Original subtitles

(INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

(INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

(CROWD CHEERING AND CHANTING)

PIAZZA BELGIOIOSO MILAN, OCTOBER 28, 1923

M: They said about us

that we were a fleeting thing.

CROWD: Duce! Duce! Duce! Duce!

M: That we had no ideology,

that we would only last a few weeks.

(CROWD CHEERING)

They're history's melancholic wankers,

that never understand history!

Twelve months, 12 glorious months

have passed since our triumphal march on Rome.

Do you think we will last 12 years?

(CROWD CHEERING)

CROWD: Duce! Duce! Duce! Duce!

(CROWD INAUDIBLE)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

(CROWD CHANTING)

CROWD: Duce! Duce! Duce! Duce!

Do you think we will last 12 years multiplied by five?

Twelve years multiplied by five?

...multiplied by five!

♪ Youth, youth Spring of beauty!

♪ In the hardship of life Your song rings and goes!

♪ For Benito Mussolini Eja, eja, alala! ♪

Benito! Benito!

(SINGING CONTINUES)

I can't bear to see you like that, come on!

It's a party. You said it.

No one thought we would last, but look at this! (LAUGHS)

You look like one of those melancholic kids

who are sad on their birthday.

- Maybe for the wrong gift... - M: I get it.

I get it, Cesarino. I'm neither melancholic nor sad.

ROSSI: Then what's wrong?

If you don't get it, then your intelligence is just a myth.

ROSSI: Come on, I've had a few drinks.

M: Get me Balbo.

♪ ...Mussolini Eja, eja, alala! ♪

Anyway, I know what's wrong,

I just wanted to hear it from you.

♪ ...I will face death With a smile

♪ Instead of facing dishonor!

♪ Youth, youth Spring of beauty ♪

(INAUDIBLE)

(DISTORTED)

(DISTORTED CHANTING) Duce! Duce!

(DISTORTED) ♪ For Benito...

♪ Eja, eja, alala! ♪

(SHOUTING)

Remind me why I made you

commanding general of the militia

and have the state pay you a huge salary.

For my valor.

To turn those ferocious beasts into soldiers.

Obedient and disciplined.

And to stop them from doing stupid shit!

Like beating a priest to death!

It got a bit out of hand,

but Father Minzoni was an open anti-fascist!

He talked to children about freedom!

I sell my soul to the Church to push the fucking electoral law

and your friends kill a priest?

- How stupid is that? - The law was passed.

It was passed because of me! Because of me!

And because of me we'll have so much power

that no one will take it away from us.

But if Italians are horrified and don't vote for us,

you can stick those up your ass. Do you get understand?

We need votes, enough with these deaths.

I don't want to risk it anymore. Okay?

That's enough!

(ALL SHOUTING)

♪ For Benito Mussolini Eja, eja, alala! ♪

M: A man of your caliber eavesdropping like a servant!

You're that interested in what's wrong?

And what is wrong?

You're facing that nasty thing that happens

at one point in our lives,

when we start putting numbers on things.

When we start putting numbers on things.

How many years do I have left?

How many summers? And Christmases?

(DECORATION POPS)

And no number is large enough to reassure us, right?

Because at this point of life

the numbers are hopelessly small, 15, 20, zero...

That's why you hate people who have fun.

Those who don't think about it.

But there's no other way, Benito. Since life is short,

we have to forget the end!

- Stop talking bullshit! - It's not bullshit!

- It's bullshit! You're drunk! - I'm not!

M: You're drunk, you fucking philosopher!

I have some horrible news...

I have some horrible news!

What? Tell me!

- You're breaking... - A tragedy!

The Jew!

The Jew.

Sarfatti.

What happened? He seemed... He seemed fine.

He was so happy with his new appointment,

he threw himself into it and neglected himself.

It's just scary.

Life.

(SNAPS FINGERS)

It's not fair.

I appreciate you being here.

Hmm?

I appreciate...

I appreciate your sympathy.

Ah, yes.

I was fond of him, somehow.

I feel sorry for you.

Nothing is keeping me here now, Benito.

I've decided to leave.

Leave?

Margherita.

Yes. Spain, Africa...

I don't know yet.

You can't leave. We have the elections.

- Women don't vote. - You're not just any woman!

You don't seem to see any difference

and I don't see any advantages.

I'm sorry.

Don't leave, I need you.

