Indiscretion of an American Wife (1953)

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Taxi!

Taxi!

Taxi! Taxi!

Scusa, signora.

I'm sorry.
I don't understand.

Che dice?

Look, mr. Alberto. There's
one at 7:00. - Oh, yes. I see.

Please. When does the
next train leave for Milano?

Milano?

There's one in
20 minutes, at 7:00.

Then could you tell me what train
I could take from Milan to Paris?

Why not take the 8:30 that
goes straight through to Paris?

No, no, I'll take the one at 7:00.
Where do I buy a ticket?

Window five.
- Thank you.

Yes, sir? - The first
train for Genoa, please.

7:30.
- Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Prego.
- Thank you.

PIease.

Thank you.

Pronto.
This is signora Forbes.

Is my sister there?

My sister.
Signora Stevens.

She's out?

Then let me speak
to my nephew, please.

Train from Pescara
arriving on track five.

Train from Pescara...

arriving on track five.

Hello? Paul?

This is aunt Mary.

I need your help, dear.

Get down one of my
suitcases, the largest one...

and have the maid put
all the things she can into it.

I'm at the station.
I'm leaving.

No, no. Nothing's happened, but I... I
have to catch the plane home from Paris.

I'll telephone your mother
as soon as I get there.

But do hurry, Paul.
Take a taxi.

No, no. Just the one bag.

They can send all
my other things on later.

Oh, and, and, and bring
my fur coat too, dear.

But do be quick.

I'm catching the 7:00 to Milan,
and I'll be looking for you.

All right, then.
Hurry, dear.

Permette, signora.
Scusi, signora.

Pardonnez-moi, madame.

Excuse me.
The pen.

Thank you.

"Will arrive Wednesday, 7:00 p.m.

Meet at station.
Blessings, papa, mama."

Leave out "blessings."

Excuse me.

"Love, love,
love, love, love."

Three thousand lira.

Mine was 10 words.
The one of condolence.

No, that's mine.

Three thousand lira.
- Thank you very much.

"My love, a few minutes ago
I stopped in front of your door.

"I knew that beyond that door there
waited for me a happiness I have never known...

"but I could not take
those last steps toward you...

"for my will has become
your will if you are near...

"and it would have meant
that I gave up everything forever.

"My love for you has made me
forget my conscience, my husband.

"Even my child seems far away.

"They are real, and how
can I forget them forever?

"My dearest, forgive me...

and know that
I always love you."

Do you speak english?

No. Signora?

May I see that peasant
dress in the window, please?

Fermo, basta.

The little sicilian dress?
Which size, please?

I don't know how
your sizes run here.

My daughter is seven years old,
but she's tall for her age and thin.

Is there a wide hem?
- Si, signora.

She grows so fast.
I'm afraid...

The express to Milan on track 11.

Oh, I suppose
it'll be all right.

Would you wrap it up
for me quickly, please?

How much is it?
- Eight thousand lira.

Attenzione.
Attenzione.

Permesso.

buy your tickets
at the vending machine.

Entrance tickets
down there.

Which way to the
Milan train? - Track 11.

Permesso!

Attenzione!

Permesso!
Permesso!

Attenzione!
Permesso!

Excuse me.
I have no ticket.

You can get it on the train.
- Thank you.

Permesso. Permesso.

Permesso.

Permesso.

Permesso.

Libero? Libero?

Vede.

Permesso.

Signorina.

Scusi. Libero.

Scusi, signora. Scusi tanto.

Basta! Basta! Basta!

Permesso. Permesso.

Mamma.

Why this way,
without a word?

I waited for you.

I was worried.

I'm sorry, Giovanni.
- But why?

Why?

Don't I deserve a good-bye?

I wrote you, but...
- If I hadn't telephoned...

telephoned to your sister's
house, I wouldn't have known.

Here. - What? I don't
want to read what that says.

Why couldn't you
have told me?

Aunt Mary!

I made it.
I made it!

Thank you, Paul.
You are good.

Give your mother a kiss for me.
And a kiss for you too, dear.

I love you very much.

What happened? Is something
the matter with uncle Howard?

No, no, everything...
everyone's fine.

I thought you were staying on.

I counted on seeing
so many things with you.

You'd better
run along now, Paul.

The train will be leaving
in just a moment.

Shall I put your bag on the train?
- No, thank you, darling.

T... the porter
will take care of it.

I think Yolanda remembered
everything you might need.

I put the toys in you bought for Kathy
and another clock for uncle Howard.

Thank you, dear.

Now run along.
- Good-bye, aunt Mary. I'll miss you.

