FX’s intriguing dramatic series Trust continues with episode three airing on April 8, 2018. The series follows the Getty family, and episode three concentrates on the events immediately leading up to John Paul Getty III’s kidnapping. The episode titled “La Dolce Vita” begins with John Paul Getty III (who goes by ‘Paul’) partying with Martine (Laura Bellini), Jutta (Sarah Bellini), and their friends, snorting cocaine, drinking, and having a wild time during the photo shoot which eventually gets him in trouble with his grandfather. He leaves the shoot and runs outside to help protestors. Paul (Harris Dickinson) and his friends join the protestors in fleeing from the tear gas and smoke grenades.
Meanwhile, two men have a wealthy older couple tied up in their home. After forcing them to reveal the combination to their safe, one of the robbers accidentally says the name of this partner. After being named, Primo Nizzuto (Luca Marinelli) kills the couple to keep from being identified later. Primo then shoots his partner in the back of his head and lights the place on fire on his way out.
Paul’s delivered to Bertolini (Giuseppe Battiston) in the middle of nowhere. He’s transferred into the trunk of his car, all while apologizing for what he’s done.
J. Paul Getty has refused to pay a single cent to retrieve his grandson, claiming it would open the rest of the family to greater risk of being kidnapped.
While he’s stuck in the trunk of the car, Paul flashes back to painting Martine, naked. There’s very little food in the house and no one has any money. Paul claims they’re always broke but that love will provide. Jutta wants him to ask his mother for money, but he refuses. Instead, he’s going to sell the painting of Martine to Bertolini. If he doesn’t want that painting, then Paul has a backup plan: he’ll sell him one he just did of Bertolini’s dog.
Paul, Martine, Jutta, and Marcello (Luca Tanganelli) head over to the restaurant, all smiles as they greet Bertolini. Bertolini’s not impressed with the nude portrait but he loves the painting of his dog. He feeds the foursome but tells them this is the last painting he’ll buy.
Marcello follows Bertolini into the restaurant’s kitchen and receives what Bertolini claims will be the last drugs he supplies Paul until he pays him back with actual cash – not paintings. Marcello invites Bertolini to join them that evening. They’ll be hanging out with Roman Polanski, and Bertolini’s star-struck and eagerly accepts the invitation.
Back outside at the table, Paul seems to be the only one who’s happy about Bertolini joining them to see Polanski.
Later, Bertolini gets dressed to go out, giddy over the chance to meet Roman Polanski.
Paul and his friends hit the club, drinking, doing drugs, and dancing. Martine’s ready to go to Roman’s but Paul’s fallen into a bad mood after watching Martine and Marcello make out on the dance floor. Martine reminds Paul they’re “not into couples,” and returns to dancing with Marcello.
Marcello, Jutta, and Martine leave the night club just as Bertolini arrives. He calls out to the threesome as they leave, but they just laugh at him and ride off.
Paul, alone, heads off to the museum. Luigi (Elia Schilton) lets him in, even though it’s closed, and Paul takes up a seat in front of his favorite painting: Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness by Caravaggio. Luigi tells him the story of John the Baptist’s death and then carefully places a blanket over Paul as he falls asleep on the floor.
Bertolini pounds on the door and calls out for Polanski and Marcello, but they don’t let him in. He’s furious after stepping in dog poop and getting yelled at by strangers complaining about the banging noise.
The next morning, Paul returns home to find Martine in Marcello’s bed. Bertolini busts in, still furious from the night before. A crate is brought in and Bertolini says it will be staying with them in the house until he needs it. Bertolini then reveals that because Paul owes him money, he’s now in debt to someone else. Paul finally learns that Marcello has rung up a $6,000 bill by promising Paul will pay for his drugs. Paul wasn’t even aware of what Marcello was up to, but Bertolini tells him to do whatever he has to to get the money. He has one week or else…
After Bertolini leaves, Paul confronts Marcello. Paul assumed Marcello had his own money and was buying the drugs, but now he knows Marcello was just using the Getty name to run up debt. Paul yells that he has no money at all, but the threesome believe he can get it if he needs it. Paul reveals he’s always refused to ask his family for money and doesn’t want it because he hasn’t earned it.
Paul takes off without saying where he’s going. Marcello notices there are men outside watching the place. Nervous, Marcello, Jutta and Martine open the crate and discover it’s full of guns.
Paul arrives at his mother’s place and eventually tells her he needs money. He confesses he was stupid and got into trouble, and Gail (Hilary Swank) assures him they’ll sort it out. She offers him all she has which is just the rainy day money she’s been saving up.
Paul hates his mom’s new husband Lang Jeffries (John Schwab) and doesn’t take it well when he calls him a poor little rich kid who does nothing but wait for the inheritance to roll in. Paul calls his mom and Lang disgusting and then takes off in a huff.
Paul returns to his house and frantically searches for his passport. What his mom gave him will be enough to pay his way to England. There, he can ask his dad for money. He’s still upset with his friends as he leaves.
