Original subtitles

(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)

(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING) (UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)

(UPBEAT MUSIC PLAYING)

M: One, two, three,

four, five,

six, seven,

nine,

ten,

eleven, twelve,

thirteen.

- Enough. - Until twenty.

Sixteen.

- Seventeen. - Twenty.

(SCOFFS) Slothful!

You need to be fit to face the titanic challenge

of changing this country

of wimps and lead by example.

You're the Prime Minister, I'm in the shadows.

Put that down, come back. Arms.

No, I'm tired. And I'm also sick of putting up

this show every morning.

I command you to come back.

No. Do we read some of the press?

Yes.

Where do we start?

- From France. - L'ere nouvelle.

L'ere nouvelle.

L'honorable Mussolini...

The honorable Mussolini is extremely popular.

His disappearance would have the same consequences in Italy

as that of the disappearance

of Alexander the Great in the Greek world.

Alexander the Great.

Alexander...

(IN ENGLISH) The Telegraph.

(IN ITALIAN) "A decisive experiment,

the dawn of a new era."

(DISTORTED) "The semi-socialist system under which the country

had once struggled is finally gone."

"Of course, there was a revolution,

but it was a typical Italian revolution.

A bowl of spaghetti."

- MAN: No! - (GUNSHOT)

Go on, keep going.

"And the way the change has happened

shouldn't arouse too much concern

just because it was totally unconstitutional."

Read the American ambassador's note.

The American ambassador is great!

(IN ENGLISH) We're...

(IN ITALIAN) "We witnessed a beautiful

revolution of youths..."

Youths.

ROSSI: "With no danger, this is a revolution

full of color and enthusiasm."

Color and enthusiasm!

ROSSI: "We're having a lot of fun."

A lot!

(EXPLOSION)

(SIGHS)

Cesarino.

Cesarino?

The window.

CROWD: (CHANTING) Duce, Duce!

(WINDOW CLOSES)

I've got something.

What?

Here.

This is us.

We took the power with a handful of people in Parliament.

We're phenomenal, Benito.

Phenomenal.

M: As outstanding as we've been, we cannot sit on our laurels.

The world admires us, but we cannot slow down.

We gave ourselves a huge task.

To turn this country into a nation.

Flattery must not

- even touch us. - (APPLAUSE)

- Well done! Congratulations! - Thank you.

Thank you.

Finally a man of order.

Pure admiration surrounds me. I love it!

Did you say?

We gave ourselves a huge task.

We need ethics.

Everyone must feel proud

to serve this nation.

Nation that is the repository of all history...

- All future. - Yes!

ROSSI: All strength!

IDA: Miserable, coward!

Scoundrel! You filthy bastard!

Are you running away, you coward? Let go of me!

I'm Ida Dalser!

I'm the mother of his child! Let go of me!

I gave that bastard a son!

That crazy woman!

All love me and they let in the one who hates me.

These idiots.

ROSSI: I'll take care of Ida Dalser.

Get out first, go!

- So? - MAN: All clear.

MAN 2: There he is! Mussolini!

- Mussolini! - WOMAN: Long live the Duce!

MAN 3: Hail the Duce!

Good day.

Good morning!

Good morning, sir. Quinto Navarra, at your service.

WOMAN 2: Excellency!

Chairman!

- It's a pleasure. - Thanks.

Excellency!

M: Thank you!

We're going to work.

When did I hire you?

I am appointed by the Kingdom.

Good.

We can also hire staff

to iron your clothes, if you'd like.

- MAN 4: Sir, excuse me. - WOMAN 3: Remember me?

M: Thank you.

WOMAN 3: I sent you a letter, please.

MAN 5: Duce!

Get me the Chief of Police.

The chief is waiting inside.

- POLICE CHIEF: Excellency. - Excellency, my ass.

What happened is unacceptable!

What if that psycho was armed?

What if instead of insulting me,

she had shot me, threw a stone or stabbed me?

I don't know what this is about.

The madwoman in my hotel.

I'm not aware of it, but I'll check.

He is not aware of it?

But this is even more unacceptable!

What is more important than my safety?

I'm here for Turin, Excellency.

What about Turin?

Blackshirts burned down and stormed union offices,

Chambers of Labour, hunted down socialist leaders.

A massacre.

(BLOWS NOSE)

Excellency.

With all due respect,

since the March on Rome, some rowdies

see your designation

as a license to commit crimes.

How dare you?

POLICE CHIEF: They are minority groups, sure,

but they're, like, possessed by a sense

of impunity,

because of your...

Cursed dogs.

Revolutions are beautiful, liberating,

but you get stuck with revolutionaries.

