Fade to Black

Orson Welles:
[First lines, narrating, as graphic archival images of war and strife in Italy are shown] Oh, yes. The Second World War was quite a disaster for poor old Italy. Their Fascist leader, Mussolini, had teamed up with Hitler and thought he was on a winning ticket. Then, Benito was shot by Partisans and strung up by his heels in the local square... Now, in 1948, the country is still leaderless, broke, and heading for chaos. Sure, the rich are still rich... If you're not in furs, you're in rags. People are starving and disillusioned, and getting angrier by the day. Meanwhile, the black market is booming: with a fistful of lire, you can get yourself just about whatever you want.

Orson Welles:
[Still narrating, as a news photo of an assassinated aristocrat man and wife is shown - both shot in the head] If you still harbor a grudge or two from the war, it's a fine time to lay your mind to rest.

Brewster:
[Pete Brewster, Lucky Luciano and Luciano's henchman have driven Welles out to a deserted stretch of dirt road and forced him out of the car] You call yourself an American?

'Lucky' Luciano:
Listen - he's just another name on that list. I say we waste him. Let the Reds take the rap.

'Lucky' Luciano:
[Luciano's henchman punches and beats Welles, who falls to the ground. Henchman then approaches Welles and points a pistol to his head] You got somethin' to say about that, Mr. Welles? Somethin' smart?

Orson Welles:
[Thug, with gun to Welles' head, racks the slide on his pistol] Christ, Pete, stop him! You gotta' stop him!

Brewster:
[Coldly indifferent] I don't have to stop him. You heard what he said: you're just a name on a list.

Orson Welles:
[Welles, in pain, grunts and groans on the ground]

Brewster:
How can we possibly shoot you, when you played such a sterling part for Uncle Sam? You know that "list"... when we first planted it and you made such a big splash with it in the Press - well, it was more than I could have hoped. You know the best part? Originally, you weren't even on the list. You know why?... You're not that important. You were kind of an afterthought.

'Lucky' Luciano:
You're not worth the bullet, Mr. Welles.

Brewster:
[Welles, still on the ground, glares up at him] Don't judge me! The war never stopped. It just went underground. We simply have to win. Now, it's all about sacrifices, and whether you're tough enough to make them.

Orson Welles:
Maybe you made too many, Pete. I remember when you had a soul, not just a job.

Brewster:
You're entitled to your opinion.

Orson Welles:
It's a free country.

Brewster:
[Walking back to the car, leaving Welles lying in the road] F*** you, Orson.

Orson Welles:
F*** you, Pete. [Brewster and the others drive off, leaving Welles deserted in the road]

Tommaso Moreno:
[Regarding the impending change in Italian political leadership] Same sh*t, different flies.

Orson Welles:
[Last lines, narrating] And what in the end did I do? I made a crummy picture, and not a lot of difference. It's not as if things would have been any better had the Communists got in. "Same sh*t," as my friend would say, "different flies." Still, one HELL of a trip... So that just about wraps it up. And when people ask me if all this was true, well, like I say, if you're looking for facts, pick up the history book - just be sure to check who wrote it.

Orson Welles:
So tell me...

Tommaso Moreno:
The war... the facists brought people here to torture them

Orson Welles:
People... only ghosts, only ghosts

Tommaso Moreno:
Some of these ghosts, they won't lay down