The Fascist (film)
Encyclopedia
The Fascist is a 1961 Italian
film
directed by Luciano Salce
. It was coproduced with France
. It was also the first feature film scored by Ennio Morricone
.
Fascist bosses gathered in Cremona (far upside Italy and well away from the line of fire) pick enthusiast militant Primo Arcovazzi (played by Ugo Tognazzi
) to take into custody professor Bonafe, a noted anti-fascist philosopher, from the rural location where he was confined in and to lead him to Rome (at the time controlled by the RSI).
Equipped with a motorcycle-sidecar combination Arcovazzi picks up the professor and heads towards the Eternal City; along the way the couple wrecks its vehicle to avoid running over a girl (Stefania Sandrelli
) who turns out to be a confidence trickster and petty thief; and, after having scammed the professor out of 150 lire
, she disappears.
Without a mean of transportation Arcovazzi asks help to a truckload of Wehrmacht
soldiers passing by, only to have his sidecar confiscated and to be made prisoner (along with his original prisoner) by the German forces.
Ending up in a nazi-controlled jail the couple makes good its escape thanks to an allied air raid
, donning German uniforms to pass unnoticed during the commotion but, while Arcovazzi is stealing a Schwimmwagen Bonafè tries to desert him.
The following night the two men stop to sleep in a barn where they rejoin the thieving girl; she is afraid but they instead ask for her help to kill a chicken they managed to steal along the way.
After having dined together the trio falls asleep; the girl wakes up first and leaves with all of Arcovazzi's and Bonafe's clothes and accessories (save for the vehicle).
Depressed by the events Arcovazzi tries to ford a stream, confiding in the Schwimmwagen's noted amphibious qualities but, due to previous damage or his own ineptitude, the German car sinks.
Reaching a village on foot Arcovazzi tries to ask for help at the local fascist party cell ("Casa del Fascio") where they only manage to find a couple of teenagers, armed and fanatized by fascist propaganda (which tried to mobilize even students and youngsters for its "cause") who, doubting Arcovazzi's sincerity, shower him with questions only a true-blue fascist can answer.
Arcovazzi's naive enthusiasm seems to finally pay off when he answers all of the boys' questions, but the last one leaves him in dire straits (being based more on historical knowledge of the Classical world rather than the agit-prop slogans Arcovazzi is at ease with); with the two kids' fingers on the trigger it's Bonafe (being a dean of humanist studies, thus knowledgeable in the subtleties of the Greek and Roman world) who comes to the rescue of his 'jailer', suggesting him the correct answer.
Confiscating a tandem bicycle
and a pistol Arcovazzi can resume his odissey, until the former bursts a tire.
Forced on foot once again Arcovazzi decides to stop at Rocca Sabina, home of (fictitious) nationalist poet Arcangelo Bardacci, whom he idolizes and whose writings (which he can quote verbatim) prompted him to become a fascist. Reaching the poet's house he's told by his wife that he went fighting with the Italian Army in Albania and died there. Bardacci however is still alive, having had a change of conscience, having embraced antifascism and biding his time hiding in the cellar until the regime he once endorsed finally collapses.
Arcovazzi is offered hospitality in the poet's house, where Bonafe discovers the truth and is allowed to escape in exchange of a promise of rehabilitation for Bardacci once things settle down.
Arcovazzi however manages to catch him once again, resuming the voyage towards Rome with his "captive".
Catching a methane powered pullman seems to alleviate the journey's difficulties, but during one of the frequent stops (albeit efficient, methane engines had very limited autonomy, needing many refills), Bonafe escapes for the n-th time.
Pursuing him Arcovazzi manages finally to recapture him, but the pullman is long gone...they finally manage to enter the outskirts of Rome in the dusk hours of early June, 1944.
Unbeknown to them the Italian Capital has just been conquered by the Allies. Groups of GIs were stationed in the squares, celebrating their victory and preserving public order. The couple is at first oblivious to the fact and manage on the way to cross roads with the young girl once again: Arcovazzi demands his clothes back but she mockingly offers him something "even better", a full fascist "Federale" uniform. Having been promised the "Federale" rank if successful in his endeavor Arcovazzi eagerly accepts and dons the uniform on the spot, glowing in the regalia he so long dreamed for, while Bonafe scoffs his head.