Excellency.

Although they are Blackshirts,

I think we must answer with rigor.

The dead are countless.

The last one still nameless.

He was tied to a truck and dragged.

A Rule of Law cannot...

You are absolutely right.

I value your sense of the State.

I will take action myself, immediately.

- POLICE CHIEF: Thank you. - You're welcome.

(BLOWS NOSE)

- Thanks. - Sure.

Excellency.

What does that mean?

You need to get another job.

Good luck.

How long does it take to iron a pair of pants?

We took the government.

Italy loves me and no one is worthy.

The nation wants order, efficiency, safety from me.

Excellency.

Chairman.

It's the second act of the revolution, the hardest.

The most crucial.

The second act decides the fate of revolution.

But no one understands it.

(MOANING)

Well.

Some people sleep, some talk,

some drink coffee, some masturbate,

some kill with impunity. That's enough.

A SHAME FOR HUMANITY, EXEMPLARY PUNISHMENTS

ROSSI: Yes, comrades.

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Head of Government, Prime Minister,

Secretary of State: Honorable Benito Mussolini.

ALL: Hail to the Duce!

FARINACCI: Head of Government, Prime Minister,

Secretary of State, Honorable.

Anything else, Benito?

Don't piss them off, okay?

Comrades, fascists.

Comrades, I suggest you to empty your bowels and bladders,

because the bathroom is worth it.

Very soft towels and bergamot soaps.

You got a thing for bergamot, Duce?

(ALL LAUGHING)

(CHUCKLES)

Comrades, fascists,

I bring the government's greeting

to the backbone of our revolution.

I declare open the first meeting

of the Grand Council of Fascism.

And now reading out

the agenda.

Why don't we read this first?

Hmm?

- It's not on the agenda. - It must be.

"Hereby..."

FARINACCI: We made the revolution,

but the question remains unanswered.

- What question? - For whom

did we make it?

Only three fascist ministers.

You've taken all the most important,

and if we complete the cleanup,

we'll face exemplary punishments. No!

So, who did we make this revolution for?

ITALO: Everyone or just you?

I told you.

(SCOFFS)

Gentlemen.

My statements are an obligatory fact.

I'm the Head of Government.

I cannot remain silent in the face of a massacre.

Can I?

Can I?

And if you'd let me carry out the agenda until the end,

you'd find out that...

De Bono is appointed Chief of Police.

(APPLAUSE)

De Vecchi to the Treasury Department.

Ciano to the Navy.

And the list is long, gentlemen. There's plenty for everyone.

Everyone.

Everyone.

Everyone.

Balbo.

I demand that you

organize our Blackshirts

into a State military corps

directly under the government.

The fascist militia.

A personal army.

A military corps paid by the State,

but that answers only to me.

I make you General

and I demand order, discipline and obedience.

Gentlemen, we are no longer revolutionaries,

we are all servants of the homeland

and we will act accordingly.

Long live Italy!

ALL: Long live Italy! Long live fascism! Long live the Duce!

And this is done.

MARGHERITA: I want flowers everywhere.

A breath of fresh air, of change.

No more gloomy, dusty colors.

Everything must convey the idea of change.

We should keep a proper wardrobe for him.

He's improved, but there's still work to do.

- Madam. - What?

- Oh, you're here. - Yes, by accident.

But you two keep going, I'll be here in silence.

We'll continue later.

We have to make you worthy of the world.

The world judges me for what I've done.

Never sit on your laurels.

If we are here, it's because we never settled.

If I am where I am,

it's because I knew it was the right time to break through.

No one knows better than me

how fragile it is what I've achieved.

I'm moved by your gratitude.

And I, by your fixation on small things.

What's wrong?

You're the Chairman. The youngest.

Everyone acclaims you. What are you missing?

I miss that I'm this.

Socialists, liberals, Catholics

and us.

A lump of fly excrements.

And so? Liberals and Catholics support you.

- They do what you want. - For now.

Italy loves you.

Love comes, love goes.

Moments you don't catch, go away.

We need new elections.

I disagree.

That's fine.

Don't rush!

We have to consolidate your consent.

We'll go to the elections when we're sure to win.

(DOOR OPENS)

I know what to do.

Now, with your permission,

I have the Council.

Remember the position.

M: What position?

MARGHERITA: For my husband.

- Her husband. - MARGHERITA: You promised.

LIBERAL MINISTER: For this reason,

we liberals believe the highway should connect Turin, too.

Conceived like this, it will be memorable.

POPULAR MINISTER: For us Populars,

the route should slip slightly to the north.

Thus, it would be possible to link not only...

We can't go on like this.

We need a new electoral law.

