04x08 - The Investigation

[bunniefuu]

People often abuse the word "degradation".

Seems it can be applied to everything.

But in this case...

"Degradation" is a legitimate,
perhaps even exact, word.

I also used it often,

but I can no longer use it to talk
about the place where I grew up

and where my family and friends live.

It's a complicated place.

Yes, it is a complicated place.

But perhaps it's the place
where I've learned the most.

I think that neighborhood is
the obvious synthesis of Naples,

which, after the earthquake,
became an even more difficult city

and I believe that Naples is the
obvious synthesis of our country,

of its misery, of the false
legality in which we all live

and we accept to live.

If you leave,

you have to know that you will never
fully understand the things that happen,

but at the same time, paradoxically,

only if you manage to look at them from the outside,

you will understand them clearly.

Now that my daughters also live in Naples,

the only thing I can do is show them that their fate

is their right.

Thanks to Elena Greco.

I kept going around wherever they invited me.

Being away from the girls soon became commonplace.

What's your name?

Feelings of guilt

were replaced by the need to make a good impression.

If at first I only thought about my daughters,

I suddenly forgot about them.

The bonds of motherhood were weakening.

Sometimes I forgot to call Lila

to wish the girls good night.

I couldn't shake the satisfaction
of what I had achieved.

My name, anyone's name,

had definitely become an important name.

You didn't seem very scared.

But I was. I always am.

But I've learned and know how to hide it.

What did you learn? Tell me.

Well, for example,

I used to go over everything in
my head as if for a college exam.

And then, little by little, I understood
that there's no need to prepare,

I just have to really answer the questions.

Let's see if you really answer the questions.

Can I go up and have a drink with you?

Mrs. Greco.

There's a message for you.

It's urgent.

Excuse me.

They asked that you call them back.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

- Hello?
- Enzo, it's me, what's going on?

Hello. Look, Lila didn't want to call you, but...

Can you tell me what happened?

Elena...

Lila!

Hi.

Don't worry, she's sleeping.

How is she?

A bit better. She's slowly recovering.

Why didn't you tell me anything?

Because she was fine. I was with her all the time.

But at one point she started
having trouble breathing.

I knew a decision had to be made and I brought her here.

Pneumonia is like that.

But why didn't you call me immediately?

I left the numbers of all the
hotels where I'd be staying.

Because you keep going from one place to another.

You have many things to do.

I can take care of the girls.

As soon as I saw it was necessary, I brought her here.

I want to see her.

Yes, but we must remain silent.

They say it's a good sign that she's sleeping.

Yes.

Thanks, Lila.

Hey...

How did you manage your job?

I organized myself.

With all the things you have to do.

I really appreciate it.

It doesn't matter. It's all right.

What's important is that Imma is fine.

There are other problems to think about now.

What do you mean?

They're going to sue you.

Sue?

Carmen.

What are you taking about? Why?

She didn't tell me the reason.

I want to talk to her right away.

No.

It's not the right time.

Wait.

Let's see what happens.

At that moment, the exciting phase of success ended.

In a few seconds, the guilt of having neglected Imma

added to the fear that they would
take everything away from me legally:

Joy, prestige, money.

I was ashamed of myself, of my aspirations.

I went by Carmen's house but no one answered,

so I went to see her husband, Roberto,

who ran a gas station on the main road.

I'm looking for Carmen, I have to talk to her.

Hello, Elena.

I went by the house but she wasn't there.

Carmen went with the children to Giugliano.

She has relatives there.

She said she'll stay there
for a while, you understand?

Why?

Sorry, I'm busy.

- Yes?
- Fill it up.

Of course.

Antonio!

- Hello, Elena.
- Hi.

What's wrong?

I don't understand this place anymore, Elena.

I'm leaving this place.

In fact, I'm glad we ran into each other

so I can say goodbye to you.

Where are you going?

I'm going back to Germany.

When?

I don't know yet.

So why say goodbye now?

We don't see each other much,

you are always busy.

It's you who doesn't come looking for me.

You don't come looking for me either.

- I'm leaving...
- Yes, I understand.

Why?

Because my family is not happy here.

Is Michele kicking you out?

He commands, I obey.

So it's because of him.

Look at this.

I'm having a nervous breakdown again.

Also, my mother isn't right in the head, again.

Are you leaving her here?

