At War for Love (In guerra per amore)

Where I come from, when you visit someone -

- it's good manners to not show up empty-handed.

And since the person I was meeting was... an important person...

Very important... I brought a story.

A story about America and Sicily -

- that was changing the course of World War II -

and also... our lives.

AT WAR FOR LOVE

It all began in January, 1943.

Europe had been under Nazi control for some time -

- and Hitler had a loyal ally in Benito Mussolini.

The United States and the Allies had finally decided -

- to open a front in Europe and free it from dictatorship.

Despite President Roosevelt's optimism,

the Americans knew next to nothing about Sicily.

So in order to prepare a state-of-the-art military plan,

they asked an old acquaintance for help.

That's what friends are for, right?

In those days, I wasn't in the American Army yet -

and all I could think about was Flora.

- Shall we take a photo? - Sure.

- Let's ask that man to take it. - No, we can take it.

- But it won't turn out good. - Yes, it will.

It's more romantic, look!

Smile.

The bridge...

And like all people in love, we had big dreams.

Big Plans. Big hopes.

- Arturo, where's that bottle? - Coming!

But unfortunately, our time had not yet come.

Here you are, sir.

Now, clear the table. Go on!

I propose a toast -

- to the union and the happiness of our families.

To the engagement of Carmelo -

and my little niece, Flora.

Not only were the plates shattered,

so was my heart.

Flora, the woman I loved and who loved me, had been promised -

by her Uncle Alfredo, my employer,

to Carmelo, who was not just any old rival...

...but the son of Don Tano Piazza, the right-hand man -

of Lucky Luciano.

My house is behind this mountain. The sea is right there.

The beach is very, very long.

- Got it. - Hey, Tony?

Okay, stick around for a second.

Well? What do you think?

I knew that was the right tactic.

You give me two more weeks, I'll give you Adolf Hitler.

I'm leaving tomorrow and I won't see you again.

Will I be okay when I get to Sicily?

You're on a list of people -

who've never forgotten Luciano...

Where is it? Where is it? Here it is.

It starts here and ends there.

The beach at Crisafullo is good for military vehicles.

No rocks there, I swear it.

My brother still lives there, in the Bevilacqua district.

But the poor guy is sick. He can't move. His daughter -

lives with me.

This is Crisafullo.

Beautiful, isn't it?

Right.

On the other side of the world, in Sicily,

to convince the population -

- to ditch Mussolini, the Americans were dropping bombs.

To intercept them, the Sicilians used advanced technology...

- Stop! - Hear anything, Saro?

...blind men!

Bombs.

Bombs!

They're coming! Bombs!

Bombs! They're coming!

They're coming!

We gotta warn the town!

My son went to war because you said to go.

Now you've got to protect him.

I'm begging you.

Because you can do anything.

More than anyone else in the world.

And we're in your hands.

Sebastiano, come here.

- Agostino, come on, they're bombing. - Just a moment.

The letter!

Sebastiano, what are you doing? Come here!

You come when I call you!

Let the little Madonna pass! The Madonna first!

- The Duce first! - The Madonna first!

- The Madonna! - The Duce!

"SHELTER"

- The Madonna first! - The Duce first!

Come on everybody, this way! Hurry!

- Let the Duce through! - Let the Madonna through!

- Let the Duce through. - The Madonna...

Hurry up! Run, run!

Come on, run!

Run!

- Sit here. - That's okay. I'll sit over here.

It's more comfortable here.

The bombs are coming! Hurry up! Run, kids!

Saro, you're the last one. Come on, let's go!

"PUBLIC AIR-RAID SHELTER"

- Here's Mussolini, now we're all set! - I'll pretend I didn't hear that.

- They're coming. - Saro, you hear them?

They're coming!

"When you're sad, remember that good and bad weather -

won't last very long..."

And when you're sad, you feel like crying,

just think of a donkey flying, like the one in the song.

- Don't you remember it? - No.

Dad, I can't hear you.

Dad?

Dad? I can't hear you!

A bomb!

Dad!

- Arturo? - Flora?

- I have something important to tell you. - Tell me.

Not here.

- Tonight, at the usual place. - Okay.

- I love you. - Me, too.

Are you crazy? Don't you realize -

that I gave Don Tano my word?

You can force me to marry Carmelo. But you can't keep me from loving Arturo.

What is it you see in that guy?

- Why do you love him? - Because...

Because...

I love him, because I love him.

You should trust him more.

Me? I let him wait on tables, don't you remember? What a fiasco!

- There is one possibility. - What is it?

Go talk to my father. Ask for my hand. If he says yes -

- it's settled. Only he can stand up to Uncle Alfredo.

That's a fantastic idea.

Let's go straight to your father. Where does he live?

- In Crisafullo. - Okay, we'll take a bus.

Or a taxi, yeah! Where's Crisafullo?

- Right after Brooklyn? Where is it? - In Sicily.

Sicily?

- It's in Sicily? - Why, is that a problem?

No, no, Florina.

It's just that in Sicily they're fighting World War II right now.

You're right.

I didn't think of that.

But of course I'll go, Flora!

I'll convince your father. You're not gonna marry that guy.

I promise I'll go to Sicily and I'll make him say yes.

But how can I get there? I haven't got a dime.

How can I get to Sicily?

Some water, please.

How come nobody understands me?!

- I'm gonna bust him one! - What's going on?

He enlisted so he can go to Sicily.

And ask Flora's father for her hand.

Sit down.

When I met your mother -

I made the same mistake.

She had a suitor before she met me.

I cut off his little finger.

- Bravo, Dad. - Not really.

Every time we fight, your mother throws it in my face.

Listen, we gotta do a clean job.

- He's going to Sicily? - Yeah.

We'll get our friends there to bump him off.

There's a war going on. One more body, who's gonna notice?

Duce...

I hear the Americans are coming...

And people say they're coming to liberate us.

Liberate us from who? From ourselves?

But I've got faith in our soldiers.

I'm sure they'll stop them at the beaches, just like you said.

Duce? Good night...

..and dream of victory.

Are you still awake?

Still singing Daddy's song?

- Mom. - Yes, honey.

Are you sure donkeys don't fly?

Let's put it this way. Can Mussolini fly?

- No. - See? Donkeys don't fly.

I'll pretend I didn't hear that.

Go to sleep now.

G'night.

A bit more to the right. More to the right, to the right!

No, to the left. To the left!

To the right, to the right!

Left or right, Saro? Where are they coming from?

From the right and the left, it's all one sound.

Turn me.

Turn me.

Holy Mother!

- Tell me, Saruzzo! - There are so many.

- So many? - We have to wake up the town.

- Let's go, Saruzzo! - Wait, wait!

- How many are there? - They're coming from here, from there...

Grandpa, the bombs!

Mommy!

The bombs!

Agostino, leave it.

- I'm not leaving the Duce alone. - Your grandpa is crazy!

- Completely crazy! - You ingrate!