User reviews

If you like history, this film fits well, which covers part of the initial life of Italy during its fascist period. Benito Mussolini, as any dictator, violated Italian rules and existing constitution. The ways of doing of so-called Camiscie Nere (Black Shirts) can be also be seen in the film. They were responsible for kidnapping and killing the socialist member of the Italian parliament, Giacomo Matteoti (Franco Nero). Mario Adorf played the role of Mussolini and although he physically was not so fat as Duce, he played well and gave an idea of the dictator's character. Mussolini clearly did not respect the king (Vittorio Emmanuele III), manipulated his ministers and used to close the parliament any time he wanted. Serious investigations can only be made in a good constitutional environment, and that was Italy lacks. In addition, the existing parties were not in agreement to start a joint action against the government. Then socialists always had a lot to argue with the communists. One may compare Mussolini's dictatorship with existing ones at present in the world seeing this film. Personally I found several similarities in the fanaticism of fascist groups and the ways they render a cult to the personality of the leader. Vittorio De Sica was the star of the film, playing the roles as the representative of that justice lost when Mussolini took the whole power over the Italian society. Franco Nero, although he played a little, represented very well the figure of Matteoti delivering an aggressive speech in the parliament.

This film tells the story of the kidnapping and murder of Giacomo Matteotti, a Reformist Socialist member of the Italian parliament who was a thorn in the side of the nascent Fascist regime's side as he relentlessly exposed and denounced its crimes and the violence it used to stifle the opposition.

The film has only a minor fault: it is slightly pedantic; or rather, it can appear so. In this respect it probably shows that it was made in the 1970's, a period much of the westworld leaned to the left. In Italy the left has probably never been as strong as in those years, either before or after.

The fact that it was made in the 1970's, a period in which most of the westworld leaned to the left a lot, is probably onme for the reasons.

However, this can not erase its many merits. First of all, a stellar cast, composed of a great many of the best Italian actors of that time, beginning with Franco Nero as Giacomo Matteotti, especially in the long scene of his last speech in Parliament (one of the many high points in the film), and with Mario Adorf as Mussolini.

Its rendering of the events narrated is poignant. It rates high on historical accuracy (once again, in this respect the initial scene is excellent, in that it not only faithful to what happened, but it also recreates the venomous political atmosphere of the time).

The film ends up with being kind of a mixture between a crime story and a political thriller. Viewers feel involved because they realise that the things that were at stake at the time were liberty and civilisation, things that have an impact on all of us.

Looks interesting, and I can kind of follow it, but I have an old saved- from-VHS-to-DVD edition that has no subtitles file! Thankfully, it's not dubbed either, but I can't understand all the Italian, especially when they're arguing. I'll accept any language that Google Translate can handle to English. They're usually in a file with the extension "srt". (If they're not burned into the video track). Please message this account if you have one!

Minimum length? So much for brevity being the essence... . One, two, three. One, two, three. Five, seven. Is that long enough? No? Do some metrics. Where'd you come up with the magic number 10? Blank check information technology...

This film may or may not like for a variety of different reasons, but as far as I'm concerned, it's definitely worth seeing even just for the superb interpretation of the "Duce" by Mario Adorf. Personally, I do not like the film inasmuch it's clearly hagiographic, for the benefit of the "winners", as always sadly happens; the History doesn't earn any good: all the ills are attributed to the "bad and ugly" ones and all the merits are attributed to the "handsome (so to speak) and good" ones . Before viewing this film, I considered Mario Adorf a good character-actor, able to get by in the most disparate roles, but still as a side actor. Considering this role - not at all simple for a non-Italian, and what's more of Teutonic origin - I have gladly changed my mind and reconsidered his other interpretations with different eyes. The few scenes in which he appears - albeit dubbed by the equally splendid Ivo Garrani, that gives him the right dialectal accent - are beautiful cameos, and if I see this film willingly when it goes on TV, it is just to enjoy his interpretation. A performance that is certainly the result of a profound study of historical footage. He's never above the lines , not forced nor trivial. If I can push myself to the paradox, he is even more credible than Mussolini himself. It would have deserved - on that occasion in my humble opinion - the Oscar for best supporting actor. Bravo Signor Mario Adorf !