01x03 - Il Papa

[bunniefuu]

Any news?

None, Your Holiness.

Brethren

children

and especially you, my beloved youth.

Holy Week begins

which saw the attainment

of human redemption

and of perfect divine glorification.

Let us pray together

for those who are suffering

at present.

Let us pray for

the Honorable Aldo Moro,

so dear to us,

kidnapped in a cowardly attack,

with this heartfelt appeal

for him to be returned

to his loved ones.

TURIN, MARCH 20, 1978

Trial of historic core of the BR

The court is now in session.

The hearing may begin.

I have been given

a typewritten document

headed "Communiqué Number Eleven".

Having deemed

that it does not contain

any material relevant to this trial,

but rather ideological digressions,

political interpretations,

we shall therefore include

it in the court records.

No! I wish to read the communiqué

on behalf of all 15 comrades.

The communiqué is a political

manifesto not pertinent to the trial.

But it is relevant,

because it concerns us, you,

the DC and its 30 year long

occupation of this state

and its corollary of nefarious deeds,

crimes, atrocities, scandals

that have discredited this country.

Enough!

We will not tolerate any further

proclamations! Enough!

Your Honor, I ask again to be able

to read the communiqué.

And I repeat,

it is not relevant to this trial.

The accused has a chance to speak

when he takes the stand.

This decision shows your weakness

and political shortsightedness.

But as you pursue this trial,

quite another one is underway

in this country!

Unlike you,

we shall hold a normal trial, by law.

Everybody knows

this is a political trial,

that we'll all be found guilty of

political crimes, like under fascism!

Fascists!

Totally ill*gal!

I ask for their expulsion,

it's an apology of crime.

Calm down, don't raise your voice.

We'll leave the courtroom.

We decide.

Three observers will monitor

your counter-revolutionary activity.

Let us out!

-We are revolutionary militants!

-Open the cages.

The Red Brigades exist. They are

in here, outside, everywhere.

That's why you're so afraid of us

that you keep us in cages!

-You're just a g*ng.

-A g*ng that's holding Aldo Moro.

and which, in the name of the people,

will put the entire DC on trial

and the entire Italian political

class! Well done!

Enough, we'll take a brief recess.

So cooler heads may prevail,

for everyone.

Court will resume in half an hour.

Let's go.

Counselor Guiso, may I have a word?

I'm Cesare Curioni, we met

at San Vittore Correctional Facility.

-May I sit down?

-Of course.

Thank you.

President Moro must be saved.

I'm convinced you think so too.

Let's put our differences aside and

find a way to save him together.

If the BR didn't k*ll him right away,

there's a margin for negotiation.

You should speak to your clients,

make them see reason, convince them,

find out what they want in exchange.

Look, I was recused too.

I'm here to defend Lazagna

who didn't recuse me,

as he's an old guard Communist.

But you know them well,

personally.

They've won, shown their strength.

They can be satisfied with that.

Tell them there's a lot of money.

Much more than for

the Costa kidnapping.

I don't think they're interested

in money, they want recognition.

Don't you see?

They're an army at w*r.

They're too few.

Castro began with just a few.

It's about perspective.

Please,

can I count on your help?

I'll ask, but there are

other players involved now.

Forgive me,

but who are you negotiating for?

Your Holiness, Monsignor Curioni.

Come.

Take a seat, monsignor.

The BR in jail don't know anything.

They lay claim, make proclamations

but they're in the dark.

They know what we know, who's

in charge and managing the abduction,

It's always like that.

I've also spoken

to other individuals,

lifers in the know, mafiosi,

camorristi,

prudently and personally,

they trust me.

But there isn't a good relationship

between them and the BR.

In fact, they detest each other.

The mafiosi are murderers,

criminals but also believers,

practicing, they go to Mass,

they take communion,

they get married in church,

they baptize their kids.

We can understand each other,

the language is the same.

It might be another possibility.

Not with the Red Brigades, though.

They're materialist atheists,

fanatical revolutionaries.

Let's not lose heart.

There's often a weak link,

an exception

an unexpected repentance,

a sudden conversion.

Never despair.

Let me know if there's any news,

but don't call me directly,

the phone might be tapped.

Wiretap you, the vicar of Christ?

Prudence is the first of

the cardinal virtues,

and not without reason.

-Do you still live in prison?

-Yes, at San Vittore.

-To be closer to the inmates.

-Right.

You may go.

Aldo's a friend, a dear friend,

we must save him.

We must convince the government

to save him.

Your Holiness

you should eat a little meat.

It gives you strength.

I absolutely want to be

at the Via Crucis.

Holy Father, that's impossible

in your condition.

It could be the last time.

It could be the last time for many.

Let's try with that one.

No, a smaller one.

An even smaller one.

MARCH 25

Seventh station,

Jesus falls for the second time.

