Joe Wright’s new drama gives a theatrical take on the dictator’s flaws but there is so much more history viewers need to knowOn 3 January 1925, Benito Mussolini delivered the most important speech of his life to the Italian parliament. His career was about to be over. The body of the socialist deputy and his bitter foe, Giacomo Matteotti, had been discovered in a shallow grave near Rome and mounting evidence pointed to Mussolini’s responsibility for his murder. With the king, the old liberal democratic elite, the left and many of his own party pressing for his dismissal, Mussolini declared that everything – the fascist violence, the immorality, the turmoil into which Italy had sunk – was his fault, “because I, I alone, created it”. By the same token, he alone was the man “capable of dominating the crisis”. Parliament, stunned, sat silent. There was no voice of protest. The dictatorship was saved.Based on the first volume in a trilogy of the same name by Antonio Scurati and garlanded...
The article discusses the new TV series *Mussolini: Son of the Centurion*, which explores the rise of Benito Mussolini and the early years of fascism in Italy. Directed by Joe Wright, the series presents a dramatic and theatrical portrayal of Mussolini, emphasizing his narcissism, insecurity, and the violent tactics of the fascist regime. While the series takes creative liberties with historical details, it largely follows the broader narrative of Mussolini's ascent to power. The article highlights the series' depiction of Mussolini's flaws, his relationships with key figures like his mistress Margherita Sarfatti, and the violent suppression of opposition. It also notes the series' lack of subtlety and its focus on the contrasts between fascist barbarity and the resistance of figures like Giacomo Matteotti. The article questions whether the series provides a nuanced understanding of the historical context and the complexities of fascism, while also noting its relevance to contemporary far-right movements.
