think it's interesting.
Very interesting.
- Court in session, then?
- Apparently.
- Are you bringing Valeria in?
- Yes.
Come in, Valeria.
Valeria!
You look great.
General, your imagination
is working well tonight.
She looks great.
Valeria.
When will you stop
walking the night, General?
It has been 40 years.
Court in session?
God, it's a bore.
Not altogether.
Who are you looking for?
You, old man! She's looking for Malmgren.
Malmgren the Immaculate.
Will your imagination stretch to that?
Don't call me old, Lieutenant.
Boy, it would stretch to anything.
Take your feet off my table.
Yes, Valeria.
Dr. Malmgren is arriving now.
Lovely.
We've got Saint Sebastian
in his working clothes tonight.
I'm cold, Nurse.
That's funny, Mr. Rindborg,
because I'm quite warm.
So they say. You wouldn't care to...
No, I wouldn't.
My temperature is rising, Nurse.
You're all such tigers
when you're safe in here.
Excuse me, Nurse.
I've just arrived here, l...
Wait in the dispensary, please.
Some people won't even knock on a door.
- My name is Finn Malmgren.
- Do sit down.
- I'd like to borrow...
- Name?
Finn Malmgren.
- Nationality.
- Swedish.
Surface worker or below ground?
I'm not employed
by the mining company, Nurse.
I'm a member of General Nobile's expedition.
Are you the famous explorer Malmgren?
I'm the only Malmgren on the expedition.
- I beg your pardon.
- There is no need to apologize.
- What do you want?
- Someone dropped the iodine bottle.
I wondered if you could spare some.
You seem to be very popular
with your patients, Nurse.
Will that do?
Thank you.
Goodbye.
Goodbye.
- When do you leave?
- Quite soon now...
but the pity is that we shall be
without Amundsen this time.
What is this Amundsen?
He's a leader.
And General Nobile, is he a leader?
A general is a leader by profession.
I like him a lot.
He has a terrible appetite
for anything splendid.
He wants to go to the North Pole
to see if he's as good as Amundsen.
Isn't that a bit silly?
To measure yourself against Amundsen?
Ambitious, not silly.
Is that why you're going?
No.
Why, then?
I don't even know your name.
Valeria.
I want to go because...
it has something to do with...
emptiness, loneliness...
beauty, and...
purity.
Is that all you're going to do with her,
hold hands?
My God, Malmgren.
You were a ghost when you were still alive.
- I've had it. I'm gone.
- On the contrary, Lieutenant.
You are tonight's prosecutor.
- Me?
- Yes.
Look, Nobile, if I prosecute...
I'll reach a conclusion.
- Exactly.
- Will Amundsen be coming?
You'll never reach a conclusion
without Amundsen.
Oh, boy.
There's your prosecutor.
He's pure in heart, is Dr. Malmgren,
and he'd skin you alive to prove it.
No, you are my prosecutor.
All right.
Well, then...
in the absence
of the great, good Amundsen...
I'll have Biagi.
Biagi. I'd almost forgotten Biagi.
I bet Biagi hasn't forgotten about you.
- No, sir.
- Biagi.
General.
Captain Zappi.
At ease, Sergeant.
Anyone else?
Nope.
Ready for takeoff.
It was Kingsbay, Spitzbergen.
4:00 on Wednesday, May 23...
1928.
- Visibility?
- 50 miles.
Well?
Over 20 knots.
We should be picking up the winds
coming off the high-pressure area.
In this position. Here.
- All engines at even revs, General.
- Cecioni!
Watch the oil pressure in number three.
- Yes, sir!
- Viglieri.
- Yes?
- Stand by to measure altitude.
Position, please.
83 degrees Latitude, 26 degrees Longitude.
Temperature: 40 degrees.
Start.
- Troiani?
- Altitude 500 feet.
Biagi, contact Kingsbay.
Speed: 57 miles an hour.
"The airship Italia...
"Commander General Nobile,
Royal Italian Air Force...
"is now proceeding
at an airspeed of 85 kilometers.
"Weather conditions satisfactory...
"with some overcast.
"Expected time of arrival at the North Pole...
"1330 hours, 24 May...
"1928."
That's all, gentlemen.
- Sir.
- Here's something more.
As of four minutes ago...