TotalTelly.co.uk
Devoted to Popular, Cult and Retro TV
Mussolini - The Untold Story [2005]
![Mussolini - The Untold Story [2005]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/514DXYNJ5QL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £14.99
Our Price: £3.82 (subject to change)
Mussolini - The UNTRUE story.
Review date: 2008-01-29 Rating: 4 out of 10
This mini-series is typical of mid-eighties american T.V. production. Expect lavish sets and costumes, combined with a nonsense script and lightweight acting.
The script had no credibility either in terms of European History or from the point of view of natural human interaction. George C. Scott was badly cast in the leading role, but I suspect deliberately so. It seemed to be the intention of the producers, to draw sympathy from the audience to the entire Mussolini family. By not showing the effects of his brutality they expect to get away with this. Well I'm sorry but there is no escaping the fact that Mussolini was a LIFELONG, sadistic, violent bully and NOBODY at the time thought otherwise. His family were complicit in what went on and had every opportunity to desert Il Duce had they wished to.
The worst performance, is what is possibily the worst representation of Hitler in existence. No resemblance in looks or character, wearing a scruffy uniform and a comedy moustache from a joke shop.
I felt Raul Julia and Gabriel Byrne acted well. However they couldn't pull off the impossible stunt of gaining sympathy for their characters. Who were clearly willing collaborators with a war-mongering, mass murdering, fascist dictator. Sorry, forgot mention that he was a serial adulterer and rapist, didn't I?
The series gains a second star, ONLY because no-one else has bothered to cover this period of Italian history.
There are of course no extras, because no-one would now dare to justify this shameful epic.
Similar Products
- Mosley - The Complete Series [2006]
- Disraeli - Complete [1978]
- Mussolini & I [1985]
- Lord Mountbatten - The Last Viceroy [1986]
- City of Vice - Series 1 [2008]
Reviews
Solidly acted work of entertainment
Review date: 2005-03-22 Rating: 10 out of 10
This was a mini series from 1985 and is presented here on two discs in compilation form, not in it's original episode form.
It's a series I thought bland at the time of first watching it, featuring far too much family background and concentrating less on the activities of the dictator. It was, however, a series that I'd remember every now and then and wanted to see again, thinking that it was probably a better series than I originally gave it credit for.
Having watched it on this release I was surprised by how good it actually is, more like an epic film than the TV programme it is.
It boasts an impressive cast, some of whom I'd forgotten was in it: George C Scott, Lee Grant, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Raul Julia, Gabriel Byrne, Robert Downey Jr, Gina Bellman, David Suchet.
Although it does have a lot of family related dialogue, it is a well constructed, very well acted drama and I found it all very engrossing. It lasts 5 hours 20 minutes and I watched it in one go.
It's not a 100% accurate version of what happened but it is a diverting piece of television.
DVD quality is okay but there are no extra features other than scene selection.
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
George C. Scott;Lee Grant;Raul Julia;Virginia Madsen;Robert Downey Jr.;Gabriel Byrne;Gina Bellman;David Suchet;Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio
Creators:
George C. Scott;Lee Grant;Raul Julia;Virginia Madsen;Robert Downey Jr.;Gabriel Byrne;Gina Bellman;David Suchet;Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (Primary Contributor)
Recording label: delta home entertainment
Manufacturer: delta home entertainment
EAN: 4006408941163
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 2
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2005-03-21
Audience rating: Parental Guidance
Running time: 320 minutes
Language: English (Unknown)
Language: English (Original Language)