I'll miss you, Paul.

Good-bye, darling.

Well, Maria, there doesn't seem
to be very much time, does there?

Good-bye.

Good trip.

It's been wonderful
for me, anyway.

Just can't...
I... can't leave you like this.

No. Don't be sorry
for me, Maria.

I can't leave the station.
I... I must take the 8:30 for Paris.

All right.
As you wish.

A pen?
Fountain pen?

A pen? Eh!

Let's go someplace where
we can sit down a while.

I can see you're
not going to help me.

I may be wrong, but...

if... if I...
if I understand you...

I'm the one
who's entitled to help.

You start to leave Rome after...

these weeks, this month...

after yesterday.

Or don't you
remember yesterday?

What did you tell me then?

That i loved you.
- More than?

More than all the world.
- More than all the world.

And?

And anyone in it.

But that was cruel of me.

Because it wasn't true,
was it?

You had a ticket bought, and
you had it in your pocket. - No!

What am I to...
to you suddenIy?

Some... an old guidebook that
you don't really want anymore?

Don't really want?

Then you don't know
what wanting is.

Oh, don't i?

A month ago, or just about,
i watched you coming down...

the Spanish steps.

I liked your legs.

I wouldn't have
looked at you, maybe...

if it hadn't been
for those legs.

You stopped at
the flower stall.

Bought a bunch of roses.

Carnations.

I didn't know. I...

I was so excited.

And so happy
when you said to me...

"scusi, signore, dov'e
il American express?"

I thought you were an Italian.

Because my mother comes from
America doesn't make me less Italian.

In this country,
it's the men who count.

You American women
are much too emancipated.

If I weren't emancipated, well...

would I have done
what I did that day...

Iet you ask me to a cafe
and... and buy me a coffee?

Several coffees.

Three hours.

Why did you come with me?

Well...

why did you ask me?

Because when I saw you...

I knew what wanting was.

But you haven't
answered my question.

Why did you go with me?

You didn't look very wicked.

I'm not
an imaginative woman. I...

I'd never done anything
extraordinary, except that...

Ietting you, weII, pick me up.

It was you,
it was rome, and...

and I'm a housewife
from phiIadeIphia.

But I... I only thought
it would be a small adventure...

something I... I could
even tell my sister...

or write my husband.

A small adventure. I see.

Darling, don't mock me.

When you do, you don't
sound at all like my beau ideal.

What's...
what's "beau ideal"?

When I was a girl in school,
we all had our beaus ideal.

Mine was a boy
called Percy Tuttle.

You think I look
like your mr. Tuttle?

Percy was so handsome.

Oh, he was so...
I'm not?

Hmm?
- Mmm.

"Mmm."
- You'll do.

And when you smile...

oh, darling.

You're my beau ideal.

But I'm grown up now.

Last night I...
I lay awake thinking.

I thought about dying.

Yes, I thought about that too.

Then I thought of Kathy.

I tried to remember
her face. I...

I could remember her hair.

Her sweet little neck.

Most of all, her eyes.

But it was all
in separate pieces, like...

like a puzzle
I couldn't put together.

Oh, Giovanni.

But she's so young.

She's grown so fast.
She's... she's so gawky.

She's got...
braces on her teeth.

She's afraid of the dark.

She's a child, my own, and...
and I can't give her up.

Dear.

In all the times
we've talked about it...

in all the decisions
we've made...

have I ever suggested
you should give up Kathy?

You know I want her
to be with us.

You know I want us
to be together.

Yes. You...

me, Kathy.

That's fine
for everyone, but...

you don't love him.

He phoned me last night.

He sounded...

oh, Giovanni.

He sounded so
vulnerable, so... so lost.

Solike a small boy
in the dark...

calling over and over...

"where are you?
Where are you?

When are you coming home?"

I felt as though he knew
that I'd been lying to him...

stealing the days
from him one by one.

He knows. A man knows
when he's losing a woman.

A woman is like
another heart inside a man.

He knows when
that heart stops.

But I can feel it b*ating.

Giovanni, you... you can't
live with a man eight years...

and bear his child,
and... and share his ambitions.

You can't do that without
caring what happens to him.

Then it's him or me, isn't it?

No, no.

Because whatever
you think about it now, it...

I won't have destroyed your life.

You're young, darling...

much younger
than Howard, and...

there's everything before you.

But I'm Howard's future...

Kathy and I.

Kathy almost d*ed
when she was born, and...

and Howard swore
and I swore...

really swore...
that if she lived...

she would always have
her father, her mother, her home.

