Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968)

Gina Lollobrigida: Carla Campbell

Photos 

Quotes 

• Rosa : The name Campbell, where did you get that?

  Carla Campbell : From the soup.

  Rosa : You named yourself a soup?

  Carla Campbell : I had to. The only other American name I knew was Coca Cola. I couldn't call myself Mrs. Coca Cola.

• Carla Campbell : Every day, more and more soldiers came to the American air base. Soon there was no more room, so they had to put them in the houses of people. In every house, two or three men. But my house was very small. Just room for one man. So, they sent the one man. The sergeant, Walter Braddock, so sweet, a little boy.

• Carla Campbell : He was an officer. It was like magic. He would bring me eggs, chocolate and soup. Oh, how I love that American soup.

• Carla Campbell : So we comforted each other.

  Rosa : So much comfort for such a young girl.

• Carla Campbell : They came into my life, they went out of my life. And three weeks later I found I was going to have a baby...

• Carla Campbell : So I wrote to each one and told them my condition. And each one wrote back the same thing, "Don't you worry, sweetheart baby. I'll take care of you!" And they did. They sent me a check each month ever since.

  Rosa : Ever since? For twenty years, you received a check every month?

  Carla Campbell : For twenty years, I received three checks every month.

• Rosa : And you still don't know the father of your child?

  Carla Campbell : Of course I know him. I just don't know who he is.

• Carla Campbell : I had my baby in Florence, and when I came back, I was wearing widow's clothes. And I was mourning for my dear dead rich American husband.

  Rosa : Captain Soup?

  Carla Campbell : Yes.

• Carla Campbell : Carla Solmi, "the alley cat," they used to call me... the women of the town... To those people I'm going to tell I've got a child with no husband and could be any one of three fathers? No, I don't tell them anything.

• Carla Campbell : Let those fat cows go jump in a sewer and float around.

  Rosa : Calm yourself.

  Carla Campbell : I'm a lady now. As good as everybody.

• Walter Braddock : Does she have any idea who I am?

  Carla Campbell : Nobody has any idea who you are.

• Rosa : What did this one want?

  Carla Campbell : The same as before, except with two rooms, two baths and a shower.

• Carla Campbell : Because there was no brave captain. There was no captain at all.

  Vittorio : Then what was he?

  Carla Campbell : One lieutenant, one sergeant and a corporal.

• Carla Campbell : He didn't go three years to school, and suddenly he's a writer. He's a journalist. Who appointed you to conduct the correspondence with my daughter?

  Vittorio : Somebody had to write. After all, she has no father.

  Carla Campbell : Huh. The one thing she's not short of is fathers.

• Gia Campbell : It's strange. Momma, I can't find one American who's even heard of poppa.

  Carla Campbell : How soon they forget.

• Vittorio : [as he watches Walter dance with Gia, and bends over to Carla at her table]  This is one of them?

  Carla Campbell : Mm hmm.

  Vittorio : [chuckling]  Hmh, hmh, hmh.

• Vittorio : [as Phil dances with Gia]  Him too?

  Carla Campbell : Mm hmm.

  Vittorio : [lowering his head to hide his laughter]  Hmh, hmh, hmh, hmh.

• Vittorio : [as Justin begins dancing with Gia]  The third one?

  Carla Campbell : Yes.

  Vittorio : Handsome man.

  Carla Campbell : Yes.

  Vittorio : He's well built.

  Carla Campbell : Yes.

  Vittorio : He's a fairy.

• Carla Campbell : [after listening to Gia's phone discussion in French]  And Brazil? You mentioned Brazil.

  Gia Campbell : I didn't think you understood French.

  Carla Campbell : Brazil is the only French word I know.

• Carla Campbell : I am only one woman, but my heart aches for three.

• Justin Young : Look at this place. How'd you manage all this on only a hundred and forty dollars a month?

  Carla Campbell : Well, I uh, I sometimes, I make sandals for the tourists.

