
The March on Rome
2022

2011
Director
Marco Bechis
Runtime
75 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
Using astounding footage from the Luce archives (newsreels, but also true films) Il sorriso del capo/The Smile of the Leader shows how propaganda works, presents everyday life in its most revealing details, and describes a country's "education". Marco Bechis explores the feeling of consensus: he tells us where it originates, what tools are used to spread it, how it is opposed. The thread running through the film is a voice, enigmatic until the end, narrating in the first person what it is like to grow up under fascism.
Overall Score
Fair
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film is constrained by the social realities of the fascist era. There is no explicit evidence of LGBTQ+ character agency or specific identity-driven narratives within the archival selection.
Gender Representation
The film analyzes how gender roles are weaponized by totalitarianism to maintain order. It implicitly challenges the traditional gender hierarchies used to facilitate fascist consensus.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The archival material remains largely centered on the dominant ethnic identity of the era. The film's value lies in its critique of the homogeneity required by such regimes.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The film portrays traditional Western institutions and propaganda apparatuses as corrupt and manipulative. It functions as an anti-authoritarian critique of historical Western political structures.
Disability Representation
There is insufficient evidence to assess the portrayal of disability within the available archival material.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
Marco Bechis uses the Luce archives to deconstruct how fascist propaganda functions. By juxtaposing everyday life with state-sponsored consensus, the film transforms historical newsreels into a study of systemic control. The documentary's diversity is heavily dictated by its historical source material. While it lacks direct representation of marginalized identities like LGBTQ+ individuals or diverse ethnic groups, it excels in its cultural critique of nationalist fervor. Ultimately, the film succeeds as a sophisticated interrogation of power. It turns artifacts of oppression into a narrative that exposes the erosion of individual agency by the state.

2022

1962

2012

2003

1975

1982

2012

2016

2019

1977

2017

2017
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!
Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.