It's all so banal.

Grasping the value of things only once you've lost it.

Life, people.

Love.

Margherita.

Thanks for stopping by.

Forgive me, but for the Jews,

mourning is a profound experience.

I need to release my grief now.

Margherita!

You know the way out.

Good luck with the elections.

(PLAYING DRAMATIC TUNE)

She's presumptuous. Ungrateful.

I don't need her.

We will win. Hands-down! We will make history.

It's history that makes one immortal.

There you go!

Point one, the electoral program. Clear, simple, direct.

Public contracts for industrialists,

pay raise promised to workers, subsidies to farmers,

tax relief for the bourgeoisie.

Voting fascism has to be the solution to all evils.

Seem to be.

Never more than now, what seems must seem real!

RACHELE: May I?

At this point... "May I?"

What?

Isn't the maid supposed to do this?

I fired her, Benito.

What am I here for?

And nobody knows how to do things the way you like them.

Without consulting me?

You're the wife of the Prime Minister. Tell her, Cesarino.

You are a lady! Look! The maid!

You rule outside the house,

I rule in here. Is there a problem?

We're not who we used to be.

You better get used to it.

You never know.

Thank you, Lady Rachele. Thank you.

And congratulations on the new house. It's beautiful.

I did nothing. He did everything.

- I'll let you work. - Thank you.

The perfect wife.

Benito.

The law is a double-edged sword.

The winner...

The winner takes all.

If we lose, it's the end.

(SIGHS)

Maybe Margherita was right.

I should have been satisfied.

With the government, her...

But those who are satisfied don't make history.

Benito, we can't lose.

Victory is not in question, that's not the problem.

What's the problem?

I knew there was a problem and I knew you'd bring it out.

If we win, and we will,

who do we send to Parliament?

There are 360 seats, and we don't have 360 candidates.

- No? - No. Decent ones, no.

Let's face it, fascists are what they are.

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS)

- (INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING) - (MEN SHOUTING)

OFFICER: Front line, forward. On guard!

- Thrust! - (MEN GRUNTING)

- Thrust! Thrust! Thrust! - (GRUNTING)

Not bad.

FASCIST: Hail to the Duce!

Animal, you're a barnyard animal!

Not even that.

You're just an amphibious,

shapeless piece of organic matter.

You know what I mean?

Wood.

(SPITS AND LAUGHS)

Shit!

- Get out! - (CLATTERS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

Next dickhead!

Surname and name, dickhead?

Mussolini, Benito Amilcare Andrea.

- Benito. - Italo.

On your feet, everyone!

Sorry, but I don't listen to them anymore.

I skim on everything.

They're all such dickheads. Out!

Get out, come on!

You couldn't have given me a more thankless task.

He figured it out.

They're ignorant, undisciplined, arrogant,

and they have no respect.

There must be some good ones.

They're only good for beatings.

I need respectable people to stand for Parliament, Italo.

Respectable and possibly capable.

- (CHUCKLES) - We could have 360 seats,

but do we have 360 decent candidates?

These are those from today.

"He tackled the theme in a convoluted way.

He showed no ability to solve problems,

not even the most basic ones."

Athletic and not devoid of intelligence..."

- This one. - "But...

With a neurotic

and almost epileptoid temperament.

He's not a normal individual. He has no concept of balance."

This one has a willing spirit, but he is incapable

of even the most basic reasoning.

Then, schizoid traits. Uncontrolled aggression.

Kleptomania.

Sexual disorders.

Primitive disorders, still trapped in the anal phase.

What was I lacking?

- (LOUD HONK) - (ROSSI TRILLS)

M: Cesarino, have you lost your mind?

Shh!

(HONKS)

(TRILLING)

What's that bird doing there?

This is not a normal bird, it's the king of birds.

- It's a peacock. - I know it's a peacock.

What the fuck is it doing on my bed?

A wretched man brought it.

He says it's a little gift for you.

Fan it out for the Duce.

Fan it out.

He also brought these for your kids.

And a music box for Lady Rachele.

A wretched man.

Benito, an independent, left-wing democratic deputy.

(MUSIC PLAYING)

M: What did he want?

He wants to run with us, Benito.

A moron who gave us shit for years,

now, to stay in Parliament, he's willing to wear a black shirt.

A lousy turncoat.

He thought he could ingratiate himself

with a music box, shitty toys,

and a peacock that can't fan its tail.

