A donkey pulls a wagon covered with dirt up an old narrow
road, slowly climbing the mountainside.
DOMINIC MANGINI (10 years old, wiry, dark hair, discerning
eyes) sits on the flat boards lining the back and grips the
sideboard with one hand. With the other, he holds onto his
brother, GIUSEPPE (8 years old, plump, a dimwitted look in
his eyes and slow in thinking, but with keen perceptions).
When the road gets a little smoother, Giuseppe rests his
sweaty head in Dominic's lap. His mother, SOFIA (40, curly
hair tied in a bun, face with hard lines, grim look and
fierce determination), sits on the other side of the wagon.
Every now and then, she glances at them and smiles.
SOFIA
Does your back hurt, Dominic?
DOMINIC
La mia schiena, le gambe, il mio
sedere, tutto. (My back, by legs, my
butt, everything.)
SOFIA
Inglese, Domenico.
DOMINIC
Si, Mamma.
Dominic looks to the front, then leans to Sofia and whispers.
DOMINIC (CONT’D)
Why is Papà so angry? I thought he'd
be happy now that we're going to
America.
Sofia looks to FRANCO/Papà (40s, wiry, face full of wrinkles,
eyes gleaming with blind ambition, a man quick to blame
others), then she shakes her head and lowers her voice.
SOFIA
Papà is just worried.
DOMINIC
Is he worried about money?
Sofia's mouth turns down at the sides, and her eyes lose
their sparkle.
SOFIA
Everyone worries about money, but
Papà had to do terrible things during
the war. He even shot his cugino, his
. . . cousin. I know that bothers
him. I hear him wake at nights and
call his name.
GIUSEPPE
I miss Zia (aunt) Rosa and Zio
(uncle) Paolo.
Sofia pats Giuseppe on the back.
SOFIA
We all miss them. Zia Rosa was Papà’s
sister, and he saw the Germans shoot her.
DOMINIC
Quanto più lontano, Mamma? (How much
farther?)
Sofia shrugs.
SOFIA
Ask Papà.
DOMINIC
I don’t want to ask Papà.
SOFIA
Ask him. He’s the one who knows.
DOMINIC
Quanto più lontano, Papà?
Franco turns and raises his voice.
FRANCO
Inglese!
Dominic holds his head low, and then he pulls Giuseppe close
and holds onto him. Sofia whispers to Dominic.
SOFIA
'How much farther' is how you say it.
DOMINIC
How much farther, Papà?
FRANCO
Only a little.
(a beat)
You need to listen to Mamma. She
learned her English good.
Dominic glances at Sofia and smiles. She squeezes his hand
and blows him a kiss.
SOFIA
Ti voglio bene. (I love you)
DOMINIC
I love you too, Mamma.
The wagon hits a large hole in the road, and the back wheel
comes off, causing Franco to stop. He climbs down from the
wagon and smacks his palm to his forehead as he examines the
damage.
FRANCO
Figlio de puttana! (son of a bitch)
He walks to the back of the wagon and gets a large iron bar
for leverage.
FRANCO (CONT’D)
Mettersi lì (stand right there).
SOFIA
Franco, remember your English. If
we’re going to America, you’ll need
to speak the language. Cecilia told
me that everyone speaks it in the big
cities in Italia.
Franco uses the lever and lifts the wagon to reattach the
wheel. He then shakes it vigorously to make sure it’s secure
and climbs back onto the wagon.
FRANCO
Okay, we’re ready. Get in but hold
on. The road is getting rougher as we
go down the mountain.
DOMINIC
Are we close?
FRANCO
One more mountain, and we will be
there.
Franco continually tugs on the reins as they go down the
mountain, and he is careful to avoid the holes left in the
road by the bombs.
In the back of the wagon, Dominic fidgets and nudges
Giuseppe.
DOMINIC
We’re getting close, Zeppe. Won’t be
long now.
Dominic turns his head left and right. Wildflowers are all
around them, clusters of yellow and pink and purple. He
takes a deep breath and whiffs.
DOMINIC (CONT’D)
Smell that, Zeppe. That’s rosemary.
Mamma uses that to cook.
They reach the bottom of the mountain and start up the final
hill. Olive trees dot the hillside, climbing the mountain as
if they belonged there.
Dominic’s smile turns to a frown as he sees the farmhouses
and walls that sit destroyed by the bombs. Every village
they pass has buildings and houses burnt out and sitting
empty. Stone walls are crumbled, equipment is broken, and
once-productive farms, abandoned.
GIUSEPPE
Papà, these farms are empty. Why
can't we take one?
FRANCO
Because we have no money, and neither
does anyone else. That's why everyone
is going to America.
SOFIA
Remember, Franco. It was the
Americans who bombed us.
FRANCO
Because of those damn Germans.
(a beat)
Americans are nice. You'll see.
SOFIA
I hear the North is doing better.
Francesca’s husband got work in
Milan.
FRANCO
Everyone in the North hates us. We
will do better in America.
SOFIA
If we go to Milan, we won't be so far
from home.
FRANCO
No more discussing, Sofia. We're
going to America.
GIUSEPPE
But I’ll miss my friends.
FRANCO
You’ll make new friends. Besides, we
could stay if the ‘men of honor’
didn’t take so much money.
DOMINIC
But why —
FRANCO
Because they take money from
everyone. And they take so much, you
can’t afford to live.
(a beat)
Remember when you cut your knee and
we had no bandages?
(a beat)
It will be different in America.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
3 -
A Dangerous Passage
EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD SOUTH OF PALERMO — NIGHT
The road up the mountain is rough, even rougher than going
down. The holes from the bombs make it dangerous because the
wagon has to go around them and parts of the edges of the
road are missing.
Sofia holds Giuseppe and Dominic tightly and scoots farther
back on the wagon.
SOFIA
We are almost there. Look, you can
see the city lights.
Dominic sits up straight and cranes his neck. He looks one
way, then another.
DOMINIC
I see it, Mamma. I never saw so many
lights.
SOFIA
It's a big city. And it sits right
next to the sea.
Dominic tries standing, but Sofia yanks him down.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
It's too dangerous to stand. Rest
like Giuseppe, and I'll wake you when
we get there.
DOMINIC
Wake me when we're on the way down.
Sofia smiles and pats his cheek, then kisses his forehead.
SOFIA
I will. Promesso. (I promise)
TWO MEN (one bearded, one not, both in their 30s) each
holding a lupara (Sicilian sawed-off shotgun) stand in the
middle of the road, blocking the way. Franco leans back and
tugs on the reins to stop the donkey.
FRANCO
This may be trouble, Sofia. Keep the
ragazzi (boys) quiet.
BEARDED MAN
Dove stai andando? (Where are you
going?)
FRANCO
A Palermo con la mia famiglia. (To
Palermo, with my family)
BEARDED MAN
Ma costa denaro — settecento lire.
(It costs money — seven hundred
lire.)
FRANCO
Settecento! I don’t have so much. We
are a poor family.
No-beard steps up and smiles deviously.
NO-BEARD
Then turn back. That’s what it costs.
Sofia looks around, then reaches inside her bra and counts
out cash. She hands it to the bearded man.
SOFIA
Take this. It’s only cincequento,
(500) but it’s all we have.
Sofia grows impatient as the bearded man counts the money
slowly.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
It’s five hundred or nothing, so
hurry. We need to get the children to
Palermo.
The bearded man looks at Franco, then back to her, and then
he waves them on.
BEARDED MAN
Vai avanti (go ahead).
Genres:
["Drama","Historical","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
4 -
Approaching Palermo: Dreams and Doubts
EXT. MOUNTAIN ROAD SOUTH OF PALERMO — NIGHT
Sofia gently shakes Dominic and Giuseppe. She leans close
and speaks quietly.
SOFIA
We're close, ragazzi (boys). Get up
and see the lights.
Dominic shoots up immediately and looks around. Giuseppe is
a little slower, but soon is next to Dominic, and he stares
with his eyes wide open.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
Soon, we'll have a new life.
The closer they get to Palermo, the more Franco smiles.
Once, he even laughs.
FRANCO
In two days, we will be on a ship to
America. Think of it, Domenico,
crossing the ocean and seeing New York.
DOMINIC
What's so good about New York?
FRANCO
What's so good? America won the war.
They have jobs and nobody tells you
what to do.
Sofia coughs and mumbles, but Franco ignores her.
FRANCO (CONT’D)
Do you hear me, Giuseppe? America.
Giuseppe smiles, like he always does.
GIUSEPPE
I hear you, Papà. I can't wait.
As they near the top of the mountain, Sofia gives more fruit
to Dominic and Giuseppe.
SOFIA
Eat up. We're almost to the city.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
5 -
Frustration on the Streets of Palermo
EXT. OUTSKIRTS OF PALERMO — NIGHT
Franco pulls the wagon in front of a shop and gets off to
speak to a SHOPKEEPER (50, scrawny, half bald).
The shopkeeper takes hold of the reins and leads the donkey
to a stable, counts out some money, and gives it to Franco.
FRANCO
L'accordo era per il doppio. (The
deal was for twice this much.)
The shopkeeper subtly gestures to a YOUNG MAN (20s, rough-
looking) sitting in a chair by the door. A cigarette dangles
from his lips and a lupara lies across his lap.
He stares at Franco and then stands, still holding the gun.
SHOPKEEPER
We have new partners, and our deal
was made long ago. The donkey is old,
and the wagon is older. I give you
. . . fair deal.
Franco curses and shoves the crumpled bills into his pocket.
He walks to the wagon with his shoulders hunched over, then
takes Giuseppe's hand, and walks toward the city.
FRANCO
Let's go. We need to find a room.
Sofia runs to catch up to Franco, Dominic beside her.
SOFIA
Did you get the money for the
tickets?
Franco shakes his head and lowers it. His voice cracks when
he speaks.
FRANCO
We got enough money for food and a
place to sleep but not enough for
America. God must hate me.
He continues to shake his head, but slower, and his voice
lowers to almost a whisper. Sofia walks beside him and
places her hand on his shoulder.
SOFIA
What happened?
FRANCO
We were late. He has too many carts
and donkeys already, and he said ours
were old.
SOFIA
Maybe we should think again.
(a beat)
Do we have enough money for Milano?
Franco shoots her one of his hard-eyed glares.
FRANCO
I told you. We are going to America.