No, she's coming with me.

Ada has her own problems.

Besides, I'm a lot like my mother.

It's better to keep an eye on her,
so I'll know how I'm going to end up.

Melina always lived here. She's going to suffer a lot.

One suffers everywhere, Elena.

Do you want a piece of advice?

Tell me.

You leave too.

Why?

Because Lila believes that the both of you,

when you're together, you are invincible,

but you aren't.

And now I can't help you anymore.

Help us with what?

Elena,

with the Solaras.

They are angry, really angry.

Have you seen how the people
of the neighborhood voted?

They no longer control the elections.

Yes, so?

Lila managed to get many votes for the communists.

What do I have to do with that?

Marcello and Michele see Lila
behind everything and everyone,

especially behind you.

Do you know anything about a lawsuit against me?

It's already been presented.

And Carmen's lawyers

are the Solaras' lawyers.

Where are you going?

Out.

What do you say, Dede? Do you want to go out with me?

Speak Italian, Dede can understand you,

not like those idiot friends of yours.

- Mom won't let me go.
- And she's right.

I'm going out with those idiot friends of mine, right?

All right.

"'It's nice to be warm and sleep, ' she thought.

She had missed the warmth of the sun on her back."

"All this movement..."

Imma,

we're reading, don't watch TV.

What is this book about?

It's a book about a bear.

Tina, I asked her. Wait.

Tell me, what is it about?

We read it many times.

It's the story of a bear...

Imma...

Leave her alone.

I'm going to finish preparing.

What's wrong?

Her hip hurts.

It's no big deal.

The police officer who brought it to
me said that he couldn't tell me anything,

that it's all written there.

Carmen requests the immediate
withdrawal of the book from sale

and a disproportionate amount of money

because I insulted the memory
of her mother Giuseppina.

What should I do now?

Make a mess.

What do you mean?

Tell the newspapers what is happening to you.

You are crazy.

I write novels, Lila.

Furthermore, Antonio told me

that the Solaras' lawyers are behind Carmen.

Don't tell me you didn't know that.

How could I not know?

And why didn't you tell me?

See how you get anxious immediately?

But you're wrong.

You worry about the law

and on the other hand the Solaras worry about your book

because it obviously bothers them.

I'm afraid that with all the money
they have they could ruin me.

Precisely, you should mess with their money.

Write, Elena.

Write.

The more you write about their
sh*t, the more you ruin their business.

I could ask my editor.

I could ask him to write an article in the "Corriere",

he writes there.

Why does he have to write it?

Write it yourself!

The publisher took my side,

they could take care of this problem.

Don't worry about that.

The only thing that matters
to them is selling the book.

- And isn't that good?
- Of course.

But you must write the article.

Why me?

Because you are good.

Remember when you wrote the
article against Bruno Soccavo?

It wasn't an article against Bruno Soccavo,

but about factory labor.

Anyway, you made him pay.

Now you are more important, you can do even better.

The Solaras shouldn't hide behind Carmen.

We have to expose them

and they should no longer have the power.

The "Corriere" isn't interested

in Carmen selling out

and in the Solaras buying her.

For a major newspaper to publish an article

it must have meaning to the general public,

otherwise they won't publish it.

Do you think Carmen cares about
removing your book from the shops?

Do you think she was really
offended by Giuseppina's memory?

Carmen is your friend, Elena.

She didn't sell out to anyone.

The Solaras forced her.

Explain yourself.

I won't explain anything to you.

You wrote the books and you
are the one who must explain.

All I know is that we don't have any
publisher from Milan to protect us here.

This is a local issue,

like you say,

and we must get by as best we can.

If you want to give us a hand, fine,

otherwise, we'll do it alone,

because this definitely won't end here.

I started to see more clearly that she bestowed on me

the strength we used to bestow
on the author of "Little Women."

Was that why she wanted me
to return to the neighborhood?

Was this her plan?

Did she want me to mess with the Solaras?

- Are you hiding something from me?
- No.

So why don't you tell me?

- Admit that you like Gennaro.
- That's not true.

Why do you stay at the window
waiting for him to come back?

When?

You can't even talk when he's around.

That's not true.

It is.

- Dede is in love.
- That's not true!

Dede is in love.

Idiot!

- Dede is in love.
- You're an idiot!

- Let go of me.
- Idiot.