- And you kicked him out? - Of course.

A lousy turncoat.

A wretched man.

- Doesn't he horrify you? - He disgusts me.

- Write it down. - What?

Jot it down, Cesarino.

Parasite.

- Should I write "parasite"? - No,

we'll keep that to ourselves.

Renunciation of their original party.

Oath of absolute allegiance to the Duce,

and total dependence on his will.

What is this?

What any candidate must do, if they want to run with us.

We open our list to everyone,

but on those terms.

Humanity is disgusting.

It's disgusting, Cesarino.

IL POPOLO D'ITALIA THE FASCIST NATIONAL LIST IS BORN

Duce! Duce!

Duce!

MEN: Duce! Duce!

(ALL CLAMORING)

Duce! It's me, Pedrotti!

M: Cesare!

Get to work! Come on!

Cesare! Cesare!

Divide them by category, and put each category

- in alphabetical order! - Cesarino.

There's an endless queue outside.

Is it what I think it is?

It's a nightmare, Benito. A nightmare!

Everyone is coming forward.

Not only deputies and members of congress,

but also city councilors, trade unionists,

brokers, bastards, and whoremongers!

- Good. - What do you mean good?

- Prime Minister. - ROSSI: Good how?

An entire population of opportunists,

lined up to hop on the bandwagon with the most likely winners.

You don't understand the importance of all this.

They deny their ideals,

and splinter their parties, They make themselves available.

It's a monumental act of political and moral destruction.

Don't you get it?

I get it, and I recognize that it is...

It's genius.

It's tragic.

And on this tragedy

we will build our triumph.

But those that brought us here,

the fascists, the real ones, how do you think they'll take it?

(ALL CLAMORING)

We need a second wave of beatings.

That's what we need.

Finish the revolution! Make a clean sweep.

Not take these transformists on board!

This way, we'll pollute fascism's original core.

Only those who sincerely and genuinely

share our ideas from the beginning can be on our lists.

Where were those cowards when we took down the old liberal whore?

They were where you were, probably,

shaking in an armchair.

- Don't you dare. - Gentlemen.

You're guilty as well, Balbo, you're guilty as well.

We're opening our doors to mercenaries, right?

While those valiant young men who fought for our ideas

are kicked out of our militia.

Yes, like the troglodytes from your neck of the woods.

Who the fuck are you to decide who's worthy and who isn't?

I'm the commanding general of the militia.

You're just a kid!

A General with chocolate medals.

And you want a more comfortable armchair for your flaccid ass.

Please, someone say, "Enough!"

Enough!

Enough!

Fascism is showing a shameful side.

Finally. Someone had to say it.

Low-level quarrels, personal jealousies, petty rivalries.

Petty, exactly.

FORNI: Scheming, double-dealing, trafficking.

A little taste of power was enough

to lose the purity of our revolutionary spirit!

We were supposed to kick out corruption,

but we just replaced it!

It's true.

FORNI: The fascist party,

this fascist party,

is no longer my party.

Forni.

M: Wait, Cesare!

Cesare!

Cesare!

Goddamn it...

- Cesare! - I'm in a hurry.

FASCIST: And... Where...

- What are you doing? Go away! - Of course.

FORNI: Benito.

M: Forgive them.

Come. Let's talk.

- Take a seat. - You take a seat.

Thank you. You said what I was thinking, earlier.

Man is a beast.

By his very nature he's unable to be content. He wants more.

He forgets the common good for personal interest.

He is overwhelmed by his worst instincts,

lust, greed,

individualism.

Unfortunately, fascists are no exception.

I believe...

I believe it has to do...

With death.

The fear of death.

FORNI: I'm not afraid of death.

Of course.

Present company excluded, of course.

Cesare,

fascism needs men like you at the top.

I've neglected you, and I was wrong.

But I was surrounded by prebends, prayers, beggars.

A true fascist doesn't ask.

A true fascist acts.

Especially now that we've opened up our lists,

the backbone must be straight, healthy.

Benito,

"This party is no longer my party" literally means

that I'm leaving it.

I'll present my own list, a list made only of true fascists.

A list against us.

A list that goes back to our roots.

To what we dreamed of, what we promised.

- An opposition list, Cesare. - It depends.

On where you stand,

Duce.

(FASCISTS SHOUTING)

ROSSI: Identity card, passport.