Franco leads them through the streets, crowded with people
even though it is dark. He picks up Giuseppe and carries him
while Dominic looks out into the piazza at a group of kids
playing bocce ball.
DOMINIC
I never saw so many kids. Can I play
with them?
FRANCO
They shouldn’t be out so late. Stay
away from them. Don't trust strangers.
DOMINIC
They seem nice. Look, they —
Franco reaches back and shoots Dominic a warning look.
FRANCO
They're scugnizzi (street urchins).
Not worth your time.
Sofia glares at Franco.
SOFIA
Basta (enough), Franco!
She then turns to Dominic, and glares.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
For once your Papà's right, so listen
to him. Don't trust strangers.
Franco stops a MAN (60s, complacent) on the street.
FRANCO
Scusa, do you know of any rooms to
rent? Even one would do if it doesn’t
cost much.
The man points to a side street, almost an alleyway.
MAN
In fondo alla strada è un edificio di
sette piani. (Down the street is a
seven story building). It has rooms.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
6 -
A Night in Despair
INT. APARTMENT BUILDING — PALERMO — NIGHT
Sofia shakes her head as they climb the stairs. They are
old, worn, and they sag in the middle and creak loudly.
Everything is dirty: the walls, the railing, and the floors.
And the few windows are brown from dust and dirt.
SOFIA
How long will we be in this hell hole?
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — PALERMO — NIGHT
Franco carries the bags into the apartment. The walls and
floors are filthy, and there is only a small kitchen and a
room beside it with a sofa and a chair, and both have torn
cushions. The chair has a spring sticking up from the seat.
Franco and Sofia sleep on the sofa, and Dominic and Giuseppe
sleep on the floor. The windows that aren't broken are open
wide to allow a breeze to enter.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
7 -
Morning Tensions in the Mangini Apartment
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — PALERMO — MORNING
Dominic is awakened by Franco rummaging through the kitchen,
banging pots and pans together. His voice has an angry tone.
FRANCO
The stove doesn't work . . . e ho
bisogno di caffè espresso. (And I
need espresso).
Sofia gets off the sofa, stretches, and walks to the door.
SOFIA
I'll ask the neighbors. Someone must
have a stove that works.
She slams the door when she leaves, and Giuseppe rolls over
and whispers to Dominic.
GIUSEPPE
Why is Mamma angry?
Dominic looks at his father before turning his back to
Giuseppe.
DOMINIC
I think Mamma was expecting to go to
America right away. Now, she’s
probably afraid we won’t get there.
Sofia returns carrying a cup of espresso. She hands it to
Franco, then dresses and takes hold of Giuseppe’s hand and
walks to the door.
SOFIA
Franco, I'm looking for a job. I'll
take Giuseppe with me. If you go out,
find someone to watch Dominic.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
8 -
A Mother's Determination
EXT. PIAZZA BY MANGINI APARTMENT — PALERMO — DAY
Sofia goes down the stairs and out the door onto the street.
The piazza is crowded with young boys of all ages. They are
playing bocce ball and other games.
Giuseppe tries to tug free to go to the piazza, but Sofia
holds him tightly.
MONTAGE — Looking for Work
— Sofia walks through the city, holding Giuseppe's hand.
— Sofia enters the lobby of expensive apartment buildings
and knocks on doors.
— Sofia goes door-to-door at wealthy people’s houses, and a
sophisticated woman answers one of them.
END OF MONTAGE
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
9 -
A New Opportunity
EXT. SERAFINA HOUSE — PALERMO — DAY
Senora Serafina (late 30s, stoic expression, well-dressed)
answers the door and greets Sofia.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Buon giorno, señora. Comé sta? (good
morning, señora. How are you?)
Sofia blushes and lowers her head.
SOFIA
Sto bene (I’m fine), senora. Ho
bisogno di lavoro. Posso fare
qualsiasi lavoro domestico e parlo
inglese se ho bisogno. (I need work.
I can do any household chore, and I
speak English if I need to.)
Signora Serafina stares for several seconds, then she smiles
and nods.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
I do have need for someone, and you
have already said you speak English.
(a beat)
Can you sew and do laundry? Can you
cook? Take care of children?
Sofia’s excitement lightens her face.
SOFIA
Senora! I can do all that and more.
And my boys are eight and ten. And
they’re good boys too. I —
Signora Serafina shakes her head.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
You can bring the younger one with
you to play with my son. You have to
find another option for the other.
Sofia turns her head to the side and acts as if she is
leaving, but then she turns back and faces the signora.
SOFIA
Signora, I have no one to watch my
other son, and he is still so young.
Serafina stares, hands on hips.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
You can bring the young one. Not the
other.
SOFIA
I can do that. When can I start work?
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Be here tomorrow morning by nine. And
I expect you to speak English to my
son, Angelo. Help him learn.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
10 -
A Fruitful Disagreement
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — PALERMO — EVENING
Sofia enters her apartment, carrying a basket of fruit and
wearing a smile.
Franco is sitting on the sofa and Dominic on the floor.
Sofia walks in and sits in the chair, positioning herself so
she misses the spring protruding from the cushion.
SOFIA
I got a job today.
Franco smiles broadly and gets up to hug her. Dominic runs
over and wraps his arms around her.
DOMINIC
That's great, Mamma. That will get us
to America faster. What is the job?
Sofia lowers her head and looks ashamed.
SOFIA
It's not much. I will clean and sew
clothes for a woman who is friends
with the duchess. But the good thing
is I can take Giuseppe to work.
Sofia leans forward and squeezes Dominic.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
I’m sorry, Domenico, but the lady
said she didn't want too many kids
around. Giuseppe is welcome because
her son is the same age.
Dominic smiles and speaks confidently.
DOMINIC
Don't worry about me, Mamma. I made
new friends in the piazza while Papà
was looking for work. Turi and Primo
seem like nice kids.
Sofia hugs Dominic and kisses his forehead.
SOFIA
Bene, mio caro ragazzo. (good, my
precious boy)
Sofia turns her head to Franco. Her smile fades, but she
does her best to seem interested.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
And you, Franco? Did you find work?
FRANCO
Not yet. Maybe tomorrow.
Dominic looks at Sofia, then he turns to Franco.
DOMINIC
Why can't we stay here, Papà? More
people are getting jobs everyday.
Franco takes a long swig of grappa and chews on his cigar.
He leans forward and stares at Dominic.
FRANCO
Work, yes. But the “men of honor”
take much of what you earn, and a
person can't get a job without their
approval. And you can't keep a job
unless you pay them.
(a beat)
I’ve already had two people refuse me
because I didn’t have their blessing.
Franco gulps the rest of his drink and sets the glass on the
table in front of him. He grabs a bottle of wine from the
center of the table and pours a glass for himself.
FRANCO (CONT’D)
In America, things will be different.
We will be happy again.
Sofia shakes her head and scoffs.
SOFIA
Things won’t be different, Franco. And
we can be happy here, or anywhere.
Sofia reaches over and takes a long sip of Franco’s wine.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
Besides, it was the Americans who put
the Mafiosi back in power. If you
want to blame someone for your
misfortune, blame the Americans.
Franco glances toward the door, then back at Sofia. His eyes
are wide open, and he stares blankly. He looks defeated.
FRANCO
You’ll see, Sofia. You’ll see.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
11 -
A Chance Encounter in Palermo
EXT. MAIN PIAZZA — PALERMO — DAY
A crowd is in the piazza. Some people eat pastries and drink
espresso, some walk through, and some sit on benches and
chat with others.
GIANCARLO (50s, graying hair, perpetual smile) tends a fruit
stand on the south side. His tables are loaded with fresh
fruits and a few vegetables.
Dominic weaves through the crowd and approaches Giancarlo.
He waits for a customer to leave, then speaks.
DOMINIC
Hai bisogno di qualche lavoro fatto?
(Do you need work done?)
Giancarlo stares at Dominic, looks him up and down.
GIANCARLO
I always need things done, but you're
too young, and besides, I need people
who speak Inglese.
Dominic’s face brightens, and he smiles ear to ear.
DOMINIC
I speak English. See. And I can do
whatever you need. Let me try. If I
can't, you don't have to pay me.
The vendor assesses Dominic again. He hides a smile as he
nods. He then puts a dozen oranges, tomatoes, and several
dozen olives in a bag and hands the bag to Dominic.
GIANCARLO
Go to the nicer alberghi . . . eh,
hotels, and sell these. Do that, you
have a job.
Dominic smiles and grabs the bag, then he runs toward the
central part of the city.
DOMINIC
I'll be back for more soon.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical"]
Ratings
Scene
12 -
A Fruitful Encounter
EXT. PIAZZA AT PLAZZO GRANDE HOTEL — DAY
Dominic stands in the central piazza, crowded with wealthy-
looking people. He approaches a well-dressed PATRON (50s,
medium height, heavy, thin brown hair) with a smile and
shows him a piece of fruit.
DOMINIC
Hungry? I have the best tomatoes and
olives, and I have blood oranges to
die for.
The man scowls and brushes him off, then moves aside, but
Dominic steps in front of him.
DOMINIC (CONT’D)
Even if you're not hungry now, the
olives will be perfect with cheese and
wine later. And the oranges are so
fresh, they will wait a day or two.
The man looks as if he'll leave, but then turns and smiles.
PATRON
Va bene, ragazzo. Quanto? (Ok, boy.
How much?)
Dominic looks panicked and shrugs.
DOMINIC
I don't know, signore. I forgot to
ask what to charge.
The patron laughs and then laughs more. He turns to the
doorman, FEDERICO, (20s, dressed in hotel uniform) who takes
Dominic's bag and counts the fruit.
PATRON
Federico, what is the going price for
that fruit?
FEDERICO
About 600 lire if they are fresh.
The patron reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out a
billfold. He counts out 1,000 lire and hands it to Dominic.
PATRON
If this fruit is as good as you say,
I will buy the same every week.
Return on Wednesday, and I’ll tell
you if I want more.
Dominic gets a gleam in his eye, takes the money, and runs
off, pulling the wagon behind him. He darts through the
piazza, and down the Main Street until he reaches the piazza
where Giancarlo is.
Genres:
["Drama","Historical Fiction"]
Ratings
Scene
13 -
A Reward for Honesty
EXT. MAIN PIAZZA — PALERMO — DAY
Dominic races to Giancarlo, hands him the cash, and smiles.
DOMINIC
I sold it all.
Giancarlo counts the money and then counts again.