- You are the idiot.
- Idiot.

- You're an idiot!
- What are you doing, are you crazy?

- This idiot is telling lies!
- It's true, that's why you get mad.

Did you know she's in love with Gennaro?

That's not true...

Are you in love with Gennaro?

It's not true! Stop it, leave me alone.

- Totally in love.
- It's not true.

- Yes it's true.
- Enough!

It's not true...

Come here, Imma.

Dede, calm down.

Calm down.

Pasquale, there's a dead person. Come!

Hurry!

He wasn't himself anymore.
He could no longer be trusted.

He knew he couldn't work with me anymore.

He spoke as if he were a woman in front of customers!

He had an appointment and didn't show up.

He would come to a meeting, all made up,

and say, "Sorry I'm late, I'm good at selling."

He embarrassed me in front of customers.

He spoke as if he were a woman.

But he was just a poor idiot.

Just an idiot.

Calm down, Lila.

I'll get you a glass of water.

Calm down. Enough!

That's enough...

Lila...

Calm down...

I felt that she had loved him more than me,

even more than Marisa, more than anyone else.

And she had helped him more than anyone else.

She was stunned with grief
until the day of his funeral.

I felt the absence of Maria, his mother,

and his brothers, Pinuccia and
Stefano, were not there either,

nor Marisa with the children
who maybe were his, maybe not.

Enough, Lila.

The Lord be with you.

And with your spirit.

May God Almighty bless you,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

- Amen.
- Amen.

The mass is over.

Elena, I'll take Tina to the park,
do you want me to take Imma too?

- Yes. Go with Enzo.
- Come on.

Thanks, see you later.

See you at home.

Carmen.

I was looking for you, didn't they tell you?

Sorry, I'm in a hurry, Elena.

I want you to know that I'm not mad at you.

Why would you be angry? What did you lose?

You appear in the newspapers, you got more publicity.

Come with me.

Where to?

To talk to those two.

Don't do it.

If you are afraid, it doesn't matter.

I'll go alone.

Why did you come?

You felt remorse?

Don't provoke me.

You and your brother are finished,
you have to leave the neighborhood.

You better go, you still have time.

Are you threatening me?

Yes.

Michele,

don't you dare touch Gennaro or Enzo.

Do you understand?

Remember I know some things that can ruin you,

permanently,

you and that beast of your brother.

You know nothing, you have nothing in your hands

and, above all, you don't understand anything.

You're so smart but you don't understand

that I don't care about anything anymore?

Come, Michele.

Do you think you scare me
because Elena is in the papers?

Let's not waste our time.

Is that what you think?

You think I'm afraid

of someone who writes novels about the neighborhood.

But she's nobody!

You are someone.

Your shadow is worth more
than other flesh and blood people.

But you decided you didn't want to understand it.

Your loss.

I will take everything you have away from you.

Come on, come on.

Be careful, Elena.

Get in the car, quick. We have to go.

Get in.

You should put this in your next novel, Elena.

And tell Lila that my brother
and I don't want her anymore.

I swear to God I'll k*ll you.

They are both dead.

Shitty men!

You have to tell me everything
you know about the Solaras.

I'll tell you,

but you must not tell Enzo
anything about what happened.

If I give you things to write about, will you write it?

Yeah.

And then you will publish what you write?

I don't know.

We'll see.

What does it depend on?

I want to make sure it hurts the Solaras,

but not me and my daughters.

Here is everything you need.

It looks like a pointless mess,
but I'll explain it all to you.

We'll start from their mother's accounting book.

I knew they were part of what
the neighborhood had always called

Manuela Solara's "red book".

We worked for days,

we organized it and summarized it.

Look at the amount money.

How long had it been since we
had worked on something together?

She seemed happy,

it was what she wanted and what she expected from me.

- Orlando Spagnuolo.
- They're all there.

They are all there.

The text descended from heaven to earth

through the printer's noise

and materialized in black
dots deposited on the paper.

I reread it and mentally compared it to my book,

which was having great success.

I realized that Lila was right: It was bad.

It was bad because it was well organized,

written with excessive care.

I hadn't known how to condense,
like we did together now,

the uncoordinated, unsightly,

illogical and distorted banality of things.

- We have to destroy them.
- Yeah.

And if that's not enough, I'll go and k*ll them both.

