SLet’s get to the last appointment with the miniseries The long night – the fall of the Duce played by Alessio Boni, on air up tonight Rai 1 at 9.30pm. The final episode focuses on voting day Grand Council that made Mussolini and fascism capitulate. The night between 24 and 25 July 1943 that went down in history.
Dino Grandi (Alessio Boni) together with Galeazzo Ciano (Marco Foschi), the balance of the vote, convince the other hierarchs to take sides against the Duce. After that decision Benito was arrested by order of King Vittorio Emanuele III (Luigi Diberti) and a new phase of the war begins in the hands of General Badoglio. In this episode, director Giacomo Campiotti recounts the phases of that night hour by hour, almost as if it were a Hitchcockian thriller, with Dino willing to blow himself up if the vote went in favor of the Duce.
The long night – the fall of the Duce: the plot of the last episode
Mussolini (Duccio Camerini) he’s cornered. The country is in chaos, the allies are moving up Italy and Hitler threatens to abandon the dictator. Dino Grandi carries out its strategy seeking the support of Galeazzo Ciano, husband of Edda (Lucrezia Guidone), daughter of the Duce. And he the man who could tip the balance on one side or the other during the Grand Council. But is he really convinced of turning his back on his son-in-law? Dino is willing to do anything for his cause, even to blow up Palazzo Venezia with the two hand grenades that he keeps in his pocket on July 24th.
The countdown has begun. Dino also tries to convince the King to arrest the Duce, but Vittorio Emanuele III struggles to turn his back on the man he has supported for twenty years. Mussolini does not give in, he calls the Grand Council to ferret out the traitors. «Italy is mine and loves me. The war is not lost – he says – England will be destroyed, Russia and the Germans will form an alliance. I don’t give up: fascism is strong. The defeatists will be punished.”
Claretta Petacci (Martina Stella) he attempted suicide by ingesting barbiturates after the breakup of the relationship with Benito. The woman saves her life by the skin of her teeth and she wants to see her beloved “Ben” again at all costs. Now weak and incapable of leading the country and the war. Vittorio Emanuele III discovers that his son Umberto (Flavio Parenti) and Maria Josè (Aurora Ruffino) have been in contact with the Vatican and the ambassador to Portugal to seek the path to peace. For the first time Umberto has the courage to oppose his father’s ideas who doesn’t appreciate it and decides to exile the princess of Piedmont, the real driving force behind the initiative.
The long night of the Grand Council: the capitulation of the Duce
July 24, 1943, day of the Grand Council marks the beginning of the end of the regime. Dino writes a letter to Antonietta (Ana Caterina Morariu): «The situation is critical and I may never return». During the meeting, the Duce spoke again about possible war and resistance. Grandi wants to get his agenda voted on which would return military power to the King. The battle is between the Duce and Grandi. 9.30pm: Cyan he does not side with the president of the Chamber of Fasci, while the president of the Senate does. The assembly stops for 15 minutes, then we will proceed with the votes.
The Duce proposes to Dino the foreign ministry in a next Mussolini government, in exchange for the withdrawal of the agenda. But Grandi isn’t there, at Voting takes place at 11.30pm. Mussolini is cornered. The future of Italy depends on that vote: Ciano also takes sides against his son-in-law. On 28 voters counted 8 against, one in favor and one abstention. It is the crisis of the fascist regime. It is the end of Mussolini. Vittorio Emanuele III meets the Duce and has him arrested. The government passes into the hands of General Badoglio. Dino Grandi, however, decides to no longer participate in the political life of the country.
In the chaos, the love between Italo and Beatrice endures
Beatrice clashes with uncle Dino: «You don’t know the meaning of freedom. What have you done in power? This is the future you have condemned us to: you have left us only rubble». Dino forces his niece to leave Rome to return to Cremona, the city where her parents live. Before leaving, however, the girl must see Italo for the last time. Aunt Antonietta grants it to her: «Our dreams are worth more than a thousand words». Beatrice promises her beloved that she will return to Rome soon. Meanwhile, Italo and his companions from the Action Party find themselves in the middle of a shootout against fascists.
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