GIANCARLO
This is too much.
DOMINIC
You didn't tell me what to ask for. The
hotel man said it was worth six hundred
lire, but the man gave me one thousand.
GIANCARLO
Why didn't you keep the rest?
Dominic shrugs.
DOMINIC
It wasn't mine.
Giancarlo smiles and hands Dominic one hundred lire.
GIANCARLO
This is for selling the fruit.
He then counts out more cash.
GIANCARLO (CONT’D)
And here is the four hundred lire the man
gave you extra. It’s yours, not mine.
DOMINIC
Mine? For real? Grazie. Grazie mille.
(Thanks. Thanks a million.)
Giancarlo pats Dominic on the shoulder and pulls him close.
GIANCARLO
If you want more work, be here every
morning by seven. If you can't make
it every morning or if you can't make
it by seven, I don't need you.
DOMINIC
I will be here by six if you want,
and I will be here every day.
Dominic runs across the piazza. He turns as he is running.
DOMINIC (CONT’D)
A domani. (until tomorrow)
Dominic runs all the way to the apartment building where he
lives. He runs up the stairs and into the room.
Genres:
["Drama","Slice of Life"]
Ratings
Scene
14 -
A Fragile Connection
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT BUILDING — PALERMO — DAY
Franco sits at the kitchen table with a bottle of grappa in
front of him. He fills an empty glass and gulps it down.
FRANCO
Where have you been?
DOMINIC
Why are you here? You should be
looking for a job. And Mamma said you
shouldn’t be drinking.
Franco scowls and pulls the bottle closer to him. He gets up
from the table and bumps into Dominic, knocking him on the
floor. He stops and looks down, but then walks away. He
turns and looks at Dominic and speaks harshly. And he slurs
his words.
FRANCO
I had a job for three hours, but they
fired me because I wouldn’t pay them
what they wanted.
(a beat)
And I drink because I want to.
Dominic scowls and sits on the sofa. Franco brushes his hand
in the air.
FRANCO (CONT’D)
What does it matter? For every 100
lire, the men of honor take 25.
Dominic reaches into his pocket, pulls out a 100-lira note,
and hands it to Franco.
DOMINIC
Here, Papà. Take this. I’ll earn
more. And so will Mamma.
Franco looks at Dominic with surprise, then he gently takes
the money and puts it in his pocket. He wipes a tear away
with his sleeve as he does.
FRANCO
Grazie, Domenico. Grazie.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
15 -
A Fruitful Day in Palermo
EXT. MAIN PIAZZA — PALERMO — DAY
Dominic runs to Giancarlo’s stand at daybreak and loads a
wagon with fruit.
DOMINIC
I’m taking this to the hotel. I’ll be
back for more.
MONTAGE — Selling Fruit
— Dominic pulls the wagon to the piazza where the hotels are
and sells bags of fruits.
— Dominic hauls back an empty wagon and restocks it.
— Dominic returns at the end of the day, a smile on his
face.
— Dominic hands Giancarlo money and gets some back for his
work.
END OF MONTAGE
Genres:
["Drama","Slice of Life"]
Ratings
Scene
16 -
A Day of Domestic Duties
EXT. SIGNORA SERAFINA’S HOUSE — DAY
Sofia and Giuseppe walk up to the door of a large house. She
stops and straightens her dress, and then knocks on Signora
Serafina’s door.
INT. SIGNORA SERAFINA’S HOUSE — DAY
Sofia enters the house and speaks to Signora Serafina. She
then washes clothes and hangs them on a clothesline to dry.
When she puts the clothes away, Sofia cleans the table of
dishes, washes them, and puts them away.
Genres:
["Drama","Slice of Life"]
Ratings
Scene
17 -
A Silent Command
EXT. PATIO — SERAFINA’S HOUSE — DAY
After reading to ANGELO (8, chunky, full of smiles), she
sits on the patio while Giuseppe and Angelo play in the
yard.
INT. SERAFINA’S HOUSE — BEDROOM — NEXT DAY
Sofia opens the bedroom door and goes inside. She gasps and
stops suddenly, then turns and hurries to go out, dropping
the basket of clothes. As she exits, SIGNOR SERAFINA (40,
the voice and look of an arrogant man) calls to her in a
commanding fashion.
SIGNOR SERAFINA
Torna indietro, adesso! (come back,
now!)
Sofia stops, but she hesitates, not knowing what to do.
SIGNOR SERAFINA (CONT’D)
I said now!
Sofia turns and steps farther into the room but keeps her
head hung low, eyes staring at the floor.
SIGNOR SERAFINA (CONT’D)
I know you speak English, Sofia, so
listen well. You will tell no one
what you saw. Is that understood?
Sofia nods.
SOFIA
I will say nothing.
SIGNOR SERAFINA
Good. Now go. And leave the clothes
on the floor.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Slice of Life"]
Ratings
Scene
18 -
Secrets on the Patio
EXT. BACK PATIO OF SERAFINA’S HOUSE — DAY
Sofia sits in a chair on the patio, reading a book in
English.
She looks up every few seconds to watch the boys play. She
turns when the back door opens and stands when she sees
Signora Serafina.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Sofia, I’m surprised you are still
here. I saw you got so much done.
Sofia smiles and nods.
SOFIA
I waited so the boys could play
longer.
She sits back down and continues with her reading. Serafina
stands, hands on hips, and stares.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Is the book that good, Sofia? Or is
something wrong?
Sofia bolts up with a panicked look.
SOFIA
No. No! Why would you ask that?
Signora Serafina sits next to her. She takes Sofia’s hand in
hers and speaks in a calm, understanding tone.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Because you were upstairs putting
clothes away. Hai visto mio marito?
(did you see my husband?)
(a beat)
I imagine you did. He tries sneaking his
mistress in the back door, but I know.
Sofia turns left and right, then she cries.
SOFIA
Si, Senora. Era al piano di sopra.
(Yes, senora. He was upstairs.)
Signora, I ... I don’t know what to say.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
I am condemned to live like this or
go back to being a pauper. Non
parlarne. (speak nothing of it). I
try to keep some pride, so I pretend
not to know.
SOFIA
Signora, have no worries. I will tell
no one.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Good, then go home for the day. I am in
your debt. If you need anything, ask.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
19 -
Fractured Dreams
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — EVENING
SUPER: 1958 - ONE YEAR LATER
The door bursts open, and Dominic enters. He loses his smile
when he sees Franco drinking at the table.
FRANCO
Did you earn good today, boy?
Dominic sneers and walks away, but as he passes his father,
Franco grabs his shirt and pulls him close.
FRANCO (CONT’D)
I know you heard me. Answer!
DOMINIC
I earned what I always do.
Franco holds his hand out, palm up.
FRANCO
Darmi dei soldi.
(Give me some money).
DOMINIC
No, Papà. This is for America.
FRANCO
Mi servono solo 600 lire.
(I only need 600 lire).
DOMINIC
I know what grappa costs, and you
don’t need it. You’ve had enough.
FRANCO
I’ve had enough when I say so.
Dominic sneers at his father.
DOMINIC
Then you better get your own money
because you’re not getting mine.
Franco raises his hand, but just then, the door opens and
Sofia walks in, carrying a bag.
SOFIA
Look what Signora Serafina gave us —
fish, and enough for everyone. She
was going to throw it out, but it is
only two days old, so I asked her if
we could have it.
Franco shakes his head and mumbles.
FRANCO
We'll have fish every day in America.
Sofia raises her eyes toward heaven and sighs.
SOFIA
I hope America waits for you, Franco.
MANGINI APARTMENT — CONTINUOUS — LATER
Sofia scoops a mouthful of pasta from her plate, then tears
a piece of bread from the loaf as she glares at Franco.
SOFIA
In three months, I'm leaving. If you
don't have the tickets to America,
I'm going home.
FRANCO
It won't be long. We almost have the
money.
SOFIA
We would have had the money a long
time ago if you could hold a job. And
if you didn't drink. You always seem
to have grappa.
Franco slams his fist on the table and stands. He moves
toward Sofia in a threatening manner.
Dominic grabs his fork and moves between them.
FRANCO
Don't ever talk to me like that. If
we have to wait five years, you'll
wait.
Sofia holds her ground, never flinching.
SOFIA
The world is changing, Franco. A
woman doesn't have to be a dog
anymore, not even in Sicily.
She scoops the last mouthful of pasta, then takes her plate
to the kitchen.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
It's been almost a year since we came
to Palermo. In three months, I'm
either going to America or I'm going
home. You decide.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
20 -
A Race Against Time
EXT. PIAZZA — DAY
Dominic sells all the fruit he can in the piazza, but it is
getting late and there is still a lot left. Giancarlo casts
a worried look at the unsold fruit and sighs, then he sits
on a bench a few meters away.
Dominic loads a wagon with the freshest selection and begins
walking across the piazza. He yells to Giancarlo as he leaves.
DOMINIC
I’m going to the hotels to sell this.
I won’t be long.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
21 -
Dominic's Fruit Fiesta
EXT. PIAZZA AT PLAZZO GRANDE HOTEL — DAY
Dominic sets up his wagon across the street from the Palazzo
Grande and begins selling.
DOMINIC
Fruit, fresh fruit. Best fruit in the
city. Strawberries, oranges, tomatoes,
and olives. Get your best fruit here.
He voices the lyrics in a melodic, sing-song fashion. And it
works. People come to buy three and four at a time until his
wagon is empty.
Genres:
["Drama","Slice of Life"]
Ratings
Scene
22 -
A Day of Play and Friendship
EXT. MAIN PIAZZA — DAY
When Dominic returns, Giancarlo is ecstatic.
GIANCARLO
I can't believe you sold it all. That
was a lot of fruit. I was worried it
would go bad.
DOMINIC
People love fruit, signore. I just
let them know I have it.
EXT. PIAZZA BY MANGINI APARTMENT — DAY
Dominic stops at the piazza on his way home to visit his
friends.
GIANNI (12, skinny, charming), PRIMO (12, wiry, crooked
nose, cast eye, always looking for an angle), and TURI (13,
conniving) are playing a game in the center of the piazza
with a stick and a ball. Dominic joins them.
DOMINIC
Ciao! A cosa stai giocando? (hi/hey,
what are you playing?)
GIANNI
We’re playing stick ball. And
remember to speak Inglese. You’re the
one who taught us.
PRIMO
Something we made up. We hit the ball
as far as we can to see who wins.