Passing along the deserted boulevards of Rome (it's still night) they hear the laughs and jokes of a group of soldiers which Arcovazzi at first believes to be German, speaking only Italian and not being able to tell languages apart; the more cultured Bonafe points out that the men are speaking in English, prompting Arcovazzi to dismiss them as POWs (as German troops had paraded allied POWs through Rome when they contained the Anzio
beachhead earlier in 1944).
But the POWs seem to be a bit too loud and relaxed and, after some inquiry, Arcovazzi is horrified at the discovery that he's, actually, behind the enemy lines (and dressed as a party boss, nonetheless).
The U.S. troops, however, treat him more as a curiosity than as an enemy, they cheer him and take pictures of him instead of shooting him on the spot (as the fascist propaganda maintained in depicting all allied soldiers as bloodthirsty brutes).
The reaction of Italian civilians, however, is wholly different; resenting the failures, the brutality and the empty boasting of fascism they throw themselves at him, menacing to lynch
him; Bonafe, who during the whole odissey has grown oddly fond
of him has to call on a partisan
patrol to save Arcovazzi from the mob.
The partisans, seeing his high-rank uniform, are however inclined to shoot Arcovazzi on the spot; seeing the spirits much too inflamed to be convinced otherwise Bonafe asks for a pistol and the dubious "honour" of shooting his former jailer himself.
Leading the wannabe-"Federale" behind a ruined wall he, throws the weapon away, helps Arcovazzi in removing the uniform which was about to seal his fate and lets him go.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
directed by Luciano Salce
Luciano Salce
Luciano Salce was an Italian film director and actor. His 1962 film Le pillole di Ercole was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comedy at the 67th Venice International Film Festival....
. It was coproduced with France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. It was also the first feature film scored by Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone
Ennio Morricone, Grand Officer OMRI, , is an Italian composer and conductor, who wrote music to more than 500 motion pictures and television series, in a career lasting over 50 years. His scores have been included in over 20 award-winning films as well as several symphonic and choral pieces...
.
Plot
The movie takes place in 1944, when Italy was divided between the fascist puppet state Repubblica Sociale Italiana (controlling the northern half of the Italian "boot") and the allied-occupied southern half.Fascist bosses gathered in Cremona (far upside Italy and well away from the line of fire) pick enthusiast militant Primo Arcovazzi (played by Ugo Tognazzi
Ugo Tognazzi
Ugo Tognazzi was an Italian film, TV, and theatre actor, director, and screenwriter.-Early life:Tognazzi was born in Cremona, in northern Italy but spent his youth in various localities as his father was a traveller clerk for an insurance company.After his return in the native city in 1936, he...
) to take into custody professor Bonafe, a noted anti-fascist philosopher, from the rural location where he was confined in and to lead him to Rome (at the time controlled by the RSI).
Equipped with a motorcycle-sidecar combination Arcovazzi picks up the professor and heads towards the Eternal City; along the way the couple wrecks its vehicle to avoid running over a girl (Stefania Sandrelli
Stefania Sandrelli
Stefania Sandrelli is an Italian actress, famous for her many roles in the commedia all'Italiana, starting from 1960s. She was 15 years old when she starred in Divorce, Italian Style, as Marcello Mastroianni's cousin, Angela.She was born in Viareggio, Tuscany. She had a long relationship with...
) who turns out to be a confidence trickster and petty thief; and, after having scammed the professor out of 150 lire
Italian lira
The lira was the currency of Italy between 1861 and 2002. Between 1999 and 2002, the Italian lira was officially a “national subunit” of the euro...
, she disappears.
Without a mean of transportation Arcovazzi asks help to a truckload of Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
soldiers passing by, only to have his sidecar confiscated and to be made prisoner (along with his original prisoner) by the German forces.
Ending up in a nazi-controlled jail the couple makes good its escape thanks to an allied air raid
Strategic bombing
Strategic bombing is a military strategy used in a total war with the goal of defeating an enemy nation-state by destroying its economic ability and public will to wage war rather than destroying its land or naval forces...