• Carla Campbell : Oh, Justin, Justin. How many years I've been holding this inside.

  Justin Young : Darling, no scratching. It's very hard to explain.

  Carla Campbell : Oh, I missed you.

  Justin Young : B... b... biting isn't too good either, you know.

• Carla Campbell : Oh, Mrs. Braddock, I hope you will understand. I am very superstitious. Would you mind going out the back door?

  Fritzie Braddock : The back; door?

  Carla Campbell : Yes, I know it sounds silly, but we have a custom. When an unexpected guest goes out the same door he came in, it's bad luck.

  Fritzie Braddock : Oh, I never heard that.

  Carla Campbell : It's Italian. Crazy, huh?

• Phil Newman : Honey, listen, one of us has to be strong.

  Carla Campbell : I'm just a woman.

  Phil Newman : Now, I'll be strong enough for the both of us.

• Phil Newman : Carla, give me up. I'm no good for you. Oh, Carla look, I've got to go now.

  Carla Campbell : Maybe it's better.

  Phil Newman : Promise me one thing.

  Carla Campbell : Yes.

  Phil Newman : Promise you'll try to forget me. I mean, on a physical level.

  Carla Campbell : You think that's easy?

  Phil Newman : Oh, you'll make it. Crazy kid. Coraggio. Coraggio.

• Vittorio : Didn't I tell you?

  Carla Campbell : That's all I need now. Someone to tell me how he told me.

• Carla Campbell : I am only thinking of her.

  Vittorio : Oh, no, I know what you are thinking of. What you are always thinking of.

  Carla Campbell : I told you. Be careful.

  Vittorio : The fine Mrs. Campbell, eh? The buona sera Mrs. Campbell. That people should think you are something you know you are not. But I tell you, even the lowest peasant, the worst woman of the street would not put a child like Gia in jail. Not even for a minute to cover up a lie like this.

• Carla Campbell : You will get out of my house.

  Vittorio : Gladly.

  Carla Campbell : You will never again touch my grapes, my sheets or my truck.

  Vittorio : Delighted.

  Carla Campbell : You're fired.

  Vittorio : The sweetest words I ever heard.

• Gia Campbell : They arrested me.

  Carla Campbell : Oh, those crazy police.

  Gia Campbell : They said I stole a car.

  Carla Campbell : We'll sue them, darling.

  Gia Campbell : They said a woman called and told them.

  Carla Campbell : Oh, poor police.

  Gia Campbell : The same woman who took money from three men under false pretenses. Letting each one think he was my father. Making my whole life a rotten lie.

• Carla Campbell : There were three of you in ten days. And when I found out I was going to have a baby, what did you want me to do? Pick one of your names out of a hat?

• Carla Campbell : Okay, you want to be a father, toss a coin. Whoever wins, congratulations. Here's your first problem. Your daughter is not going back to school. She's running off to Brazil with a married man. Let me know how you make out.

• Carla Campbell : But to drive through these treacherous mountains at night, when you're so tired? It's been a long day. Have a good night's sleep, in your own bed. Then, in the morning, when you're fresh, that's when you should go... and find your dignity.

• Carla Campbell : [sighing heavily in learning about Gia's boyfriend]  A married man! Did you ever hear of a day like this. Only one thing can be worse than today.

  Vittorio : What's that?

  Carla Campbell : Tomorrow.

• Justin Young : Who's she?

  Carla Campbell : Rosa, my maid.

  Justin Young : [in an emphatically surprised tone in Carla being able to afford a maid solely on what he pays in child support]  Maid?

  Carla Campbell : Only comes once a week. Doesn't do windows.

• Carla Campbell : You don't know this town. How the fat fingers used to point.

• Carla Campbell : You're not going to drag your father's name in and out of married men's beds!

• Carla Campbell : Whatever you want to do I will understand. I'm so excited I can hardly wait.