Primo points to the ground a few meters away.
PRIMO (CONT’D)
Pick out a stick. You can hit after Turi.
Gianni tosses a ball, and Primo hits it about 40 meters
toward the uncrowded part of the piazza. Dominic takes his
turn next, but misses all three tries. He laughs as Primo
cheers for himself.
DOMINIC
I like this game. I think I’ll bring
Zeppe to play on Saturday, after I
sell the fruit.
Genres:
["Drama","Slice of Life"]
Ratings
Scene
23 -
Confrontation and Consequences
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — NIGHT
Sofia enters the apartment holding Giuseppe's hand. She
walks across the room and into the kitchen, opens the oven,
and removes a small metal box. She lifts the lid to put in
her earnings and her eyes open wide, then she slams the box
on the counter.
SOFIA
Franco!
Franco gets off the sofa, bottle in hand, and walks to
Sofia. He is wearing only underwear, and he staggers.
FRANCO
(gruff tone)
What?
SOFIA
Last week we needed less than 30,000
lire to get our tickets. Now we need
almost 32,000.
Sofia moves quickly across the room, grabs his shirt collar,
and shakes him.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
Where is the money? Did you drink it?
Franco’s face grows stern, and he punches Sofia. She
staggers back, hitting the stove in the kitchen. He
continues to advance, his fists in a ball.
She reaches behind her, grabs a pot by the handle, and
swings, hitting his head. Now, Franco staggers back. He
grabs hold of the table to keep from falling.
FRANCO
Figlio di puttana. Ti ucciderò.
(Son of a bitch, I’ll kill you.)
Sofia grips the pot firmly and wields it like a knife.
SOFIA
Go ahead. Try to kill me.
Giuseppe runs over and wraps his arms around Sofia's legs.
He cries hard. Franco looks at him and calms down. He walks
over and pats Giuseppe’s back gently, then he lowers his
head as if ashamed.
FRANCO
Mi dispiace, Sofia. Mi dispiace
tanto. (I’m sorry, Sofia. I’m so
sorry.)
Sofia continues to hold Giuseppe tightly and glares.
SOFIA
Speak English. If you hope to get to
America, you will need to know it.
She looks at the side of Franco’s head where she hit him
with the pot, then leans close and whispers.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
Franco, we’ve been together for a
long, long time.
(MORE)
SOFIA (CONT’D)
And I love you as much as I did when
we were in school. But if you ever
touch our money, or me, again, you
have to leave. And if you don’t
leave, I’ll kill you while you sleep.
Promesso. (I promise)
Franco grabs what’s left of the grappa and sits on the sofa.
Twice, he lifts the bottle to drink, but both times, he sets
it back down. Finally, he tosses the bottle out the window.
It breaks when it lands on the cobblestones in the alley.
He stares at Sofia while she cooks for Giuseppe, then he
gets up and moves slowly toward her. He takes hold of her
hands, pulls her to him, and wraps his arms around her.
FRANCO
Mi dispiace, mia cara (I’m sorry, my
dear/love). I'll never do that again.
(a beat)
Promesso (I promise).
Sofia shakes her head very slowly.
SOFIA
Go to bed, Franco. We'll talk
tomorrow.
Sofia leans in and whispers.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
But if it ever happens again, I'm
taking the ragazzi and going home.
Franco curls up on the sofa and turns his head toward the
wall.
Dominic comes home. He pauses when he sees his mother wiping
tears away, then he turns and sees his father, drunk on the
sofa. He continues watching Franco until he hears him
snoring, then sits beside his mother and holds her hand.
DOMINIC
Did Papå try to hurt you? Pay it no
mind. He didn’t mean it.
Sofia dries her eyes and hugs Dominic.
SOFIA
I know, Domenico, but that's what
drinking too much grappa does to a man.
Sofia pulls Dominic and Giuseppe close and squeezes tightly.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
24 -
A New Beginning
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — DAY
Franco gets up early and steps quietly to the kitchen. He
boils water for espresso and cooks eggs for the family. Then
he places the plates on the table and breaks off chunks of
bread for each person.
FRANCO
Breakfast is ready. Time to get up.
Dominic, Giuseppe, and Sofia sit at the table and eat. Sofia
looks at Franco and smiles.
SOFIA
It's a good start, Franco, but only s
start. It’s going to take a lot more
to make up for what you did. We’ll
see how it goes.
FRANCO
(optimistically)
I'm going to look for a job, and I
won't be back until I find one.
Sofia nods and grabs hold of Giuseppe's hand.
SOFIA
Come on. We've got to go to work.
She turns to Franco as she opens the door.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
I'll see you when you have a job.
MONTAGE — FRANCO LOOKING FOR WORK
- Franco stops by the bakery, looking for a job.
— Franco goes to the butcher and asks for a job.
— Franco stops to get an espresso and asks for work.
— Franco goes to several other stores, but nobody needs
workers.
END OF MONTAGE
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
25 -
A Job Offer and a Reluctant Refusal
EXT. SOUTH END OF PIAZZA — DAY
A MAN approaches Franco and sits on the bench next to him.
MAN
If you need work, they are hiring at
the quarry on the road to Custonaci.
Franco looks at the man with his eyebrows raised.
FRANCO
Why aren’t you taking it?
MAN
I just quit. I’m not going to bust
rocks with a hammer all day.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
26 -
Franco's First Day at the Quarry
EXT. MARBLE QUARRY OUTSIDE PALERMO — DAY
Franco stands in line behind five or six others, waiting to
speak to the MAN IN CHARGE (50, cigar in his mouth, gruff
sounding). When it’s his turn, he holds his hat in his hands
and speaks clearly.
FRANCO
Di quali strumenti ho bisogno?
(What tools do I need?)
MAN IN CHARGE
Tutto ciò di cui hai bisogno è un
martello. (All you need is a sledge
hammer).
(a beat)
And speak Ingles, if you can. The man
who owns the quarry is American.
Franco nods, and accepts the hammer.
MAN IN CHARGE (CONT’D)
Join the two men in the corner. You
get one water break an hour. If you
take more, we don’t need you.
Franco joins the other men and swings the hammer.
At the end of the day, he stands in a line to get his pay. As
he is counting it, he bumps into the man in front of him, and
as he looks up, he sees a man collecting money from the
workers.
When it’s Franco’s turn, the man demands his cut — twenty-
five percent. Franco pays him reluctantly, then gets on the
bus to Palermo.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
27 -
Joy and Concern in the Mangini Apartment
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — NIGHT
Franco enters as Sofia is cleaning the table. He is covered
in dust from the quarry, and he has cuts on his arms and
chest, but he is all smiles, exuberant.
FRANCO
Guess who got a job today?
Sofia smiles and runs to Franco and hugs him.
SOFIA
Franco! I'm so proud of you. What is
the job?
Franco's smile spreads ear-to-ear.
FRANCO
A new quarry, close to Custonaci.
It's not much, but it's a job. I'm
busting rocks.
Sofia’s face turns down. Lines of worry crease her brow.
SOFIA
And the men of honor?
Franco's shoulders sag, and his head hangs low.
FRANCO
They take 25 lire for every 100, but
I can do nothing about it.
Sofia laughs and wraps her arms around his neck.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
28 -
Financial Strain and Despair
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — TWO WEEKS LATER — NIGHT
Sofia enters the apartment, Giuseppe following her. Franco
is at the kitchen table working on lists with numbers, his
head buried in open hands.
Giuseppe opens the cooler and scrapes the last of the pasta
from the dish.
GIUSEPPE
Any more, Mamma?
Sofia shakes her head and focuses on Franco.
SOFIA
What is it? Is something wrong?
FRANCO
If we stay in Palermo and go hungry,
no. But if we want to go to America,
we have big problems.
DOMINIC
What problems?
FRANCO
Soldo, Dominic. We need money. Even
with money from you and Mamma, we
barely have enough to live and eat.
The money I earn makes it easier to
live, but it isn’t enough to get
tickets. Not for a long time.
Franco stands and paces, grinding his teeth.
FRANCO (CONT’D)
Besides, they now take more of my
money every week — almost trenta
percento (30 percent).
Dominic puts his arm around Franco’s shoulder.
DOMINIC
Non preoccuparti, papà. Prenderemo i
soldi. (Don’t worry, Papà. We’ll get
the money.)
FRANCO
It’s no use. It will take years to
save enough money. We still have to
eat.
DOMENIC
We’ll get the money, Papà. I can earn
more than I do now.
Franco brushes his hand in the air.
FRANCO
We’ll never get enough. God hates me.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
29 -
Crossroads of Dreams
EXT. MAIN PIAZZA — DAY
Dominic sells all his fruit and, once again, loads a wagon
to take to the hotel.
He returns shortly, gives the money to Giancarlo and runs to
see his friends.
EXT. PIAZZA OUTSIDE MANGINI’S APARTMENT — DAY
Dominic races into the piazza rushing toward Primo, Gianni,
and Turi. He waits until no one else is near, then whispers.
DOMINIC
I need to make money so the family
can go to America. We're more than a
year behind, but you can help me.
GIANNI
What do you want us to do? We don't
have money.
DOMINIC
You can help by watching Zeppe on
Saturdays while I earn more money.
But you need to take good care of
him. You know he’s a slow thinker.
PRIMO
No problem. I like Zeppe. If anyone
gives him trouble, I’ll kick their ass.
GIANNI
And I’ll ask my brother Roberto. He
always has ideas about getting money.
Dominic nods and lights a cigarette.
DOMINIC
I don’t know. I don’t want to get
caught by the policia for anything.
Dominic drags hard on the cigarette, then crushes it out.
DOMINIC (CONT’D)
I don’t even want to go to America,
but that’s all Papà talks about. He
says we can’t afford to stay here.
(a beat)
I wish we were.
Primo taps Dominic on the shoulder.
PRIMO
Don’t worry about it. My cugino
(cousin), Rudy writes to me all the
time. He’s in New York, and loves it.
(a beat)
Besides, if you want to get rich,
that’s where to go.
GIANNI
Yeah, and don’t worry about getting
caught. Roberto’s been doing this a
long time. He learned from the
Americans when they were here.
Genres:
["Drama","Family","Coming of Age"]
Ratings
Scene
30 -
Desperate Decisions
EXT. PIAZZA BY MANGINI APARTMENT — NEXT DAY
Dominic races across the piazza and joins up with his
friends. Gianni gestures to an alley on the north side.