No more seats that are given out

in proportion to the votes taken.

Let's have a fine majority law.

Highest votes are absolute majority,

and with the absolute majority, you decide.

Without wasting time.

It's a normal debate.

- Democratic. - It's dialectics.

It's dialectics!

It's dialectics! The nation cannot wait

for agreements, mediations, compromises. Am I wrong?

If you do not agree, resign.

Objections?

(INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

Good. Meeting adjourned.

And the highway?

We'll do it when we can go straight.

It's hard, Chiletta.

Sometimes exhausting.

You know how I am.

- Nothing gets me. - (KNOCK ON DOOR)

Government commitments call me.

These will be the best days of our life.

Yeah, I get it.

You always say that. When are you coming home?

(CALL DISCONNECTS)

Benito?

Thanks, Simone.

It's nothing, Mrs. Rachele.

When is he coming?

He didn't say.

What did he say?

That these are the best days of our lives.

My goodness, your brother's burning up.

DE VECCHI: My fellow members.

The Fascist Party's proposal is simple but effective.

Like all our initiatives,

- isn't it? - (ALL MURMUR)

(LAUGHS)

If you take 25% of the votes,

you get 65% of the seats.

- This is unacceptable! - (ALL SHOUTING)

It's a fraud!

Changing history requires bravery.

You must violate what is inviolable.

You must cross boundaries no one has ever dared to cross.

All we ask is governability.

MINISTER: Well said!

Please, colleagues!

What you call governability is dictatorship!

There will be those who scream, who will say it's unheard of,

and we may discuss it.

- MATTEOTTI: Dictatorship! - Let's discuss it!

At that point, it's done.

The inviolable was violated.

We could talk about how much, how, but the boundary is crossed

and so is no longer a boundary.

DE VECCHI: Let's discuss!

We refuse to discuss an inadmissible proposal.

- Be careful, Matteotti! - (MINISTERS JEERING)

- Colleagues! - Mr. Chairman, you heard.

This draft law is an insult!

What's between you and dictatorship? The Parliament!

Well.

(BOOING)

Please!

Fellow members, wake up!

This law is the death of us all and you support it!

The death of all of us, don't you understand?

No, they don't.

Catholics want to get out.

- But they agreed. - He's the problem.

M: There were good times when Catholics

didn't participate in politics.

(CHURCH BELL RINGS)

They didn't even vote.

The Pope didn't want.

Then he came along.

From his altar.

Good morning, Sturzo.

Sturzo, good morning.

Off to a good start.

My hands are itching.

Sturzo!

Morning, Mussolini.

Did you want to talk?

I did.

Here?

Don't want any witnesses?

(SCOFFS)

Sturzo.

Italy needs a strong government.

Backed by a solid parliamentary majority.

We have a nation to rebuild.

And the threat of the atheistic,

materialistic, socialist beast is real.

Remember, the atheistic, materialistic threat.

Your party's votes are necessary.

Without your votes, your values are also in danger.

In principle, the Popular Party and the Catholics

are not against securing a stable government,

and we are making the sacrifice...

The sacrifice?

I'll gloss over it.

But I'm missing the point, here.

Mussolini, the vote of one Italian out of four

is not enough to get an absolute majority and take it all.

You see, sometimes someone forgets it

out of convenience or fear,

that our values include freedom.

Italy demands to be ruled

and demands to be ruled by me.

If you're sure, why do you need to stack the deck?

Goodbye, Mussolini.

I'll change your mind.

Would you beat me?

Don't put me to the test, Sturzo.

If your people are in politics, they accept the risks,

don't interfere.

ROSSI: You can't.

You can't say "no more violence" one day,

then the next day...

And a priest!

Come on! You can't beat Sturzo.

M: Thanks, Cesarino.

I'm glad you're here.

ROSSI: That's why I'm here.

I know it very well.

Or I would have broken the crucifix on his deformed nose.

I'd have him sodomized by all his 110 members.

What are you doing?

Are you in my seat?

Just for convenience sake. I was sorting your correspondence.

Do you open my mail?

To save you the hassle. It's the same old stuff.

Beggars and lackeys.

People pretending to be your kin.

Women in love.

That's the incredible effect of power.

Ooh!

They love me.

Sure. Not now.

Margherita.

I'd say she's pretty pissed.

Wants a job for her husband.

And then this...

She insists.

- Who? - Ida Dalser. That crazy woman.

Your rise made her think she's due credit.

M: I owe Ida Dalser nothing.

ROSSI: To tell the truth,

when we opened the newspaper, she gave us some money.

Benito.

When did you send the baby's check?

She doesn't want money.

She wants to destroy me.

