1901年1月27日,著名作曲家歌剧大师威尔弟去世,这也正是意大利北部两户家庭产子的同一天。阿弗雷德(罗伯特·德尼罗 Robert De Niro饰),富有的农场主的孙子;奥尔茂(杰拉尔·德帕迪约 Gérard Depardieu饰),贫穷的农户的孙子。两人从小就结下了友谊,然而因为地位阶级与出身经历的不同,注定了两人天壤之别的迥然人生。
What are you writing, Anita?
-We're not in school now.
-Give us a hand, Anita.
This is a people's trial.
What's there to write?
Comrades, what's done is worthy of being written down, and what is written down is worthy of being read.
Just a minute.
-Oh, look at our flags!
-All our flags together!
That one belonged to the Workers' League, remember?
Me and Rosina sewed them.
lt got bigger every year.
Olmo, l know we're ignorant, but how can we have a trial without a lawyer?
l bring you the accused and you ask me for a lawyer?
l mean, isn't that enough?
But we are the ones who caught him, not you.
No, you didn't catch him, either.
He surrendered to Leonito right after he saw his gun.