Vincere

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Milan, 1914, and a young Benito Mussolini (Timi), a spokesman for the fledgling Italian communist party, is allowed a few minutes to talk to a small gathering of politicos. He stands up, asks someone for a watch and announces that if God exists he will strike him down in five minutes. Among those waiting for God to act is Ida Dasler (Mezzogiorno), an impressionable young woman besotted with the fiery agitator, and it's through her eyes that Vincere unfolds. Dasler would go on to marry Mussolini and bear him a son but because he is already married with children, she is deemed insane and shut away in a mental institution as Mussolini rises through the ranks of the fascist party and takes control of Italy. Dasler remains convinced that her love will one day recognise her and their son, while Il Duce goes about systematically extinguishing her from his life.

Imagine Mussolini's life told through a Beethoven opera. Vincere's style attempts to reflect Mussolini's persona - it's loud, erratic, brash and fascinating. Dasler's infatuation with Mussolini mirrors Italy's love affair with the politician: believing in her heart and soul that this man is her country's saviour, she's in awe of him, quivers at his touch, listens to every word with her mouth agog. She patiently waits outside his office like a faithful dog until he's ready to see her. At one point she stops him in the street to tie his shoelaces - she might as well wash his feet and dry them with her hair. The Jesus comparisons don't stop there - when she's locked up and ignored by Mussolini, her only response to her treatment is, "He's testing me." She fell hard and fast for his charms, and so did Italy. It's hard to see why, though, as Mussolini is never anything short of a brutish mute here.

Fillipo Timi's depiction of Mussolini might be just an impression but it's a good one. This Mussolini isn't a character but a caricature - his dialogue is severely trimmed back with Timi forced to convey emotion through furrowed brows and piercing eyes. Playing his son, Benito Albino, Timi has as much to do and can't make his performance a memorable one. But this is Mezzogiorno's film and no can take that away from her. It's a perfect performance to keep the viewer onside despite the lapdog nature of Ida; she wrestles sympathy from an audience willing to get onside with someone in this cold film.