From now on, when you have to do something for us,

you're this guy.

I'm sorry, Dumini, you've caused too much trouble,

your old identity is irremediably stained.

(SIGHS)

"Bianchi Gino, son of Emilio and di Franceschi Fanni."

- Fanni. - Fanni.

"Born in Florence on January 3, 1895."

"Profession, freelance journalist."

I've always wanted to be a journalist.

Choose absolutely trustworthy men. Trustworthy.

To do what... exactly?

Let's say... special operations, okay?

Newspapers must be all kept under control, okay?

Opponents brought back in line, but... But discretely, Dumini.

Discretely, no outcry.

You show up at party headquarters,

and when the elections come,

around polling booths, and persuade...

M: We...

We pushed this country into war,

and led it to victory.

We shed our blood for the homeland.

Today we create the Fasces of Combat!

Today, March 23, 1919,

today fascism is born.

For the future, the vanguard, the revolution!

You remember that, right?

ROSSI: Piazza San Sepolcro.

Because sometimes I forget it.

(CLEARS THROAT)

But Forni doesn't.

That's who's going against us.

ROSSI: How?

He's going to present his own list.

I tamed them all.

The oppositions will present 21 lists,

and with the new law they'll hardly send

anyone to Parliament!

The Left has fallen apart,

unitarians, maximalists,

communists, third-party internationalists.

And who moves against me?

Who stands against me?

The most fascist of all fascists.

Come on, Benito, how many votes can Forni get?

Maybe enough to make us lose.

Just say the word, Duce, special operations.

No violence against one of us.

Let's find out what he wants.

We make him an offer he can't refuse.

- They're not all like you. - Smart?

Whores.

Benito, all smart people are whores. Trust me.

FORNI: You're that worried about elections?

Unfortunately, they have to take place.

And I admit that they bring out the worst in everyone.

We agree on that.

Cesare,

we're this close.

We've made everyone kowtow, by force, and by cunning.

We'll have the whole country in hand.

Democracy will give us absolute power.

And we won't need elections anymore.

We're this close.

We can't fucking split apart so close to the finish line, right?

We'll remake the country in our image and likeness.

That's the point. We're not a pretty sight.

You know, I agree.

But we need to be indulgent with those

who gave so much for the homeland,

and can finally see something coming back.

So...

What's in it for me?

(SIGHS)

We're all whores.

(M CLEARS THROAT)

Inspector of the colonial troops.

Ah.

A munificent position.

An army general's salary.

Plus a colonial house,

and women. Plenty of women.

- Plenty of women. - Lots.

With exotic, animal appetites.

You see?

That's how you also think now, Benito.

Of course not!

I just wanted to make sure

I couldn't make it without you!

And now that I've had yet more proof...

Thank you, Cesare.

Thank you.

We'll make a clean sweep.

You have my word of honor.

It's easier to keep things clean than to clean them up.

I won't withdraw my candidacy.

Nor my list.

Forni!

Who's not with me is against me.

I will not bend.

Who do you have to protect me from?

From any threat, Prime Minister.

Who would want to hurt me?

- I wouldn't know. - The socialists.

The socialists? They don't exist anymore.

Anyway, you're the most important man in Italy.

You have a lot of enemies.

My enemies are competing to get on my list.

You have to watch out for the people who are closer to you.

Remember that.

You should protect me from them.

Now get the fuck out.

Good night, Prime Minister.

Good night, Prime Minister.

From my friends and from myself.

Holy mother of God.

(PIANO NOTES PLAYING)

Will you play me something on the violin?

VITTORIO: She doesn't like it anymore.

She doesn't.

I don't like it anymore.

What? You don't like it anymore?

But if your father asks you to... Once he's finally here!

Rachele.

You don't like skirts anymore either?

No.

I like these. And fencing.

Fencing?

To beat you.

To beat me?

- I'm pretty good, huh? - I'm not afraid.

You are.

Ouch!

- Who do you love the most? - Myself!

Just like you.

(WHISTLING)

(WHISTLING CONTINUES)

RACHELE: Aren't you coming to bed?

What are you wearing?

RACHELE: It's a... How do you call it?

- Negligee. - Right.

Real ladies wear it.

If you don't like it, you can take it off me.

- Where are you going? - I'll sleep at the prefecture.

For security reasons.

You're going to that... whore.

