The Fascist Regime modelled many of its symbologies on the world of ancient Rome. However, while considering cinema a formidable political propaganda tool, he produced only one major film set in ancient Rome: Scipione l'Africano by Carmine Gallone from 1937. The movie carefully follows the historical sources, but the cinematic language transforms it into a powerful metaphor of the imperialistic African wars promoted by the Regime in 1936. The ancient historical events are shown in such a way as to recall to the viewer's mind some crucial events of the fascist colonial politics. Thus, a narration apparently close to ancient sources becomes an implicit confirmation of Fascism as heir to Rome's greatness. The use of lights, profilmic geometries, shots, long shots, voices establishes a process of continuous identification between Mussolini and Scipio, between the Roman republic and the fascist State, between the fascist colonial conquests in Africa and the second Punic war.

Scipione l'Africano di Carmine Gallone. Fonti antiche, riscritture filimiche e ideologia fascista.

Roberto Danese
Writing – Original Draft Preparation
2022

Abstract

The Fascist Regime modelled many of its symbologies on the world of ancient Rome. However, while considering cinema a formidable political propaganda tool, he produced only one major film set in ancient Rome: Scipione l'Africano by Carmine Gallone from 1937. The movie carefully follows the historical sources, but the cinematic language transforms it into a powerful metaphor of the imperialistic African wars promoted by the Regime in 1936. The ancient historical events are shown in such a way as to recall to the viewer's mind some crucial events of the fascist colonial politics. Thus, a narration apparently close to ancient sources becomes an implicit confirmation of Fascism as heir to Rome's greatness. The use of lights, profilmic geometries, shots, long shots, voices establishes a process of continuous identification between Mussolini and Scipio, between the Roman republic and the fascist State, between the fascist colonial conquests in Africa and the second Punic war.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11576/2704710
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