- Hello?
- Enrico, it's me.

Elena, tell me.

My friend and I are done.

I'm sending it to you so you
can look at it with the lawyers.

And please,

I need to know if this is enough
to send the Solaras to prison.

I'll read it right away and let you know.

- Yeah.
- I'll call you.

Thanks. Bye.

And if a journalist, one of your colleagues,

dares to criticize a ruling,

they should receive an indictment

for aggravated defamation because it can't be...

Imma, who does Dede love?

On the one hand it has become
rigid regarding cross-examination...

She is in awe.

I think that this idea, that the judiciary

does not accept criticism

and can't bear to answer for mistakes

it has made through the
forced interpretation of the law,

this idea has reached a point...

Nino is convincing, isn't he?

Yeah.

Some cases have shown that they are not infallible.

Well, Imma?

Who does Dede love?

Come on, you already know.

Very good, Imma.

Tina always says it.

The other day she said,

"Dede and Gennaro keep looking for each other."

Actually, "They look for each other with their eyes."

Tina is really amazing.

Did you see how well she draws?

Not like the sh*t Imma does.

Sometimes you can be really stupid.

- Dede...
- Stop it!

Come on, come on.

A punishment.

But not only from the point of view of efficiency,

but above all from the very virtue of justice

and how it is exercised in our country.

- Hello?
- Elena, it's Enrico, are you busy?

Enrico, no.

Just a moment.

Dede, I'll pick up over there, come.

- There are reasons why...
- What do you think?

Dede, hang up.

Not about some magistrates in particular.

I think the exact opposite could happen.

That is to say, in the name of the virtue of some...

You are in a splendid period.

Tell me what the lawyers said.

There is not enough material for even a day in prison.

They were clear on that.

Really?

I didn't expect that.

It could bring you a lot of satisfaction,

but those Solaras won't go to prison.

Especially if, as you say,

they are so entrenched in local politics

and they have the money to buy whoever they want.

They are worse than what I wrote.

But the passion you put into these pages

is worth a lot more than the
fact that you can't screw them up.

In fact, I think you should publish it.

I don't know.

I'll call the "Espresso."

If you come out with a work like that, it will be big.

It will show that the Italy we live in
is much worse than we want to see.

It would end in a new lawsuit,

it would end in a lot of problems

and I would end up believing that the law

works for those who fear it, not for those who break it.

And I don't want to think that, for my daughters.

Let's do this,

let me send the text again to the lawyers,

to see what risks you're taking.

And if you need to delete something...

All right, yes.

But please, let me know immediately.

Yeah.

- Bye.
- Goodbye, Elena.

We must continue to guarantee respect

for those involved in the
fight against organized crime,

with the conviction that a modern State

is, above all, a State of guarantee.

Do you trust this editor?

Yes, I trust him, he is a good person.

And why don't you want to publish the article?

In the "Espresso"?

Because it's useless.

What good would it do?

To clarify things.

- But everything is clear now.
- For whom?

For you, for me, for the editor.

Be patient, Elena,

but now I'm busy.

Come on, Lila.

I'm in a hurry.

Since Alfonso is gone, work
has become more complicated.

- Please go.
- Why are you angry?

I said go away!

- Hello?
- Elena!

Hello, Enrico.

Bravo, I'm glad you finally decided.

What do you mean?

A friend of mine from the "Espresso" has called me,

he needs your contact information.

He told me that your article will
come out this week, with some cuts.

Why didn't you tell me you changed your mind?

Everything happened so fast.

You did well.

Okay, we'll talk later. Bye.

I couldn't shake the suspicion that she was using me.

She had exposed me

and was counting on my notoriety to win her own w*r,

to carry out her revenge,

to silence her own sense of guilt.

What did you do?

Since you couldn't decide, I did.

Imma?

They are here, they are drawing.

I had decided not to publish it!

But not me.

Then you sign it.

What are you saying? You are the one who writes.

You signed it with your name.

You removed your signature?

You removed it because you like to stay hidden,

you like to throw the stone
and hide your hand. I'm fed up!

Elena...

I don't like that you think that.

I sent the article to the "Espresso"

with your signature alone
because no one cares about me.

You are the one who studied and you are famous.

Only you can teach lessons.

Enough, Lila.

You overestimate what a writer can do.

No, it's you who underestimates yourself, Elena.