(SOBS)

(DOOR CLOSES)

I need you.

As a mistress or as an advisor?

Both.

"Human beings are sad,

more attached to things than their own blood.

Ready to change their feelings and passions."

Machiavelli wrote it 400 years ago.

And it's only getting worse.

When you're pessimistic,

you're more unbearable than when you feel like God.

I've never felt less like a deity.

I'd be content to stand out among men,

but even that is hard for me.

How am I different from those who embrace me out of interest

cowardice, or convenience?

I was the first to open my arms to them.

I was the first to betray my values,

to tolerate the corruption of my principles.

To get more and more, to have it all!

MARGHERITA: And you did well.

I did well?

One of my men,

one of the best, is going up against me in the elections!

It's not you betraying fascism, Benito.

To want more and more,

until you take everything, by any means.

That is fascism.

They should be grateful to you.

Everyone.

You raised them out from nothing,

from the trenches they were dying in,

from the homes they couldn't stay in anymore,

from the scrap of history.

And look where you brought them.

They are the soldiers,

you are the General.

And only you know what it cost to get here.

Soldiers fight, they die, and they don't change their minds.

Generals have to make decisions.

And they have to win.

At any cost.

This is what your advisor has to say.

You can't have doubts now!

This is the time to take it all.

And then you make sure no one can take it away.

Do you want it or not?

Do you want it or not, Benito?

- I want it. - Then take it.

The list doesn't matter,

the traitors don't matter, the tough and pure don't matter.

Free yourself from this burden,

someone will always be disappointed.

Some will accuse you of changing,

because the others can afford to be only one thing. You can't!

You can't follow the rules of the world.

You're the one who makes them!

People won't vote for fascism, people will vote for you.

Benito Mussolini.

All of them, they can't wait

for someone to take care of their problems.

This is what your advisor has to say.

What about the lover?

Leave me.

Let me go.

We, who pushed the country into war,

and led it to victory.

We shed out blood for the homeland.

Today we create the Fasces of Combat!

For the future, the vanguard, the revolution!

Today fascism is born.

(CROWD CHEERING)

(DOOR OPENS)

DUMINI: I'm all ears, Benito.

Damn, nice shoes.

Thank you.

Are you happy with the salary we give you?

Very happy, Benito, thank you.

And there's a car always ready,

a paid hotel room wherever you go,

your rent here in Milan,

a permanent table at the restaurant, the bonuses.

We're treating you well?

- Very well, Benito. Thank you. - Hmm.

May I ask you something?

Of course.

A fascist feels free to openly take sides against me,

and what do you do, you jerk off?

You jerk off?

- But you told me... - What did we tell you? What?

What?

(DRAMATIC MUSIC PLAYING)

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(TRAIN WHISTLE BLOWS)

(GRUNTS)

(PEOPLE SCREAMING)

(FORNI SCREAMS)

Move!

(SCREAMS)

(PANTING)

M: Don't ever leave me.

You say that today, and tomorrow you'll push me away again.

You know that too.

(THUNDER RUMBLING)

IL POPOLO D'ITALIA VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

VOTE!

A VOTE AGAINST FASCISM IS A VOTE AGAINST THE NATIONAL CAUSE

VOTE!

NEW PARLIAMENT, NEW POLITICS?

VOTE!

ALL: Duce! Duce!

VOTE!

VOTE!

M: 4,650,000 votes.

We only needed to get more than 25%.

All we needed was one out of four Italians to vote for us.

Instead, we didn't even need the new electoral law.

Two out of three Italians

voted for me.

- They chose me. - DEPUTY: Long live the King!

374 out of 535 deputies are mine.

DEPUTIES: Long live the King!

- Long live the King! - Long live the King of Italy!

I salute the national militia

that completes the military forces of the nation,

with their voluntary commitment, these generous youths

who long to temper their enthusiasm

and faith with training in arms.

(ALL CHEERING)

I salute the generation of victory in the newly elected.

Where the fuck are the socialists?

- They're outside protesting. - They're protesting?

What do they want? Eight million Italians voted.

What do they want, goddamn it? We won democratically!

Democratically.

This is the last time we're holding elections.

Next time I'll vote for everyone.

(MUSIC BOX PLAYING)

Rachele!

Edda?

(ETHEREAL VOICE VOCALIZING)

Rachele!

♪ For Benito Mussolini

♪ Eja, eja, alala ♪