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The Mermaid of the Mountains
by Daniela Zappador Guerra
WGAW number: 1795620
ACT I
INT./EXT. DAY HOUSE-GARRET ROOM AND THEN PARIS GARE DE LYON
TERESA, a young woman, is looking outside the window of her
ROOM. She sees
ANGLE - THE CHURCH of an alpine village. It’s a small
stone church with a short bell tower, with mountains in the
background.
Teresa in her ROOM is now looking at
INSERT- A POSTCARD
that shows the view of a building and its clock tower: it’s
the train station Gare the Lyon in Paris.
DISSOLVE TO
INT NIGHT AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino, a young man from Teresa’s village, is sitting at a
small table in his place in Paris. He’s writing a letter
under a LAMP light, dipping a pen into an ink bottle.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Dear Teresa. What a journey! The
train seemed lost in the heart of
the mountains. Twelve kilometers in
that tunnel. Twelve!! And the Gare
de Lyon in Paris!!! Really grand!
Agostino stops writing for a moment.
NOTE: from now on, all the scenes with Agostino in Paris
will be his flashback while writing the letters to Teresa.
All those flashbacks will be in montage, shot like a silent
movie, but with his voice over.
FLASHBACK IN MONTAGE:
1. STATION. Agostino gets out of the TRAIN and starts
walking. He looks around amazed and stares at the glass
ROOF. He Keeps walking slowly, as though in amazement. He
passes by a RESTAURANT inside the station and looks at the
MENU posted outside. PEOPLE are getting in and out of the
restaurant.
2. OUTSIDE THE STATION Agostino turns back to look at the
CLOCK TOWER of the building. Then he sees a NEWSPAPER KIOSK
and stops there to buy a POSTCARD.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
(Over montage)
And you should see the roof! It
looks like a gigantic web made of
metal and glass. Inside the station
there’s a restaurant too. So
elegant! The men in my apartment
told me that they serve the
best gourmet French food in that
place. One day I will take you
there, Teresa!... The clock tower
outside the station building is
HUGE. Everything seems so small in
our village compared to this!...
DISSOLVE TO
INT./EXT. DAY HOUSE-GARRET ROOM AND THEN DOWNSTAIRS /
VILLAGE
INSERT-SAME POSTCARD
showing the Gare de Lyon.
TERESA(V.O.)
(slowly whispering)
The Gare de Lyon!
ANGLE - Teresa from her ROOM, at the WINDOW hears the noise
of A CARRIAGE, HORSE’S STEPS, WOMEN VOICES (O.S.)
Teresa looks down from the window.
ANGLE-HER P.O.V.
The carriage is approaching her house. In the carriage there
is A GROUP OF WOMEN and A YOUNG MAN, GUIDO. GRANDMA steps
out of the carriage. Some women pass her a couple of bags.
Grandma waves at the group and goes to the door.
Teresa hears the noise of THE DOOR DOWNSTAIRS OPENING AND
CLOSING (O.S)
GRANDMA (O.S.)
Teresa? Please come downstairs and
help me!
DOWNSTAIRS
Grandma is carrying the bags to a table and Teresa is coming
to help her from upstairs. They start emptying the bags.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
TERESA
(distracted, examining items)
You came back early... So, who’s
the chosen this year?
GRANDMA
(putting away items)
A guy from Genoa. He just came back
from America! Let’s just hope he
won’t quit in two months. You
should have come: all that
merchandise from France! Expensive
though, even if it was tax free...
TERESA
(smelling a piece of soap)
The teacher was tax free too!...
You should have kept teaching,
Grandma.
GRANDMA
(sighing, sounding tired)
It was too exhausting for me last
year, Teresa. And the kids need a
new face.
Grandma is walking to a pantry in the kitchen corner to put
away some packets. Teresa unfolds a piece of fabric and
wraps it around her shoulders.
TERESA
(whispering)
We do too....
GRANDMA
(coming closer)
What did you just say?
TERESA
(folding the fabric)
Nothing...A letter from Agostino
came today while you were gone,
with a postcard of the train
station.
GRANDMA
What’s so special about a train
station? Noise and confusion.
TERESA
Grandma! It’s La Gare the Lyon in
Paris! The clock on the tower is as
tall as our entire church tower!
And the restaurant inside!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
Teresa grabs an onion and some green leaves
TERESA
They serve gourmet French food to
the travelers. Agostino says that
one day he will take me there...
GRANDMA
(ironic and sighing)
Sure! He will serve you the gourmet
food in a very nice waiter suit!
Teresa throws the vegetables on the table, grabs a lavender
sachet, and starts singing the French song LA VALSE BRUNE,
going upstairs.
TERESA
C’est la valse brune
Des chevaliers de la lune
Que la lumière importune
Et qui recherchent un coin noir
C’est la valse brune
Des chevaliers de la lune
Chacun avec sa chacune
La danse le soir.
GRANDMA (O.S.)
What are you singing now?
INT.- CHURCH DAY
Teresa(O.S.)is SINGING solo, a religious song. It’s the end
of Sunday mass. The WOMEN of the village are standing up in
the pews in the small church. They are all brunette.
Among the women there are only 3 men: TWO OLD MEN and Guido.
Guido is turning toward Teresa and sees
ANGLE-HIS P.O.V.
Teresa singing with her eyes shut.
BACK TO SHOT
THE PRIEST
And our last prayer goes to our
villagers who just left. May God
bless them out there in Paris and
bring them back safe to our village
in Spring. Dóminus vobíscum.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH
Et cum spíritu tùo.
THE PRIEST
Ite, missa est.
PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH
Deo grátias.
THE PRIEST
Benedícat vos Omnípotens Deus:
Pàter, et Fìlius, et Spìritus
Sànctus.
People bow their heads and make the sign of the cross
PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH
Amen.
ANGLE-ALTAR SIDE OF CHURCH
While people are leaving the church, at the altar the Priest
and Grandma are talking with Guido. Teresa approaches them.
GRANDMA
Teresa! Come here my dear! Here is
our new teacher for this year.
Teresa and Guido shake hands.
ANGLE-TERESA P.O.V.
Teresa watches Guido’s HAND, slim and pale. Then she stares
at his worn SUIT and SHOES, while
GUIDO(O.S.)
A very impressive voice!
GRANDMA
Teresa is going to show up
sometimes in your classroom to
teach some songs to the children.
ANDREINA, a beautiful woman is her twenties, is standing at
the door, exiting the church. She stares at the group. Her
daughter ELEONORA, a beautiful blond girl (the only blond in
the village) holds her hands and pulls her out.
6.
INT.-DAY. CLASSROOM
Teresa shows up in Guido’s classroom. There are only four
KIDS, writing at their desks. Guido is at his desk.
TERESA
Goodmorning! I’m here for the
singing practice. Oh, I see. It’s
cheese day.
GUIDO
Cheese day?
TERESA
Kids helping with filtering cheese.
That’s why you have half a class.
They should have told you.
GUIDO
(shrugging)
That’s all right. They will catch
up.
TERESA
(to the kids)
There is no point to review our
religious songs for the Christmas
mass. Let’s reward the diligent
students who came to class. We will
learn a different song today.
Teresa takes a folder from her bag and puts it on Guido’s
desk. She goes through the papers inside. Guido picks up a
couple of them.
GUIDO
(reads a score’s title)
"La Valse Brune". How did you get
these songs?
TERESA
They come from a friend of my
grandma. She was the French tutor
in the same household where my
grandma used to work before I was
born. That was back in Turin.
GUIDO
So all these songs are a gift from
her?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.
TERESA
(emphatic, with irony)
The fortunate Mademoiselle
Chabreud! When the nobleman who had
hired her lost his wife, she
managed to marry him. And from then
she kept sending us all sorts of
gifts for Christmas.
GUIDO
And where are your parents?
TERESA
My mother died while giving birth
to me. My dad disappeared right
after I was born. Left for the New
World and never came back! Good for
him!
GUIDO
I’m sorry! So you were raised by
your grandma?
TERESA
She quit her job in the city and
came up here to take care of me.
Poor grandma! Doomed here to
fulfill her duty!
GUIDO
She was praising you last day at
church. She seems very proud of you
and very well settled here.
TERESA
Everyone respects her because she
has an education. What for, though?
The kids in the room are playing and making noise.
TERESA
Come here, of you all! I will sing
a song for you. Sit down!
The kids sit on the floor. Teresa is standing in front of
them with a music score. Guido is still sitting at his desk.
TERESA
Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un
moment. Chagrin d’amour dure toute
la vie. J’ai tout quitté pour
l’ingrate Sylvie. Elle me quitte et
prend un autre amant. Plaisir
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.
TERESA (cont’d)d’amour ne dure qu’un moment.
Chagrin d’amour dure toute la vie.
«Tant que cette eau coulera
doucement Vers ce ruisseau qui
borde la prairie, Je t’aimerai » me
répétait Sylvie. L’eau coule
encore. Elle a changé pourtant.
Plaisir d’amour ne dure qu’un
moment. Chagrin d’amour dure toute
la vie.
Teresa finishes her song. She looks a the kids and sees
ANGLE-TERESA POV
Eleonora’s gaze pointing somewhere behind her.
BACK TO SHOT
Teresa turns and sees Guido staring at her. Teresa lowers
her sight and sees Guido holding an ink pen.
TERESA
What’s that?
GUIDO
A Waterman. It’s a new invention
from America. No more ink dipping:
see?
The four kids get around Guido’s desk. He demonstrates how
the pen works.
TERESA
Enough for today. Go home and tell
the others what they have missed!
The children are gathering their stuff and start leaving.
TERESA
So you bought that pen in America?
Andreina is showing up at the door, picking up Eleonora. She
slowly walks toward Guido and gives him a bag of ricotta
cheese.
GUIDO
(nosing the cheese)
Thank you! You should join us for
the reading group next week.
Andreina nods and looks at Teresa. Teresa puts her music
score back in the folder and ignores her on purpose.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 9.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT NIGHT AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino, is sitting at his small table in his place in
Paris. He’s writing a letter under the same LAMP’s light.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Dear Teresa. This is the postcard
of Notre Dame!
Agostino stops writing for a moment and picks up the
POSTCARD.
FLASHBACK IN MONTAGE:
1. INSIDE THE CATHEDRAL OF NOTRE DAME. Agostino is looking
up at the CEILING AND COLUMNS: what he sees is SPINNING
around him. MUSIC plays from the ORGAN.
2. Agostino is going up the stairs that lead to the TOWER OF
NOTRE DAME. The narrow space is crowded with people going
up. Agostino is looking at a WOMAN climbing in front of him.
She lifts her skirt with a hand wearing lace GLOVES and
Agostino looks up at HER LEGS covered with silk stockings.
3. On the TOP OF THE BELL TOWER Agostino looks at the
city and then at the GARGOYLES.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
(over montage)
In the cathedral it feels like
looking at a mountain from inside.
It gives you the same sense of
dizziness...I climbed four hundred
steps to get to the top of the
tower! On those steps there were
some tourists who were not expert
climbers like us: they made me slow
down. It was unnerving. But what a
view Teresa, at the top! ...What we
see from the top of the mountains
is somehow spectacular, but
predictable. Well, Paris is a
different story. And you should see
those sculptures of monsters! They
look like creatures born from a
goat and a wolf. The artist who
made them must have been drunk!
DISSOLVE TO
10.
INT. - DAY CLASSROOM
Some women of the village are arriving and taking their
seats in the classroom.