I want more and more people to know.

People should know what your merits are.

You'll see what will happen to the Solaras.

Here are the monsters that chase us

and here are the princes that save you and me.

- Not me.
- You too, all right?

No one saves me.

The prince saves you!

I don't have a prince.

I'll let mine save you.

I said no!

Imma!

- Imma...
- Wait for me.

Wait, Imma.

- Shall we make up?
- No, I don't want to.

With Imma you only see the problems you want to see.

And what problems don't I see?

The twitch in her eye, didn't you see it?

Yeah.

But it happens very rarely.

She does it often.

And what do you think it means?

I don't know.

I only know that she feels like she has no father.

The article caused a stir, but nothing happened.

Lila was very angry,

I was careful not to hold it against her

that the decision to publish had been hers,

but she could not avoid the evidence
of the mistake in her assessment.

She had lived bestowing
power to things like the alphabet,

writing, books,

which, however, when transformed
into research and testing,

didn't materialize.

Today I think that she, who
seemed so adult and disenchanted,

only put an end to her childhood in those days.

- Elena, let me help you.
- No, I can do it.

- Come on, it's heavy.
- Really, I can do it.

I'll walk you, let's go.

Come on.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

In the end, Elena, you wrote,

you published the article in the newspaper,

And what good were all those words for?

Nothing at all.

Do you see me?

I'm always here.

Words come and go, but us, the Solaras, remain.

- Good morning.
- Good morning.

But I'm not mad at you.

I know that if it had been up to
you, you wouldn't have done it.

It's not your fault,

and my house is always open for you.

Is it?

How strange, because yesterday Elisa hung up on me.

Your sister is in charge, what can I do?

Elena.

- Hello.
- Hello.

- Morning, professor.
- Good morning.

What a pleasure.

- How are you?
- Good.

Doriana, Marcello.

The professor is so nice.

Give the bags to Pietro, Marcello.

- Thank you, Marcello.
- It was a pleasure, professor.

Goodbye, Elena.

Come on.

The girls are waiting for you.

They have already prepared the suitcases.

- That's good, we're in a hurry, right?
- Yeah.

How was the trip?

Good. A little long.

Girls...

- Dad!
- Dad!

Hello!

How beautiful you are!

- When are we leaving?
- If you're ready, now.

We are ready.

- Hello, Doriana.
- Hello.

- Come on, go get your suitcases.
- Yeah.

Won't you say hello to me?

Guess what I brought you.

A gift!

Thank you.

Here you go.

- What are you doing, won't you open it?
- Imma...

- Bye, Imma.
- Bye, Imma.

Bye, Mom, we'll call you as soon as we get there.

Don't forget.

- Bye, Mom.
- Bye, love.

- Bye, Doriana.
- Bye.

She's sad because her sisters
are leaving and she's staying here.

Pamper her a little and you'll see how she gets better.

- Bye.
- Bye.

It's my life and I'll do what I want!

Your life, you better shut up!

If you're going to die, it'll be
because I'll k*ll you, you hear?

You hurt me!

You hurt me, let me go!

I'm going to break your face!

Now you'll see!

- Be quiet.
- What's happening?

- If you don't k*ll him, I'll do it.
- Enough!

Do you want to die? We'll k*ll you.

Enough!

I'm going to make you disappear
from the face of the earth.

Who's going to k*ll me? The ones who give you that sh*t?

Tell them I'm waiting for them!

What's wrong, Mom?

Gennarino!

Let them come!

Don't let him get up!

Enough! Gennarino...

Enough!

Shall I k*ll him?

Shall I k*ll him?

Look, look at this!

I'm fed up with both of you!

Shut your mouth.

Tina.

Come.

I'll take her.

Your life is over.

Your life is over.

- Pietro, you'd better leave.
- Why did Aunt Lila do that?

Gennaro did something he shouldn't have.

- He's old enough to do what he wants.
- Not something that can k*ll him.

What happened?

She found out that her son shoots up.

- Please, take them now.
- Yeah.

Dede, Elsa, come on.

- Bye.
- Doriana, come on.

I'll wait for you, understand?

I want to leave this place.

You're not going anywhere.

Leave me alone.

Now, stay here.

I'll be back.

Shut up, don't talk about that sh*t, you understand?

The uncle is the only one who pays attention to me.

Be quiet.