easily punch your head in.
Wanna see?
Lila, let's go home.
- I'm going to tell Papa. - Tell him, I don't give a shit.
Now go home.
Then, we'll see.
I'm not going out with my shithead brother anymore.
What was he supposed to do?
I don't like that we split up.
Let's go, Lila, they'll join us, you'll see.
They want us to go home
because they didn't want anything else to happen.
Look over there.
It's the guy Rino hit!
Stop! Open the door!
Quickly!
Holy Mother!
Not laughing now?
Rino!
Leave my brother alone!
Lila!
Leave Rino alone!
Don't move, Lila.
Enough!
Piece of shit!
Had enough?
Pasquale!
Back where you came from, assholes!
- Are you hurt? - No.
- Show me, Pasquale. - Get away!
- Here, Rino. - Thanks, Marcello.
Please, take the girls home.
- Let's go, Lila. - No...
We gotta go.
Please.
- We won't fit. - Get in.
- We won't fit. - Squeeze in.
Hurry up.
- Move over. - Where to?
Come over this way.
We're almost there.
- You're all over me. - Get out and walk home.
Ferret face! You oughta get out.
- What did you call me? - You wanna command here too?
Just put up with it!
Couldn't you take the bus?
Knock it off! This isn't a game.
Stop.
Why?
She said to stop.
Good girl.
- Are you more comfortable, Lila? - What do you care?
What a nice thank you.
Wanna go for a drive before we go home?
- Yes. - I was speaking to Lila.
No.
- So, what do we do? - Drop us off here.
- Let me drive you home. - Leave us here, it's better.
- Let me drive you home. - Are you deaf?
Bye.
It wasn't enough for him to watch me every day.
He also came to the shop to see how Rino was.
When Rino saw him he went pale
because he didn't tell my father about getting beat up.
He said he fell off his bicycle.
Thank God Marcello didn't say anything.
All we needed was for him to start bragging, piece of shit.
Did your dad believe the bicycle story?
Yes, of course.
He was so happy to have a Solara in the store
that when Marcello left, you know what he said to Rino?
"This is the first good thing you've ever done:
making friends with Marcello Solara."
Everyone's losing their mind, Lenù.
I let him drive my car.
- You let Rino drive? - It's amazing, Papa.
- But he doesn't know how to drive. - I taught him.
If he crashes the car, I can't pay for it.
Don't worry, I can take care of it.
Lila, I invited Marcello to dinner.
Hi, Lila.
Hi, Lenù.
Hi.
I was saying... where did you go?
Is he really eating here?
Help me set the table, please.
I'll put cockroach poison in his.
What are you saying, are you stupid? You oughta be happy.
Your mother's right, he came for you.
- I don't want him anywhere near me. - Why?
- If he wanted you, would you say no? - I already did.
- Really? - Yes.
What are you talking about?
It's true.
For the love of God, your father mustn't find out.
Never! You hear me? He'll kill you.
Come on, set the table.
Have you told your father that my father admires him a lot?
It's true.
When my father speaks about a person with respect, I listen to him.
My father has always spoken with admiration about your ability.
Your son also says great things about you.
Silvio Solara is a great man, everyone knows that.
And Rino's getting good, too,
he's really starting to understand the work.
You improve by working.
My grandfather, in the day, started in a basement.
My father expanded over time
and today the Solara pastry shop is what it is.
People come from all over Naples to eat a pastry.
What an exaggeration!
You're right, Lila, maybe I exaggerated a bit.
But what I meant was, money needs to circulate,
that you grow from generation to generation.
I find this idea of the new shoes really interesting.
Right?
If a guy's on the ball and can create good things, he should give it a go.
People like new things.
I know your kids have made a beautiful pair of shoes.
Size 43.
That's exactly my size.
Yeah, they're 43.
If you don't mind, I'd like to see them.
I don't know where they are.
Nunzia, do you know where the shoes are?
No.
She put them away.
Yeah, I put them in the storeroom,
but then Mamma asked me to tidy it up the other day
and I threw them out.
Threw them out?
No one liked them, anyway.
You're lying, go get those shoes right now.
Go get the shoes.
Why do you want them now?
I threw them out because you said you didn't like them.
Get up and go get those shoes this instant.
I said I threw them out.
No.
Eat.
Keep eating. You, too, Marcello, don't pay any mind.
Lila's rude sometimes,
her nerves get to her, but she's a good girl.
Isn't she, Elena?
She'll be back.
- Lenù, don't you like it? - It's good...
Then, eat.
I'm sorry, I didn't realize there was a problem.
No, what problem?
Nunzia, Marcello's disappointed.
Go and see what your daughter's up to.
No, don't you worry.
Finish eating.
- She's not there. - Then, she's stupid.
It's a matter between you and your family, I'm in the way.
- I'd like to apologize again. - We should apologize.
Bye.
See you tomorrow, Marcello?
Marcello?
I'm going home, too.
- This time I'm gonna kill her! - I'll kill her first.
Will you calm down?
Good evening, everyone.
Don't worry, kid, she'll be back.
Lenù? I'm here.
What would it have cost you to show them to him?
I don't want him to even touch them.
You know what your father and your brother will do to you now?
Yes.
- What are you going to do? - Nothing.
I'll stay here.
