I’ll Be Going Now (1991) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

The film is set in Rome, Italy, where it unfolds across urban locations including Augusto's restored home, a fashionable bar, and various city streets. The narrative also extends to a farmhouse in the countryside outside Rome, which provides a quiet contrast to the city's social bustle and represents an alternative space for Augusto's quest for connection and solitude.

• rome
• italy
• setting
• countryside
• locations

The movie is set in late 20th century contemporary Rome. The story references modern elements like TV talk shows and a bustling social scene, while the 18 years Augusto spent in a psychiatric clinic anchor the drama in a period when Italian society was grappling with changing attitudes toward mental health and family care.

• time period
• 1990s
• rome
• contemporary
• era

One central theme is aging and family, exploring how Augusto's return after 18 years reveals both the fragility and resilience of family ties. The bond between Augusto and his granddaughter Rosa highlights the loneliness and longing that accompany old age, while portraying aging as a catalyst for renewed human connection rather than merely decline.

• aging
• family
• bond
• granddaughter
• connection

The film examines independence through Augusto's struggle to rejoin life on his own terms, testing the boundaries of home, care, and autonomy. His presence forces his family, especially Carla and Rosa, to reassess their own needs and responsibilities. The narrative frames independence as a delicate balance between belonging and freedom, culminating in Augusto's realization that belonging may require letting others grow into their own lives.

• independence
• autonomy
• freedom
• belonging
• care

The film critiques the performative aspects of bourgeois life through scenes like the party at Carla and Giorgio's home and Augusto's televised appearance. Characters navigate appearances, reputation, and desire, often clashing with private realities. The contrast between public performance and private vulnerability drives much of the drama, highlighting how people protect themselves behind social fronts.

• social masks
• bourgeois
• performance
• appearances
• hypocrisy

Augusto Scrivani is a former bank manager who spent 18 years in a psychiatric institution before returning to Rome to reconnect with his family. Portrayed by Vittorio Gassman in a melancholy performance, he is calm and reflective but masks a deep longing for reconciliation and belonging. His return challenges the household's routines and forces his family to confront the limits of care.

• augusto scrivani
• vittorio gassman
• former bank manager
• psychiatric clinic

Carla is Augusto's daughter-in-law, portrayed by Dominique Sanda. She lives with her lover Giorgio and raises his two children, organizing the household and hosting social events. She embodies a modern, independent stance that clashes with Augusto's old-world expectations, creating a dynamic tension between dependency and distance that reflects changing Italian family structures.

• carla
• dominique sanda
• daughter-in-law
• independent

Alcide is Augusto's old roommate from the psychiatric clinic, portrayed by Elliott Gould. Now living with a prostitute in a farmhouse outside Rome, he becomes Augusto's companion and foil, offering blunt honesty and a different path from conventional family life. Their friendship, born from shared confinement, represents alternative non-traditional routes to care and companionship.

• alcide
• elliott gould
• friend
• farmhouse
• psychiatric clinic

Rosa is Augusto's 9-year-old granddaughter, portrayed by Valentina Holtkamp. A bright but lonely child who is bullied at school and faces the threat of boarding school, she forms a deep emotional bond with her grandfather. Her growing attachment challenges the adults to reconsider what family truly means, representing innocence, hope, and the profound human need for genuine connection.

• rosa
• granddaughter
• child
• lonely
• connection

The film carries a consistently melancholic tone, with Vittorio Gassman's raw, emotionally strained performance anchoring the drama in feelings of loss, longing, and quiet resignation. The pacing is slow, unfolding through character-driven interactions and small domestic incidents rather than high-drama events. The emotional weight is medium, dealing with serious themes of mental health and family estrangement in a restrained, observational manner.

• melancholy
• tone
• emotional
• serious
• restrained

Yes, the ending is bittersweet. Augusto loses the close bond with his granddaughter Rosa as she moves on with her life, but he ultimately accepts this natural progression. The conclusion delivers a poignant mix of sadness and quiet resignation rather than outright tragedy, a brief, meaningful connection that ultimately cannot overcome the realities of separation and time.

• ending
• bittersweet
• sad
• acceptance
• separation