How can I forget that promise?

Howard never has, never would.

He is so good to us.
He can't say no.

It was enough for him merely to think that
I wanted to come to Rome to see my sister.

I didn't have to say anything.

H-he guessed it
and insisted I make the trip.

I knew how lonely he would be.

And helpless.

He can't even find
his socks. - Oh, stop.

I'm sorry. I... I just don't want to
hear any more about the lovable husband...

who doesn't know
where his socks are.

What are you supposed to do?
Spend the rest of your life finding them?

If you want to
put it that way.

Excuse me, but you'll
have to go elsewhere.

We don't open until 8:00.

Can't we just wait
here until you do open?

I'm sorry, but I
don't make the rules.

Take off that hat.
- Why?

Come on.
Take it off.

That's a smug little hat.

I was starting to hate you...

and starting to hate
everything you said.

But... I can't.

You are so quite beautiful.

Your hair. You really...

oh, Let's get out of here.
It's too crowded. Huh?

There isn't anywhere to go.

Why don't we go to my
place. We could light a fire.

It's quiet there.
We can talk.

You're so young.

Sometimes I think
you lie about your age.

We're not saints, darling.

At Ieast I'm not.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry
I'm not a saint, Giovanni.

But if I went
to your apartment...

there never would
be a train for me.

Cognac? Si.
Due cognac. Francese.

Bene.

Maria, Maria,
Maria, Maria.

I'd figured things
so differently.

They've offered me that
job at the University of Pisa...

where my father taught.

Well, I figured you and I would live at
Marina di Pisa in the house where I was born.

You'd Iike that house.
Looks out over the sea.

And I'd teach Kathy
how to sail.

First, I'm afraid, you'd
have to teach her to swim.

We could buy her an asino.

Asino?
- Yeah, a donkey.

Oh! What would such a
little girl do with a huge asino?

Well, I don't mean
a huge asino.

I mean... a little one.

Like the kind that
come from Sardinia.

They're very strong.

He could pull her around in a
cart. You think she'd like that?

She would. - I can't lie
to you. It isn't paradise.

I'm not a rich man.

I mean, we have to pump
our own water from the well...

and every time there's a... every
time it thunders, the electricity goes off.

But I like candlelight.

When the wind blows
from Africa, it's very hot.

It gets on your nerves.

Everybody quarrels.

You and I'd probabIy
have a lot of quarrels.

Would we, darling? Why?

Well, the same reason, my
mother and father quarreled.

But I thought they'd been
so happy. - They were.

They were very. Except he was
an Italian, and he behaved like one.

He liked to lead his own life.
So he'd go off in the evening...

and he'd go to a cafe...
and play cards.

Well, mother thought
he ought to be home with her.

Well, so do I.

I mean, I wouldn'tlike it if you
went off every evening and left me to...

what? Mend my clothes
and cook dinner for me?

You wouldn't like that?
Oh, I would.

Don't forget,
I'm an Italian too.

If you didn't behave
yourself... I'd b*at you.

Giovanni, you wouldn't.

WouId you?
- I would. Naturally.

Don't start worrying
about that now.

I'm not gonna go off
playing cards. Not tonight.

Come on. Let's
get out of here.

We'll go to my place.
Why don't we walk?

We'll be cold
when we get there.

We can light a
fire, have supper.

At least, for a little while...

we'll have known
what it could have been like.

Oh.

Grazie.
- Prego. Maria.

You don't want to go.

Four cups of tea.
- Two hundred forty lira, please.

Yes, that's right.

Oh.

What's the matter?

I forgot.

Something I bought for Kathy.

That costume.
I left it on the train.

Oh. Well, we can
buy her another.

Paul! Paul!

Paul. Why haven't you
gone home?

I just thought
I'd look around.

But didn't you miss your train?

Oh, I'm taking a later one.

I won't have to
change trains. - Oh.

Paul, I'd Iike you to meet
mr. Doria, a friend of mine.

My nephew.

How do you do?

What time is it?

Twenty-five minutes
after 7:00.

Oh, fine. We have
more than an hour.

Would you like something, dear?
A hot chocolate?

Sure.

You want me to wait
for you in the restaurant?

Do that, darling.
I'll only be a moment.

Good night, mr., uh...
- Good night.

Now what?

I wouldn't have thought there was
a chance of our running into Paul.

Yet there he was.

I couldn't help it, Giovanni.
What could I do?

Why did you call him?

It was just that I...
I was so surprised to see him.

Anyway, I... I suppose
we'd better face it.

Everything seems to
be working against us.