Flash-forward and Paul’s still in the trunk of Bertolini’s car. Memories of the photo shoot and of being with his grandfather flash through his head, and then Bertolini opens the trunk.
Paul’s hands are tied and he’s taken out of the trunk in a field of sunflowers. Bertolini and his associate won’t give him any water, and Paul apologizes again for everything he’s done. His hands are untied and he’s given back his shoes.
A car approaches and Bertolini fetches a gun from the car. Paul’s hood is placed back over his head and he’s told not to move as a car races up. Bertolini hands Paul over and his new captor removes his hood. Paul wants to know what’s going on and tells Bertolini this isn’t what they agreed.
Paul’s new captor, Primo, isn’t nearly as nice as Bertolini, slamming Paul into the car and tying his hands behind his back. When Bertolini reminds Primo his debt is now paid, Primo points out that J. Paul Getty refused to pay the ransom. The senior Getty said paying the ransom would put every member of his family at risk of being kidnapped.
Primo’s no longer offering Bertolini the agreed-upon payment and drastically reduces the amount, given the fact obtaining the ransom for Paul has just gotten more difficult. Bertolini claims there’s an American who’s offering more and then he pulls out his gun. He’s angry about this new deal and demands the full payment be placed in his car. Primo does it and then returns to his own car as Bertolini and his associate drive off leaving Paul behind.
Primo doesn’t rush as he removes a rifle from his car. He shoots at Bertolini’s vehicle and sends it spinning off into the sunflowers.
Paul follows Primo as they check out Bertolini’s vehicle. Bertolini is still alive but his associate is dead. Paul watches as Primo strangles Bertolini. While Primo’s still busy taking Bertolini’s life, Paul races off through the sunflowers.
Unfortunately, Paul breaks through the flowers right next to where Primo is patiently waiting. Primo makes him help place Bertolini and the other man into the trunk of his car and then tells Paul to get in with him. Paul doesn’t want to but after Primo threatens to kill him, he crawls in next to Bertolini.
Another flashback shows Paul meeting with Bertolini at the restaurant. He confesses he doesn’t have the money but knows how to get it. He suggests the kidnapping, claiming it will make Bertolini rich. Paul believes if he and Bertolini work on the kidnapping together, they will both wind up rich. Nothing can go wrong.
Bertolini swears he’ll kill Paul if the plan does go wrong.
After speaking with Bertolini, Paul returns home to let Martine in on the plan. Martine’s pissed Paul left her and reveals Bertolini’s friends attempted to rape her and Jutta. He reveals he’s finally going to use the fact he’s worth hundreds of millions to get cash from his family.
Martine, Jutta, and Paul work on the ransom note. They try to figure out how much to ask for and decide to leave the amount blank. Paul signs the ransom note, “I love you, Paul.”
Martine and Paul take a walk and he truly believes it will be no more than two weeks before they’re free and can leave. He asks Martine to marry him but she reminds him he’ll lose his inheritance if they marry before he’s 26. Paul doesn’t care; he just wants to be Paul and Martine and forget about the Getty part.
Martine agrees to marry him when he returns from being kidnapped.
Paul’s taken to a small room Bertolini has selected to hold the “kidnapped” heir until the ransom money arrives. When Paul tries to look out the window, Bertolini threatens to tie him up if he can’t stay out of sight. After Bertolini leaves, Paul tries to go out the window again but Bertolini’s man hauls him back down. (Paul sucks at staying out of sight and is easily bored.)
Paul goes stir crazy and turns his table upside into a make-believe boat. He does a shadow puppet show for his babysitter, and he’s really good at it.
A while later, Paul experiences cramps and asks for cigarettes. He tells his babysitter he needs cocaine or something because he’s getting ill. He nearly has an accident in his pants and barely makes it to the bucket. When the babysitter takes the smelly bucket out to empty it, Paul escapes out the window and runs away.
Night falls and Paul runs through the streets. He makes it to the club and dances, buying a gorgeous waitress a drink. (This is a repeat of the scene from episode one.)
Back to reality, Paul’s cozy in the trunk of the car with the smelly corpses of Bertolini and his associate. The car finally stops and Paul arrives at a farmhouse. There are now multiple kidnappers and Paul listens as they discuss burying Bertolini and his associate.
Paul tells them through his hood that his grandfather won’t pay. If that’s what he said, then they can expect him to carry through with that. Paul’s told not to worry. “They always pay in the end,” says Primo.
More on Trust:
- Exclusive Interview with Sarah Bellini and Laura Bellini
- Recap of Trust Season 1 Episode 1 “The House of Getty”
- Recap of Trust Season 1 Episode 2 “Lone Star”
- Recap of Trust Season 1 Episode 4 #That’s All Folks”
- Recap of Trust Season 1 Episode 5 “Silenzio”
- Recap of Trust Season 1 Episode 6 “John, Chapter 11”
- Recap of Trust Season 1 Episode 7 “Kodachrome”
- Recap of Trust Season 1 Episode 8 “In the Name of the Father”
- Recap of Trust Season 1 Episode 10 “Consequences”