ANDREINA arrives and tries to sit close to WOMAN 1. WOMAN 2
comes over and pushes her aside. Andreina ends up sitting
close to Teresa.
WOMAN 3 starts reading out loud from a book, keeping the
place with her finger. She reads really slow. Sometimes the
women make comments like "Oooh".
WOMAN 3
(first in angle and then OS)
“Nelli too, yesterday, was staring
at the soldiers, poor little
hunchbacked guy, with such an air
as if he was thinking “I will never
be a soldier!” He is a good guy, he
studies, but he’s so skinny and
pale, and he has troubles
breathing. He always wears a long
school uniform made of black shiny
fabric. His mother is a petite
blond woman, dressed in black, and
she comes to pick him up from
school right at the end, to spare
him exiting in the crowd with the
others, and she caresses him. At
the beginning, because of that
disgrace of being hunchbacked, many
boys were making fun of him and
were striking him on his back with
their backpacks, but he never
reacted, and he never said anything
to his mom, not to give her the
pain of knowing that her son was
the laughing stock of his
classmates; they used to mock him
and he cried silently, resting his
forehead on his desk. But one
morning Garrone snapped at them and
said: “The first one who touches
Nelli will get such a slap from me
that will make him spin three
times!”
While Woman 3 keeps READING OUTLOUD (O.S.)
Teresa looks bored and distracted. Then she takes a POSTCARD
out of her pocket and looks at it.
Guido takes the book from Woman 3 and gives it to Teresa.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 11.
Teresa is taken by surprise. She grabs the book and lets the
postcard slip from her hand and fall.
Guido picks up the postcard and examines it.
GUIDO
It’s Notre Dame! The cathedral in
Paris!
WOMAN 2
It’s her boyfriend boosting her
dreams!
The women giggle. Teresa gives Woman 2 a bad look and takes
back her postcard.
GUIDO
Those monsters on the walls are
called gargoyles.
Guido draws a gargoyle on the black board.
GUIDO
They are actually spouts of the
gutters. When it rains it looks
that they are vomiting down on
people.
Women giggle again.
GUIDO
Up there used to live a man,
hunchbacked like Nelli. His name
was Quasimodo. All Paris considered
him the Devil himself, but he
became capable of great love.
Andreina stares at Guido with admiration and then lowers her
gaze.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT NIGHT AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino at his little desk is writing a letter to Teresa.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Dear Teresa, I started working at
the restaurant the day after I
arrived here. People there seem
welcoming. For now I help in the
kitchen keeping everything
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 12.
AGOSTINO (V.O.) (cont’d)organized and clean. I met a guy
from Marseille, called Jean. He’s a
waiter and sometimes helps the cook
for some food preparation. Last day
he took me to another part of
Paris. We took the subway to
Montmartre...
Agostino stops writing and looks at
ANGLE-A POSTCARD
showing SUBWAY TRAINS in Paris.
MONTAGE:
1. FLASHBACK: Agostino and his friend JEAN are getting out
of a SUBWAY TRAIN and they surface to the MONTMARTRE
PLATFORM. There they meet TWO French GIRLS. one of them is
COLETTE. Jean introduces them to Agostino: they shake hands.
2. In a DANCE PLACE called Moulin de la Galette the four of
them are sitting at a table. There is MUSIC and there are
people dancing.
ANGLE-AGOSTINO POV
He is staring at COLETTE: she’s blond and has light eyes and
wears dark lipstick. She laughs a lot and flirts with him,
while eating escargots. He looks embarrassed and lowers his
gaze. She grabs him and drags him to dance. He’s clumsy in
his movements.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
(Voice over montage)
This traveling underground like a
mole made me feel uneasy. You don’t
know where you are until you
surface to a new place in the city.
This way Paris takes you by
surprise, like in our blind man’s
buff game...Jean took me to a
ballroom where people eat snails.
Jean told me that the neighborhoods
in Paris follow each other in a
snail-like shape. It seems that in
that place people are swallowing
snails like sucking the life out of
their city... Some women there
were dancing very provocatively...
END OF MONTAGE
13.
INT. - DAY CLASSROOM
Teresa arrives at the classroom early in the morning. It’s
pouring rain outside. Guido opens the door half shaved.
GUIDO
You are early today!
Guido goes back to his room behind the classroom, to finish
shaving.
TERESA
(taking out her shawl)
Last night I had a dream. The
towers of the Chaberton Fortress
were turning into enormous
gargoyles. They were pouring down
so much rainwater that our village
was flooded and disappeared under
the water. I woke up and it was
raining.
Guido comes back cleaning his face with a towel.
GUIDO
Paris was flooded last Spring. The
Seine river invaded the houses.
Boats took place of carriages and
cars for a while. It was a
disaster!
TERESA
You were there?
The kids arrive one by one or in pairs. Greeting Guido and
Teresa. They are all muddy and wet. They chat,
undisciplined.
GUIDO
Would you please sit down now?
Kids don’t listen and keep talking and playing with their
wet stuff.
Guido disappears in his room.
One moment later some music comes from his room. The kids
stop playing and listen.
Guido appears on the door, makes gestures with his hands and
moves his lips following the song "Le trou de mon quai" ,
which is played, like dubbing over the song.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 14.
SONG (OS)
Je demeure dans une maison tout
près d’la Seine,
Où l’on fait depuis trois s’maines
Des fouilles et des travaux
Pour faire passer le métro.
De ma fenêtre tout en fumant des
pipes,
Je regarde les équipes
Dont les hommes sont occupés
A faire un trou dans mon quai.
Et si vous voulez mon adresse
C’est pas difficile à trouver
Afin que chacun la connaisse
En deux mots j’vais vous
renseigner.
Y a un quai dans ma rue
Y a un trou dans mon quai
Vous pourrez donc contempler
Le quai de ma rue et le trou de mon
quai....L’autre jour j’rencontre un
vieil ami d’province,
J’lui dis tu tombes bien mon prince
De ma rue je vais t’montrer
Toutes les curiosités.
J’voudrais d’abord voir la gal’rie
des machines
J’lui réponds tu t’imagines
Qu’à Paris il n’y a qu’celle là
J’en ai une plus chouette que ça.
Kids laugh. Teresa laughs too.
Guido goes back to his room while the song keeps playing.
Then the song stops and Guido reappears with a gramophone.
He puts it on his desk and all kids come around to watch.
GUIDO
Now you all sit down and listen.
Kids take their seats in orderly manner. They are now very
attentive.
GUIDO
There is a train in Paris that runs
underground all over the city. It’s
called the Metro. People take it
descending underground from holes
opened in the streets. That’s what
this song says: there is a hole in
my neighborhood. I see the street
work from my place.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 15.
ELEONORA
(pointing at the gramophone)
But what’s that?
GUIDO
(writing on the blackboard)
It’s a gra-mo-phone. Copy these
words on your notebook. In neat
cursive style!
While the kids are working, Teresa shows Guido a postcard of
the Metro.
TERESA
Agostino has taken the Metro.
GUIDO
I see.
TERESA
With his new friend Jean, a waiter
who works with him at the
restaurant. They went to a place
called Montmartre.
GUIDO
It’s a lively neighborhood!
TERESA
(shrugging)
Oh well. He says he will take me
there next time, you know? They
went dancing. But not our dances we
do here, I guess.
GUIDO
(smiling)
No. I don’t think so either.
TERESA
We’re going to have a huge
celebration when the men come back!
As a matter of fact we are going to
use this space to rehearse our
dance: it’s the biggest room in the
village.
GUIDO
When do you need to use it?
TERESA
For some evenings. We cannot
practice outdoors during the cold
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 16.
TERESA (cont’d)season . There are very complicated
steps and we need to put together a
new performance. I think we will
start in a couple of weeks, if you
don’t mind.
GUIDO
Not at all. I will be happy to see
that!
(to the kids)
GUIDO
OK my writers! Let me see your
beautiful work there!
Teresa is leaving the classroom, humming the French song
played before.
INT. - CLASSROOM NIGHT
The women are moving the desks along the walls.
GIUSEPPE, one of the few old guys who are still in the
village, enters the room holding an old instrument that
resembles a fat violin. Guido gives him a chair.
WOMAN 2
Are we ready? Let’s start with the
old steps in the circle to warm up!
The women dispose themselves in a circle. Giuseppe starts
playing Occitan music and the women start moving, crossing
legs and closing and opening the circle while meeting the
opposite dancer.
It’s a short piece. The music stops.
WOMAN 2
We should follow the music and be
able to stop at the right moment.
Now let’s move to the next steps.
Where is Giovanna?
WOMAN 1
She’s sick. Didn’t feel like coming
tonight.
TERESA
We are uneven. We need to pair up.
I think our teacher can substitute
Giovanna for tonight.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 17.
Guido is making signs with his hands, trying to refuse.
Teresa grabs his hands and pulls him in the circle.
TERESA
Follow me and look at the other
couples! Giuseppe? Ready?
Giuseppe starts another piece and the women move. After a
few steps forward they exchange position and then start
alternating with the other couples’ partners.
Guido looks at their feet and gets confused. He messes up
some passages and starts sweating.
The women giggle.
Guido ends up pairing with Andreina
The music stops again.
TERESA
(to Guido)
You are not that familiar with
rhythms and dance, are you?
GUIDO
(drying his swet)
It’s not true. I know how to dance
the waltz.
TERESA
The waltz? Really? Would you teach
us?
Guido looks puzzled, but then goes into his rooms and comes
back with the gramophone. He puts a record on it and turns
the handle.
GUIDO
Ladies? Listen to this rhythm! You
count three steps. A big one and
two small ones. Look at me.
The record plays and Guido is demonstrating, leading an
imaginary partner. The women look at him and start imitating
him.
GUIDO
Very good. Ooone-two-three.
Ooone-two-three. Taaa-ta-ta,
taa-ta-ta. Now pair up and keep
doing it! Ooone-two-three.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 18.
Andreina is moving toward Guido, but he takes Teresa and
starts dancing with her.
At one point they are making turns faster.
Teresa’s braids fall loose on her shoulders.
When the record stops, all women are excited and laughing.
Guido and Teresa are still paired together and looking at
each other for a longer moment.
Giuseppe in a corner looks disappointed. Guido notices that
and goes to him.
GUIDO
Can I see your instrument?
GIUSEPPE
(giving it to Guido)
It’s called hurdy-gurdy.
Giuseppe looks pleased while Guido examines his instrument.
Teresa is pulling back up her braids into their hairdo.
Andreina is leaving the room watching her.
INT. - DAY CLASSROOM
Teresa enters the classroom.
She sees A POEM written on the black board. ONE OF THE KIDS,
GIACOMO, is reading the poem.
GIACOMO
Out of my window I see the sea.
Stars are going, trembling are the
waves. I see passing stars, passing
waves. A wriggle calls, a throb
responds. Now is sighing the water,
the wind is breathing. On the sea a
silver bridge is showing. Oh bridge
thrown over serene lakes! For whom
are you made and where do you lead?
GUIDO
What is this poet looking at, out
of his window?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 19.
TERESA
They don’t even know what you are
talking about. None of us here has
ever seen the sea.
PIETRO, one of the kids, with dirty hair and clothes, raises
his hand.
PIETRO
The sea is where Pinocchio is
swallowed by the whale.
GUIDO
Bravo Pietro!
ELEONORA
Have you ever gone over the silver
bridge?
GUIDO
That’s not a real bridge. It looks
like a bridge but it’s just the
effect of the moonlight on the sea.
