Vincere (C or 2/4 stars)
We all know how passionate (if dangerously so) Benito Mussolini was as a dictator. Who knew he was as passionate in the bedroom; as alluded to in this film, 'Vincere', an Italian drama based on the little known story of Benito Mussolini's 1st wife, Ida Balser. It is directed by Marco Bellocchio. Revealed in operatic proportions (melodrama, character study, booming musical score, cuts to archive footage, etc.) the story opens with a quick sequence in 1907 featuring the meet-cute (so to speak) of young charismatic socialist activist Mussolini (Filippo Timi) with the young, idealistic beauty salon owner, Ida Balser (Giovanna Mezzogiorno, In the Time of Love & Cholera) at a union rally. Events move us forward to the time right before WWI (1914), when Ida & Mussolini are formally introduced. Plainly put, they become immediate lovers (as evidenced in a long, incredibly sensual sex scene).
She becomes completely enraptured by him & eventually sells all her possessions to champion his revolutionary ideas & fund the development of the newspaper he works for. How's that for devotion? The two get married in a low-key ceremony & Ida gives birth to his first-born son, Benito. Mussolini leaves for war & returns a completely different man. Now scarily devoted to the fascist cause, he abandons Ida & Benito to marry his newest mistress, Rachele. Scorned, Ida then refuses to be quiet about her marriage/family, but Mussolini has his under men incarcerate her in a mental asylum; which is where she spends the rest of her life - living, loving, regretting, fretting, & dying. She doesn't go down without a fight, but disaster looms. Meanwhile, after having grown up to physically resemble his father (played by the same actor, as well), Benito Jr. winds up in a separate asylum. And mother & son were never to see each other again.
I loved the first 1/2 hour or so of 'Vincere'. The set-up, staging of events, the filming of them, the acting, the intrigue, the sex scene ... I was all into it. The film affords us an opportunity to see Rome (of the early 20th century) in a slightly different way. And though we learn little new of Mussolini, it's interesting to see this portrayal. As a portrait of obsession & madness, I think the movie does a decent job. Ida's obsession is - first - over Benito; secondly - to get back to her son. And Ida's madness is that no matter how nutso the asylum attempts to make her appear, she is always sane. She IS his 1st wife, but no one believes her; as her marriage records are gone. The madness is also Italy's -- a country that followed Mussolini's ever-growing Fascist regime into her disastrous alliance with Germany. The editing is stellar; weaving in & out of character relationships, jumping time frames, intermittent shots from inside the asylum, old newsreel footage of the Mussolini's stirring speeches - all to magnify the sexual & political ramifications of the time.
From a production standpoint, the film is lovely (moody cinematography, stellar sets/costumes & a flamboyant musical score). Performance-wise, the 2 leads are exceptional. Filippo Timi is strong, cold, calculating, yet, you see why - physically & theoretically - Ida could fall for him. And Giovanna Mezzogiorno is sensational, here; letting us see & feel her kaleidoscope of emotions. There is a scene in which the camera rests solely on her face for a lengthy duration (her demeanor goes from hopeful to sad to mournful to angry); and the evolution of the subtle emotions across her face is staggering. Mezzogiorno has astounding, classic beauty. And her performance is a brave one.
All that said, as I watched, I kept thinking ther'd be a lot more to the story. It's well acted, artful, dark ... but it's not about plot. And I became increasingly frustrated as it drew to its conclusion - one that would be both depressing AND provide little closure. I wanted more meat to chew on. You see, 'Vincere' is divided into 2 distinct parts (at least, to me). In the 1st part, both Benito & Ida are in passionate love with each other, as well as their political cause. But the 2nd (& longer) part focuses, quite redundantly, on Ida after Mussolini has kicked her to the curb. I don't understand why he dumps Ida. The narrative doesn't make any explanations. And there's no conjecture for his actions. It's a tough thing to ask for, though. Historians have failed to figure out the mystery of Mussolini's 1st wife for 90 years. So, from here on out, some of the magic left the movie. Overall, while I felt Ida's outrage, & I respect the film's strengths, & liked its blend of historical fact with operatic sentiment, it all only took me so far.
She becomes completely enraptured by him & eventually sells all her possessions to champion his revolutionary ideas & fund the development of the newspaper he works for. How's that for devotion? The two get married in a low-key ceremony & Ida gives birth to his first-born son, Benito. Mussolini leaves for war & returns a completely different man. Now scarily devoted to the fascist cause, he abandons Ida & Benito to marry his newest mistress, Rachele. Scorned, Ida then refuses to be quiet about her marriage/family, but Mussolini has his under men incarcerate her in a mental asylum; which is where she spends the rest of her life - living, loving, regretting, fretting, & dying. She doesn't go down without a fight, but disaster looms. Meanwhile, after having grown up to physically resemble his father (played by the same actor, as well), Benito Jr. winds up in a separate asylum. And mother & son were never to see each other again.
I loved the first 1/2 hour or so of 'Vincere'. The set-up, staging of events, the filming of them, the acting, the intrigue, the sex scene ... I was all into it. The film affords us an opportunity to see Rome (of the early 20th century) in a slightly different way. And though we learn little new of Mussolini, it's interesting to see this portrayal. As a portrait of obsession & madness, I think the movie does a decent job. Ida's obsession is - first - over Benito; secondly - to get back to her son. And Ida's madness is that no matter how nutso the asylum attempts to make her appear, she is always sane. She IS his 1st wife, but no one believes her; as her marriage records are gone. The madness is also Italy's -- a country that followed Mussolini's ever-growing Fascist regime into her disastrous alliance with Germany. The editing is stellar; weaving in & out of character relationships, jumping time frames, intermittent shots from inside the asylum, old newsreel footage of the Mussolini's stirring speeches - all to magnify the sexual & political ramifications of the time.
From a production standpoint, the film is lovely (moody cinematography, stellar sets/costumes & a flamboyant musical score). Performance-wise, the 2 leads are exceptional. Filippo Timi is strong, cold, calculating, yet, you see why - physically & theoretically - Ida could fall for him. And Giovanna Mezzogiorno is sensational, here; letting us see & feel her kaleidoscope of emotions. There is a scene in which the camera rests solely on her face for a lengthy duration (her demeanor goes from hopeful to sad to mournful to angry); and the evolution of the subtle emotions across her face is staggering. Mezzogiorno has astounding, classic beauty. And her performance is a brave one.
All that said, as I watched, I kept thinking ther'd be a lot more to the story. It's well acted, artful, dark ... but it's not about plot. And I became increasingly frustrated as it drew to its conclusion - one that would be both depressing AND provide little closure. I wanted more meat to chew on. You see, 'Vincere' is divided into 2 distinct parts (at least, to me). In the 1st part, both Benito & Ida are in passionate love with each other, as well as their political cause. But the 2nd (& longer) part focuses, quite redundantly, on Ida after Mussolini has kicked her to the curb. I don't understand why he dumps Ida. The narrative doesn't make any explanations. And there's no conjecture for his actions. It's a tough thing to ask for, though. Historians have failed to figure out the mystery of Mussolini's 1st wife for 90 years. So, from here on out, some of the magic left the movie. Overall, while I felt Ida's outrage, & I respect the film's strengths, & liked its blend of historical fact with operatic sentiment, it all only took me so far.