Life Is Beautiful (1997)

Giorgio Cantarini: Giosué

Photos 

Quotes 

• Giosué Orefice : We won!

  Dora : Yes, we won! It's true.

  Giosué Orefice : We got a thousand points and we won the game! Daddy and me came in first and now we won the real tank! We won! We won!

• Giosué Orefice : [narrating as an adult]  This is my story. This is the sacrifice my father made. This was his gift to me.

• Giosué Orefice : I didn't like the train.

  Guido : [to his son]  Me, neither. We'll take the bus back, okay?

  Guido : [to the Nazis]  Did you hear that? We're taking the bus back!

• Giosué Orefice : [slowly reading signage on confectionery shopfront]  "No Jews or dogs allowed".

  [turning to Guido] 

  Giosué Orefice : Why aren't Jews or dogs allowed to go in?

  Guido : They just don't want Jews or dogs to go in. Everybody does what they want to, Joshua.

  [pointing at store ahead] 

  Guido : There's a hardware store there. They don't let Spanish people or horses into his store.

  [pointing at another store] 

  Guido : Further ahead, there's a drugstore. Yesterday, I was with a Chinese friend who had a kangaroo. I said, "May we?" "No, we don't want any Chinese or kangaroos here." They don't like them. What can I tell you?

  Giosué Orefice : We let everybody into our bookshop.

  Guido : No. From now on, we'll write it too. Is there anybody you don't like?

  Giosué Orefice : Spiders. What about you?

  Guido : [mock-seriously]  I don't like Visigoths. Starting tomorrow we'll write: "No spiders and Visigoths allowed." I'm sick and tired of these Visigoths.

• Giosué Orefice : When can I see Mama?

  Guido : When the game's over.

• Giosué Orefice : Daddy, I cannot find any of the other kids, and a lady came telling me to take a shower.

  Guido : That's a good idea. You go take a shower.

  Giosué Orefice : No!

  Guido : Go take a shower!

  Giosué Orefice : No!

• Giosué Orefice : Look, they stopped the train to let Mom get on.

  Guido : Dora...

• Giosué Orefice : [watching his father's uncle being sent to another barracks, which is the last time he will see him]  Where is Uncle going?

  Guido : Uh... oh, he's playing on a different team. Goodbye, Uncle!

  Giosué Orefice : Goodbye, Uncle.

• Giosué Orefice : They make buttons and soap out of us.

  Guido : Eh...

  [momentarily lost for words] 

  Guido : What are you saying?

  Giosué Orefice : They burn us all in the oven.

  Guido : Who told you that?

  Giosué Orefice : A man was crying. He said they make us into buttons and soap.

  Guido : [laughs and gesticulates animatedly]  You fell for that? Again? I thought you were a sharp boy... cunning, intelligent. Buttons and soap out of people? That'll be the day! You believed that? Hahaha! Just imagine. Tomorrow morning, I wash my hands with Bartolomeo... a good scrub. Then I'll button up with Francesco.

  [pretends to button up concentration camp uniform, from which a button comes loose and falls to floor] 

  Guido : Darn it all!

  [picks up button] 

  Guido : Look, I just lost Giorgio! Does this look like a person? Hahaha, come on! They were teasing you! And you fell for it! What else did they tell you?

  Giosué Orefice : That we get cooked in the oven.

  [continues solemnly as Guido starts laughing hysterically] 

  Giosué Orefice : They burn us up in the oven.

  Guido : [laughing and clapping hands]  You fell for that too! You just eat everything up! I've heard of a wood oven, but I've never seen a man oven before. Ah ha... "I'm made of wood!" "Take this lawyer... poomp!"

  [pseudo-seriously] 

  Guido : "This lawyer doesn't burn. He's not dry enough.

  [continues animatedly] 

  Guido : Look at that smoke!" Oh Joshua... buttons, soap, we get burned in the oven... Let's be serious now.

  [simulates hopping] 

  Guido : I have a sack race with the bad guys tomorrow...

  Giosué Orefice : [interrupting]  That's enough. I want to go home.

• Guido : [being shipped to a concentration camp]  You've never ridden on a train, have you? They're fantastic! Everybody stands up, close together, and there are no seats!

  Giosué Orefice : There aren't any seats?

  Guido : Seats? On a train? It's obvious you've never ridden one before! No, everybody's packed in, standing up. Look at this line to get on! Hey, we've got tickets, save room for us!

• Guido : The prize is... the prize is...

  Eliseo Orefice : A tank.

  Guido : Yes! Yes, the prize is a tank.

  Giosué Orefice : I already have one.

  Guido : No, a real one.

  Giosué Orefice : A real tank?

• Giosué Orefice : Daddy, you scared me to death!

• Guido : Good morning, Princess! Last night, I dreamt about you all night! We were going to the movies. You were wearing that pink suit that I really like. You're all I think about, Princess. I always think about you. And now...

  Giosué Orefice : Mommy! Pop wheels me in the wheelbarrow, but he doesn't know how to drive! We laugh like crazy! We're in the lead! How many points do we have today?

• Guido : We're in first place, but, if you want to go, it's alright.

  Giosué Orefice : We're in first place?

  Guido : Yeah, first place. I told you. Anyway, we're quitting. Come on. I saw the scores yesterday, but, it doesn't matter any more. Oh, ciao, Bartolomeo. Giosué and I are leaving. We're fed up. We'll see you. Oh, by the way, that big tank is ready. But, remember, before you move it or even start the engine, be sure to clean the spark plugs and open up the throttle. Because, if you don't, the tanks won't work properly and polish the cannon. That really came out beautiful. Oh, and before you take off, you better test the brakes. Alright. Me and Giosué are leaving. He wants to quit the game, so, we're going to go. Too bad. We could've gone home in a big tank; but, we'll take the bus. Ciao, everybody. Me and Giosué are leaving now. We're tired of this place so we're heading back home. So long! Come on, Giosué, we better hurry or we'll miss the bus.