Guido goes in his rooms and comes back with his small basin
of water.
GUIDO
The see is an enormous basin of
water. It never stops moving back
and forth, as if trying to pull you
in. Its waves crash on the shore
like buckets of water thrown out
the door.
Guido takes a rock which is holding a bunch of papers on his
desk and gives it to Pietro.
GUIDO
Drop the rock in the basin and look
at the waves that are forming!
Pietro drops the rock, while all kids are bending over their
desks to watch.
GIACOMO
I want to try it too!
ELEONORA
me too!
The kids are leaving their desks and fighting for the rock.
They splash water.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 20.
Teresa tries to bring them back to their desks and gets wet.
Guido digs a book out of his trunk.
GUIDO
Now you all go back to your desks!
I want to read you a story... "Far
out in the ocean, where the water
is as blue as the prettiest
cornflower, and as clear as
crystal, it is very, very deep; so
deep, indeed, that no cable could
fathom it: many church steeples,
piled one upon another, would not
reach from the ground beneath to
the surface of the water above"...
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. - DAY CLASSROOM A BIT LATER
GUIDO
..."She made her old grandmother
tell her all she knew of the ships
and of the towns, the people and
the animals. To her it seemed most
wonderful and beautiful to hear
that the flowers of the land should
have fragrance, and not those below
the sea; that the trees of the
forest should be green; and that
the fishes among the trees could
sing so sweetly, that it was quite
a pleasure to hear them. Her
grandmother called the little birds
fishes, or she would not have
understood her; for she had never
seen birds".
Eleonora whispers some words to Giacomo, while Guido keeps
reading.
ELEONORA
We have never seen the sea, and she
had never seen the mountains.
GUIDO
..."She could see the moon and
stars shining faintly; but through
the water they looked larger than
they do to our eyes. When something
like a black cloud passed between
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 21.
GUIDO (cont’d)her and them, she knew that it was
either a whale swimming over her
head, or a ship full of human
beings, who never imagined that a
pretty little mermaid was standing
beneath them, holding out her white
hands towards the keel of their
ship".
Guido stops and the kids are listening still and mesmerized,
with open mouths.
GUIDO
(closing the book)
That’s enough for today.
The kids pack slowly.
Teresa takes Guido’s book and keeps reading.
GUIDO
You can borrow it, if you are
interested. You are like her,
Teresa. The little mermaid of the
mountains. You are gifted and the
world should enjoy your
talent. This Danish writer,
Andersen, was desperately in love
with a woman with a beautiful
voice, who never returned his
feelings. His fascination for
singing is all over in his stories.
Read the story of the Nightingale
too!
Teresa keeps holding the book and leaves the classroom
following the kids.
ACT II
INT NIGHT AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino is sitting at his little table. Hi picks up the pen
to start writing
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Dear Teresa, I got promoted in the
kitchen of the restaurant. My
friend Jean is training me as a
waiter. Paris is a city full of new
opportunities.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 22.
Agostino stops writing and picks up A POSTCARD OF THE OPERA
THEATRE IN PARIS
ANGLE-THE POSTCARD
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Last evening I went for a walk to
the square where the Opera House
is. You cannot imagine how crowded
is that square!
MONTAGE:
1. In the busy and crowded OPERA HOUSE SQUARE, at NIGHT,
Agostino is walking, like looking for someone. He seems
distracted. He turns back looking at a CAR and almost bumps
into COLETTE, who is able to avoid him, laughing. She takes
him by the arm and he looks embarrassed and clumsy. They
start walking. The square is full of light.
2. Colette points at the Opera Theater, then she raises
Agostino’s arm in front of him, bends it, and grabs it with
both hands, then goes on point with her feet and pulls her
leg up behind her, like in a ballerina’s position. After
that, she takes a BOOK from her purse and shows it to
Agostino. ANGLE- THE BOOK title is "The Phantom of the
Opera".
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
(over montage)
There were people, horses,
carriages, cars! I was almost run
over by a car! Fortunately the
driver saw me at the last minute
and was able to avoid me. In Paris
it seems that it’s always day
light: at night the street lamps
are so bright! Now I know why they
call it "la Ville Lumiére"... The
Opera House, you can see, it’s a
grand palace. And the singing and
dancing there! It must be
magnificent! Nothing comparing to
our folk dance, I believe.
Underneath there is a lake, and
there lives a phantom, they say. ..
END MONTAGE
23.
INT NIGHT BACK IN AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino stops writing for a moment, and then adds
something.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
I met a can-can dancer whose dream
is to be a ballerina in that Opera
House. She’s the one who told me
about the phantom.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT./INT. - DAY OUTSIDE AND THEN INSIDE THE SCHOOL
It’s heavily snowing outside the classroom.
The kids are coming to the window.
Teresa is coming from her house and sees the kids coming out
of the classroom in the street.
Guido is with them.
TERESA
(approaching Guido)
What’s going on? What are they
doing outside now?
GUIDO
I could not keep them quiet. They
are too excited for the first snow.
The kids start playing with the snow and building a snowman.
On the side Teresa and Guido are watching.
TERESA
There is a ghost underneath the
Opera House in Paris.
GUIDO
(laughing)
Who told you that?
Teresa shows him a POSTCARD of the Opera House.
TERESA
Agostino. He found out from a
ballerina whom he met in Paris.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 24.
GUIDO
(looking at the postcard)
Yes. The phantom of the Opera! It’s
another legend of a disfigured man
who tragically fell in love for one
young woman. She was a singer of
the Opera. He, on the other hand,
had a great talent for music, but
was forced to live hidden from the
world. It’s a very popular novel
right now in Paris. Especially
among artists of the Opera! Did
really Agostino get the chance to
know a dancer of the House? They
are so popular and difficult to
approach! Only the wealthy patrons
can meet them between acts. In a
special foyer, you know?
TERESA
(shrugging and frowning a
little)
He says she’s a can-can dancer.
GUIDO
Oh, I see.
TERESA
What’s that?
GUIDO
Never mind. Well, one day Agostino
will brag that he knows a very
important artist of the Opera...
A snow ball thrown by a kid hits Guido’s forehead.
GUIDO
Oh man!
Teresa laughs and starts cleaning his face, removing snow
from his hair. They look at each other for a moment. She’s
serious now.
GUIDO
I think I can dismiss the class for
today. Come in! I want to show you
something.
They go INSIDE.
25.
INT. - DAY CLASSROOM RIGHT AFTER
Guido fetches the gramophone from his room and sets it on
his desk in the classroom. He puts a RECORD on it.
GUIDO
Listen to this aria. It’s about a
woman at her party. Her name is
Violetta. She feels she’s falling
in love for one of her guests,and
at that very moment she declares
instead that she prefers to live
her free life.
TERESA
Why?
GUIDO
Because she’s afraid. ...Listen.
The RECORD STARTS PLAYING the aria "Sempre libera" from
Verdi’s La Traviata. Teresa listens while Guido is writing
on a PIECE OF PAPER. When the music stops, Guido gives the
paper to Teresa.
GUIDO
Here. Now you sing along.
TERESA
I don’t think...
GUIDO
Of course you can! Sing along,
Teresa! Follow the music and read
the lines!
Guido starts THE RECORD AGAIN.
TERESA
(skipping some words)
Sempre libera ......-ggiar di gioia
in gioia, Vo’ che scorra il viver
mio ...-tieri del piacer, Nasca il
giorno, o il giorno muoia, Sempre
lieta ne’ ritrovi. A diletti sempre
nuovi Dee volare il mio pensier.
The RECORD IS REPEATING the same lines.
GUIDO
Again! Keep singing!
Teresa SINGS with more conviction now.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 26.
Some KIDS are coming in and out the classroom, gathering
their belongings, leaving the door open. Some of them stop
and listen.
At one point Teresa starts coughing and stops singing.
Guido goes to his room and comes back with a CUP OF WATER,
while the record plays the last lines.
GUIDO
What do you feel?
TERESA
I’m all right. It’s just from the
cold air.
GUIDO
No. I mean: what do you feel while
singing?
TERESA
(looking outside the door)
Oh..I don’t know...it’s like the
snow, I guess.... it covers
everything else. Nothing looks the
same anymore... and you can forget
stuff for a while.
After a moment of silence, Teresa turns to the gramophone.
TERESA
I wanted to ask you. Where did you
get this...grandmaphone?
GUIDO
(laughing)
The gramophone? I bought it from a
Russian guy in Paris. He needed
money after loosing a fortune
gambling, and I had some savings
from my trip to America. It came
with a nice collection of records!
TERESA
Yes, I see. People come back from
America very rich, isn’t it true?
GUIDO
(bending his head))
Not everyone...
It’s quiet for a moment, and then a noise from outside
reveals a presence. Teresa and Guido turn to look. Teresa is
about to leave.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 27.
GUIDO
You forgot something.
He gives her the piece of paper with the words of the aria,
and Teresa exits.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. - DAY CLASSROOM SOME DAYS LATER
It’s Christmas day.
Women of the village, the priest, Grandma, Guido, Teresa and
the kids are in the classroom. Old Giuseppe comes last with
his musical instrument.
Teresa is arranging the kids in a corner while people are
sitting.
Giuseppe starts playing his instrument and the kids sing a
CHRISTMAS CAROL, conducted by Teresa.
People applaud at the end.
GRANDMA
(holding a big box)
And here is the Christmas gift from
our benefactor, Mademoiselle
Chabreud.
The kids run to grandma and help her opening the box.
They find some copies of CHILDREN COMIC MAGAZINES and a
GLOBE.
ELEONORA
What’s that?
GUIDO
(approaching)
Oh, that’s a very nice globe
indeed!
Guido shows the kids how the globe turns from its stand.
Teresa picks up a COMIC MAGAZINE and turns the pages,
showing the illustrations to some kids.
ANGLE-TERESA POV
Looking through the crowded room, Teresa sees a HAND
pointing on the globe. It’s Guido showing Andreina a place
on the globe. They are talking.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 28.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. - EVENING TERESA’S HOUSE - SAME DAY
Outside it’s snowing. There is a wooden carved NATIVITY on
the windowsill inside, as the only Christmas decoration in
the room.
Grandma, the Priest and Guido are seating at the table in
Teresa’s house, for the Christmas supper.
The tablecloth and the dishes are simple and off-white.
There is bread on the table.
Teresa is serving the meal from a pot. Then she seats too.
THE PRIEST
You did a very good job with our
children choir this year, Teresa!
TERESA
Thank you, Father!
GUIDO
And you sang beautifully at the
Christmas mass. You see, my opinion
is that Teresa should cultivate and
educate her voice.
The guests are silently eating, looking at their dishes.
GUIDO
What I mean is that a talent like
that should bring beauty and joy to
the world.
Everyone keeps eating silently.
GUIDO
In the sense that a treasure should
be shared with the rest of the
world and not just...
GRANDMA
(dropping the spoon into her
dish)
We are in fact delighted to have
her here in this village. It’s
God’s blessing and we are thankful
for that.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 29.
GUIDO
Right.
Teresa exchanges a look with Guido, like asking him not to
insist.
THE PRIEST
I’ve heard that you have been to
America before coming here. Was it
a good experience for you?
GUIDO
(chocking)
Excuse me. Yes. It was intense, I
would say. But nothing worth
sharing at this table, honestly.
GRANDMA
(pouring some wine)
But see? It is you who are sharing
the world with us, Sir. You brought
music, books, inventions. And the
kids like your stories.
