- Hello, Vavra. - Hello, Mino.
Come and sit with me.
I can't. I have to help Naïde.
What's the matter with you? No book?
There are problems that are better solved with a glass of wine than with a book.
- And today I have such a problem. - A problem?
I have to make a choice.
I must weigh up between life and death.
I must decide if my life is worth more...
...than dying for the Fatherland.
- If you'll keep fighting? - That's it.
You know...
You have two lives, so to speak.
One that belongs to him alone,
and the other, a life in human society.
I don't understand what you're talking about.
The question is this:
Should one keep on fighting when the battle is pointless?
Now, my friend, what do you advise me?
Shall I make my own peace?
An individual peace.
Because our fate is already sealed anyway.
What good is it if we send the dead one more dead?
If everyone thought like that...
That is the problem.
Mino, when you're grown up,
and someone asks who Vavra was,
answer thus:
He was a man who thought about things.
"What kind of philosophy would leave no questions open?"
Forlan! What are YOU doing here?
I've come to get you. Rossi's waiting for us.
- Rossi? Is he here? - Yes.
- Let's go! - Quick.
Mino! Hello!
We did it, as you saw.
You did your job well.
But you can't stay here any longer. It'll be too dangerous for you.
Then I'll go back to my father.
Do you have any Austrian money?
No.
I hope that's enough.
Thank you.
When you're back with him, how will it be?
I don't know yet.
Mama's in a sanatorium in Treviglio.
Maybe we can go to her.
Have a drink.
But your father's a prisoner-of-war.
Yes, but on a farm. Security isn't tight.
And how will you get through the firing lines?
I'll have to see.
And you? What are you going to do?
I have a new mission.
I have to go to Hagen with Forlan,
to build up an agent network in the Austrian arena.
In 20 days a plane will come to pick me up near Tolmezzo,
in the village of Terzo.
There's an abandoned farmstead.
People call it the Red House.
That's where the plane will land.
Bring your father there.
Tolmezzo...
The Red House, near the village of Terzo.
Can you can make it in 20 days?
From here to Klagenfort is less than 100 kilometres.
Yes, I think I'll make it.
Thank you, Lieutenant.
No, you mustn't thank me.
Up to now, it's always been you helping us.
Now it's time we helped you.
Here's Tolmezzo, in the vicinity of Terzo.
The only place to land is here.
Very good!
You've done very good work.
We'll try to intercept the plane and the spies.
Are you aware of other accomplices?
I don't know. Perhaps.
I must think about it.
Mino!
Where's Siro?
This is all that's left of Siro.
Did he die?
Yes, he's dead.
He'd had something on his lungs for four years...
without realising it.
So now you're completely alone.
What's that? Don't say you're smoking already!
Watch!
- Where did you learn that? - From a friend.
I've got an idea! You come with me!
First to Villa Stolz, and then to Milan!
I've said it before: you're mad!
I'm serious. Here, you struggle to get by.
There, you can get everything. Kreszenz makes pies this big!
And then there's Freda.
Wait.
I've got some money for the rail tickets.
Mamma Mia! So much money!
So, will you come with me?
You were in a villa where you ate and drank every day,
and you ran away? You must be mad!
I told you why.
Yes, yes, I know.
But I still can't understand you.
Besides, it was completely useless.
You should have listened to your father.
Why did you do it?
I just had to.
It was my duty.
But now that explains everything!
- Yes? What is it? - A dispatch.
Thank you. You can go.
Why should I go to Vienna? I want to stay here.
I think it would be better.
We must assume the Italians will advance as far as here.
Does that mean we'll be separated?
That's the way it is.
I'd have no peace.
And you?
I'm leaving tomorrow.
With me?
No. I'm no more use in Vienna.
I think I would be more useful in Monte Grappa.
What? At Grappa?
Isn't that the foremost front?
You've got yourself posted there.
You get more and more beautiful.
Karl...
You can come back here after the war,
and everything will be as it was.
What does that mean, "you can come back here"?
And what about you?
Me, too.
Of course.
Autumn is always the most beautiful season.
Too bad I have to go now.
Karl...
- I want to stay here longer with... - Ssh!
