M - Il figlio del secolo

Compelling plot, striking photography, excellent acting by Marinelli. Above all, a solid portrayal of a particular historical period.

Much more to be appreciated if you speak Italian, because Marinelli's performance is truly a masterpiece, both from a linguistic and human point of view. M is a winning example of how history should be represented in cinema: hard and raw, without unnecessary words or unnecessary events based on fiction.

I really recommend its viewing. However, do not expect a simple and straightforward viewing; the story is purely described, there is no shortage of harsh scenes and I felt like some stories missed some details.

What is interesting is that the meaning of some of the pictures goes beyond the simple political figure to the man, with his fears and weaknesses. Things that, of the figure of Mussolini, never really came out of that period.

Excellent cinematic work.

Based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Italian author Antonio Scurati, "Mussolini: Son of the Century" (M. Il figlio del secolo) is equal parts high stakes drama and historical sweep and pageantry, chronicling the early years of Italian Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini from his stint as newspaperman and combative revolutionary to the hallowed seats of the Italian parliament. Along the way the road is paved with bombast, fiery speeches, mercurial temperaments and personalities, sex (a lot of the "behind" kind), political machinations, violence and murder. Lead actor Luca Marinelli carries this rambunctious 8-Part miniseries ably as the balding and fleshy upnosed, arms akimbo, domineering and comically strutting Mussolini as he stomps his way from tenement to the halls of power. The solid supporting cast and realist script with an intellectual bent add quality and depth to this tale of chaos and disorder.

Oddly for all it's in your face noise and unyielding relentlessness the series is slow highlighting its lack of that artistic touch that graces cinematic greatness. The EDM soundtrack is a woefully distracting and misguided intrusion to this Jazz Age depiction. It's history. And what do you do when you're tackling serious history?

While no classic, "Mussolini: Son of the Century" is one of the notable television releases of recent times and a good watch for fans of history and quality TV in general. A panoramic glimpse at one of the darkest eras of human history and a potent lesson on the price of megalomania where at one moment one is speaking in front of adoring thousands from a balcony; the next one's corpse is hanging at the middle of a street above a seething crowd hellbent on revenge, so intent that when one's cadaver hits the ground the furious hellions kick one's face so bad that one's visage deforms sideways as if eternally wanting to kiss the ground it once ruled on. Take it easy.

For those who have any interest in history, politics, and lessons on human nature, this is the show for you. Seeing the rise of Mussolini in such a way - with Luca Marinelli frequently breaking the fourth wall to speak to us, his audience - keeps it captivating and really holds up to the meta spectacle of his character. Despite the seriousness of the topic, the biting sarcasm and amusing moments keep it entertaining, too. Of course, for anyone who's been following the recent global rise in certain political trends, they'll undoubtedly feel a little uneasy when recognizing the patterns in today's day and age. An impressive production, Luca Marinelli's portrayal of the famous Italian dictator is downright stupendous. A wholehearted recommendation to watch and be amazed by M - Son of the Century.

The english subtitles are a disaster. They look like automated translations not reviewed by someone who understand italian. For example "Margarita" (the name of a woman) is translated as "margarita pizza". Or "No, no" is translated "ninth", because in italian "nono" means "ninth".

Sometimes these bugs don't help comprehension. They mix up pronouns: "They kick it out" instead of "They kick him out". They don't take into account the formal you that in italian is she. For some complex sentences there is no analysis done by a human : "his husband".

An amateur job done by incompetents.

Such a magnificent work deserves better.

I mainly focus on the film aspects. Without getting too deep into it, I try to gauge how much truth versus mystification is presented. I don't align with either the right or the left.

This series is one of the most beautiful I have seen in recent times. Mussolini's dialogue with the camera is pure gold. The way he conveys his thoughts, mocks the viewer, and shares his confessions keeps you glued to the screen and makes you feel involved in the story. Marinelli is fantastic! Those who criticize him likely do so for reasons unrelated to his performance. Francesco Russo is superb, and Barbara Chichiarelli is perfect!