GUIDO
I enjoy storytelling. I always
wanted to become a writer...
THE PRIEST
And it’s God’s will to let the ones
who are talented entertain us with
innocent pleasures. Amen
ALL
Amen!
DISSOLVE TO
INT NIGHT AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino is writing.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Dear Teresa, I served dinner as a
waiter yesterday for the Christmas
Eve party at the restaurant. A lot
of guests and a lot of dishes!
FEEDBACK MONTAGE:
1. CHRISTMAS MUSIC in the background. In the kitchen a COOK
is checking a recipe in a COOKING BOOK. Then he closes it.
Agostino, dressed like a waiter, takes a look to the cover
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 30.
ANGLE-COVER OF THE BOOK
the author’s name is Georges Auguste Escoffier. The cook
gives Agostino a fork to whisk eggs in a bowl. He starts
whisking, but he’s slow and Jean takes over.
2. It’s late in the evening and the restaurant is closing.
Jean gives Agostino a plate of cheese to take home.
3. Agostino arrives at COLETTE’S PLACE with the plate of
cheese. He offers it to Colette. She dips a finger in a
creamy cheese and sticks it in Agostino’s mouth.
4. Agostino and Colette make love.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
(over montage)
The best cooking book in Paris was
written by a guy with my name:
Auguste. My elbow still hurts after
whisking and whisking to make his
famous sauce mayonnaise!...We
finished very late. I took home a
plate of French cheese... The
French cheese is so creamy and
fresh comparing to most of our aged
ones...
END OF MONTAGE
INT NIGHT BACK IN AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino stops writing. He looks at a
ANGLE-POSTCARD
with a painting of Notre Dame under the snow. He writes
"MERRY CHRISTMAS" on the back of it.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. - DAY TERESA’S HOUSE A BIT LATER
Guido and Grandma are shaking hands. The priest is gone.
GUIDO
It was a very good supper. You make
the best polenta I’ve ever eaten,
with that cheese and the anchovies!
Thanks for including me at your
table!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 31.
GRANDMA
Oh that one is called the bread of
the poor. We are glad you joined
us. Merry Christmas again!
GUIDO
Merry Christmas.
Teresa accompanies Guido at the door.
Guido puts his coat on and from an inside pocket takes out a
book.
TERESA
(reading from the cover)
Alexandre Dumas. The Lady of the
Camellias.
GUIDO
It’s my Christmas gift for you,
Teresa. But let’s keep it as a
secret between us.
Guido leaves in the WIND. Teresa closes the door and goes
helping grandma cleaning the table.
TERESA
Grandma? I wanted to ask you. Have
you ever fallen in love in your
life?
GRANDMA
I loved and respected your grandpa,
Teresa, but I never fell in love
for him. Our parents arranged our
marriage. But I was fortunate to
have married an honest and
hardworking man.
Grandma sits at the table, as if being really tired. Teresa
sits too.
GRANDMA
A time came in my life, when I was
already a widow... I fell for a man
I could not dream to love. He was
of a higher status and I never
dared to reveal my feelings.
TERESA
Do you think that falling in love
is frightening?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 32.
GRANDMA
I would say that it’s a powerful
feeling, like a spring coming from
inside that is never quenching. It
makes you look beautiful, and one
can tell that, even by the way you
move around. Which it is
frightening, after all, especially
if you don’t want other people to
notice!
TERESA
Were my parents in love?
GRANDMA
(surprised)
Very much, Teresa!... Very much so.
TERESA
And what’s left of that?
GRANDMA
A beautiful nightingale, my dear.
Grandma stands up and kisses Teresa on her forehead.
GRANDMA
.. you are still so young, Teresa!
Everything will come to place one
day for you too.
TERESA
(shivering)
Where? Here? ... I’m going
upstairs, grandma. I feel cold now.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. - DAY CLASSROOM
Teresa enters when the kids are leaving. She holds the BOOK
Guido had given her for Christmas.
TERESA
(waving the book)
This book you gave me...I could not
stop reading it! It was hard not to
waste too much oil for the lamp. My
eyes were burning reading in the
dark!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 33.
GUIDO
I can tell that you liked the story
of Marguerite!
TERESA
She was having a good time until
she fell in love....and she was
a... a....
GUIDO
Yes, a prostitute. So was Violetta,
La Traviata. It’s the same story,
as you might have guessed.
TERESA
It’s that why Violetta was afraid
of falling in love? Did she know
that it was going to end in a
tragedy?
GUIDO
We all are afraid to follow our
heart, because we think that we
might become vulnerable.
Teresa takes a picture out of the book.
TERESA
And who’s this beautiful lady in
white?
GUIDO
(taking the card)
Oh, there it was! That’s Eleonora
Duse, one of the most famous
actresses of our times. She had the
courage to represent Marguerite on
stage dressed in white, like a
bride. It was a scandal! But she
wanted to show that love and
sacrifice for love is a high form
of redemption.
TERESA
People in this village think that
Andreina is a prostitute, you know?
Nobody talks to her. The priest
doesn’t even look at her.
GUIDO
The priest doesn’t look at her
because he’s afraid of her beauty!
And what is you opinion on that?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 34.
TERESA
I don’t know. It’s all about what
happened some years ago, when I was
a little girl. One man brought
Andreina to the village from
somewhere and was keeping her in
his house. The priest said that
they were living in sin...Then in
winter, when the men went to Paris,
she disappeared from the village
for months. When she came back, she
was pregnant. Her companion kept
her anyway. But the priest refused
to marry them.
GUIDO
What happened to her during that
winter?
TERESA
Nobody knows. Nobody talks to her.
It’s a big secret. It must have
been quite an adventure... From the
moment she came back, she has
become the ghost of our village:
people pretend she doesn’t exist.
GUIDO
I noticed that.
TERESA
And then the girl was born,
Eleonora. With that mysterious
blond hair. Where does her blond
hair come from? And the name
itself: Eleonora? It’s not in use
around here.
GUIDO
(smiling)
A lot of questions, uh?
TERESA
Yes. I always wanted to ask her,
but grandma would kill me if she
knew...
GUIDO
And why are you so interested?
TERESA
Secrets bother me. They are like a
hole in a page of a book. I’m
obsessed about what’s missing.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 35.
GUIDO
(looking away)
I see.
TERESA
But you know what I think? I think
that she couldn’t just stay here
and wait the whole winter. She must
have known that out there there are
better things to do.
GUIDO
Like what?
TERESA
Like seeing places and meeting
people, and buying gramophones and
pens and dancing the waltz and
taking the metro and
GUIDO
And why did she come back then, if
the world outside this village is
so wonderful?
TERESA
That I cannot figure out. Like, if
I may, I cannot figure out why YOU
ended up here.
GUIDO
(taking her hand)
Right. There must be a reason we’re
not aware of...yet....
Teresa looks at their hands intensively and then at Guido.
Guido gently retracts his hand and stands up.
GUIDO
You should go now.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. DAY SOME DAYS AFTER
Guido is walking outside the village, holding a book.
Occasionally he stops to read a little.
Guido hears a NOISE and turns to look at a slope.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 36.
Teresa puts down her SLIDE on the top of the slope. She
seats on the slide, bending forward. Then she pushes with
her feet and starts sliding down.
Guido shades his eyes with his hand to follow her speeding
down.
Toward the end of the slope, the slide hurts a pile of fresh
snow and bounces Teresa out. She lands on the side, face up,
with a scream.
Guido looks concerned. She doesn’t move.
GUIDO
(running down)
Teresa!
He loses his scarf in the wind and stumbles various times in
the snow. He finally gets close to Teresa.
GUIDO
(taking his coat off)
Teresa?
Teresa is laying in the snow. Her eyes closed.
Guido bends over her to put his coat on her.
TERESA
(opening her eyes and
laughing)
I’m not dead!
GUIDO
(dropping his coat in the snow
and kneeling)
You scared me! Did you do it on
purpose?
TERESA
(smiling)
If so?
Guido puts his hands on her shoulders and kisses her a long
kiss. Then he gets up, turns and climbs up the slope,
leaving his coat behind.
Teresa stays there for a while, with open eyes, then she
turns her face and reaches out her hand to grab Guido’s
coat.
DISSOLVE TO
37.
INT NIGHT AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino is writing.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
This is the Tour Eiffel, Teresa. I
went up there with my friend, the
dancer.
MONTAGE:
1. Agostino and Colette are on the EIFFEL TOWER, climbing
the stairs.
2. They are at some level up. There is a STRONG WIND
BLOWING. Colette shows him a PIECE OF PAPER that she had
pulled out of her purse. Agostino reads it and gets upset.
He throws it out in the wind. Colette gets mad and leaves
him.
3. Agostino sits in the audience looking at Colette and
other dancers performing the can-can. He looks at other men
looking at them, and frowns.
4. Agostino is outside the theater and sees Colette exiting
with another man. He hides in a dark spot, spying.
3. Colette, Jean and Agostino at COLETTE’S PLACE at NIGHT
drink from small cups and lay down on a sofa as though
hallucinating.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
(over montage)
I don’t understand this monument.
She likes it, my friend, and Jean
too makes a big deal out of it. To
me it looks like a bunch on twisted
train tracks. But see? I’m a simple
person and this modern art doesn’t
mean anything to me... My friend,
she’s more sophisticated. She likes
poetry as well, and collects
messages with verses that her fans
leave in her box when she goes
around in the theater selling
cigars... She is so confident in
her talent! She’s meeting all those
important people who she says are
helping her to become an actress
for the cinema. Imagine seeing the
people in a postcard moving around:
that’s what happens in a
movie...You see, Teresa, my friends
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 38.
AGOSTINO (V.O.) (cont’d)have big plans for their future.
They seem to know what they want.
We get together and they drink that
liqueur called the green fairy, and
then they tell me that they had
dreams, but for me,... I don’t
remember my dreams...
END OF MONTAGE
INT NIGHT BACK IN AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino stops writing, frowning. He looks at a newspaper
clip with the PICTURE OF THE TITANIC. Then he adds
something.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Now Jean is talking about the
Titanic, a big ship that is getting
ready for a trip to America, next
year they say. They are already
recruiting cooks and waiters for
that trip and he’s thinking of
applying. He’s trying to convince
me to go with him, but I don’t know
about that.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT./INT. DAY VILLAGE CLASSROOM GUIDO’S ROOM SOME DAYS
AFTER
Teresa is approaching Guido’s place and notices from a
window that the kids are not in class. She knocks and WOMAN
1, one of the moms, opens the door.
More WOMEN are coming right behind Teresa, bringing a
TEAPOT, BASKETS OF FOOD, A TIN BOX, BLANKETS.
TERESA
What’s going on here?
WOMAN 1
Pietro came home this morning
telling me that the teacher was
sick.
Guido COUGHING (O.S.)
WOMAN 2 is holding a teapot of hot water.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 39.
WOMAN 1
(to WOMAN 2 and WOMAN 3)
Put it over there! Rita? Did you
bring the herbs?
WOMAN 3
(showing a tin box)
Here they are!
WOMAN 4: GIOVANNA is holding a pile of blankets.
WOMAN 1
(grabbing the blankets)
Give them to me, Giovanna!
Woman 1 heads into GUIDO’S ROOM.
Teresa follows her.
Guido is in his BED, with a BAG on his head, shivering.
Woman 1 spreads a blanket on the bed.
TERESA
What happened?
GUIDO
(turning towards Teresa)
I lost my coat in the snow...