Let's do this, I'll come with you.
- They might calm down if I'm there. - They won't calm down.
I'd be embarrassed if you saw how crazy they act.
Don't worry, we'll try to make them see reason.
- Come in! - Don Fernando, wait!
You throwing a tantrum?
- They're mine! - I worked on them, too!
- You realize what you've done? - You're acting like an animal.
You made me look like a fool in front of Marcello Solara,
a big shot in the neighborhood.
- Wretched girl! - If Marcello liked the shoes...
Again with the shoes!
- We started making them! - You and Papa?
Maybe you, too, later.
So, you've changed your mind?
No, I haven't,
but you shouldn't make me look like a fool in front of Marcello!
- How long does it take to make them? - Four days.
We'll make them, we'll sell them and we'll finance ourselves.
And we'll sell them all to Marcello Solara?
Don't you see? The Solaras know people who matter.
- They can do publicity for us. - For free?
If they want a small cut, we'll give it to them.
What are you talking about? I make the shoes here.
You gotta go through me, I know how to make shoes!
Enough!
If you don't stop, I'll jump out the window.
I'll do it, I swear by the Holy Virgin!
Nunzia, calm down.
Calm down, we'll do what you say.
But calm down.
CERULLO BRAND SHOES HERE
- They're tight. - Are you sure?
They're a 43.
They feel tight.
We can stretch them.
Yeah, we can fix them.
Hear that, Marcello? Papa knows what he's talking about.
What did you say?
Nothing, never mind.
I don't know, I'll have to think about it.
Goodbye.
Rino, move!
Come in, buddy, we'll make them perfect!
Don Fernando, I have serious intentions.
I'd like your daughter's hand in marriage.
You're still too young, you don't have to give an answer right away,
but I'd advise you to say yes.
Not just for you, but for the whole family.
That's true.
You need to think about your life, but about us, too.
Marcello Solara is a good boy, he treats your father with respect.
You bet he does.
You only have to say yes and I'll take care of the rest.
We'll take it step by step. You understand?
Little one...
I asked if you understand.
You asked if I understand or if I want to?
Both.
Papa...
rather than get engaged to Marcello Solara,
I'd rather go and jump in the swamp.
- You'll do as I say. - No.
No?
We'll see!
Not even if you kill me!
We'll see, all right?
I was stunned by that news, I immediately took sides with her,
I encouraged her to fight this new war against her father,
and I swore that I would support her.
But there wasn't any way to be by her side.
In June something happened that I should have taken into account,
and which caught me by surprise and overwhelmed me.
Mathematics, A.
Foreign literature, A.
Look, in Greek, too!
Yes.
You deserved this pass. You're smart.
You worked so hard, it shows, you're pale.
- Shall I get you some water? - No, don't worry.
Listen, I have a cousin in Ischia, her name's Nella.
I think, if you give her a hand with the housework,
she'd let you stay for a while.
You need to go swimming, get some sun on you.
- In Ischia? - Yes, in Ischia.
That's Ischia.
Elena...
You need to get away from here.
Here.
Here are some books for you, take care of them, don't ruin them.
I'll be careful, miss.
I'm getting so many books out of the library.
Good girl.
- Are you all right? - Yes.
A touch of flu.
Now go, my girl.
I'll let you know about Ischia.
Goodbye.
Bye.
I didn't realize what the teacher's words meant,
I had never been on vacation, I had never been to the seaside.
And when Miss Oliviero turned up to visit my parents
and convinced them to let me go to a cousin of hers at the seaside,
my only concern was how I was going to tell Lila.
She was at odds with everyone defending herself from Marcello's proposal
and I'd be leaving her all alone for the whole summer.
You really won't consider Marcello?
Lenù, are you on my side or not?
Look at me.
- Are you taking their side, too? - Are you nuts?
I wanted to understand if things can be fixed.
Because I'm going away.
What does that mean?
I'm going to Ischia to Miss Oliviero's cousin.
I don't know how she talked my mother into it.
First she said I wanted to act the lady, then she said yes.
You're going swimming?
And you say it like that?
You say something wonderful like that?
I'll be leaving you on your own.
I'm sorry.
It's wonderful.
Yeah.
It's wonderful.
If your swimsuit gets wet, it'll stretch, so be careful.
If the sea gets rough on the way over, what'll you do?
- Why should I always have to worry? - Mamma, calm down.
And remember, you know how to swim.
I don't remember that at all. Where did we go?
To Coroglio, a couple of days to dry out your sinuses.
- You really enjoyed it. - Are you sure?
Now you make we wonder myself. Don't you remember?
No.
You were little.
After eating, or if aunt Flo's with you, don't go in the water.
Yes, you already said that.
Time to go.
- Are you going, too? - Yeah, why?
So you can look after the girl if it gets choppy.
- The sea's nice and calm. - You never know.
- I'll look after the girl. - Thank you.
Don't make me look bad.
Please, go through.
Remove the gangplank.
Lenù!
Don't talk to strangers, be good.
Be careful, you hear me?
Bye.
When the ferry left the pier
I felt terrified and elated at once.
For the first time I was leaving home,
taking a journey, by sea.
My mother's broad body, the neighborhood and Lila's story,
gradually faded into the distance until they were lost from view.