He committed no sin and no deceit

came from his mouth,

he bore our sins in his body

on the wood of the cross.

Hail Mary, full of Grace,

the Lord is with thee .

blessed art thou among women, blessed

is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

What's happening? Your Holiness?

Are you unwell?

Oh, God.

Sister Caterina,

it needs to be medicated at once.

MARCH 25

Easter Sunday

THE t*rrorists' BLACKMAIL

WILL NOT DEFEAT US

I saw you carrying the cross

with a certain vigor.

It wasn't that heavy, Your Holiness.

The politicians?

They stayed at home, for their own

safety, given the current climate.

That's right, I didn't see them.

Mrs. Moro has arrived, Your Holiness.

Dear Noretta.

Leave us alone, please.

Come, Noretta, have a seat.

Dear Noretta, your pain is ours,

as is our resolve

to bring our dear Aldo home.

Your Holiness, I can never thank you

enough, for us you are

But I can't

ALDO MORO INSANE

The papers say he's insane,

his dearest friends,

the Osservatore Romano.

Calm down, it's the public,

official position, and it's ours too.

We must think of the billion

Catholics spread all over the world.

who make our church,

without them we would not exist.

The humanity Aldo always envisaged

for his party goes for us too.

What must Aldo think?

He must feel abandoned by everyone.

No.

If he were to read it,

he'd understand that it is not

what the Church thinks

and not what I think either.

He would not stop at the words,

he would sense their deeper meaning.

No one is abandoning him.

We must maintain a prudent,

diplomatic stance

to be able to act in secret.

You must have faith.

Your Holiness, in you,

I have all the faith in the world.

-As for the rest

-How are the children?

Fine.

Praying is the most important thing,

never tire of repeating prayers.

Everyone has come to visit us,

except Andreotti.

Is he the one urging firmness?

-Why so much obstinacy?

-He's not the only one.

They're all for firmness,

but to different degrees.

I understand your bitterness, Nora,

but many are taking action,

like so many little crusades

with the sole aim of saving him.

Don't lose hope, Aldo is not alone.

Your Holiness, I am not

a desperate woman, not yet,

nor am I resigned.

But if he were to be condemned,

since they're trying him,

I shall not sit still,

I shall not stay silent.

Pass me my cane.

Come with me.

Possini.

Don Macchi, uncover it.

The manure of the Devil.

But the holy purpose purifies it.

The usual spaghetti with tomato

sauce and a little parmesan.

-Two scoops of ice cream?

-No.

-Eminence, can I offer you something?

-No, thank you.

We must nourish ourselves.

But I made a vow not to eat

ice cream until Moro is freed.

I understand you have

a large sum ready.

How much are we talking?

20 billion lire has been collected

but more is still coming in.

I wish to pass on the concern,

the sensibility of the Holy Father

who merely wishes to

gauge the government's willingness

and that of its supporters,

to allow a Vatican way

to save the Honorable Moro.

But we can't move

without your approval.

And if they say no?

Will you wait for me?

Tell the party secretaries

it's twenty billion.

Gentlemen.

The Holy See wants to pay a ransom,

a very substantial sum.

They have it ready.

Twenty billion.

Billions to the BR means bombs,

bazookas, an arsenal, more deaths.

Just think what they did with the

1.5 billion Costa ransom.

It's dripping with blood.

There could be an uprising, chaos.

Entire companies could disobey us,

a general mutiny.

If you pay the ransom,

we can't control our people.

Not us, the Holy See.

We risk our lives and

you free our comrades' murderers.

We're all risking our lives,

calm down.

I'm with you, and the government

parties will be too.

I must leave you.

-Have you informed them?

-Calm down the generals.

-Are they angry?

-Yes, and they're playing it up.

Well, you know, it's twenty billion.

-We'll definitely pay.

-Wait a minute.

If we negotiate, how will we

Communists face the workers?

I feel responsibility toward those

we've asked many sacrifices of.

What do we tell them?

How do we explain?

Paying is surrendering.

Let's discuss this,

we are government allies.

There isn't much to discuss,

it's either yes or no.

It's yes from me.

The DC won't oppose

the payment of a ransom.

It's a yes from us too.

It's a yes from us as well.

If it's about money,

not political recognition.

Dear Giulio, I'm very happy

about this decision,

for us Socialists the humanitarian

road is the way to go.

It's the main path. We must try

everything to save Aldo Moro's life.

Even if I'd like to ask you

to consider one last thing.

If with the money

from the Costa kidnapping

Fine, but if we say no,

in the public opinion we'll be

the ones who wanted Moro dead.

The negotiation faction is growing.

Committees, appeals for

Moro's liberation are growing.

The Pope has called

the Christian world to prayer.

Yes, I understand.

But the generals told me that a fire

may break out in the barracks.

-You need to know that.