WOMAN 1
He’s saying nonsense, because of
the fever.
Teresa tries to hide a smile.
TERESA
Tomorrow the postman is coming. He
can inform the doctor and ask him
to come up here as soon as he can.
GUIDO
(shivering)
I don’t need a doctor. I was dead
and now I’m alive again...I need
more paper to write my novel...
Grandma is entering the room.
GRANDMA
What is this commotion? This place
looks like a market! Leave him
alone! He needs to rest now.
40.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. /INT. DAY VILLAGE CLASSROOM AND GUIDO’S ROOM
MONTAGE:
1. The DOCTOR arrives at TERESA’S HOUSE. Teresa and Grandma
open the door. Teresa puts a coat on and takes the doctor to
Guido’s place.
2. The DOCTOR is coming from Guido’s room into the
CLASSROOM. Pulling out some medicines from his bag. Then
Teresa is showing him her legs. He watches and then takes
notes on his notebook. They shake hands and he exits.
Teresa goes back to GUIDO’S ROOM. She pulls a little BOTTLE
out of a pocket and gives it to Guido, who’s still in bed.
TERESA
The doctor says that you have just
a bad cold. He left some syrup for
you. Grandma will make you her
special decoction with milk,
licorice and honey. But I think you
need something stronger now. Here.
Drink some of this!
GUIDO
What is it?
TERESA
It’s called Arquebuse, because,
when you drink it, it hits your
stomach like a blunderbuss. Booom!
It’s made with thirtythree
different alpine herbs.
Guido gulps down from the bottle and starts coughing with a
red face. Teresa laughs.
TERESA
I cannot stay for long. The women
are bored, and when they get bored
they look for something to talk
about. I just wanted to ask
....Have you seen the Tour Eiffel
in Paris?
GUIDO
Yes I did. Mr. Eiffel was the same
engineer who designed the iron
skeleton of the statue of Liberty,
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 41.
GUIDO (cont’d)which is the first thing that you
see when you arrive in New York
City.
TERESA
Have you been on both?
GUIDO
No I haven’t.
TERESA
Why? You didn’t like them? Agostino
didn’t like the Tour Eiffel. He
says it’s like a bunch of twisted
train tracks.
GUIDO
(laughing then coughing a
little)
Many people in Paris didn’t like it
either. On the other hand the
Statue of Liberty is a marvel! You
can climb inside it, up to the arm
of the woman.
TERESA
So why you didn’t go up there?
GUIDO
(hesitating)
Because I’m ... afraid of
heights...
TERESA
(laughing)
This is not exactly the right place
for you then.
She’s about to leave, but Guido grabs her arm.
GUIDO
Teresa! I wanted to apologize about
what happened last week...
TERESA
It was beautiful....Guido
GUIDO
But what about Agostino? He’s your
... Are you in love with him?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 42.
TERESA
Everyone expects us to marry one
day. Who else? We are best friends
since we were little. He kissed me
a couple of times last
summer...then we were talking about
leaving one day... but that’s all.
Now he seems all absorbed in new
plans. His friend wants to embark
as a cook on that big ship...how is
it called? The Titantic?
GUIDO
The Titanic! It’s that luxurious
ocean liner everyone is talking
about. It seems that it will be
ready next year for its first
transatlantic journey to America.
But what about you then?
TERESA
Me? Yes. What about me?
GUIDO
What is it that you want, Teresa?
TERESA
I don’t know what I want anymore. I
just don’t want to stay here
forever, I guess.
Teresa takes Guido’s hand and rests it on her face.
TERESA
Your hand is hot. You need to rest.
I will leave you now. Grandma will
come over later with the milk.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. DAY OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE A MONTH LATER
Teresa and Guido meet at a ruined old stone house outside
the village. They seat on a bench. There is still some snow
around. It’s a foggy day. Both wear heavy clothes, berets,
gloves and scarves.
Guido is looking at a painted SUNDIAL up on the wall. On the
top of it it says "RUIT HORA".
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 43.
GUIDO
Ruit hora.
TERESA
What does it mean?
GUIDO
It means that time is plunging.
TERESA
It doesn’t here. Time freezes her.
GUIDO
(shivering)
I am freezing.
TERESA
(touching his hand)
I’m sorry! Up here you have found a
really cold winter this year. We
are at the end of February and the
days of the blackbird should be way
over now!
GUIDO
The blackbird?
TERESA
It’s a legend. During the last days
of January a bird was bragging that
it had escaped the cold weather.
January borrowed some days from
February to extend its cold time
and punish the bird’s arrogance.
The bird sheltered in a chimney.
When January was finally over, the
bird came out of the chimney all
black. You never know when it’s
really over.
GUIDO
That is SOOO true! Believe me: it
is so true!
Teresa takes her BOOK The Lady of the Camellias out of her
pocket. She opens it and with two fingers picks up a dried
flower that is laying on the page.
TERESA
Here! I have a gift for you. I
don’t have camellias, but I wanted
to give you this.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 44.
Teresa takes Guido’s hand and deposits the dried flower in
its palm.
TERESA
It’s called the mountain orchid.
GUIDO
It’s so delicate and small!
TERESA
It’s bright red when it’s fresh,
and it has a strong sent of
vanilla. Now it’s almost
black...like a ... clot of dried
blood.
Teresa forces Guido’s HAND to close.
ANGLE - GUIDO’S HAND
Guido’s hand opens and the flower is all crumbled in his
palm
BACK TO SHOT
Guido and Teresa look at each other. Guido starts kissing
Teresa and touching her. When he’s trying to lift her skirt,
she frees herself.
TERESA
(panting))
Wait for me...I will come to your
place...soon.
Teresa runs away and Guido stays on the bench, looking at
the palm of his hand.
DISSOLVE TO
INT NIGHT AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino writes his letter to Teresa.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Teresa, I wanted to show you this
place called Bois de Boulogne. It’s
the biggest park in Paris, and
there’s a lake too.
MONTAGE:
1. Colette and Agostino are on a small raw boat. Colette is
dressed in white, looking melancholic.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 45.
2. Colette and Agostino are walking in the park and talking.
People on horses, carriages, cars or on foot pass by them.
The ladies are dressed elegantly with huge hats and hairdos,
carrying parasols. Agostino gets distracted and looks all
over around him, pleased. Colette keeps talking, trying to
get his attention.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
(over montage)
March is a wonderful month here in
Paris. The perfume of violet is in
the air and on women’s dresses. I
rented a small boat and took
Colette on the lake... After, we
took a walk in the park. I was
wishing to stop the time right
there, but her clock is ticking and
she seems all absorbed in her dream
of being somewhere else. She wants
to go to America now. But I’m not
sure I’m the right man to take her
there. I’m not sure about anything
right now...
END OF MONTAGE
INT. - DAY TERESA’S HOUSE UPSTAIRS AND DOWNSTAIRS
MONTAGE:
1. The POSTMAN is at Teresa’s door, giving her a letter and
a packet that says FROM DOCTOR M. TO TERESA. Teresa takes
them, closes the door and runs upstairs, hiding the packet
from Grandma.
2. Teresa is in HER ROOM. She puts the letter and packet on
her NIGHTSTAND and opens the packet. Inside there is a BAG
OF POWDER. She puts the powder in her WASHING-UP BOWL on her
NIGHTSTAND and pours in some WATER FROM A PITCHER. She
takes a WOODEN STICK out of the nightstand’s drawer and
starts mixing.
3. Teresa sits on her bed, with her skirt pulled up. She’s
applying the white mix on her legs.
Teresa is counting with her fingers. When she is done with
counting she makes little jumps and shakes her hands, like
showing that the mix starts burning her skin. She’s
panicking. She looks around for something.
END MONTAGE
46.
INT. DAY TERESA’S ROOM
TERESA
Where is it now?
In the DRAWER she starts digging underneath the POSTCARDS
AND LETTERS from Agostino. Finally she finds a PAPER KNIFE.
She starts scraping out the mix with the paper knife from
her legs. She washes her legs. She’s panting when collapsing
on her bed. Then she smiles caressing her smooth legs.
From her bed, she notices the ENVELOPE on her nightstand.
She grabs it from the bed, opens it with the paper-knife,
takes out a LETTER and starts reading it.
TERESA
Good for you, Agostino! Colette is
her name, uh? Colette pirouette,
Colette cigarette, Colette
roulette, Colette boulette,
soubrette, Colette cocotte...
She throws the letter on the side, takes out the POSTCARD
from the envelope and looks at it
INSERT - THE POSTCARD
the postcard is showing a path in the park Bois de Boulogne
in Paris. Elegant people are walking on the path. Women wear
huge sophisticated and complicated hats.
Teresa suddenly gets up and goes to her WARDROBE, takes out
a huge STRAW HAT and puts it on her bed.
She runs downstairs and comes back with a BASKET OF FRUIT
AND LEAVES. She takes 2 BIG FEATHERS from the wardrobe and
the FABRIC that grandma had brought home in Fall from town.
Teresa starts arranging fruit and leaves on the hat, holding
them together with the fabric. Then she puts on the hat and
looks at herself in the wardrobe’s mirror.
TERESA
Et voila! Terese Française!
GRANDMA (O.C.)
What is going on here?
Teresa turns from the mirror and items start falling on the
ground from her hat.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 47.
GRANDMA
(sniffing)
What’s this smell?
Teresa runs to hide her nightstand with her body.
TERESA
Nothing Grandma! Just for a moment
I wanted to look like those ladies
in Paris.
Teresa gives Grandma the postcard and grandma looks at it,
while Teresa puts the washing-up bowl under her bed.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. / INT. - NIGHT VILLAGE GUIDO’S PLACE
MONTAGE:
1. Teresa is exiting her house, closing the door with
precaution. She holds a LANTERN. After a few steps, she
stops and turns back looking at HER HOUSE.
2. Teresa arrives at GUIDO’S PLACE and knocks. Guido opens
and she enters.
3. INSIDE THE CLASSROOM Guido takes the lantern from Teresa
and puts it on the CLASSROOM DESK.
ANGLE - CLASSROOM DESK
On the desk there is a NOTEBOOK open on a page:
CLOSE ON:
the PAGE has a HANDWRITTEN LINE at the top, like continuing
from a previous page: "and she let herself believe that he
was the one who would change her life forever.
4. GUIDO’S ROOM is dark, with only a CANDLE on the
NIGHTSTAND. Teresa is sitting on Guido’s BED. He’s kneeling
in front of her, slowly taking off her WOOL STOCKINGS.
5. Guido and Teresa are making love.
END MONTAGE
48.
INT. - NIGHT GUIDO’S ROOM SOME TIME AFTER
Teresa and Guido on Guido’s bed, naked. Guido covers her
with a blanket and looks at her. He touches and parts her
hair. Teresa opens her eyes.
TERESA
(smiling)
There is a mountain out there
called Musinè.... The legends talk
about spirits of the dead wandering
on its bare slopes. It seems to be
a place for the devil. But inside,
they say, there’s a precious
emerald. A dragon wards it. Some
call that emerald the Graal.
Guido sobs and puts his head on her shoulder. Teresa
caresses his hair. Then she puts her clothes on and leaves.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. / INT. - NIGHT OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE SOME DAYS AFTER
Guido is sitting on the BENCH of the RUINED HOUSE, waiting.
The FULL MOON lights up the landscape so much that things
make dark shadows.
Teresa arrives running.
TERESA
(panting)
She finally fell asleep!