You... you do see how
it is, don't you, darling?

No, I don't see.
- I...

I wanted it
to be different, but...

good-bye, Giovanni.

I saw it! He hit you,
aunt Mary! He hit you!

You don't understand, Paul.

Believe me, boy. He wouldn't
have done it if I'd been here.

Dirty coward! - No.
You mustn't think so, dear.

Come on.
Let's go, Paul.

Hitting a woman!
- Darling, can't you forget it?

It wasn't at all the
way you thought it was.

Won't you believe me?

All right, aunt Mary.
If you say so.

I'd do anything
in the world for you.

I know you would, dear.

Let's go back to
our house, aunt Mary.

You can leave
tomorrow, can't you?

Tomorrow would be too late.

Excuse me. The train
for Paris? - Track seven.

Come on.
Let's go, Paul.

Let's rest in here.
- In third cIass, aunt Mary?

What difference does that make?

I'm not feeling well, madam.

She needs a doctor.
- First aid station down there.

I think she has
baby right here.

She pregnant only four months.

Where do you come from?
- England. Coal miner.

No more work coal mine,
have come back Italy.

We'd better take
her to the first aid.

It's there.

Paul, you stay here
and look after the children.

After them?
- Yes, Paul.

Okay.

It's nothing serious?

He say she must
rest... sleep...

but... in the bed.

She no see bed
for three nights.

But surely you could stay
in a little hotel somewhere.

Me, yes.
But she no want.

The bambini, signora. Must
keep money for the new baby.

No. Grazie, signora.
You much kind already.

Arrivederci.
- Arrivederci.

Arrivederci.
- Arrivederci.

I'll pray madonna for you.

But she good wife.

Good mother.

Always...
always her family.

Never for her.

Yes, she's wonderful.

Good-bye.

I'll take these.
Quanto?

Would you like
something too? - Yes. Thanks.

Bambini.

Paul...

Paul, I... I'd Iike you
to go home now.

But why can't I stay till you
leave? - You'll miss your dinner.

Well, anyway, Paul,
I think I'd like to be alone.

Oh, I love you, darling.
You've been an angel.

But I'm all right now, really.

Okay, aunt Mary.

Tell your mother
I'll write from Paris.

And I'll write you too, dear.
- You will? You promise?

Yes. If I tell you something,
will you keep it secret? - Of course.

You can trust me.
You know that.

I'm going to ask your mother
to Iet you visit us for Christmas.

Oh, aunt Mary!

Good-bye, darling.
- Christmas. Gosh!

Now run along.

Good-bye, aunt Mary.
- Oh.

Good-bye, darling.

Ciao, bellezza.

Hey, Paul!

Paul, where is Maria?
- I don't know.

What do you mean you
don't know? You were together.

That's right. - Well,
where did you leave her?

I don't remember.

Listen, Paul...

I must see her.

I must see her.

Just please tell me
where you left her.

Please. - I won't
tell you anything.

Maria!

I want to kiss you.

Oh, my darling.
Will you forgive me?

There's... there's
nothing to forgive.

I'm the one to be forgiven.

I want you to be happy.
That's all I want.

I'll Iet you go.
I'll never see you again.

But I want you to be happy.

Are you crying, Giovanni?

I could fall aseep.

The warmth of you near me.

The sound of your heart saying...

saying what?

Together.

Together. Together.

This morning I woke up,
it was scarcely dawn.

I couldn't wait to see
you, to hear your voice.

I wandered through the streets...

like a sleepwalker.

It was raining a little.

And I hoped the rain
would wash it away...

this needing you...

and...

wanting you.

You think the rain can do that?

Sweet Giovanni.

They're crazy.

What is it, Giovanni?
Is it something serious?

It seems we're criminals.

We have to go with them
to the... to the commissariat.

The police?

Oh, Giovanni.

Don't be worried.

Nothing's going to happen.

It's all right, Giovanni.

Luigi, look here!

Buona sera.

Look, sir, you can take
me to the commissariat...

but couldn't we let
this lady go?

She has to catch a train.

I am not the man to talk to.

Dear, you have to
get out of here.

Here. By the steps.
- No.

Go, go, go, go!
Run! - I can't.

You must!
- Giovanni, I can't.

Please. Read your
weight? - Hmph.

Prego.

Sit down.

Sit down.

I was just passing.

I only bumped against him.

These yokels.
They come to the city...

thinking everyone is a thief.

Scusi.

Scusi.
- Mm-hmm.

Giovanni, what is going
to happen? - I don't know.

May I see your
documents, please?

You have your passport?