GIANNI
Let’s go over there and talk.
Primo, Gianni, Dominic, and Turi huddle in a circle,
kneeling, as Gianni explains the plan.
GIANNI (CONT’D)
Roberto said most of the people who
stay at his hotel carry cash — and
lots of it. They have bodyguards, so
trying to steal from them outside
won’t work. And the hotel guards won’t
let us inside. But he has a plan.
(a beat)
Roberto said the bodyguards stay
outside, which leaves the rich people
alone, unless they have a wife.
Primo picks a cigarette butt from the alley and lights it.
PRIMO
So all we gotta do is pick a guy
without a wife.
Gianni laughs and shakes his head.
GIANNI
Primo, it’s a little more than that.
Roberto said he can get us inside,
but he wants half.
PRIMO
Half! Sono stronzata (that’s
bullshit).
GIANNI
I know it’s bullshit, but Roberto
won't do it for less.
Dominic makes a sour face and stares.
DOMINIC
I don’t know, Gianni —
GIANNI
We don’t have much choice. If we want
the money, we need Roberto’s help.
DOMINIC
I know that. I meant I don’t know if
I want to do this. It’s not right.
GIANNI
You got any other way? You’re not
getting to America by selling fruit.
Either do it, or stay in Palermo.
DOMINIC
Did you tell him how much I need?
GIANNI
I told him you need 40,000 lire so
for all of us, it will be 160,000
lire, plus his half.
Primo shakes his head and hits the brick wall with his palm.
PRIMO
If we give Roberto half, we'd have to
get 320,000 lire.
Dominic picks up a piece of brick with a sharpened edge. He
scribbles numbers on the side of the building.
DOMINIC
That's more than 500 American
dollars. Will anyone have that much?
GIANNI
Roberto said the people who come to
his hotel carry that much all the
time. Some of them put it in the hotel
safe, but many don't. And he has a
plan for how to get it from them.
Dominic nods and so do Turi and Primo. Primo lights another
butt and takes a long, slow drag.
PRIMO
I say we go for it.
GIANNI
And we split four ways, right?
Dominic nods again, then looks at Gianni.
DOMINIC
All right. I’m not sure I like it,
but tell Roberto, we’ll do it. I’m
gonna get those tickets — one way or
another.
GIANNI
Like it or not, it has to be done.
Besides, these men have more than
they need. The little we take will
mean nothing.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
31 -
The Urgent Departure
EXT. PIAZZA OUTSIDE MANGINI'S APARTMENT — FRIDAY
Dominic and Primo wait in the alley, smoking butts they find
on the street. Gianni and Turi run around the corner from
across the piazza, waving as they do.
GIANNI
It's all set. I told Roberto we'd be
at the hotel by eleven or we were out.
TURI
We better get going, or he'll think
we're not coming.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
32 -
Opportunity Knocks
EXT. PALAZZO GRANDE HOTEL — DAY
Dominic, Primo, Gianni, and Turi cross the piazza and plop
down on a bench, pretending to talk. The hotel is busy with
patrons checking out and a few checking in early.
Dominic leans toward the others and whispers.
DOMINIC
Doesn’t look like many good targets.
GIANNI
Don’t worry. Roberto said he’d let us
know, so just be ready. And remember,
Dom and Primo go in. Turi is the
decoy, and I’m the lookout.
LATER
The doormen from the morning shift exchange positions with
the afternoon watch. As they do, a big car pulls to the curb
and the DRIVER (30s, uniformed) gets out and opens the back
door. A MAN IN A WHITE SUIT (50, a big man, always dabbing
his forehead with a handkerchief) steps out.
Primo nudges Turi and whispers.
PRIMO
You see that, Turi? He's not used to
the heat. Must be from Italia.
GIANNI
Probably Roma. Lots of people have
money up there.
The man in the white suit reaches into his pocket, pulls out
a wad of bills, and hands several to the driver.
Dominic whistles softly.
DOMINIC
He's got a lot of money. Probably
more than we need. I'm gonna check.
Gianni grabs Dominic's shirt sleeve.
GIANNI
Be careful.
Dominic walks the rest of the way across the piazza and sits
on the steps leading to the hotel. He waves to several of
the doormen as they go about their business but keeps a keen
eye on the man in the white suit. The man continues to peel
money from his wad and gives it out to those attending him.
Dominic stretches as he stands to leave, and makes his way
back to his friends.
DOMINIC
Madre di Dio (Mother of God). He has
5,000 and 10,000 lira notes in that
wad. Lots of them.
Roberto walks across the piazza approaching the boys. He
points to them like a man looking to hire workers.
ROBERTO
Ragazzi (boys), brush your clothes
off and follow me if you want work.
Roberto returns to the hotel and addresses the man in the
white suit.
ROBERTO (CONT’D)
Signore, these boys will carry the
bags to your room.
Roberto grabs a cart from beside one of the doormen and
wheels it to the street. He points out the bags for the boys
to load.
ROBERTO (CONT’D)
Those bags near the curb. Put all of
them on the cart and follow me.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
33 -
Arrival at Palazzo Grande
INT. COUNTER — PALAZZO GRANDE HOTEL — DAY
The man in the white suit follows them and checks in. He
pays in cash and hands a few bills to the clerk. Roberto
then leads him to his room, and the boys follow.
INT. ROOM 217 — PALAZZO GRANDE HOTEL — DAY
Roberto unlocks the door and enters. A large bed sits
against the wall to the right and a sitting area with sofa
and chairs are next to it. On the left side is a large
bathroom.
ROBERTO
Set the bags on the bed. I will show
the signore around.
The man in the white suit peels off several 1,000-lira notes
and hands them to the boys.
MAN IN SUIT
Grazie, ragazzi (thank you, boys).
Roberto opens the shutters, then walks past the man toward
the bathroom.
ROBERTO
Let me check the bathroom for you,
signore. Twice last week, we had
customers without towels.
MAN IN SUIT
Grazie. It wouldn't do to have no
towels. I'm dusty and sweaty from my
trip, so I'm looking forward to a
relaxing bath.
ROBERTO
Shall I draw a bath then, signore?
MAN IN SUIT
Please, but not too hot. I've had
enough heat.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
34 -
A Luxurious Retreat
INT. ROOM 217 — BATHROOM — PALAZZO GRANDE HOTEL — DAY
Roberto lays out towels for the man's bath on a chair beside
the door. He draws water for the bath and closes the shutters.
ROBERTO
Signore, I have your bath drawn and
your towels ready. Will there be
anything else?
The man in the white suit enters the bathroom and nods.
MAN IN SUIT
This is fine. Better than fine. I
might soak for hours.
The man peels a five-thousand lira note off and hands it to
Roberto.
MAN IN SUIT (CONT’D)
Just close the doors when you leave.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
35 -
The Great Pants Heist
INT. BEDROOM — PALAZZO GRANDE HOTEL — DAY
Roberto closes the bathroom door, then opens the door
leading to the hallway and signals Dominic to enter.
Dominic and Primo run in and hide under the bed. They wait
until they hear the water splash as the guest gets into the
tub.
After there is no more sound, they get out from under the
bed and search the room, but they don’t find the pants.
Dominic looks as if he'll panic, but Primo pats his arm and
whispers.
PRIMO
I bet he took his pants into the
bathroom. We'll have to go in and
grab them.
DOMINIC
We can't do that.
PRIMO
That's all we can do. And we need to
do it before he gets out.
Primo leads Dominic to the door, stops and takes a deep
breath, then grasps the handle of the bathroom door.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
36 -
Unexpected Intrusion
INT. BATHROOM — PALAZZO GRANDE HOTEL — DAY
The man in the tub is resting his head on the back of the
tub, a folded towel cushioning it. When Dominic and Primo
burst in, it startles him, and he lifts his head quickly.
MAN IN SUIT
Che diavolo ci fai qui? (What the
hell are you doing here?)
The man reaches to cover himself as he stands.
Dominic grabs the man's pants, which were hanging on a rack
on the wall, and then he runs for the door.
DOMINIC
Let's go!
Genres:
["Crime","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
37 -
The Great Hotel Escape
INT. HALLWAY AND LOBBY — PALAZZO GRANDE HOTEL — DAY
Dominic and Primo dart out the door into the hallway. They
run toward the steps leading to the lobby.
By the time they reach the bottom few steps, the man has
other pants on and is chasing them. He wears no shirt and no
shoes, and he is screaming loudly.
MAN IN SUIT
Fermateli! Mi hanno rubato i soldi.
(Stop them! They stole my money!)
Dominic and Primo race across the marble floor of the lobby,
weaving in and out of people.
Turi is midway between the stairs and the exit, positioned to
get in the way of anyone following or trying to stop them.
A CLERK (20s, tall and lanky) reaches for Dominic, but
Dominic darts to the left, and Turi steps in front of the
clerk, causing him to fall. Turi falls also and pretends to
be hurt. People gather around him to see if he needs help.
The man in the suit runs down the stairs and, as he reaches
the lobby, he slips on the marble floor, crashing hard.
Blood spews from his head, where it hits the floor.
Dominic and Primo reach the exit and run to the piazza where
Gianni is waiting. Each of them run in different directions.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
38 -
After the Heist
EXT. PIAZZA BY MANGINI APARTMENT — LATER
Dominic waits in the alley, and as he smokes a cigarette,
the others arrive. Turi gets there first, followed by Primo
and Gianni. Turi is breathing heavily. He bends down and
rests his hands on his knees.
TURI
That was scary. I thought they'd get
you and Primo.
DOMINIC
And they would have if not for you.
Now we’ve got nothing to worry about.
TURI
We’ve got more to worry about, than
you think. That man we robbed is
hurt. He fell on the floor and hit
his head. He was bleeding badly.
Dominic blesses himself and moves closer to Turi.
DOMINIC
Hurt? How bad? Is he gonna be all
right? Nobody was supposed to be hurt.
Gianni steps to the side, looking anxious.
GIANNI
Don’t worry. They don’t know who did
it, so we’re fine. The important
things is, how much did we get?
DOMINIC
I don't know. I was waiting to count
it until everyone got here.
Dominic reaches into the pocket of the man's pants and pulls
out a wad of bills. He gives a long, low whistle and then
starts counting. His mouth goes agape as he nears the bottom
of the wad. The other boys gather closer.
PRIMO
Well? How much?
