Watch Mussolini: The Untold Story

Mussolini: The Untold Story is a historical television miniseries created by NBC in 1985. It consists of six episodes chronicling the rise and fall of Benito Mussolini, the infamous Italian politician and Fascist leader who dominated his country's politics for over two decades leading up to World War II.

The miniseries stars George C. Scott as Mussolini and Virginia Madsen as his lover, Margherita Sarfatti. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio also appears in a supporting role as Edda Mussolini, Benito's daughter.

The show begins in 1914, with Mussolini working as a journalist and political agitator in Milan. Through a series of flashbacks, viewers are introduced to Mussolini's early life, including his turbulent childhood and his time as a Socialist, before he eventually abandoned the party and founded his own.

As he struggles to gain political power in the aftermath of World War I, Mussolini begins to cultivate a cult of personality that will ultimately lead to his ascension to the highest office in Italy. Along the way, he makes deals with powerful individuals, woos influential women like Sarfatti, and gains a formidable band of loyal supporters, known as the Blackshirts.

Through it all, Scott's performance as Mussolini is commanding and forceful, capturing the dictator's charisma and his ruthlessness in equal measure. Madsen, meanwhile, is captivating as the fiercely independent Sarfatti, a central figure in Mussolini's life who ultimately betrays him.

The show also does an admirable job of chronicling historical events, including the March on Rome, which catapulted Mussolini to power, and the signing of the Lateran Treaty, which cemented the relationship between Mussolini's government and the Roman Catholic Church.

But while Mussolini's rise to power is well-documented, the show's title promises to tell "the untold story". And, in many ways, it delivers on that promise. The miniseries explores Mussolini's personal life in great detail, including his relationships with various women, his dysfunctional family, and his strained relationship with his daughter, Edda.

It also delves into the inner workings of Mussolini's fascist regime, depicting the secret police and the concentration camps that were created to maintain his grip on power. Even Mussolini's final days are shown in great detail, including his capture and execution by Italian partisans, seen through the eyes of his loyal lieutenants as they flee towards safety.

While the show can occasionally slip into melodrama and the dialogue can feel stilted at times, the grand scale of Mussolini's story and the strong performances from the cast ultimately make it a compelling watch. The miniseries offers a deep dive into one of the 20th century's most notorious figures, shedding light on both his excesses and his charisma, and providing a valuable historical record of a tumultuous time in Italian history.

Overall, Mussolini: The Untold Story is a fascinating and informative miniseries that provides a detailed insight into the life and times of one of history's most complex and infamous figures.