Guido Orefice (Roberto Benigni)’s Timeline and Summary
- In 1939, Guido's moving to the city with his friend Ferruccio. En route, the car's brakes go out. Quick aside: Do scriptwriters think brakes are made of biscotti or something?
- At a nearby farm, he bumps into a beautiful woman named Dora. Actually, she falls out of a barn, and he gallantly saves her from certain death…or maybe just a sprained ankle. Either way, gallant.
- Guido and Ferruccio move into Eliseo's house. Guido takes a job as a waiter.
- He goes to town hall to get a permit to open a book shop, but the guy in charge, named Rodolfo, is a jerk about it and refuses to help. What's he got against bookstores?
- Infatuated with Dora, Guido pretends to be a government official inspecting the school she works at.
- After seeing her at the opera, he tricks her into his car and drives away, which…yeah, that's creepy.
- At Dora and Rodolfo's engagement party, Guido rides into the party on his uncle's horse and rides out with Dora. So Benjamin Braddock, except with a horse instead of a bus.
- Years later, Guido and Dora are married and have a son named Joshua.
- Guido's opened his bookstore, but he's the victim of Nazi social oppression of Jews.
- At his son's birthday party, soldiers come and take him, Joshua, and Eliseo to the train depot.
- They're sent to a concentration camp, but not before Dora boards the train to ensure her family stays together.
- At the camp, Guido hides the danger of the situation by pretending the whole affair is an elaborate game. If they earn 1,000 points, they win a tank.
- The camp takes its toll on Guido mentally and physically. He works backbreaking labor all day in the factory, and he must always come up with new stories to tell his son.
- Sometime later, the Nazis realize they will lose the war and begin "cleaning up" the camp to hide the evidence of their crimes.
- Guido decides it's time to leave. He hides Joshua and tells his son that the game is almost over. If Joshua can stay hidden until everyone's gone, they'll win the game.
- Guido heads to the women's side of the camp to try to find Dora, but he's caught by a Nazi soldier.
- Walking by Joshua's hiding place, Guido winks secretly at his son and does a silly goose step march as one last joke between them.
- The Nazi solider walks Guido around a corner and shoots him.