Teresa falls on the bench. Guido puts his arm around her
shoulders and kisses her.
GUIDO
It’s so beautiful here now that
Spring is coming, that one would
stop the time right here. And look
at this moon tonight!
TERESA
Are you my silver bridge, Guido?
GUIDO
The bridge of that poem is an
illusion, Teresa. It’s a reflection
of the moon on the sea, that’s all.
Like a dream...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 49.
TERESA
I hate the moon anyway. I don’t
trust her.
GUIDO
What do you mean?
TERESA
She makes friend with witches and
werewolves and any kind of
monsters.
GUIDO
(laughing)
Do you really believe in those
legends?
TERESA
One night a guy who didn’t have
sheep nor cows decided to steal the
milk from a tank in a farm. With
two buckets hanging from a beam
carried on his shoulders he entered
the farm. Silent like a cat, he
filled the buckets with milk and
left.
GUIDO
What does that have to do with the
moon?
TERESA
He thought he was lucky, because
that night it was dark, cloudy and
foggy and nobody could see him. But
when he was half a way home, the
clouds parted and the brightest
moon shone on him. He got scared
and started throwing fists of soil
to the moon.
GUIDO
So he was caught.
TERESA
(pointing up)
See that large white mark in the
sky?
GUIDO
It’s called the Milky Way.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 50.
TERESA
It’s him! The thief! The moon
kidnapped him in the sky, forcing
him to follow her forever, bended
under the weight of the stolen
milk.
GUIDO
(while kissing her)
Are you telling me that the moon is
spying on us?... Let’s teach her a
lesson!
TERESA
(wriggling, then with
enthusiasm)
Yes! .... Let’s leave right now!
GUIDO
For where?
TERESA
To America! I will do lace work.
Grandma taught me. I’m very good at
that!... and you will write your
novel!
GUIDO
And what about Agostino? Is he
going too?
TERESA
He’s thinking about that, ...with
the French waiter...and that
Colette.
GUIDO
Colette?
TERESA
The dancer.
GUIDO
(getting up)
You all don’t have any idea of what
it means...I’ve seen people on that
ship...And you deserve a better
life than that. I’m tired now. I
need to go home and rest.
Guido leaves and
CLOSE UP:
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 51.
TERESA looks at the moon, disappointed.
DISSOLVE TO:
INT NIGHT AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino is writing.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Teresa, I’m finally writing without
wearing gloves. The weather is nice
and warm now. I think about our sky
and I miss it a little. I miss our
moonlight and the silence up in our
village. Here there is too much
light and traffic. I was mesmerized
at the beginning, but then I got
tired of that.
MONTAGE:
1. Agostino and Colette are in a PARK walking. She walks
slowly and then wants to sit on a bench. There she bends her
head and falls asleep. A guy, VINCENZO, is sitting close to
them. He greets Agostino. The two men shake hands.
2. In the same park Colette and Agostino are looking at a
SCULPTURE. It’s the sculpture of Chopin sitting at his
piano, with a woman laying at his feet and another female
figure with angel wings throwing flowers to them.
2. Agostino and Colette are at the GARE DE LYON embracing
Jean, who’s leaving Paris. Jean goes on the train and
Colette waives at him, sighing.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
(over montage)
Colette is taking me to visit many
parks lately. We walk a little and
then she feels tired and we end up
sitting on benches all the time...
At one of the parks I met an
Italian guy called Vincenzo
Peruggia who promised to let us
visit the Louvre Museum for free,
where he’s doing I don’t know what
kind of job, but Colette is not
interested: the only think she
wants to do is going to parks...
I’m sending you a postcard from a
park called Monceau. There is this
sculpture of Chopin, the musician,
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 52.
AGOSTINO (V.O.) (cont’d)sitting at his piano. He’s playing
with one hand. It seems that he
doesn’t want to wake up the woman
sleeping at his feet. And there is
that angel. Can you see that? It’s
such a sad scene to me, I don’t
know why. It made me think of
Colette and myself and you, Teresa.
You so innocent and pure with an
angel voice. I wish we could talk,
you and I, right now, like in the
past! You know me since I was a
kid, and I know I can count on you
as my true friend... My friend Jean
is going to England to apply for a
job on the Titanic. We said goodbye
last day at the Gare de Lion. And
Colette is getting more and more
impatient to leave too...
END OF MONTAGE
INT. - DAY CLASSROOM SOME DAYS AFTER
Guido is showing THE CLASS an area on the GLOBE.
GUIDO
Italy is expanding its influence in
North Africa. See this area? The
yellow color here shows an enormous
desert.
ELEONORA
What’s a desert?
GUIDO
It’s like a sea of sand. So much
send that people get lost and die
thirsting for a drop of water.
PIETRO
So why bother conquering it?
GUIDO
(perplex, smiling)
Well, Pietro, this year Italy
celebrates the fiftieth anniversary
of its Unification. It’s a matter
of prestige. We need to show the
world that we can compete with
France and other Nations...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 53.
The kids are distracted, chatting. TERESA enters.
GUIDO
(showing a textbook)
For tomorrow you all will read two
new pages of The History of our
Nation. Pietro! Prepare three
questions from those pages.
Something less silly...!
Teresa is approaching Guido’s desk while the kids are
leaving.
Guido looks at the entrance. Teresa turns and sees ANDREINA
leaning on the door frame. Andreina takes Eleonora’s hand
and leaves.
TERESA
Agostino is still in Paris. His
friend has already left.
Teresa hands a POSTCARD.
GUIDO
(looking at the postcard)
Where is this statue? I’ve never
seen it!
TERESA
He says it’s in a park. The guy at
the piano is called Chopin. I like
the woman who’s laying at his feet.
And there is an angel up there.
GUIDO
Mmmmm....I see. It seems that
Agostino is enjoying the art of the
city.
Guido gets up from his desk and goes to his room.
TERESA
(talking louder)
He says he met an Italian man who
works at the Louvre museum. He must
be a very influential person, since
he promised Agostino to let him
visit that museum for free! His
name is Vincenzo.
Guido comes back and starts setting the gramophone.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 54.
GUIDO
Mmmmm... I met a Vincenzo too when
in Paris. He was doing some frame
repairing in the Louvre. Peruggia I
think it was his last name.
TERESA
That’s right! I think Agostino
mentioned exactly that last name...
It’s the same guy!
GUIDO
He was very talkative...He heard me
talking in Italian when I was
visiting the museum with a friend
of mine, and approached us. He was
so obsessed about Leonardo’s Monna
Lisa! He kept saying that it should
belong to Italy...
TERESA
That’s the painting Vincenzo
promised to show Agostino!
Guido takes a record out of its folder and puts it on the
gramophone.
GUIDO
Listen to this piece, Teresa! The
pianist who plays this waltz is
called Eugene d’Albert. The Centaur
is his nickname, because it’s like
he’s half a human being and half a
piano.
Teresa takes Guido’s arm and puts it around her waist.
TERESA
Let’s dance then!
GUIDO
It’s not ballroom music this one,
Teresa! It’s for listening only.
Close your eyes and listen!
CHOPIN WALTZ N. 5 OP. 42 is playing. Teresa sits on a chair
with closed eyes, but when the piece accelerates, she gets
up and starts spinning and humming the music. The music
stops abruptly and Teresa stops, opens her eyes and
TERESA POV
THE ROOM is spinning around.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 55.
BACK TO SHOT
GUIDO holds Teresa, who’s dizzy and about to fall. Holding
her in his arms, he kisses her.
GUIDO
The music transfigures you, Teresa.
You become another person when you
hear it and when you sing! As if
you were not a creature of this
world. Irresistible....
He kisses her again.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. - DAY TERESA’S HOUSE SOME DAYS LATER
Grandma is sitting at the table downstairs, holding a
LETTER.
Teresa passes by, coming from upstairs.
TERESA
See you in a while, grandma!
GRANDMA
Teresa? I need you to sit down with
me now and listen to something
important I have to say.
TERESA
But the kids are waiting for me in
class!
GRANDMA
They can wait a little bit longer.
This is important. Sit down,
please!
Teresa is disappointed. She comes back from the door and
sits at the table with grandma.
GRANDMA
This is a letter from Mademoiselle
Chabreud. She offers you the
opportunity to study music and
singing in the city. You can stay
at her house and take lessons
there, at their expenses. They
expect you to go there as soon as
you can.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 56.
TERESA
(with expression of disbelief)
Why...how did she...what does she
know about me? How can she assume
that...?
GRANDMA
(interrupting)
We told her about your talent in
singing and how important it would
be for you to have an opportunity
to educate your voice.
TERESA
WEE??? We..who?
GRANDMA
The teacher and I. He helped me
explaining the situation to her.
Teresa gets up and moves around the room. Then stops in
front of Grandma.
TERESA
And when did you both do such
thing?
GRANDMA
It was about...two months ago. When
he was sick. He convinced me that
your voice is too precious to keep
it hidden from the world. There is
a better destiny out there for you,
Teresa, than the one your mom and I
had.
TERESA
And you and Guido, I mean the
teacher, you both put together this
wonderful...destiny for me without
even bothering to ask me what I
wanted!? And how come that
Mademoiselle Chabreud is so
generous to me? She hasn’t even met
me or heard me singing.
GRANDMA
(sighing)
She feels guilty about me. That’s
why she kept sending all those
Christmans presents over the years.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 57.
TERESA
Guilty about what?
GRANDMA
She married the man I had been
secretly in love with. She knew
about my feelings. I had already
moved here, to take care of you
when you were born...
TERESA
(sitting again)
Here we go then! You want to spare
a miserable life to your
granddaughter, who made YOUR life
miserable by the moment she was
born! What a great opportunity for
you and Guido to get rid of me!
GRANDMA
Teresa! Nobody wants to get rid of
you! It’s for your own sake! It
seemed to us that you couldn’t stay
here any longer. You were always
complaining about staying here
and...
TERESA
I was not thinking of leaving THIS
way! Going to live with this
stranger. She’s YOUR friend, not
mine! I don’t even know her name!
GRANDMA
Colette. Her name is Colette.
TERESA
(laughing nervously)
Oh God! Another Colette! I cannot
believe this. Give me that letter!
Teresa grabs the letter from Grandma’s hand and runs out.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. - DAY CLASSROOM SOME MIONUTES LATER
Teresa enters the classroom. Te kids have just left.
Guido is writing at his desk. He closes his notebook as soon
as he sees Teresa coming and puts it under some books.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 58.
GUIDO
Teresa! I let the kids go. They
waited for you for a while and....
Teresa slams her hand with the letter on Guido’s desk. Guido
takes the letter and starts reading it.
TERESA
How could you organize this without
asking me?
Teresa walks up and down the classroom.
GUIDO
This is a wonderful opportunity for
you! Why are you so upset?
Teresa stops walking.
TERESA
You don’t’ get it, do you? I don’t
want to stay with that Colette!
GUIDO
The dancer?
TERESA
Same name! Grandma’s friend and
Agostino’s friend have the same
name. Isn’t it ironic?
Guido gets up and gets close to Teresa, embracing her.
GUIDO
I think you should calm down and
reflect. Don’t make any decision
yet.
TERESA
I want to stay with YOU! I LOVE
you, don’t you get it?
GUIDO
I want to see you happy. And you
look happy to me only when you
sing. I cannot make you happy,
Teresa. Not yet. But just wait.
TERESA
I’ve been waiting since the day
when I was born. Waiting for my dad
to come back one day... Waiting for
Agostino to take me out of here.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 59.