DOMINIC
Almost 450,000 lire! Can you believe
it? We're rich.
GIANNI
That's almost 60,000 each after we
give Roberto his cut.
TURI
We don't need to tell Roberto how
much we got. We should give him a
100,000 and split the rest.
Dominic shakes his head.
DOMINIC
A deal's a deal, Turi. We agreed to
the split, so we honor it.
Dominic counts out the cash and hands it to each of the
boys. Here's your cut — 56,000 each. He pockets 56,000 for
himself and hands the rest to Gianni.
DOMINIC (CONT’D)
Here's Roberto's cut. And don't let
me find out he got one lira less.
(a beat)
And tell him thanks.
Dominic picks a butt from the ground and lights it. He then
holds up the man's pants and sets them on fire. After a good
flame catches, he drops them to the alley.
PRIMO
Now that we’re rid of them, we should
be safe.
DOMINIC
We should be, but we better split up.
They'll be looking for kids hanging
together. And you need to hold onto
your money for a while. They'll be
searching for kids with money to spend.
PRIMO
What are you doing with yours?
Dominic pats the wad of cash in his pocket.
DOMINIC
I told you. I'm giving it to my mom,
and we're going to America.
PRIMO
Do you have enough? If not, I can
give you some of mine.
Dominic smiles and hugs Primo.
DOMINIC
We should be fine, Primo. But thanks.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
39 -
A Family Divided
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — DAY
Dominic sneaks into his apartment. He looks around to make
sure no one is there, then places his money in the box. He
sits on the sofa and looks out the window into the piazza.
Dominic's legs jiggle and he fidgets when he sees his mother
walking across the piazza with Giuseppe.
The door to the apartment opens, and Franco walks in. He is
smiling, and he seems to be sober.
DOMINIC
Why are you home so early, Papà?
FRANCO
I busted so many rocks, they ran out
of work for me. It won't be long
before we are on our way to America.
DOMINIC
But Papà, if we are all making money,
why can’t we stay here?
Franco’s face turns down, and he pulls Dominic closer and
hugs him.
FRANCO
I want to stay, Domenico, but things
are worse with the men of honor.
(a beat)
I already pay 30 percent, but Arturo
said the more money you make, the
more they take. He has to pay one
third of what he makes.
Dominic hugs Franco and smiles.
DOMINIC
That’s all right, Papà. We’ll do good
in America. I’m proud of you.
FRANCO
Grazie, but one thing. I work late
tomorrow, so I won’t be home when you
get off work.
DOMINIC
Papà, I’ll be fine. I can play in the
piazza until you get home. We play a
game with a stick and ball.
FRANCO
You should do something else. You
could —
DOMINIC
Papà, this is a game the soldiers
taught Gianni’s older brother. They
said everyone plays it in America.
Franco looks at Dominic with new interest.
FRANCO
The American soldiers?
DOMINIC
That’s why I’m learning, so I can
play in America. Maybe I can even
make money doing it.
(a beat)
I’m taking Zeppe to play on Saturday,
but don’t worry, I’ll watch out for him.
Dominic’s ears perk up at the creaking sound of the stairs,
and he runs to the door. He wraps his arms around Sofia as
she enters the apartment.
DOMINIC (CONT’D)
Mamma, you're home!
Franco leans toward Sofia and kisses her cheek. She is
surprised.
SOFIA
What makes you so happy?
FRANCO
A new job at the quarry, and a raise.
I’m boss now. Not much more money,
but some.
A smile comes to Sofia's face as she goes to deposit her
earnings. She removes the money from her purse and opens the
box in the oven.
Her smile disappears, replaced by narrowed eyes and a
venomous voice. A vein on the side of her face bulges as she
turns and glares.
SOFIA
What have you done, Franco?
Franco looks puzzled. He shrugs and raises his eyebrows.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
The money! Where did it come from?
Franco moves toward the oven. He seems more confused.
FRANCO
Quali soldi? (What money?)
Sofia grabs a pan and raises it as if to strike Franco. As
she moves toward him, Dominic jumps off the couch and runs
between them, his hands held in the air.
DOMINIC
It's mine. The money is mine. It’s
for tickets to America.
(a beat)
There’s even enough for a present for
Mamma and Giuseppe.
Franco turns to Dominic and stares, and Sofia puts the pan
down and grabs Dominic’s shoulders.
SOFIA
In che senso è tuo? Dove l'hai preso?
(What do you mean, it's yours? Where
did you get it?)
Tears form in Sofia's eyes, and she lays her head on his
shoulder.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
Dio mio (my God), Domenico. What did
you do?
She grabs him and shakes him.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
How could you do this?
Franco grabs a fistful of lire from the box and waves it in
front of Dominic's face.
FRANCO
Who did you rob for this?
(a beat)
Now the carabinieri (military police)
will be looking for you. You'll be no
better than those scugnizzi you call
friends.
Dominic yanks away from Sofia and yells.
DOMINIC
I stole it. I stole it from a rich
man who didn't need it.
Franco brushes his hand in the air and sits on the sofa.
FRANCO
Now you've ruined my name. A Mangini
is not a thief.
DOMINIC
How else were we getting to America?
Franco raises his hands to hit Dominic, but Sofia glares at
him. Then he stops, shakes his head, sits on the sofa and
cries.
Dominic takes Giuseppe by the arm, tugs him toward the door,
and whispers.
DOMINIC (CONT’D)
I wish he hit me instead.
Sofia puts her arms around Franco's shoulders, but he gets
up and storms out, slamming the door as he goes.
Sofia turns to Dominic with fire in her eyes.
SOFIA
What happens the next time? Will you
kill someone to get what you want?
DOMINIC
Mamma, I would never do that. All I
did was take a little money from a
man who had so much. No one got hurt.
Sofia pulls Dominic to her and wraps her arms around him.
She cries as she lays her head on his shoulders.
SOFIA
No one got hurt, you say, but you are
wrong. The man you stole from may not
have been hurt, but the boy who used
to be my sweet son was.
Sofia cries harder.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
You have just wounded yourself and if
you don't fix it right away it will
become like a mortal sin. Mangerà la
tua anima fino a consumarti.
(MORE)
SOFIA (CONT’D)
(It will eat at your soul until it
consumes you.)
(a beat)
Stay here while I see to your father.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
40 -
A Glimmer of Hope
EXT. ALLEY OUTSIDE MANGINI APARTMENT — NIGHT
Sofia exits the building and sees Franco leaning against the
alley wall, smoking a cigarette. She approaches and stands
closely beside him.
SOFIA
He’s only a boy, Franco. He was just
trying to help.
Franco crushes his cigarette butt on the ground.
FRANCO
Being only a boy doesn’t excuse him.
He did wrong, and it’s my fault. I
was supposed to care for our family.
Now, I’ve made our son a criminal.
Sofia lays her head on Franco’s shoulder and rubs his back.
SOFIA
You’re doing all you can. If you
still want to go to America, let’s
work hard to make it happen.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
41 -
Morning After Doubt
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — NIGHT
Dominic walks to the other side of the room, disappointed
and dejected. He lies down and curls up in his blanket. His
eyes are full of tears, and he sobs.
Giuseppe lies next to Dominic and pats his back.
GIUSEPPE
Don’t worry, Dom. Mamma still loves you.
Dominic wipes his tears and rolls over to face Giuseppe.
DOMINIC
After tonight, I don’t know.
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — MORNING
Rays of light from the morning sun force Dominic to get up.
He yawns and stretches, but then he stands and puts his shoes
on, and slips into his shirt and pants. He takes a smoke from
Franco’s pack on the table and races quietly out the door.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
42 -
A Father's Warning
EXT. MAIN PIAZZA — DAY
Dominic looks in each direction before entering the piazza,
then he runs to Giancarlo's fruit stand.
No one has arrived yet, so Dominic sits on the steps and
waits. Before he finishes his cigarette, he hears the
familiar CLOP, CLOP, CLOP of Giancarlo's donkey walking
slowly down the cobblestone streets.
Giancarlo turns the corner onto the piazza and sees Dominic
on the steps. A look of panic comes to the vendor’s face. He
looks side to side and increases his pace.
When he reaches Dominic, he gently guides him to the side,
where he whispers and speaks quickly.
GIANCARLO
You must get out of here. You were
recognized at the hotel, and the
polizia are watching. They know you
as the boy who sells fruit, so they
know to look for you here. You must
hide, and be quick about it.
(a beat)
I won't say anything when they come,
but someone will. The polizia have
their ways.
DOMINIC
All we did was take a little money.
Giancarlo shakes his head as he glances around.
GIANCARLO
The man you stole from is hurt badly,
and is in the hospital.
(a beat)
And he is a politico from Roma, so he
has many important friends.
Dominic jumps up and starts off across the piazza, but
Giancarlo calls him.
GIANCARLO (CONT’D)
Come back.
Dominic glances around and looks suspiciously at Giancarlo,
but then he walks back to his stand.
DOMINIC
What do you need?
GIANCARLO
I think someone already told the
polizia some things. I heard them
talking on the way here. They know
you need tickets to America. That
means polizia will be waiting.
Giancarlo reaches into his pocket and pulls out some cash,
which he hands to Dominic. He folds Dominic's hand over the
cash and kneels next to him, kissing his forehead.
GIANCARLO (CONT’D)
If God had given me a son, I would
have wanted him to be like you. Take
this for your journey. And if I can
help in any way, leave me a note
beneath the bottom step. I will look
every day.
Giancarlo rubs Dominic's head, then pats his butt.
GIANCARLO (CONT’D)
Vai con Dio, i miei piccolo
scugnizzo. (Go with God, my little
street urchin.)
Giancarlo laughs as Dominic runs across the piazza and
disappears into an alley.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
43 -
Race Against Betrayal
EXT. PLAZA OUTSIDE MANGINI’S APARTMENT — DAY
Dominic runs down a side street leading into the piazza from
the north, and then he takes a right into a small alleyway —
narrow and littered with trash. He doesn't go ten meters
before someone calls to him in a whispered shout.
PRIMO
Dom! Wait.
Dominic stops and turns around, glaring at Primo.
DOMINIC
Somebody told on me. Was it you?
Primo sneers, and glares at Dominic.
PRIMO
Vaffanculo (fuck you). You know I
wouldn't do that.
Dominic slowly moves closer to Primo, but he continually
glances to the sides.