What are we waiting for
now? - The commissioner.

What is this, a zoo?

Are we a couple of
monkeys or something?

Oh, Giovanni.

What? Oh.

Americana.

Uh, my friend has to catch
a train in a quarter of an hour.

Eh?

Look, if there's anything
to be settled, settle it with me.

The train with the
president is coming in.

Then the commissioner
will come back to the office.

We are taking down
the evidence.

After that it's up to
the commissioner.

You...

look, can you not
get it through your head?

This lady is going
to miss her train.

And can you not get
it through your head...

that this is a crime?

A cri... what do
you mean "a crime"?

TaIk to the commissioner.

What do you expect
out of this, a medaI?

Giovanni.

I don't...

I don't know. I just...
I just seem to cause trouble.

Giovanni, darling.

If there's a scandal,
well, it doesn't frighten me...

because I've made up
my mind about something.

Whatever happens,
I'm going to tell Howard.

It will hurt him terribly, but I...

Paul!

He didn't see
me, thank heaven.

Paul.

He would never have forgotten.

Mrs. Howard Forbes.

Mrs. Howard Forbes...

is kindly requested to
go to the baggage room...

to claim her coat and luggage
left with porter number 12.

Mrs. Howard Forbes.

Mrs. Howard Forbes...

is kindly requested to
go to the baggage room...

to claim her coat and Iuggage
left with porter number 12.

The commissioner.

Stand up.

Permesso.
- Avanti.

Sit down, mrs. Forbes.

Why are you two
in the station?

This lady's here
to catch a train.

Where to?
- Paris.

Are you separated
from your husband?

No.

Any children?

No.

Yes. One.

Does your husband know
that you are in Rome?

Yes.

What do you do?

I'm a teacher.

"I, the undersigned,
Giulio Vallardi di Giuseppe...

"chief brakeman
of the Rome station...

"testify in good faith
the following:

"At 7:30 p. m., while
on a tour of inspection...

"I found in a third-class
compartment of an empty car...

"a man and a woman who
were taIking to one another.

"As they were not able
to justify their presence in the car...

"I proceeded to arrest them, and I
brought them to this police station...

"for the appropriate measures.

Read, confirmed and
signed by Vallardi, Giulio."

"A man and a woman who
were taIking to one another"?

The brakeman
thought it over and, uh...

he mixed a little water
with the wine.

Ah, well...

then it is only
a question of your fine.

Oh, I... I'd be glad
to pay anything.

Oh, but this is
a different matter.

This is not a ticket.
This is a formal charge.

Tickets you can pay
to a police agent...

but on a formal charge, the penalty
must be determined by the judge.

There must be a trial.

This lady is married.
She has a child.

If such a statement
is made public...

i think the consequences
would be very bad for her.

But all this work.
We made such an effort.

What time does your train leave?

8:30.

Do you still plan to take it?

Yes.

Good journey, signora.

Thank you.

Uh, we'd better get your bag.

I guess so.
There isn't much time.

No, there isn't
very much time.

We'll get a reservation
for you... on the train.

Ah.

Presto.

Identification.

Oh.

Check it.

When you get to Paris,
what will you do?

Take the next boat?
- I thought I'd fly.

That way I...
i can be home by sunday.

By sunday.

WiII you cabIe me?

No, Giovanni. We mustn't.

No cables. No letters.

Just say...
"arrived safely."

All right.

Will you go right to Phiadelphia?

I think so.

You will take
that post at Pisa...

at the university.

Won't you, Giovanni?

Yes.

And you'll live in the house
that looks across the sea?

Yes.

Buona sera.

A single room,
if you have it, please.

I don't think so, madam, but I'll
have to ask the other conductor.

You... you can get
breakfast on the train.

I only take a cup of coffee.

Well, you can get an attendant
to bring you a cup of coffee.

Yes, I know.

I cannot give you a single, but another lady
has consented to share a compartment with you...

if you wish.

That's very kind of her.
Thank you.

Your passport, please.

You better get on.
The train is about to leave.

It's compartment number
seven in the next car.

I will prepare
your bed later.

Thank you.

Grazie.
- Prego.

I... I... I guess maybe
I better be getting off.

Not yet.

It'll begin soon enough...

the... the wondering.

All my life I'll wonder...

"where is he?

"Where, just this moment...

"just now.

"What is he looking at?

"What is he thinking?

"Is he well?

"Is he in love?

Is she beautiful?"

He is in love...

and she is beautiful.

Oh, I'll never, never...

no.

Prego, signore.
The train is leaving. Signore!

Are you hurt?

No.