, donning German uniforms to pass unnoticed during the commotion but, while Arcovazzi is stealing a Schwimmwagen Bonafè tries to desert him.
The following night the two men stop to sleep in a barn where they rejoin the thieving girl; she is afraid but they instead ask for her help to kill a chicken they managed to steal along the way.
After having dined together the trio falls asleep; the girl wakes up first and leaves with all of Arcovazzi's and Bonafe's clothes and accessories (save for the vehicle).
Depressed by the events Arcovazzi tries to ford a stream, confiding in the Schwimmwagen's noted amphibious qualities but, due to previous damage or his own ineptitude, the German car sinks.
Reaching a village on foot Arcovazzi tries to ask for help at the local fascist party cell ("Casa del Fascio") where they only manage to find a couple of teenagers, armed and fanatized by fascist propaganda (which tried to mobilize even students and youngsters for its "cause") who, doubting Arcovazzi's sincerity, shower him with questions only a true-blue fascist can answer.
Arcovazzi's naive enthusiasm seems to finally pay off when he answers all of the boys' questions, but the last one leaves him in dire straits (being based more on historical knowledge of the Classical world rather than the agit-prop slogans Arcovazzi is at ease with); with the two kids' fingers on the trigger it's Bonafe (being a dean of humanist studies, thus knowledgeable in the subtleties of the Greek and Roman world) who comes to the rescue of his 'jailer', suggesting him the correct answer.
Confiscating a tandem bicycle
Tandem bicycle
The tandem bicycle or twin is a form of bicycle designed to be ridden by more than one person. The term tandem refers to the seating arrangement , not the number of riders. A bike with two riders side-by-side is called a sociable.-History:Patents related to tandem bicycles date from the late 19th...
and a pistol Arcovazzi can resume his odissey, until the former bursts a tire.
Forced on foot once again Arcovazzi decides to stop at Rocca Sabina, home of (fictitious) nationalist poet Arcangelo Bardacci, whom he idolizes and whose writings (which he can quote verbatim) prompted him to become a fascist. Reaching the poet's house he's told by his wife that he went fighting with the Italian Army in Albania and died there. Bardacci however is still alive, having had a change of conscience, having embraced antifascism and biding his time hiding in the cellar until the regime he once endorsed finally collapses.
Arcovazzi is offered hospitality in the poet's house, where Bonafe discovers the truth and is allowed to escape in exchange of a promise of rehabilitation for Bardacci once things settle down.
Arcovazzi however manages to catch him once again, resuming the voyage towards Rome with his "captive".
Catching a methane powered pullman seems to alleviate the journey's difficulties, but during one of the frequent stops (albeit efficient, methane engines had very limited autonomy, needing many refills), Bonafe escapes for the n-th time.
Pursuing him Arcovazzi manages finally to recapture him, but the pullman is long gone...they finally manage to enter the outskirts of Rome in the dusk hours of early June, 1944.
Unbeknown to them the Italian Capital has just been conquered by the Allies. Groups of GIs were stationed in the squares, celebrating their victory and preserving public order. The couple is at first oblivious to the fact and manage on the way to cross roads with the young girl once again: Arcovazzi demands his clothes back but she mockingly offers him something "even better", a full fascist "Federale" uniform. Having been promised the "Federale" rank if successful in his endeavor Arcovazzi eagerly accepts and dons the uniform on the spot, glowing in the regalia he so long dreamed for, while Bonafe scoffs his head.
Passing along the deserted boulevards of Rome (it's still night) they hear the laughs and jokes of a group of soldiers which Arcovazzi at first believes to be German, speaking only Italian and not being able to tell languages apart; the more cultured Bonafe points out that the men are speaking in English, prompting Arcovazzi to dismiss them as POWs (as German troops had paraded allied POWs through Rome when they contained the Anzio
Anzio
Anzio is a city and comune on the coast of the Lazio region of Italy, about south of Rome.Well known for its seaside harbour setting, it is a fishing port and a departure point for ferries and hydroplanes to the Pontine Islands of Ponza, Palmarola and Ventotene...
beachhead earlier in 1944).