DOMINIC
Sorry. I didn't think anyone would,
but somebody did. The polizia know
I'm going to America.
Primo raises his eyebrows.
PRIMO
If they know that, it had to be Turi
because I’ve been with Gianni the
whole time. You didn't tell anyone
else, did you?
Dominic shakes his head, and then Primo nods.
PRIMO (CONT’D)
Then it has to be Turi. Let's get him.
Suddenly, Dominic seems concerned. He grabs Primo by the
shoulders.
DOMINIC
Look for Turi. I need to go home.
Papà was going to get the tickets
today, but he doesn't know the
polizia will be there.
Dominic races down the alley toward his apartment.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
44 -
A Tense Encounter at Porto di Palermo
EXT. TICKET OFFICE — PORTO DI PALERMO — DAY
Franco gets to the Porto di Palermo early enough to beat the
crowds. He stands, looking at the signs above the ticket
windows and is about to step into one of the lines when he
sees a CARABINIERI (30s, fit, rigid, with a gun at his side)
asking people questions. Instead of getting in line, Franco
moves closer and pretends to be looking for something.
The carabinieri walks to the ticket window for New York.
CARABINIERI
Hai visto un ragazzino, forse dieci o
dodici, che comprava biglietti per
l'America? (Seen a small boy, maybe ten
or twelve, buying tickets to America?)
The MAN AT THE WINDOW (50s, heavy, glasses, and bald) shakes
his head.
MAN AT WINDOW
No, and move along, I have customers.
The carabinieri reaches inside the window and grabs the
man's shirt collar.
CARABINIERI
You'll have no customers unless you
take time to answer. Capisci?
The man at the window sighs and stops his work. He places
his hands on the counter and makes eye contact.
MAN AT WINDOW
Signore, as I said, I sold no tickets
to small boys for New York or
anywhere in America. Not even to Roma
or Napoli. I would remember if I did.
The carabinieri looks toward the port where several ships
are waiting for passengers to board.
CARABINIERI
Which ones are going to America?
The man at the window points to a large liner on the left
and one waiting farther out in the harbor.
MAN AT WINDOW
The one on the left is loading
passengers. If you are looking for a
commoner, they would be in steerage.
The ship farther out, will load once
the other departs.
The carabinieri turns to leave, heading for the port and so
does Franco, doing his best to blend in with the crowd. He
walks back to the apartment, where Sofia is getting Giuseppe
ready to take to work.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
45 -
Tension in the Mangini Apartment
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — DAY
Franco bursts through the door, panting.
FRANCO
We have a problem. The carabinieri
are searching the docks and checking
with anyone that sells tickets to
America.
Sofia stops dressing Giuseppe and sits at the table.
SOFIA
Franco, what can we do? If the
polizia know that much, it won't be
long before they find us.
FRANCO
All they know right now is they are
looking for a small boy going to
America. If they knew more, they
would have just come here. But we
better go to the market and warn
Dominic.
Dominic bursts through the door, out of breath from running.
DOMINIC
The polizia know about me. They
stopped Giancarlo on his way to work.
Sofia rushes over, throws her arms around Dominic, and pulls
him close to her. She rubs his head and pats his back.
SOFIA
Grazie Dio (thank God).
Franco paces the room, then goes to the kitchen to make
espresso. He takes a small cup from the cabinet.
DOMINIC
Make me one too, Papà. Per favore?
Franco glares at Dominic, but then he pulls another cup from
the shelf and adds more water to the pot.
Sofia hugs Dominic again and kisses Franco goodbye.
SOFIA
I have to go or I'll be late. You
should stay inside, but if you have
to go out, make sure you're not seen.
(a beat)
Giancarlo's fruit stand is on the
other side of the piazza. It won't
take the polizia long to search
nearby apartments.
Sofia grabs Giuseppe's hand and tugs him as she leaves.
Dominic and Franco sit at the table sipping espresso. Franco
looks over at Dominic and smiles.
FRANCO
This is the first time we shared
espresso.
Dominic returns the smile, then takes a sip of his drink.
DOMINIC
It won't be the last, Papà.
Franco loses his smile and stares out the window toward the
docks. He shakes his head.
FRANCO
If we ever get out of this country.
We can be a family again . . . Once
we get to America.
Dominic gulps the remainder of his espresso and takes the
cup to rinse it. He hugs his father and heads for the door.
DOMINIC
Papà, I’m going out.
FRANCO
You can't. The polizia are looking
for you.
DOMINIC
I know, but don't worry. I have to
find out who told on me.
Franco lowers his head and shakes it as Dominic closes the
door to the apartment.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
46 -
A Tense Retreat
EXT. MANGINI APARTMENT — DAY
Dominic adjusts his cap as he runs down the steps and exits
onto the street. He takes a few turns going through trash-
littered alleys before he gets to the piazza.
EXT. MAIN PIAZZA — DAY
Dominic peeks around the corner toward Giancarlo's fruit
stand. He starts to step out but stops.
TWO MEN sitting on benches on either side of Giancarlo look
out of place. Both are reading papers, but as Dominic
watches, the pages don't turn. He mumbles to himself.
DOMINIC
Must be polizia.
Dominic heads back down the alley and turns toward Primo's
apartment.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
47 -
Escape from Neglect
INT/EXT. PRIMO DEMEO'S APARTMENT — DAY
Dominic walks up the steps and pulls the door open. He has
to act quickly to catch the door because it almost falls off
its hinges. After leaning it back, he enters the building.
It is dark despite being daytime because the very few
windows are covered in dirt. The paint is peeling off the
stucco walls, and they are riddled with holes.
Dominic grabs the railing and holds on, but it is unstable.
He slowly climbs the stairs, which creak and groan with each
step.
On the second flight, there is no railing and several of the
stairs have no treads, just a hole to the floor below. At the
top of the second floor, the smell of urine is strong,
overpowering. Dominic stops and holds his hands over his nose.
DOMINIC
Dannazione! Puzza di piscio.
(Goddamn! It smells like piss.)
Dominic takes his time and climbs to the third floor where
he quickly finds Primo’s apartment. He knocks on the door
and waits. Primo answers wearing a T-shirt and the same pair
of pants he always does.
Dominic looks past him to the sofa where his mother and
father are passed-out drunk, both holding half-empty bottles
of wine. The only furniture in the room is a sofa and a
chair, and the kitchen is filthy and cluttered with dirty
dishes.
Primo walks out the door and closes it behind him.
PRIMO
Let's go, Dom. We need to hurry.
Primo races down the steps, deftly hopping over the stairs
without treads. He never reaches to the railing for support.
Dominic trails him, but at a much slower pace.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
48 -
Confrontation and Urgency
EXT. STREET OUTSIDE PRIMO’S APARTMENT — DAY
When they reach the street, Primo holds out his hand.
PRIMO
Gimme a smoke.
Dominic pulls a cigarette from behind his ear and hands it
to Primo.
DOMINIC
You have to share. It’s my last one.
PRIMO
I talked to Turi. He wouldn’t admit
it was him, but I’m sure it was.
DOMINIC
What do we do? You got a plan?
Primo nods as he turns to walk down an alley.
PRIMO
You get Gianni, and I’ll get Turi.
Meet us in that small alley by the
old cemetery outside of the city.
Dominic nods and runs off.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
49 -
Alleyway Conspiracy
EXT. TURI’S APARTMENT — DAY
Primo walks down an alleyway, then turns into another where
he leans against the brick wall. He picks up a butt and
lights it, then he WHISTLES loudly.
Turi pokes his head out of a third-story window.
TURI
Primo, what are you doing here?
PRIMO
The polizia are after Dominic. They
know he works for Giancarlo, and they
know he wants to go to America.
TURI
How do you know this?
Primo looks both ways down the alley, then lowers his voice.
PRIMO
You need to come down. We’ve got to
do something.
TURI
All right. I’ll be right down.
Turi enters the alley and moves alongside Primo, grabbing
his cigarette butt to take a drag.
TURI (CONT’D)
What do they know? Do they know where
he lives?
PRIMO
I don't think so, but they already
visited Giancarlo, so they know that
much. He told me, which is how I know.
Turi shakes his head and moves to the side.
TURI
Who did this? You think they told on
us?
Primo casts suspicious glances all around.
PRIMO
I don’t know who did it, but I'm
worried. I like Gianni and his
brother, but it had to be one of
them. We could lose the money and go
to prison. I can’t let that happen.
TURI
I can’t imagine Gianni doing this.
Maybe it was Roberto.
Primo shakes his head and takes the last drag on his cig.
PRIMO
I can't imagine it either, but we
can’t risk it.
TURI
What should we do?
Primo whispers to him.
PRIMO
I have an idea, and I think it will
work. You know that cemetery at the
edge of the city . . . ?
Genres:
["Crime","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
50 -
Betrayal in the Shadows
EXT. ALLEY BY CEMETERY — OUTSIDE PALERMO — DAY
Primo leads Turi down the alley, then into another. At the
end of the alley, he turns to check behind him, and when he
sees no one, he leads Turi left. Primo stops halfway down
the alley to pick up a cigarette butt someone threw away.
PRIMO
C’mon, Turi. It’s not far now. I told
Dominic to bring Gianni. Once we get
him alone, we’ll see who told what.
Primo WHISTLES loudly and waits in a part of the alley that
is covered in shadows. Turi stands beside him.
Dominic and Gianni appear at the end of the alley and walk
toward Primo and Turi. Both of them are smoking butts.
Dominic gets close and shoves Turi against the brick wall.
DOMINIC
Why did you do it, Turi? Why?
Turi panics and looks quickly to Primo and then Gianni.
TURI
Do what? I didn’t do anything?
Primo takes his cigarette butt and holds it close to Turi’s
face while pressing his forearm to his throat.
PRIMO
We know it was you.
TURI
No! I didn’t tell.
Gianni steps forward holding a small club. He raises his
hand as if he is going to hit Turi.
GIANNI
My brother told us. The polizia
reported it to the hotel and my
brother saw the report.
Turi looks to both sides, searching for a way to escape.
When he sees no way out, he cries.
TURI
I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to tell, but
the polizia got me in the hotel when
I tripped that man.
(a beat)
The things they said they’d do . . .
Primo presses the cigarette against Turi’s face. He screams,
then Primo removes it.
PRIMO
We should kill him. Or at least break
his legs.
Dominic stares at Turi and shakes his head.
