Name: Robbing Mussolini
Director: Renato De Maria
Released: 2022-10-26T12:30:00

Robbing Mussolini is an action-thriller set in Milan during the end of the second world war. The movie follows a group of thieves who use the opportunity created by the political situation to gain profit for themselves.

Story

Marcello and Amedeo intercept a coded message about a treasure being moved to Switzerland. The treasure belongs to Benito Mussolini and is currently hidden in the Black Zone of Milan.

Isola plans a heist to steal the treasure and expands the team by reaching out to experts in specific fields required for his plan. He has to face several challenges to get these new additions.

Isola is in love with Yvonne who works as a cabaret singer. Mussolini’s secretary, Borsalino, also has his eyes on Yvonne and leaves his wife for her. He offers Yvonne all the gold she wants if she escapes with him.

The team of anti-fascists and entrepreneurs gears up for the seemingly-impossible heist but Borsalino and his connections threaten their success.

Performances

Matilda de Angelis is the perfect casting for the role of Yvonne, the cabaret singer. Her portrayal of the character who remains level-headed amidst several conflicts adds an additional dimension to the film.

Isabella Ferrari plays the role of Nora who is the evil wife of Borsalino and threatens Yvonne’s existence and ruins the heist. She constantly looks like on the brink of losing her sanity yet becomes the most powerful opposition to Isola’s plan.

Pietro Castellito, Luigi Fedele and Tommaso Ragno certainly justify their roles through their performance and their complicated relationship as business partners who call each other a family. While Luigi Fedele and Coco Rebecca Edoghame’s chemistry did not get enough screen time, the short-lived couple left a long-lasting impression.

Positives

Robbing Mussolini handles two opposing themes with gracefulness. It constantly switches between the heist comedy to its grim anti-fascist theme. Whether it is the switch from an animated transition to a depressing description of where the gold was sourced from, the screenwriters follow the most appropriate time and pace.

Despite being set during a war, the movie follows an upbeat tone in most of the scenes and is fun to watch. In addition to the comic element, the romance will not disappoint either.

Negatives

Robbing Mussolini starts off strong with its political resistance theme but its potential deflates as it gradually succumbs to the genre tropes and focuses too much on the technique to have a soul of its own.

The ending leaves a sense of emptiness and feels rushed. The supporting characters are not given the resolution they deserved. Isola leaves his team in the black zone and leaves with Fabbri to rescue Yvonne. The movie sets up a decent character arc for its characters but fails to give them the ending they deserved. Even the death of Molotov failed to evoke the emotions it should have.

Verdict

Robbing Mussolini starts off strong but falls victim to the techniques of the genre. The ability of the screenwriter to make a war movie fun to watch is definitely commendable. Despite its flawed character resolutions, the screenplay and the writing make the movie worth watching.