Mussolini: The Untold Story (1985– )

This seven hour mini-series is based on the memories of Vittorio Mussolini, the oldest son of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The film opens in 1922 as Mussolini gathers his power ... See full summary »

Stars:

Spencer Chandler, George C. Scott, Lee Grant

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Spencer Chandler	...	Young Vittorio Mussolini (1 episode, 1985)

Storyline

This seven hour mini-series is based on the memories of Vittorio Mussolini, the oldest son of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. The film opens in 1922 as Mussolini gathers his power through the use of his Black Shirt militia. Promoting himself as Caesar reincarnate, Il Duce gains a national fervor that peaks after the Italian invasion of Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in 1935. In 1938, Mussolini attempted to promote peace at a Munich conference. Nonetheless he aligned himself with Hitler and drew his country into World War II. Of course, this led to his country's downfall and his total dishonor.

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Plot Keywords:

mussolini | abyssinia | tv mini series | rape | tyrant | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

USA Yugoslavia

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 November 1985 (USA)

Also Known As:

La historia secreta de Mussolini

Company Credits

Production Co:

Triangle Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

410 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Contrary to the popular myth featured in this miniseries Mussolini did not make the trains on time. Most of the repair work to the Italian railway system were done before Mussolini and his fascists came into power in 1922. Mussolini was just disingenuous in taking credit for those changes.

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Connections

Featured in Cinemania: I anodos kai i ptosi tou Nazismou (2008)

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Soundtracks

"Giovinezza"
by Salvatore Gotta and Giuseppe Blanc

User Reviews

This Is A Five & a Half Hour Program and Not Seven

Although it says here it is a seven hour title, I disagree. I recorded the series when it was broadcast in 1985/6, in the USA on a Betamax system, and it was five and half hours long.

I also recorded it in 1989 here in the UK on a VHS system.

The DVD is exactly the same running time today and is exactly the same program scene by scene.

Unless it was drastically cut by one and half hours before it was originally broadcast,I cannot see how it was seven hours long.

All three programs are exactly the same running length.

This does not detract from the program which I think is an excellent portrayal of a man who was corrupt, immoral, and blinded by his own power and ideology.

The acting by George C Scott and Raul Julia is superb,who demonstrate the differences between the two men.

Although not always historically accurate, it does provoke thought about WWII not just from the usual UK/USA & Germany angle, but to the situation in Italy which was still only a country 50 years old and full of conflict after the results of the 1st world war.

I would recommend this to any person interested in a different aspect to troubled period.