GUIDO
Then just stop doing that! Consider
what you have now and build your
future on that! The school is
almost over. I’m going to be
leaving soon. Take this time to
consider this offer that just came
to you.
TERESA
It’s easy for you to BUILD your
life. You are free to go wherever
you want. Yo have been to Paris,
you have been to America...and
yet...do you know NOW what you
want?
GUIDO
This place has helped me to focus,
Teresa.
TERESA
To focus...
Teresa turns to leave. Then turns back, walks to the desk,
takes the letter and exits.
DISSOLVE TO
INT NIGHT AGOSTINO’S PLACE IN PARIS
Agostino is writing.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
Teresa. I finally went to the
Louvre Museum with Vincenzo. The
only things that this guy wanted me
to see were paintings made by this
Italian artist, Leonardo da Vinci.
MONTAGE:
1. Agostino is in the Louvre with VINCENZO, the guy who
works there as a framer. Vincenzo takes Agostino to see
Leonardo da Vinci’s "Mona Lisa" and he is very excited
showing that, while Agostino seems disappointed and not that
impressed.
2. Agostino is staring at the Madonna with the Ermine.
Vincenzo is trying to pull him away, but Agostino resists
and stands there for a long time.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 60.
AGOSTINO (V.O.)
(over montage)
He kept talking about that Mona
Lisa painting, which is small and
blurry, portraying a woman with a
sleepy expression. I don’t
understand why he is so fascinated
about that...I instead liked a lot
another painting of that artist.
It’s the Madonna with the Ermine
that you can see in the postcard.
It reminded me so much of you!
She’s like turning to someone with
a clever look, it’s you when we
were running up on the fields in
Spring and you were faster than me,
passing by and turning back with
that air of a winner...
END MONTAGE
INT. / EXT. / INT. DAY CLASSROOM OUTDOORS
LAVATORY TERESA’S ROOM
MONTAGE:
1. GUIDO is packing, gathering papers and books, putting
stuff in his trunk, the gramophone in its case.
2. While GUIDO is packing WOMEN of the village interrupt his
work coming and going with their KIDS bringing some gifts
for the teacher: AN EMBROIDERED HANDKERCHIEF, A KNITTED
SCARF, A BUNCH OF FLOWERS, A BOTTLE OF LIQUEUR.
They shake hands. He caresses the kids and embraces them.
3. At the same time TERESA is arriving at the OUTDOORS
LAVATORY of the village carrying a BASKET OF LAUNDRY.
ANDREINA is there, washing.
Teresa starts washing on the opposite side of Andreina.
Teresa pounds her laundry with energy on the slope of the
sink.
Andreina squeezes her laundry, puts it in her basket and
leaves, slowly wiggling her hips.
Teresa stops washing. She turns back looking at Andreina
with a clever expression, like saying "I’ll show you". Then
she turns back to the lavatory and sees
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 61.
TERESA’S POV
A BLACKBIRD landed on the side of the lavatory where
Andreina took place before.
END OF MONTAGE
INT. NIGHT TERESA’S ROOM
In her room, Teresa in her nightgown is looking at a
POSTCARD. She goes in front of the MIRROR of her ARMOIR. She
looks at herself in the mirror and then at the postcard
INSERT - A POSTCARD
that shows Leonardo da Vinci’s portrait of the Madonna with
the Ermine.
TERESA
(whispering)
How can he possibly think that I
look like her?
GRANDMA OS
Goodnight, Teresa!
TERESA
(out loud)
Goodnight, Grandma!
Teresa starts dressing silently. Then she grabs the book
INSERT - THE BOOK
of Andersens’ Tales.
TERESA opens the book and silently reads
TERESA (VO)
“But think again,” said the witch;
“for when once your shape has
become like a human being, you can
no more be a mermaid. You will
never return through the water to
your sisters, or to your father’s
palace again; and if you do not win
the love of the prince, so that he
is willing to forget his father and
mother for your sake, and to love
you with his whole soul, and allow
the priest to join your hands that
you may be man and wife, then you
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 62.
TERESA (VO) (cont’d)will never have an immortal soul.
The first morning after he marries
another your heart will break, and
you will become foam on the crest
of the waves.”
Teresa closes the book. She goes towards the stairs and
listens. It’s all silent, so she starts going downstairs.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. / INT. - NIGHT THE VILLAGE GUIDO’S PLACE INSTANTS
LATER
Night. A bright MOON shines on the mountain village.
TERESA leaves her house silently. She starts walking toward
the school, holding the book. Suddenly she hears a noise,
right before stepping out of the darkness into a stripe of
moonlight between two houses, and right before the school.
In the moonlight she sees
ANGLE - ANDREINA
exiting the school. Andreina arranges her shawl on her
chest, walks toward Teresa without seeing her, and then
turns left between the houses.
TERESA leans against the stone wall of a house, panting,
putting her hand at her throat, like feeling her heart beat.
She stays there for a while, bending a little. Then she
straightens and starts walking fast to the school door. She
knocks.
GUIDO opens the door, holding a CANDLE. Teresa enters in
full speed, heading to GUIDO’S ROOM. Guido follows her,
stopping for a second at his desk to close his
ANGLE-NOTEBOOK
Teresa arrives in the room and turns, pointing her finger at
the door and shaking her hand for a while without speaking.
TERESA
(agitated)
I saw her coming out of here!
There is a moment of silent
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 63.
GUIDO
(calm)
Yes.
TERESA
(agitated)
Why? What was she doing here?
GUIDO
(calm)
She came to say goodbye.
TERESA
(agitated)
And why didn’t she do that during
the day, like everyone else?
GUIDO
(still calm)
You didn’t come either.
TERESA
(articulating, with ironic
tone)
I was hoping I was...the only one
to have the...privilege to come to
your place at night!
GUIDO
(sighing, like tired)
There is a completely different
reason..
TERESA
(interrupting)
Maybe I WAS NOT coming to say
goodbye...
A little pause
TERESA
(lowering her voice)
Maybe I wasn’t...
Silence again.
TERESA
(progressively raising her
voice)
But it doesn’t matter anymore what
my decision was, right? It never
mattered to you, maybe. ... Since
she got here first tonight, are you
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 64.
TERESA (cont’d)both going to go and live in
America together? Is she trying to
fly away again from this prison?
...Is she pregnant again?
GUIDO
(raising his voice too)
Would you STOP with this obsession
with America? I have NO intention
of going there again, I NEVER lived
there and I WILL NEVER live there!!
Silence. Teresa sits on the bed and puts her hand on her
mouth with eyes wide open.
GUIDO
(calming down)
Glaucoma, they said.... The young
doctor who examined me at Ellis
Island thought I was infected and
drew an X on my jacket, sending me
back downstairs,... after such a
journey! ... hours spent in the
dark hold of a ship, with no sleep
and no air.... I lost it: I
attacked him. They sent me
immediately to my luggage and to
the ship that was sailing back to
Europe. End of my American life:
not even one whole day on America
soil, all right???
TERESA
But you let me believe...
GUIDO
You never listened really. You had
your own reality in your mind and
never asked any important
questions. My past didn’t concern
you: only your future out of here!
TERESA
OUR future! Together, out of here!
GUIDO
(emotional)
What kind of future can you have
with me? I don’t even have the
money to pay for your singing
lessons...
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 65.
TERESA
Then I won’t sing!
GUIDO
But you OUGHT to!! You are my
mermaid...
TERESA
(holding her tears)
Your mermaid of the mountains will
die here, dissolving ... like the
last snow in Spring.
Teresa throws the book of Andersen’s tales on the floor and
leaves.
DISSOLVE TO
ACT III
INT. DAY AT DAWN TERESA’S ROOM NEXT DAY
In the dim light of dawn Teresa is laying on her bed, still
dressed like the night before, awake.
She hears the NOISE OF THE CARRIAGE ON THE STREET (OS)
She gets up and goes to the window. She sees
ANGLE-HER POV
The CARRIAGE stopping in front of her house.
ANGLE- ON THE CARRIAGE there is Guido. He steps down and
approaches the entrance door of Teresa’s house.
BACK TO SHOT
Teresa in her room steps back from the window. Then she
hears the NOISE OF THE CARRIAGE leaving (OS).
DISSOLVE TO
INT. NIGHT MOVIE THEATRE
MONTAGE
1. In a movie theater a scene in a train station is
projected. It’s a crowded scene with many extras passing by.
Someone plays the PIANO in the theater.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 66.
2. ANGLE- CLOSE ON Agostino’s face. He’s in the movie
theater, crying.
3. FLASHBACK. The PIANO MUSIC continues in the background.
Colette exits from A MOVIE STUDIO in Paris. Agostino waits
for her OUTSIDE. Colette holds a PIECE OF PAPER and shows it
to Agostino, smiling.
END OF MONTAGE
EXT. DAY VILLAGE SOME WEEKS LATER
Right outside the village, on the road, the WOMEN AND
CHILDREN of the village are walking to meet the MEN arriving
on the CARRIAGE.
Men step down the carriage and hug their kids.
TERESA and GRANDMA are watching.
MAN 1 takes ELEONORA in his arms. ANDREINA smiles, then she
turns and sees
ANGLE- HER POV
Teresa looking for someone and then walking back towards
home with Grandma.
MAN 2 is following Teresa and Grandma
MAN 2
Teresa?
Teresa turns and walks back. The man gives her a letter.
MAN 2
This is for you from Agostino.
TERESA
(concerned)
Why isn’t he back?
MAN 2
He stopped hanging out with us long
time ago. But lately he seemed very
upset and disconnected. Something
must have happened to him, but
there was no way to make him talk.
I’m sorry, Teresa.
Teresa takes the letter and goes back to Grandma. They are
heading home together.
67.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. DAY TERESA’S HOUSE
Teresa looks sad. Grandma looks at her, concerned. She puts
a pot with water on the stove.
Teresa sits at the kitchen table, opens the letter and
starts reading it.
TERESA
(with a sad voice, emotional)
Grandma? What’s an "avortement"?
Grandma walks at the table.
GRANDMA
(concerned)
Why are you asking me that?
TERESA
Colette has died of ...
Teresa stops and looks for the word in the letter.
TERESA
"Avortement’s complications".
GRANDMA
Which Colette? What are you talking
about?
Grandma sits down close to Teresa picking at the letter.
TERESA
She was the... Agostino’s friend,
... his girlfriend in Paris. They
were supposed to go to America. She
was a dancer, but wanted to become
a movie actress. ...She’s ... dead
now!
GRANDMA
(disappointed and concerned)
It’s an abortion, Teresa. She was
pregnant and tried to get rid of
her baby. There are women
who...they use...tools like
knitting needles to interrupt a
pregnancy. There are many of those
women.... It’s very dangerous,
Teresa. Many women die of infection
after that!
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 68.
TERESA
(shocked)
Agostino is devastated, Grandma! He
says he went to a theatre were they
were showing a film in which
Colette had a role.
GRANDMA
A film?
TERESA
He told me it’s like seeing a big
postcard on a wall where people are
actually moving. He says the actors
were moving too fast in the scene
and he couldn’t recognize her. He
went there many times...he’s lost,
Grandma!
GRANDMA
What is he going to do now? Is he
coming back?
TERESA
(scanning the letter)
He doesn’t say. He seems confused.
He says that there are many
experiments now going on in France
with... flying machines,...
aircraft. I don’t understand. ...
He is thinking of doing something
with those flying people. He says
that now he’s entered the... vortex
of the progress? He feels the time
spinning...
