Much has been told of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, but Marco Bellocchio's "Vincere" tells of another period during the Fascist's life. Or rather, not his life, but the existence of his first wife Ida Dalser. Played to a tee by Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Ida met Benito (Filippo Timi) back when he was the editor of socialist newspaper Avanti. It was right before WWI when the future Il Duce broke away from the socialists and established the newspaper Il Popolo d'Italia. Not only that, having gotten injured in the war, Mussolini dumped Ida and Benito Jr. for his more famous wife Rachele (Michela Cescon).
It this point, the movie shifts entirely to Ida and Benito Jr., while Mussolini is seen only in newsreels. It's as if Ida represents the common person in Italy. Whereas Mussolini used to be a common person, he suddenly becomes the distant, bombastic authority figure. Ida, meanwhile, is thrown into a mental institution. As her sanity deteriorates further and further, accompanied by the frigid weather, one gets a sense of what would soon happen to Italy.
I had never known about this whole part of history, but it's good that the movie is recounting it. Without a doubt, this story serves to show what a megalomaniac Il Duce was - to say the least. But above all, it's important that we learn about the past so as not to repeat the mistakes.
It this point, the movie shifts entirely to Ida and Benito Jr., while Mussolini is seen only in newsreels. It's as if Ida represents the common person in Italy. Whereas Mussolini used to be a common person, he suddenly becomes the distant, bombastic authority figure. Ida, meanwhile, is thrown into a mental institution. As her sanity deteriorates further and further, accompanied by the frigid weather, one gets a sense of what would soon happen to Italy.
I had never known about this whole part of history, but it's good that the movie is recounting it. Without a doubt, this story serves to show what a megalomaniac Il Duce was - to say the least. But above all, it's important that we learn about the past so as not to repeat the mistakes.