With 'Vincere' Bellocchio and his lead actors present a mature and thought provoking look at one of the most clouded stories of Fascist Italy's past with an uncanny sense of style and dramatic flair that is punctuated by the film's wonderful classical score and Giovanna Mezzogiorno's career defining performance, which is somewhat allegorical of the film as a whole, as like Italian society Dalser too was seduced and betrayed by the charm of the fierce and intelligent Mussolini. A remarkable film.

Returning to silent era spiritual expressions of emotional intimacy, Bellocchio sublimely directs the cinematically literate transcription of Mussolini's forgotten mistress in Vincere, setting her personal witnessing and struggle versus history against backdrops of the imposing social upheavals and film projections themselves. With a superb central performance from Giovanna Mezzogiorno, Vincere's themes and imagery are, in the past year, second only to Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.

"If Bellocchio's film were nothing but a recreation of a forgotten historical footnote, it would stand as an accomplished bit of work and the discussion would end there. But crafting a skillful period drama is only the beginning of the filmmaker's ambition." - Andrew Schenker

Vincere (which translates as "win" or "vanquish") is a triumphant combination of personal and political filmmaking.

80.500

Tough to follow at first, but once the story fully shifts its focus to Ida, it's a totally compelling history. And sadly all too believable.

The stylish but fragmented storytelling of the first half gives way to the riveting second half. The desperation and suffering of Ida Dasler, who had the great misfortune of falling in love with a man of such blind ambition, is played to perfection by Giovanna Mezzogiorno. I just have to single out that scene when Ida climbed the railings in the asylum during a snowy Christmas for being absolutely beautiful and heartbreaking.

The "history" here is so cinematic that it strains credulity, but "Vincere" is passionate filmmaking that loses some steam when Filippo Timi's inspired turn as Mussolini gives way to the real Il Duce of newsreels. Even if it isn't what you'll find in the history books, it's an insightful look into the insanity of a nation who had idolized a madman.

Not bad, but it's too long, it's kinda monotonous -- plotwise *and* visually -- and I don't believe a key element of the climax

The film looked good and was well-acted, but I found it too long and fairly boring to watch. Mussolini was a far more interesting character than his whiny wife. In the second half of the movie, nothing happened. He was gone and she remained locked up in an asylum for around 1 hour of viewing time. Very boring. I did enjoy the integration of real life footage to show how accurately the story was based on real life.