Make De Bono earn his salary.

I can't afford scandals right now.

Especially the kind

that makes the Church turn up their noses.

I have to take care of beating Sturzo up a bit.

What the fuck?

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWING)

It's true, the pen hurts more than the stick.

It hurts just as much,

discredits,

delegitimizes.

Scandalizes less.

And no one gets in the way.

Fascists are ugly, bad,

they torture, beat up. No!

No. Fascists write, nowadays.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

The lady is inside.

- In here? - Yes, sir.

What are you doing?

I'm not going in there.

RACHELE: Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come, thy will be done,

as in heaven so on earth, forgive us our debts...

M: Why didn't you call me right away?

How long has he been sick?

Would you tell me why you're here?

Where is Bruno?

He's home.

He's fine now, thank God.

God?

Thank the doctor, not God!

I thought it was flu.

He couldn't breathe.

No wonder. He had diphtheria! Bruno could've died.

Bruno could've died.

If he'd died, I would have killed myself.

You should have called me immediately, Chiletta.

Why didn't you tell me anything?

- Why didn't you tell me? - You're never here!

And you just say that we're living

the best days of our lives.

I didn't want to ruin the best days of our lives.

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be thy name...

- Let's go, come on. - I have to finish.

Let's go, Rachele!

We didn't even get married in church.

We didn't baptize them.

We believed only in ourselves and in our ideals,

and look where we are now, where they led us!

But I'm always in the same place.

M: Get out!

Get out of here now!

Get out!

I asked you to strike me dead some time ago.

If you exist, strike me, because I deserve it.

I'm still here.

WOMAN: Duce! Long live fascism!

ALL: Duce! Duce! Duce!

Come down!

- (THUDS) - (GROANS)

I'll give it to you.

ALL: (CHANTING) Duce!

Mrs. Sarfatti has been looking for you.

- Tell her I'm busy. - Already done.

- Call Rossi. - NAVARRA: Already done.

ROSSI: "Sturzo, the enemy of progress." (LAUGHS)

So, what did your people say?

Has the grey eminence come down to more gentle advice?

Not exactly.

He says that the attacks against him

are useless, that Catholics are used to

turning the other cheek.

(BOTH LAUGHING)

And those loyal to him are even more so now.

As long as Sturzo is here, the election law won't pass.

There's got to be room for negotiation.

What does he want in return?

Judging by his answer,

I guess there's no room.

Why? What did he say exactly?

- Exactly? - Exactly.

Exactly...

he said that your papers...

you can shove them,

respectfully,

up your...

In my?

Backside.

Did he say that?

No, "backside" is my euphemistic variation.

Oh, and then he said "amen."

Holy...

There is always someone higher up who decides, just go to him.

Even if he's God.

I want to talk to the Pope.

You can tell me.

It's between me and the Pope.

You can't talk to the Pope,

our Lord's vicar on Earth, like that,

you can tell me.

The vicar's vicar.

Only one thing is worse than priests.

Priests dressed as clowns.

- Excellency. - Eminence.

Eminence.

Eminence, since I am in charge, I feel a wound.

A great wound.

Like a phantom limb.

An umbilical cord that has to be sewn back.

I think that the State

has to do more for the Holy Roman Church.

For our Christian roots, for our eternal values.

God, homeland, family.

And how do you plan to sew this cord back?

Restoring the fellowship

between State and Church.

Explain yourself, Excellency.

Equalization of tuition fees

between state and religious institutes.

Reinstatement

of the crucifix in the classrooms.

Compulsory teaching of the Catholic religion

as foundation and completion of the elementary education

in every grade.

With teachers chosen by the ecclesiastical authorities.

No more taxes on seminary assets.

Did we sew this cord back?

Let's just say I'm pleased

to grasp signs of redemption in you, Excellency.

I see you suddenly changed.

Have you seen the light, Mussolini?

Do you believe now?

I believe.

I believe without a doubt.

I believe that categories no longer exist.

Socialists, Catholics, bourgeois.

There are those who are with me and those who are against me.

And being against me,

besides being anachronistic, anti-historic, anti-Italian,

out of date, stupid and minority,

besides all that,

is not good.

Because those with me tend

not to love who is against me.

Will you solve the problem?

You must have faith.

(TELEPHONE RINGING)

Yes?

Margherita.

What do you think I'm doing? I'm working.

We'll talk tomorrow?

How are you down here?

WOMAN: Huh?

I had quite a day today, Margherita...

I'm exhausted. You couldn't understand.

Of course I want to see you.

It's just...

Use the service stairs.

At least let's avoid gossip.

See you soon, bye. (KISSES)

Out!