-Our position must be clear.

I repeat: no political recognition.

For us Communists,

the BR are bloodthirsty criminals.

They're not in our family album.

This said, there can be negotiations,

but secret, not public.

Do it, but don't say it.

That's the Communists for you.

I'll go and inform

Monsignor Casaroli.

Responding to the call

from Catholic Action,

thousands of people have joined

in prayer in the St. John Lateran,

embracing the families of the victims

of the slaughter in Via Fani

and the Honorable Moro.

The youngsters from Catholic Action

read the intentions of the prayers

dedicated to the victims,

to the Honorable Moro

and to the perpetrators

of this absurd m*ssacre.

United in his name, we beseech God

for the release of

our brother Aldo Moro,

reciting the prayer Jesus taught us.

Our Father who art in heaven

Let's do this quickly.

Do you speak

in the name of the Red Brigades?

I am a member of the Red Brigades.

The money's ready,

it's what you asked for.

Good, the release must be done here,

outside Italian jurisdiction.

Very well, understandable.

But how?

We have friends everywhere.

So, are we agreed?

Yes, but we need proof he's alive

and that you're the ones holding him.

-We'll meet here again.

-No.

It's dangerous in the same place.

Somewhere else, I'll let you know.

Without proof,

we can't hand over the money.

Proof he's alive and that he's in

your hands. The money is there.

I left an envelope on the bench

opposite the confessional.

It's the proof you're looking for.

That's enough for today.

You still have doubts, Your Holiness?

I'm sorry, but doesn't it seem the

same as the first communiqué?

I think it's the same.

One is bigger, the other is smaller.

Is this the proof your contact

supplied?

-Nothing else?

-Yes.

This picture doesn't tell me

he's alive. There's no detail,

a date, a newspaper.

A date would have been enough

to guarantee that Moro is alive.

We need more.

-Father.

-I'm here.

-Well?

-The photo.

First we discuss how we do it.

-No, the photo with the paper?

-Listen.

Yes or no?

It wasn't possible.

They couldn't take it.

Bringing the other one

was already a huge undertaking.

But I can give you other proof.

Father.

Why did you leave?

You were supposed to bring a photo

proving the hostage is alive.

-For us it's fundamental.

-It wasn't possible.

-Then I can't trust you anymore.

-I can give other proof.

Tomorrow a communiqué will announce

his death, but he's alive.

-So what's the point?

-We must alleviate the pressure.

There can't be a roadblock

at every corner.

-Break the siege?

-You've grasped the concept.

Father

ALDO MORO HAS BEEN ASSASSINATED

"Today, April 18, 1978, marks the end

of the dictatorial era of the DC,

which for 30 years has dominated

with the logic of abuse.

In concomitance with this date,

we announce that

the president of the DC, Aldo Moro,

has been ex*cuted by suicide.

We consent to the retrieval of his

body and tell where he lies.

Aldo Moro's body is submerged on the

muddy bottom of Lake Duchessa."

It says what my contact told me.

-What do you think, Your Holiness?

-That we have no choice.

APRIL 18

LAKE DUCHESSA

Footage has just come in

minutes ago

Your Holiness,

the rice is getting cold.

The diver's attempts

have been in vain,

the ice is layered in a way

that the body can't be submerged.

How long has the lake been frozen?

Since winter.

Since before March 16.

They would have had to take the body

all the way there at night,

broken the ice, lowered the body in,

closed up the hole with more ice,

covered everything with snow,

hoping more snow would fall

to restore a spotless coating.

A miracle.

Isn't all this deployment of forces

senseless?

We've been tricked.

-Don Cesare Curioni.

-Yes.

There's a phone call for you.

It's His Holiness the Pope,

it's not a joke.

I'm sorry, I did everything I could.

Father, I must thank you.

We are so eager to save him

that we didn't realize

that it was all a trick

and that your contact was not

from the BR, but an impostor.

For us it's cold comfort

to have avoided the swindle.

You're right, Your Holiness.

But if he's an impostor,

who's behind him?

Who wants to prevent all that money

going to the Red Brigades?

One of two options:

Either they're swindlers who made it

all up to cash in on the ransom,

or there are government forces,

powers that oppose the ransom,

but don't do so openly.

The primary goal, the most noble,

is to save Moro by themselves

with their own forces,

so as to give Italians faith

that the state still exists.

The secondary goal, however,

is much less noble,

it is to prevent Aldo Moro

from being freed.

With a further bifurcation:

to want his death or, by gambling

with the Red Brigades

to force them to free him

with nothing in exchange.

FOR ELEONORA MORO

FOR POPE PAUL VI

"At this difficult time,

I take the liberty

with profound respect

and deep hope,

of addressing Your Holiness,

so you may,

with high moral authority

and Christian humanitarian spirit,

intercede with the relevant

Italian government authorities

for a just solution

to the issue of the exchange

of political prisoners for me to be

returned to my family, for whose

serious necessities, my presence

and assistance are indispensable.