Say nothing.
Here, do you want some?
How much further is it to this villa?
About 4 or 5 kilometres.
Do you think we'll have to pay the driver?
Sure. I have money.
Good morning, sir.
Good morning, Kreszenz.
- Did you sleep well? - Yes, thank you.
Please put my uniform in the trunk as well, Kreszenz.
Yes, sir.
Let's go!
I've carried out your order.
- You can go. - Yes, sir.
Please, take a seat.
How are you being treated?
Like the others.
Beets and potato peelings.
But the guards are not much better off than we are.
Have you heard anything from Mino?
No.
Nothing.
Forgive me. I can't keep my hands still.
I'm taking you away from here, Michele.
Soon it'll all be over.
Everything at an end.
The war...
...the monarchy...
...the Empire.
My Austria will no longer exist.
No one will remember the people of old Franz Joseph.
Franz Joseph's people want peace,
and want their independence.
And now we have more than a million dead.
We wanted no war.
Those words will not bring the dead back to life.
This war has turned friends into enemies.
Has turned us all into monsters.
You're no monster, Michele.
Neither am I.
So...
...you don't want to come with me?
Here is the right place for me.
The place for a man whose ideals have all been destroyed.
Who himself is destroyed.
Karl, I must tell you...
We all make mistakes.
And when you're back in Milan,
at your university...
I can teach no one anything now.
No one.
Not even my own son.
But you'll have a better life in Milan than here.
We can only hope.
Come on, we're nearly there!
There's the villa.
Mamma mia! That's a proper fairy-tale castle!
For God's sake! They're driving away! Come on!
Freda!
How did YOU get here?
Mino, this is madness!
They probably won't let you talk to your father.
Yes, I know.
But I have to try, anyway.
Why doesn't he visit you at the villa any more?
After you left, he had no reason to.
He came because of you.
Mino...
If you can escape, hide in the villa.
It's the only place you'll be safe.
We will. I promise you.
So, here we are.
- So, Mino. That way, through the woods. - Fine.
Ciao, my boy.
You're not cross if I call you a boy?
No.
Tell your father that I...
...that I and Karl will never forget him.
Never.
Nena, look after him!
If you look after me, who will look after you?
Goodbye!
We have to climb up here.
Mino, wait!
Do you see? Something's moving.
You're imagining things.
There! You see? Someone's running!
Come on, quick!
Those are Italians from the camp!
Stop!
I said, stop!
- Have you escaped? - Yes. Who are you?
Don't you recognise him? It's the son of Captain Rasi.
Have you really escaped from the camp?
Yes. We must get away. The dogs are after us.
- And my father? - He escaped too.
Let's look for him!
Ssh! The Austrians!
We'll never find him.
No, Mino. You mustn't lose courage.
Chin up, Mino!
That must be it, there.
Thank God! I couldn't have gone much further.
I'm sure the plane will come.
Ready?
Don't you want some? They taste good.
No, thank you. I'm not hungry.
But you should eat.
Mino, we're here.
It's a good thing you're already here.
The plane's coming earlier than planned.
- Why? - To avoid unwanted surprises.
Captain Rasi, I assume.
Lieutenant Rossi.
And who is this?
- Nena. You know her. - Ah, yes. Hello, Nina.
Give this to your father.
You must know, Captain, that we have very important information.
Very important for our next offensive.
Hurry up, Forlan! Get it up somehow.
And we still have to set the smoke signals.
It's time.
Do you remember, Papa?
The sum of the squares is like...
...is equal to the sum of the hypotenuse.
Don't be sad.
Even if things aren't what they used to be,
soon we'll all be together again.
Perhaps Mama is already cured.
She'll be waiting impatiently.
And the war will soon be over, too.
Come out. The plane is already in sight!
Come, Papa.
The Austrians!
Captain! To the plane, quick!
Hurry, hurry! Into the machine!
Quick! Quick!
I'll give you covering fire.
- We must get away, Captain! - Go without me!
Captain, stay here! Come back!
- This is madness! - Papa!
Take off! Go!
- He'll give us covering fire. - Papa!
Nena...
I'm still here.
