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ItalyHeritage ➩ Learn Italian ➩ Movies ➩ Don Camillo e l'onorevole Peppone, final scene

Don Camillo e l'onorevole Peppone, final scene

Giovannino Guareschi

Giovannino Guareschi (Fontanelle Roccabianca, May 1, 1908 - Cervia , July 22, 1968) is one of the best-selling Italian writers in the world, with over 20 million copies, as well as the most translated Italian writer ever.

His most notable creations, also for its film adaptations, is Don Camillo, the "robust" pastor who speaks to Christ on the altar; Don Camillo's adversary is Peppone, the fierce communist mayor of the fictional village of Ponteratto (on the big screen Brescello, in Lower Emilia).

Don Camillo was impersonated by Fernandel, stage name of Fernand Joseph Désiré Contandin (Marseille, May 8, 1903 - Paris, February 26, 1971), while Giuseppe Bottazzi (Peppone), by Gino Cervi, stage name of Luigi Cervi (Bologna, May 3, 1901 - Castiglione della Pescaia, January 3, 1974).

"Don Camillo e l'onorevole Peppone", released in 1955, is the third episode in the saga starring Fernandel and Gino Cervi; the first was directed by Carmine Gallone (who will also direct the fourth), while the previous two had been directed by Julien Duvivier.

The video presents the final, moving scene of the film, where Peppone is forced to choose whether to start a career as a deputy in Rome or stay in his village as a mayor, and only at the end will make his decision, after the poignant words of his friend-enemy Don Camillo.

A scene full of poetry, of other times maybe when mutual respect was the foundation of everything. It's in black and white, but it's easy to imagine to a blue sky, fresh spring air... a true masterpiece of Italian cinema, with actors capable of transmitting the genuine cheerfulness of times where the true values of life were still the most cherished ideals.

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0:42
Boretto!
- Cosa fate qui? Cosa volete?
Boretto Station!
- What are you doing here? What do you want?
0:48
Non ho mai dimenticato che mi veniste a salutare quando andai in esilio. Ora siete voi ad andarvene!
I have never forgotten that you came to see me off when I went into exile. Now it's you that are leaving!
0:55
Io non vado in esilio! Parto perché ho vinto, non perché ho perduto!
- Hai perduto tua moglie, che ti ha votato contro!
I am not goingo into exile! I'm leaving because I have won, not because I have lost!
- You have lost your wife, who voted against you!
1:00
Hai perduto il tuo paese, dove eri qualcuno! E cosa c'hai guadagnato? Di diventare un anonimo, una pallina da buttare nell'urna!
You have lost your village, where you were someone! And what have you gained? To become an anonymous, a ball to throw into the urn!
1:08
Io sarò sempre quello che sono! - Ah sì? E allora quando ti metteranno a sedere in una grande aula - come a scuola - allora penserai a tutte quelle cose che hai lasciato qui, al paese...
I will always be what I am! - Oh yeah? And then, when they'll make you sit down in a large hall - like at school - then you'll think about all those things that you left here, to the village...
1:20
Penserai a quello che vedevi dalla finestra la mattina, quando ti facevi la barba. Penserai al tuo lavoro nell'officina, e a come ti divertivi la domenica...
You'll think of what you could see from the window in the morning, when you were shaving. You'll think of your work in the garage, and how you had fun on Sundays...
1:30
E penserai anche a me, che non sarò più lì a darti un cazzotto in testa quando te lo meriti, vale a dire almeno una volta al giorno!
And you'll think also of me, that will not be there to give you a punch in the head when you deserve it, that is at least once a day!
1:30
Quando ritorno... vi riduco in briciole!
- Ma se lo sai che non torni più, e che non posso neanche dirti: "Arrivederci, Peppone!" ma soltanto "Addio, onorevole!"
When I return ... I'll reduce you to smithereens!
- But if you know you will not come back, and I cannot even say, "See you, Peppone" but only "Farewell, Mr Congressman!"
2:10
Facchino! Facchino!
- Eccolo! Mi ha chiamato Lei, signor Deputato?
Porter ! Porter !
- Here it is! Did you call me, Mr. Congressman?
2:22
No! è il Sindaco!
- Ahh, bene! Andiamo!
No! It's the Mayor !
- Ahh, good! Let's go!
2:30
No, grazie, il servizio è gratuito!
- No, no, riprendetevele pure tutte queste cinquemila lire, galantuomo!
No, thank you, the service is free!
- No, no, take them back, all of them, these five thousand lire, gentleman!
3:50
Ecco: ricomincia l'eterna gara nella quale ognuno dei due vuole disperatamente arrivare primo! Però, se uno dei due s'attarda, l'altro l'aspetta per continuare assieme il lungo viaggio fino al traguardo della vita.
Behold: it is beginning again, the eternal race where each of the two desperately wants to finish first! However, if one lingers, the other waits, to continue together the long journey to the finish line of life.