Only Your Holiness can place,

before the needs of the state,

in righteous order,

moral reasoning

and the right to life.

With deep gratitude,

hope and devout reverence,

your devoted Aldo Moro."

Call Monsignor Casaroli at once.

Your Holiness,

won't you eat something?

No, thank you, please go.

Holy Father.

Have the Prime Minister read Moro's

letter, if he hasn't already seen it.

Tell him that I intend to speak

personally to the Red Brigades,

without mediation.

Your Holiness, am I to add anything

about the nature of

what you intend to say to the BR?

No, also because I don't know yet

what I will write.

Us and them directly.

And may God inspire me.

Very well, Your Holiness.

Of course His Holiness

can address the Red Brigades.

I'm sure that he is fully aware

of the limits

our duties impose on us.

We try to do the impossible,

but we are dealing with criminals

who, while not recognizing us,

demand to be recognized.

They're bullying us because

they feel they're stronger.

It would be a defeat,

the state surrendering.

It's unacceptable.

I heard that one of the widows,

the widow of the slain

commander of the escort,

has threatened to set fire

to herself in front of Chigi Palace.

If His Holiness wants to write,

let him.

Let him ask for Moro's release,

but with no conditions,

with no compensation.

The situation is this

and it cannot change.

But I repeat, I'm certain that

in his infinite wisdom

the Holy Father is fully aware of it.

Let's hope so.

HOLY SEE OF THE PAPAL STATE

Your Holiness.

I think that His Excellency

the Prime Minister

would appreciate

a preview of the letter.

It would be, I believe,

a sign of respect.

We shall consider

that when it is ready and it is not.

Macchi.

-Is Don Curioni still in Rome?

-No, he is at home, in Asso.

Call him.

Hello?

Don Curioni, I'll put you through

to the Holy Father.

Step away, please.

Your Holiness, what's happening?

I'm calling you

because I am having difficulty.

I'm writing a letter to the BR

and I would like your opinion.

Of course, tell me.

I would like to be direct

Free.

Yes, freer.

But aware of what I represent

and what I have always

striven to be,

and that the life of a man

depends on me, a man dear to me,

precious to the life of the Church,

of the country.

It's hard to hold together

responsibility and mercy.

To yield, or not to yield,

and if so, how much, or what.

To speak to hearts and minds.

Yes, to minds as well,

but of people I do not know,

who are thousands of miles away

from me, who do not have faith.

How do you persuade an unbeliever?

I know, they are men, they are women,

they're not aliens, it's language,

that penetrates hearts .

St. Francis tamed a wolf,

spoke to the birds.

My God, I'm rambling,

-he was a saint.

-Your Holiness

Your Holiness I hear that

every day, as if I really were holy.

-Holiness, let's not get lost in

-You're right, Don Cesare.

You know them better than me,

help me.

What do you wish to convey, exactly?

I want them to understand

that mine is more than an appeal,

I want them to feel my pain,

that I only want them to free him.

Then say so, but with your

own style. I am a just a priest

If I were capable

of finding the words.

Listen.

I've written "vengeful",

here I've written "indwell". They're

words that are no longer used.

You are the Holy Father,

it's solemnity,

speaking to the world is your

mission. You are the vicar of Christ.

-Christianity must never doubt it.

-But if I used another style,

perhaps I could astonish them,

move them.

-If instead I use my style

-No, permit me to disagree.

They don't go for subtleties. They

are materialistic revolutionaries.

They are crude, methodical,

astute and full of hatred.

They are like that

and you cannot indulge them.

I can't be free, as you can,

because of what I represent.

I must speak like this, it's right.

I cannot be what I am not,

perish the thought.

Listen.

I wanted to begin like this.

Direct.

"I am writing to you,

men of the Red Brigades.

Restore to freedom,

to his family, to civilian life,

the Honorable Aldo Moro."

What do you think?

It's a good start. It's powerful.

Starting is easy, but then

Forgive me if I bothered you,

go back to sleep, father.

And thank you,

I'll sort it out on my own.

-Good night.

-Good night, Your Holiness.

"I am writing to you,

men of the Red Brigades.

Restore to freedom, to his family,

to civilian life,

the Honorable Aldo Moro.

I have no mandate towards him,

nor am I tied to him

by any personal interests,

but I love him as a member of

the great human family,

as a brother in faith and as a son

of the Church of Christ.

And it is in the supreme name

of Christ

that I beg you on my knees:

free the Honorable Aldo Moro,

simply, with no conditions."

All reference to people

and real events

has been artistically elaborated

by the authors.

The roles have been reinterpreted

for dramatic purposes.

Any connection with real people

is therefore purely coincidental.