"American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace" debuts

July 15, 1997, Miami.

The Adagio in Sol minor by Remo Giazotto accompanies the daily gestures Gianni Versace from the moment he wakes up in his bed at Casa Casuarina. He gets up, wears slippers and a robe, and looks out on the balcony. Go downstairs and find the staff to welcome him with an orange juice and breakfast served next to the pool. He dresses, greets his partner Antonio, who is going to play tennis with a friend and goes out in turn.

Not far, on the beach is Andrew Cunanan. He has a red cap and a book about the history of Vogue and a gun in his backpack. He enters the ocean, tries to let himself be swallowed by the waves, but he cannot. Back to shore, walk, scream, he feels bad.

Gianni Versace and Andrew Cunanan.

The internationally renowned fashion designer and the chronic liar-murderer.

Two apparently distant lives, united by a skilful cinematographic assembly.

Two lives that collide and, together, implode.

Versace is returning to the gates of his home after buying some fashion magazines, Cunanan walks behind her, points the gun. Two shots start and for Gianni it's the end.

A flashback takes us to San Francisco in 1990, at the party during which the two met and, above all, leads us to discover what kind of person is Andrew. He is a liar with delusions of grandeur, unable to adhere to reality. He is a sort of Tom Ripley by Patricia Highsmith: a social chameleon able to play different roles depending on his interlocutors and circumstances. Any man poisoned by social envy, obsessed with those who, like Versace, have achieved fame and success.

After the murder Donatella and Santo arrive, divided between the pain of loss and the desire to preserve the family business, together with their brother's memory, both of which are undermined by the indiscretions about Gianni's personal life.

It's time for the press siege, FBI investigations and manhunting.

Thus begins The Assassination of Gianni Versace, second chapter of American Crime Story from the book Vulgar Favors: Andrew Cunanan, Gianni Versace, and the Largest Failed Manhunt in U.S. History by Maureen Orth.

It takes 40 minutes of the first episode (The Man Who Would Be Vogue) to be clear that it is not the Calabrian designer the real star of the show, but the twenty-six.

Not the murder, but the murderess.

And the choice works, at least for now, thanks to the excellent performance of Darren Criss who gives face and body to the boy became killer.

The premiere of the show leaves behind some hints as the homophobia of the society of the 90s, embodied by detective Scrimshaw; the conflict between Antonio D'Amico and Donatella; the ascent to the throne of the woman's house, a convincing Penelope Cruz. Will this points be developed during the next episodes?

For now, although sufficiently coated, well played and well packaged, the new season of ACS seems far from the quality of the first on the case O.J., which a couple of years ago has achieved a great success, winning, in addition, many awards and excellent reviews.