- WOMAN: Your wife? - M: I wish.

I wish.

Get out, come on.

(CLAPS HANDS)

No! Leave the door open.

(ELEVATOR DINGS)

- M: Margherita. - Benito.

(CHUCKLES)

What are you doing?

Your suite.

Your smell.

You.

I missed it all.

I just had so much to do.

So much?

So much.

Now you got a minute for me?

Damn if I have it.

Hot chick.

- Mmm! - (GRUNTS)

What the fuck?

Disgusting.

Pathetic.

Avoiding me,

making me use the service stairs like a servant.

All this effort to hide your lame affairs from me?

There's nothing worse than blaming someone

for something they did.

I already have a wife to piss me off.

Don't compare me to her.

You're right, she's less fussy.

Ask yourself if you'd have made it this far without me.

I say yes.

You lie.

You lie, Benito.

I am the one

who created you.

I cleaned you up.

Dressed, educated, advised.

I taught you to use cutlery.

I bought you shoes.

Without me, you'd still be stirring up the stumps

of those wretched, bloodthirsty, orphans of the war.

(LAUGHS)

Why did you do that?

- Because I love you. - No!

Because you wanted my light to shine!

You confuse me with the ones you sleep with.

No, those ones ask for less.

You think you can do without me.

In bed and out of bed.

But I'm not like your wife

or that poor woman who gave you a child, Ida Dalser.

You need me.

I'll leave the door open.

I gave the position to your husband, you understand?

I don't need anybody.

- Long live the Duce! - Donna Rachele.

- Long live Rachele. - Hail!

Get down!

What are you doing? Come on!

WOMAN: Dear lady.

Thank you, but we cannot accept.

Thank you, madam. Let's go.

MAN: Long live Donna Rachele!

Don't ever follow us again or I'll call the police.

I just wanted to see the family who took my place.

Does your Dad love you?

Go!

IDA: Does he get along with Mom?

Go away or I'll have you arrested!

Say goodbye to your little brothers, Benito Albino.

Let's go, Mom.

Rachele, I don't know...

I don't know how this happened.

I know.

Rachele, it won't happen again.

- It will never... - (RACHELE SHOUTING)

It will never happen again. I promise.

(LINE DISCONNECTS)

Rachele?

What great news!

What the fuck did I appoint De Bono Chief of Police for?

What the fuck are you doing here?

What are you talking about?

The psycho went to Rachele with the boy!

Cesarino!

You have to solve this problem once and for all!

Benito.

Sturzo...

Is he dead?

Am I to think that this desire for me

to leave the party leadership is a command?

His Holiness has expressed a justified wish.

But does His Holiness realize that by doing that

it will seem that the Church supports

inhuman methods and ethics of fascism?

His Holiness.

Does he or does he not realize that this is our last chance

to control this man?

The silence, Eminence... This silence of the Church

kills more than Mussolini's beatings.

They kicked him out.

(SIGHS)

M: Gentlemen,

I would have preferred to entertain this assembly

on foreign policy issues,

on our place in the world.

I promise to do so in the next days,

if the Chamber will not have the whim today to die prematurely.

The debate on the electoral reform

has given the opposition a reason

to show up.

To mount an attack

against the political systems of my government.

(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)

They talk about freedom.

But what is this freedom?

No, let go of him! Let go of me!

Let go of me! Go away!

Is there freedom?

It is a moral-philosophical concept.

There are liberties,

but freedom itself

never existed.

- (SCREAMS) - Shh!

I am not, gentlemen, the despot who is locked up

in a castle with triple walls.

I walk among the people without any worries

and listen to them.

IDA: No!

(SCREAMING)

(PATIENTS SHOUTING)

Well,

the Italian people, so far, do not ask for freedom.

"Get us out of the barracks!"

"Give us water, not for bathing,

but at least to quench our thirst!"

"The malaria is killing us!"

No one

talks to me about freedom, statutes or the constitution!

No one!

President Sarfatti.

President.

This is the time

when the Parliament and the nation can reconcile.

(CAMERA FLASH POPS)

If this opportunity passes, tomorrow will be too late.

And you feel it in the air.

You feel it in your spirit.

EDDA: Dad!

M: Edda!

I was wrong.

The best days of our lives are those before us.

I also have to tell you

that your vote on the electoral law

decides, in a way,

your fate.

(GRUNTS)

No, please! Please, no!

Don't get your hopes up in this field.

Your fate

depends on your vote.

Democracy is beautiful, gives you a lot of freedom.

Even to destroy it.

When all is said and done, we'll abolish it.

Thank you.

(MINISTERS APPLAUDING)

(GASPS)

(SCREAMS)