You haven't missed anything, Mino. Nothing's happened to you.
But you've been asleep for three days.
My father...
Where is my father?
I want to go to my father.
No, Mino. Don't think about it.
- I want to go to my father! - Hush, now.
Be still, Mino.
- I want to go to my father! - No.
No.
- My father... - Don't think about it.
Don't think about it any more.
Mino! You haven't eaten for days!
You must eat!
They say we lost 20,000 men at Monte Grappa.
We must operate immediately. Get him ready and bring him.
Sister, will the wounded survive?
They'll die. This is terrible!
Lupo!
Wait, this is Lupo!
We must amputate.
- You're not allowed in there. - I'm his friend. I must be with him.
That doesn't matter. You stay outside.
Lupo! Lupo!
Mino!
At least you ... succeeded!
Always the barrage!
It's over.
It was hell.
In one day...
...from the top to the bottom,
five times lost, and then won back again.
The fourth of the counter- attacks was...
...was like a dance of death.
They climbed out of their trenches...
...like ghosts.
In front ... an officer,
...in dress uniform!
We opened fire.
They fell, one after the other,
Suddenly we stopped firing,
and I realised...
...that I had no more ammunition.
The last bombs they had left...
...they saved for the last few metres.
And in the vanguard stormed...
- ...this Colonel. - Karl!
Then a bullet hit him.
He stood still, clutching his chest,
stared at the blood in his hand.
He looked for his sabre,
and then his powers failed him.
He sank to his knees,
his head fell onto his chest,
like an old warrior,
tired after many battles.
Doctor!
My arm hurts...
My arm hurts so much...
Mino! What's the matter?
Mino, where are you going?
- Mino! - Giuseppe!
I heard that at the award ceremony tomorrow...
...a boy was to be decorated.
I thought right away that it could only be you!
When we came to the valley he started to pull so hard...
...that my tongue is hanging out of my throat now!
I couldn't hold him any more.
And then he went off like a grenade!
How did he find you again?
He must have searched the entire front!
And when he couldn't find you, he came back to us.
Where's your cap with the feather?
- Don't you have it any more? - I lost it.
And tomorrow, when General Diaz comes, what will you do?
There! Put that on!
Wait!
Mino, can you hear me?
Here ... here...
...in my pocket...
...is a bag.
Take it.
In it are the dog-tags of the fallen.
Give it ... to the commander.
Enough, Major! You need rest.
Ciao, Alpino.
Your father. Did you see him again?
I'm glad.
Captain Favero.
Coringrato.
Captain Terenzi.
Teraggio.
Fiorini.
Dulcio.
Carnisi.
The war's over, Mino!
Austria has asked for a ceasefire.
Mino, we won!
Wear it for your valiant father.
And I've heard that you were also a valiant soldier.
Your father would have been proud of you!
Actually, General, my father didn't enjoy the war.
And I don't enjoy war, either.
I see you are not only courageous but also sincere.
No one enjoys war.
Not even an old soldier like me.
But I would gladly have shaken the hand...
...of your father, Captain Rasi, for his heroic deed.
And I'm sure you believe that he would have returned my handshake.
Yes, I believe that.
There's still time. You can still come with me.
It's not for me, such a big city,
and always having to stay in the same place.
I might have to go to school!
- But you will come and visit. - Yes.
- You've got the address, yes? - Yes, I've got it.
Nena, if you need help, you come to me, understand?
Yes, fine. But don't worry.
And laugh again! The war is over.
Nena, take care of yourself!
I am always there for you. Do you hear?
Laugh, Mino! The war is over. Life goes on!
All the best, Mino!
I'll never forget you, Nena!
I'll never forget you!
We've finished the loading. Only these cases.
Mama.
They're ready.
We must go.
What's this music?
A waltz by Johann Strauss.
A present from Freda. Do you remember?
I haven't danced for a long time.
May I have the pleasure?
Since when can you dance?
I can't.
- Then how..? - You'll teach me.
One, two, three... One, two three...
- Is this right? - Good!
How beautiful! We're dancing!
- You CAN do it! - You're a good teacher.
Good, Mino!
And turn, turn!