M - Son of the Century is a sensational series

If we could already imagine that M - The Son of the Century was a great series, we couldn’t have predicted that it would actually be extraordinary. After a very long wait, which saw the start of production in April 2022, skipping more than one festival where it was expected, the show premiered at the 81st Venice Film Festival, with a Luca Marinelli unrecognizable in the role of the Romagnolo Duce, a role that could establish him internationally, perhaps even more so than the already well-known Martin Eden. The global soul of the series is intrinsic, directed by Joe Wright of Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, who, after meeting producer Lorenzo Mieli during the promotional tour of his Cyrano in 2021, showed interest in taking on a project that told a dark chapter of Italian history: the rise of the figure of Benito Mussolini as he became known in public life, but also delving into the private aspects. M - The Son of the Century is an adaptation of the homonymous novel by Antonio Scurati (which also had a theatrical version with Massimo Popolizio), the first of a trilogy that includes The Man of Providence and The Last Days of Europe. At this point, we can only hope to see Scurati's other novels in future seasons of the series, if confirmed.

M - The Son of the Century ends in 1925, having begun on March 23, 1919. The series narrates the spectrum of parties, roles, loves, and positions that Benito Mussolini held, presenting the rise of fascism in a deliciously pop and damn entertaining manner that, however, should not be intimidating. Not for its documented content, one of the murkiest periods in our public administration, which saw corruption, oppression, and violence rise to power, but for the so-called “Gomorrah effect” of the fascination with evil that an appealing package can provoke. Nothing could be further from the truth, as was the case with Gomorrah itself, since one should always confine products and phenomena to specific moments and contexts. On the contrary, the dark weight carried by M - The Son of the Century is impressive, digging into the filth of a party that, like those who turn disillusionment into cruelty, rode the wave of discontent that generated only more hate, more suffering, more disparity between those who wanted a modern, progressive, united Italy and those who merely sought to dominate. Starting even with honest dreams, of and for the people—let’s remember Mussolini was part of the socialist circle that so deeply disappointed and distanced him—but ending with a lust for personal glory, fame, and recognition above morality. What happens to many leaders: making people believe they’re working for the group’s benefit when, in truth, their only interest is their own.

What adds to the anger in the serial portrayal of an extreme right that led the country into a chasm that would require blood and sacrifice to heal is how the path was paved for Mussolini, how those who should have opposed him instead offered no resistance—though the reasons, difficulties, and mitigating circumstances should always be considered. By showing how many times Italy could have stopped him, but didn’t, M - The Son of the Century uncovers the truth and tells us that, when the stakes are high, blame must be widely shared. Wright’s series speaks to the present in a way that is impossible not to associate with what is happening in Italy (but also in Europe, the United States, and other Western countries). The director engages the audience by holding up a mirror to them, showing the rise of fascism from its first moments, from the early mistakes that allowed it to take power, and ultimately encouraging viewers to learn from the past. 

With the disaster unfolding before our eyes, Joe Wright’s direction creates a monumental piece of work, a reconstruction that has the strength of his professional eye and expertise in costume dramas, combined with one of the freshest, most incisive, and electrifying scripts in Italian serial television (and arguably in cinema). Davide Serino and Stefano Bises set the pace and rhythm of a Benito Mussolini who interacts with the audience, winks, utters slogans («Make Italy Great Again»), but also reveals his fears, his tricks, and his doubts. Wright shows Mussolini bluffing and makes him admit it openly through direction that captures the grandeur of the sets, the environments, and the performances; as the production becomes robust and grand, the integrity and humanity of the protagonist shrink.

Moving through the architectural forms elevated by the use of the camera, Wright entrusts the remaining charisma of his protagonist to Luca Marinelli, who loses himself in the physicality, voice, and histrionic smallness of the leader of the fascist movement. A performance of immense quality in its ability to shift tone within the span of a single scene, with a quick glance as he breaks the fourth wall and immediately returns to the era of the early 1900s. Disgraceful, cunning, sly, but also lucky and aware of it: all of Mussolini’s twists are mirrored in Marinelli’s performance, worthy of the highest praise. A tragic and theatrical character in a tragic and theatrical series that combines political reason and entertainment, Marinelli’s impeccable colleagues Barbara Nicchiarelli and Francesco Russo also deserve praise, along with an entire cast (including extras, supporting roles, and background actors) that is exemplary. With M - The Son of the Century, we are witnessing one of the greatest Italian series ever made, if not perhaps the greatest. But to crown it with this title, we will have to wait for its streaming release and public reception.