But the POWs seem to be a bit too loud and relaxed and, after some inquiry, Arcovazzi is horrified at the discovery that he's, actually, behind the enemy lines (and dressed as a party boss, nonetheless).
The U.S. troops, however, treat him more as a curiosity than as an enemy, they cheer him and take pictures of him instead of shooting him on the spot (as the fascist propaganda maintained in depicting all allied soldiers as bloodthirsty brutes).
The reaction of Italian civilians, however, is wholly different; resenting the failures, the brutality and the empty boasting of fascism they throw themselves at him, menacing to lynch
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
him; Bonafe, who during the whole odissey has grown oddly fond
Stockholm syndrome
In psychology, Stockholm Syndrome is an apparently paradoxical psychological phenomenon wherein hostages express empathy and have positive feelings towards their captors, sometimes to the point of defending them...
of him has to call on a partisan
Partisan (military)
A partisan is a member of an irregular military force formed to oppose control of an area by a foreign power or by an army of occupation by some kind of insurgent activity...
patrol to save Arcovazzi from the mob.
The partisans, seeing his high-rank uniform, are however inclined to shoot Arcovazzi on the spot; seeing the spirits much too inflamed to be convinced otherwise Bonafe asks for a pistol and the dubious "honour" of shooting his former jailer himself.
Leading the wannabe-"Federale" behind a ruined wall he, throws the weapon away, helps Arcovazzi in removing the uniform which was about to seal his fate and lets him go.
See also
- Military history of Italy during World War IIMilitary history of Italy during World War IIDuring World War II , the Kingdom of Italy had a varied and tumultuous military history. Defeated in Greece, France, East Africa and North Africa, the Italian invasion of British Somaliland was one of the only successful Italian campaigns of World War II accomplished without German support.In...
- Allied invasion of ItalyAllied invasion of ItalyThe Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
- More Italian films about Italy during World War II since the chaos and double occupation of September, 1943: Rome, Open CityRome, open cityRome, Open City is a 1945 Italian war drama film, directed by Roberto Rossellini. The picture features Aldo Fabrizi, Anna Magnani and Marcello Pagliero, and is set in Rome during the Nazi occupation in 1944...
, PaisàPaisàPaisà is a 1946 Italian film directed by Roberto Rossellini, the second of a trilogy by Rossellini. It is divided into six episodes. They are set in the Italian Campaign during World War II when Nazi Germany was losing the war against the Allies, using themes such as the difficulty of communication...
, General della RovereGeneral della RovereGeneral della Rovere is a 1959 Italian film directed by Roberto Rossellini. The film is based on a novel by Indro Montanelli which was in turn based on a true story.-Plot:...
, Violent Summer, Long Night in 1943Long Night in 1943Long Night in 1943, The Long Night of '43 or It Happened in '43 is an Italian film of 1960 set during the Allied invasion of Italy in 1943 during the Second World War. It was directed by Florestano Vancini and adapted by Vancini, Ennio De Concini and Pier Paolo Pasolini from a novel by Giorgio...
, Escape by Night, Two WomenTwo WomenTwo Women is a 1960 Italian film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It tells the story of a woman trying to protect her young daughter from the horrors of war. The film stars Sophia Loren, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Eleonora Brown, Carlo Ninchi and Andrea Checchi...
, Everybody Go HomeEverybody Go HomeEverybody Go Home is a 1960 Italian film directed by Luigi Comencini. It features an international cast including the U.S. actors Martin Balsam, Alex Nicol and the Franco-Italian Serge Reggiani...
, The Four Days of NaplesThe Four Days of NaplesThe Four Days of Naples is a 1962 Italian film, directed by Nanni Loy and set during the uprising which gives its name. It stars Regina Bianchi, Aldo Giuffrè, Lea Massari, Jean Sorel, Franco Sportelli, Charles Belmont, Gian Maria Volonté and Frank Wolff....
, Salò o le 120 giornate di SodomaSalò o le 120 giornate di SodomaSalò, or the 120 Days of Sodom , commonly referred to as Salò, is a controversial 1975 Italian drama film written and directed by Italian director Pier Paolo Pasolini with uncredited writing contributions by Pupi Avati. It is based on the book The 120 Days of Sodom by the Marquis de Sade...