Teresa stops reading and looks confused. She drops the
letter on her lap.
TERESA
This is all nonsense! Who wrote
this letter? I don’t recognize him,
Grandma!
Teresa starts crying.
TERESA
Oh, grandma! Everything has
changed. They are all gone!
Grandma tries to hug her, but she runs upstairs.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 69.
Grandma stays close to the table for a moment, scanning the
letter. Then she stands up, as for a resolution. She goes to
open a chest, to take something out of it.
DISSOLVE TO
INT DAY TERESA’S HOUSE CONTIN.
MONTAGE:
1. Teresa is sitting on her bed IN HER ROOM in dismay,
silently crying. She opens the drawer of her NIGHTSTAND and
picks up the POSTCARDS received from Agostino and spreads
them on the bed. Then she gets up.
ANGLE- THE POSTCARDS SPREAD ON THE BED
BACK TO SHOT
Teresa takes a box out of her ARMOIRE and goes back to sit
on her bed. She opens the box and takes out Agostino’s
LETTERS, packed tightly together with a ribbon. She just
keeps them in her hands.
Sudddenly Teresa hears THE ARIA FROM LA TRAVIATA "SEMPRE
LIBERA"(OS) coming from downstairs.
2. Teresa is slowly going down the stairs and when she’s in
the room she sees
ANGLE - GUIDO’S GRAMOPHONE ON THE DINING TABLE playing the
record of La Traviata,
END MONTAGE
INT DAY TERESA’S HOUSE CONTIN.
Teresa rushes to stop the record.
TERESA
Grandma! How did it...?
GRANDMA
(interrupting and smiling)
I found it at the front door the
morning the teacher left the
village. I put it away, because I
didn’t know what to do with it, and
I didn’t know if you would become
all upset again thinking about the
singing lessons and all that...but
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 70.
GRANDMA (cont’d)maybe it’s time now to reconsider
the hole matter, Teresa...
Teresa covers her face with her hands, then goes to hug
Grandma.
DISSOLVE TO
INT DAY TERESA’S HOUSE A FEW DAYS LATER
The door of the house is open. The WOMEN of the village are
coming to bring gifts to Teresa and say goodbye. They hug
her and give her little packages or flowers. Some KIDS are
there too.
Teresa is moved. She holds a woolen shawl given to her by
WOMAN 1.
TERESA
Thank you!
WOMAN 1
You will take care of yourself,
won’t you?
WOMAN 2
Show them how good you are!
WOMAN 3
Come back sometimes... we’ll miss
you!
Teresa drops the shawl on the floor, with an expression of
surprise. All women turn their faces back towards the
entrance. They see
ANGLE - ANDREINA
entering the house, followed by her daughter ELEONORA.
Andreina is holding a DRESS in her arms. She gets close to
Teresa and puts the dress in Teresa’s arms.
ANDREINA
I’m not going to wear it anymore...
Teresa stands there, speechless.
Andreina leaves.
DISSOLVE TO
71.
EXT. DAY THE VILLAGE ROAD THE DAY AFTER
Teresa is close to the CARRIAGE, leaving the village. She’s
wearing Andreina’s dress. She looks like a lady from the
city, with a different hair style than before.
A MAN takes a small luggage from Teresa and loads it on the
carriage.
Grandma opens a little box and takes out a pair of pendant
earrings.
GRANDMA
They were your mother’s earrings.
Gandma puts them on Teresa.
Teresa and Grandma hug each other, moved.
Teresa goes up on the carriage.
GRANDMA
Wait! There is something else I
should give you...
Grandma takes a sealed letter out of her skirt’s pocket and
gives it to Teresa.
GRANDMA
It was left on the gramophone that
morning...
Teresa takes the letter and the carriage leaves.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. DAY ON THE ROAD AND AT THE STATION LATER
MONTAGE:
1.The carriage with Teresa is traveling from the village to
the town’s station.
The MAILMAN on his horse is passing by, going in the
opposite direction.
2. The mailman arrives at Teresa’s house. Knocks, gives a
LETTER to Grandma and leaves.
3. Grandma, still standing at the door, opens the letter.
She starts reading it, then stops and looks up in surprise,
walking some steps on the road as if calling someone back.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 72.
4. Teresa is at the train station. The MAN is helping her
with the little luggage. They are heading to one of the
train’s doors.
A few doors ahead AGOSTINO steps down the train and starts
walking in Teresa’s direction. Teresa doesn’t notice him. He
passes her and after a few steps he stops
CLOSE ON: AGOSTINO’S FACE
He frowns a little, as if trying to think about something he
had just seen.
Agostino turns his face back, but
ANGLE - PEOPLE WALKING ALONG THE TRAIN
Teresa is not in sight anymore.
END OF MONTAGE
INT. DAY ON THE TRAIN SAME DAY
Teresa is seated on the train. Close to her there is a
FAMILY of a WOMAN, a MAN and a young BOY, dressed elegantly.
In front of her there are TWO MEN talking.
MAN 1
I’ve heard that Turin is all
crouded because of so many people
going to the International
Exhibition.
MAN 2
You bet! It’s impossible to find a
place to stay. A big chaos in the
name of the progress!
The two men keep TALKING IN THE BACKGROUND (OS).
Teresa is digging in her purse. She takes out the POSTCARDS,
stuck together, and puts them on her side on the seat. Then
she takes the SEALED LETTER that Grandma had given her when
she was leaving the same morning and opens it.
Teresa starts reading the letter
GUIDO (VO)
There were no words to convince you
that I loved you. Your doubt about
what happened between Andreina and
me and my doubt about your decision
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 73.
GUIDO (VO) (cont’d)to leave the village and become a
singer are our two camellias now,
Teresa. One day, when they will be
dried out, we’ll be ready to meet
again. Andreina told me her story
in her visits, the story no one
wanted to hear and that she needed
to share to find peace in her soul.
I found in your little village the
inspiration I was looking for, when
I embarked for America. I promised
Andreina to keep her story
anonymous somehow.
Teresa stops reading, dropping her arms on her lap. Then she
closes her eyes.
GUIDO (VO)
The sound of your laughs, of your
voice, of your steps when dancing
the valtz are still echoing in the
mountains and in my heart. One day
we will...
Teresa opens her eyes. The train stopped.
VOICE (OS)
Turin! The Turin’s station!
People get up and move to exit. Teresa is heading to the
exit among them.
Before leaving the compartment, Teresa turns back and sees
ANGLE - THE POSTCARDS
that she has left on her seat.
Teresa hesitates for a moment, then she turns toward the
train’s door and exits leaving them on the seat.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT DAY TRAIN STATION
Teresa is walking on the platform, to the train station
exit.
She tries to distinguish if there is someone waiting for
her.
In the distance a WOMAN waves at her.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 74.
Teresa stops, then starts walking faster, humming the aria
from La Traviata.
DISSOLVE TO
IN NIGHT OPERA THEATRE STAGE ONE YEAR LATER
In the Opera Theatre in Torino there is a dressed rehearsal
of Puccini’s "Madama Butterfly" . The performance is getting
close to the end of the secon part of act II. On the stage
there is the scene of a Japanese house with TWO LADIES
dressed in kimonos and wearing white make up. One of them is
Teresa, but it’s not possible to recognize her, because of
the distance and of her heavy make up. There is also a KID.
The scene is from distance. From the CONDUCTOR POV.
(FROM THE OPERA’S LIBRETTO:)
BUTTERFLY
(to Suzuki)
L’obi che vestii da sposa.
Qua ch’io lo vesta.
While Butterfly dons her garment, Suzuki dresses the baby in
the other one, wrapping him up almost entirely in the ample
and light draperies.
BUTTERFLY
Vo’ che mi veda indosso
il vel del primo dì.
[to Suzuki, who has finished
dressing the baby]
E un papavero rosso nei capelli...
Suzuki places the flower in Butterfly’s hair. The latter is
pleased with the effect.
BUTTERFLY
Così.
With childlike grace she signs to Suzuki to close the shosi.
BUTTERFLY
Nello shosi farem tre forellini
per riguardar,
e starem zitti come topolini
ad aspettar.
Suzuki closes the shosi at the back.
The night grows darker.
Butterfly leads the baby to the shosi.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 75.
Butterfly makes three holes in the shosi: one high up for
herself, one lower down for Suzuki and a third lower still
for the child whom she seats on a cushion, signing to him to
look through his hole. Suzuki crouches down and also gazes
out. Butterfly stands in front of the highest hole and gazes
through it, remaining rigid and motionless as a statue: the
baby, who is between his mother and Suzuki, peeps out
curiously.
It is night, the rays of the moon light up the shosi from
without.
CHORUS (OS)
(within, from far off,
HUMMING)
The baby falls asleep, sinking down on his cushion; Suzuki
still in her crouching position, falls asleep too: Butterfly
alone remains rigid and motionless.
CONDUCTOR
(tapping his baton)
Stop!
The choir stops humming. Singers turn over the conductor.
ANGLE-CLOSE ON
the conductor,
CONDUCTOR
(wiping off his sweat)
Butterfly! The word "aspettar" is
the key word of this entire Opera!
The poor lady has been waiting for
THREE YEARS for him to come back,
and now the moment has arrived, as
she’s hoping to see him coming up
to her place. There is a tragic
determination in that word
"waiting". I would like a bigger
emphasys on that, please. And the
humming from the choir...
A WORKER of the theater interrupts the conductor and gives
him a NOTE. The conductor reads it, then looks at the stage.
CONDUCTOR
Attention, please! A telegram has
arrived from Miss. Muzio. She won’t
be able to come back for the
performance next week, not only
because she’s still sick, but also
because she just found out that she
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 76.
CONDUCTOR (cont’d)lost a dear friend in the Titanic
tragedy.
The singers and choir on stage start talking. The conductor
taps his baton.
CONDUCTOR
Ladies and gentlemen, please! We
need to work harder now to make
this performance work! There is no
way to hire another soprano at this
point. It’s too late. Young lady?
From now you are going to move up
from your understudy position,
officialy covering the soprano
role. This is the opportunity every
singer hopes for. Don’t disappoint
me! ... Everyone back in place!!
Let’s start over from the beginning
of the last scene of act two!
Singers and choir reassume their position. The orchestra
plays. The conductor gives the soprano the sign to start.
BUTTERFLY
(to Suzuki)
L’obi che vestii da sposa.
Qua ch’io lo vesta.
DISSOLVE TO
INT. NIGHT OPERA THEATER STAGE AND DRESSING ROOM
A week later, at the end of the performance. On the stage
behind the courtains the SINGERS retreat. The SOPRANO
BUTTERFLY gathers some flowers that the audience had thrown
on stage. Everyone goes back stage, while the
AUDIENCE APPLAUDS (OS).
Singers congratulate each others and hug the soprano. ONE OF
THE BACKSTAGE WORKERS approaches the soprano.
WORKER
Miss? A man from the audience left
this for you.
He gives her a package.
The soprano goes in her DRESSING ROOM. She sits at the
MIRROR. She opens the package.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 77.
ANGLE- CLOSE ON PACKAGE
inside the package there is a BOOK, on the COVER the
author’s name and title are: Alfredo Guidi "Camellias".
The soprano’s HAND opens the book and in the first page
there is an hadwritten MESSAGE: "To my mermaid".
BACK TO SHOT
The soprano turns back towards the door,
CLOSE ON
the singer’s face. It’s Teresa.
FADE OUT
THE END
