IL DELITTO MATTEOTTI (The Assassination of Matteotti) (122')
by Florestano Vancini
cast: Franco Nero, Mario Adorf, Umberto Orsini, Riccardo Cucciolla, Damiano Damiani, Vittorio De Sica, Renzo Montagnani, Gastone Moschin
Italy, 1973
4K restoration
carried out by Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia - Cineteca Nazionale
in collaboration with Minerva Pictures and RTI Mediaset
Introduced by Marco Dalla Gassa
The outcome of meticulous multi-perspective historical research with Lucio M. Battistrada, Vancini’s ninth feature film is as dense, tense, compelling and persuasive as an advanced university lecture. Adorf’s Mussolini is absolutely the best among those brought to the screen. Didactic but with passion, even in the mistakes, hesitations and acts of generosity of the opponents. (Morando Morandini)
Vancini develops an accurate and complex historical reconstruction from a multitude of perspectives, highlighting on the one hand Mussolini’s hesitation in wishing to break with Fascist squad violence and seeking an alliance with industrial leaders and the Vatican, and on the other the courage and the errors of his opponents, who are deluded into thinking they can stop the dictator by leaving parliament. They almost all pay with their lives. The tone is didactic, but there is great civil passion and tension in the storytelling. The casting is perfect: Adorf with perfect make-up is excellent, the director Damiani is Amendola. (Paolo Mereghetti)