DOMINIC
No need for that. Me and Gianni just
dug a grave on the other side of the
cemetery. We’ll put him in there.
Turi tries to break free, but the other boys maintain a hold
on him. Primo shoves him against the wall again.
GIANNI
I’ve got a better idea. Primo, can
Turi stay at your place for a few
days? We got no room at mine.
PRIMO
If we put him in the cemetery, no one
has to watch him.
GIANNI
I’m not ready for that. We’ll have
trouble avoiding the polizia now.
Primo shakes his head and sighs.
PRIMO
All right, he can sleep on the floor
at my house, and I’ll keep eyes on
him until Dom gets out of here.
Turi’s eyes lighten, and he nods.
TURI
I can do that. I’ll stay with Primo.
Nobody will look there.
Primo grabs his shirt and tightens his fist.
PRIMO
I’m glad you see it that way, but if
you try anything, that grave will be
waiting.
DOMINIC
All I have to do now is figure out
how to get out of here.
TURI
Dom, I only told on you because I
figured you were leaving anyway.
Genres:
["Crime","Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
51 -
A Plan for Escape
EXT/INT. SIGNORA SERAFINA'S HOUSE — NEXT DAY
Sofia holds Giuseppe's hand as she walks up the long drive
leading to the signora's house. The drive is paved with
cobblestones and lined with flowers. The house and grounds
are beautiful and show no signs from the war.
Sofia knocks on the door and waits for the servant to
answer, and then she and Giuseppe step inside.
SOFIA
Buon giorno, Signora.
Signora Serafina smiles and hugs Sofia, and then she bends
over and kisses Giuseppe on the head.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
And a special good morning to you,
Giuseppe. Angelo is out back playing.
You can join him if you want.
Signora Serafina takes Sofia's hand and leads her to a sofa
with tables on each end and one in the front. Large, stiff-
backed chairs sit opposite it.
SIGNORA SERAFINA (CONT’D)
Sofia, please sit and tell me what's
bothering you.
SOFIA
It's nothing, signora. I —
Signora Serafina shakes her head.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
You have worked here for two years. I
know when something is wrong.
Tears form in Sofia's eyes, and then she cries. She pulls
out a handkerchief and dabs the tears, but it does no good.
Signora Serafina moves beside her and holds her tightly.
SIGNORA SERAFINA (CONT’D)
Tell me what is wrong. Perhaps I can
help.
SOFIA
The polizia are looking for Domenico.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Do you know why?
Sofia stops crying and shakes her head.
SOFIA
He stole money from a rich man, but I
know nothing else.
Sofia dabs tears from her eyes.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
We were going to America, but when
Franco went to buy the tickets, the
carabinieri were looking for Dominic.
She cries harder and buries her head in her hands.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
I don't know what to do.
Signora Serafina paces the floor.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
The first thing is get Dominic to my
house. Once we do that, I have a plan.
Sofia sits up straight, her hands folded in her lap.
SOFIA
What kind of plan?
SIGNORA SERAFINA
I have a cousin in Napoli who can
hide Dominic. He can also take all of
you to the port when you get there to
buy tickets.
SOFIA
But signora, we don't have enough
money to go to Napoli and America.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Don't worry, Sofia. I do. Besides, I
need to visit my cousin, Pietro.
Sofia stands to leave, but Signora Serafina stops her.
SIGNORA SERAFINA (CONT’D)
There is one more thing, Sofia. Bring me
a shirt and a pair of Dominic’s pants
and shoes. I want to get new ones.
(a beat)
If the carabinieri are looking, they
won't be looking for a boy dressed in
fine clothes.
SOFIA
I don't know how to thank you,
signora.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
You never said a word when you found
out my husband was unfaithful.
(a beat)
No matter what, your family’s happiness
means more to me than a few lire.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
52 -
Urgent Preparations
INT. SIGNORA SERAFINA'S HOUSE — NEXT MORNING
Sofia rushes into the house. She holds Dominic by the hand,
and is almost dragging him behind her. She holds Dominic’s
clothes in the other arm.
SOFIA
Signora, Dominic is here with me.
What do you want me to do?
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Did you tell him we have a plan?
SOFIA
All I told him was we had to be here
early in the morning.
Signora Serafina holds Sofia's hands.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
It will work fine. Just make sure to
bring Giuseppe and Franco in two days
at the same time.
The signora takes Dominic’s clothes from Sofia's arms and
sets them on a chair.
SIGNORA SERAFINA (CONT’D)
Now, go home and prepare to leave.
And no need to come in tomorrow.
You've done enough here. Besides, I
will be taking Dominic to Napoli.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime"]
Ratings
Scene
53 -
A Plan for Escape
INT. MANGINI APARTMENT — NIGHT
Franco enters the apartment to find everything packed.
FRANCO
What's going on? I told you we can't
leave.
Sofia kisses his cheek and smiles.
SOFIA
Signora Serafina has a plan. A plan
for all of us.
Franco wrinkles his brow and sits on the sofa.
FRANCO
Tell me about this plan.
Sofia sits next to him and folds her hands in her lap. She
talks excitedly.
SOFIA
Dominic is at the signora's house.
She will take him to Napoli, and in
two days, we will go.
Sofia pats Franco's hands.
SOFIA (CONT’D)
She is taking Dominic on a boat to
Napoli, where he will stay with her
cousin. He will be fine for a few days.
FRANCO
What happens in a few days?
SOFIA
We go to Napoli with the signora,
pretending to be her servants. Once
we are in Napoli, we can go to
America from there.
FRANCO
What about the money? We don’t have
so much.
SOFIA
Signora Serafina will pay for the
trips to Napoli. All we have to do is
get the tickets to America.
Franco nods and smiles.
FRANCO
And the carabinieri will not be
looking for him in Napoli. I like it,
Sofia. You did good.
Genres:
["Drama","Crime","Family"]
Ratings
Scene
54 -
Morning Preparations
INT. SIGNORA SERAFINA’S HOUSE — DAY
Dominic comes down the stairs wearing a smile.
DOMINIC
I am done bathing, Signora.
Signora Serafina spreads his clothes out on the sofa.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
You have a new shirt, new pants and
socks, and new shoes. I will leave
the room so you can put them on. Then
we will eat breakfast and leave.
Dominic nods and the signora exits the room.
DOMINIC
Grazie, signora.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
55 -
A Mother's Embrace
INT. KITCHEN IN SIGNORA SERAFINA'S HOUSE — LATER
Signora Serafina stands up from the chair and runs to hug
Dominic.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Oh, you look so handsome. Your mother
won't even recognize you.
Dominic sits at the table and sips on a steaming hot cup of
espresso. The signora brings him a biscotto as well.
SIGNORA SERAFINA (CONT’D)
You need to eat. The food on those
ships is not very good.
Dominic swallows his food, then looks up to her.
DOMINIC
When are we going, signora?
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Right away. We are going to Napoli,
and you will pretend to be my son.
Dominic looks panicked.
DOMINIC
What about Mamma? And Giuseppe?
She comforts Dominic and holds him against her breast.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Don't worry. I am bringing the whole
family in one or two days. Everything
will be fine.
(a beat)
And, remember, if anyone asks, you
are my son, Angelo Serafina.
MONTAGE — LEAVING PALERMO
— Porto di Palermo, the signora holds Dominic's hand as they
board the ship.
— Dominic and the signora aboard the ship, looking out over
the railing as they cross to Napoli.
— Crowds of people getting off the ship in Napoli.
— Signora Serafina dropping Dominic off at her cousin's
house.
THE NEXT DAY
— The Mangini family arrives at the signora's house.
— The Manginis board a ship at the Porto di Palermo.
— The Manginis get off the ship in Napoli.
— The signora takes them to her cousin's house.
END OF MONTAGE
Genres:
["Drama","Thriller"]
Ratings
Scene
56 -
A Family's Resolve
INT. SIGNORA SERAFINA'S COUSIN'S HOUSE — NAPOLI — DAY
Pietro (50, bald, the look of a farmer) answers the door and
lets the Mangini family enter. Dominic races to Sofia and
wraps his arms around her, then Giuseppe, and lastly, Franco.
DOMINIC
I missed you. All of you.
Sofia is all smiles. She bends down and kisses his cheeks on
both sides and holds him close, then looks to Signora Serafina.
SOFIA
I am in your debt, signora.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
You are in no one’s debt, Sofia. Go
to America and get rich.
(MORE)
SIGNORA SERAFINA (CONT’D)
When you become so wealthy you can't
stand it, then you can think of me.
Signora Serafina stands and walks toward the door.
SIGNORA SERAFINA (CONT’D)
In the meantime, my cousin Pietro
will care for you and see that you
aren't found out.
PIETRO
Unfortunately, I do not have one of
the new motor cars, but I will take
you to the docks in the morning.
Before exiting, Signora Serafina walks back to Sofia.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
Sofia, there are jobs in Napoli now,
and Pietro could help Franco find work.
Franco steps closer.
FRANCO
I thank you for all you’ve done, Signora,
but we are going to America. The Mafiosi
make it difficult to live here.
Signora Serafina smiles knowingly and clasps Franco’s hands.
SIGNORA SERAFINA
I know how bad things are, but please
don’t think they aren’t the same in
America. Many of the people who left
Sicilia were Mafiosi, and from what I
hear, they are firmly entrenched,
especially in New York.
(a beat)
My sister and her husband went to New
York, and she says the Mafia is worse
there than they are here.
Franco nods.
FRANCO
Thank you, Signora, but we’ve made up
our minds.
Genres:
["Drama"]
Ratings
Scene
57 -
Crossroads at Porto di Napoli
EXT. PORTO DI NAPOLI — DAY
Pietro's wagon takes them to the port and drops them off.
The port is noisy and crowded, loaded with people wanting
passage to somewhere.
Franco looks around but doesn't see any of the carabinieri
or the polizia. He gets in line for tickets to America.
FRANCO
Hold on to Dominic so he doesn't get
lost.
Sofia turns and shoots Dominic a disappointing look.
SOFIA
He can take care of himself.
DOMINIC (V.O.)
I looked up at her, at the hard look
in her eyes. She was right; I could
take care of myself, but it hurt to
have her say that. I wanted her to
hold my hand, to whisper to me that
things would be all right.
(a beat)
There were a lot of things I wanted,
but I couldn't stop trembling. And I
couldn't stop wondering what it would
be like in this place called America.
(a beat)
And I wondered if we really would be
a family again.