简介：TherewereveryfewcommercialfeaturefilmsmadeduringtheItalianfascisterathatwereasopenlypropagandisticasthisfamousdramaticpaeantotheBlackshirts.ThestorytakesplaceinasmallvillageinItalyinOctoberof1922,ontheeveofthefascist"MarchonRome",inwhichKingVictorEmanuelIIIwaspersuadedtoconsignpowertoBenitoMussolini.GianfrancoGiachettiisDr.Cardini,adoctoratthelocalpsychiatrichospital,whereastrikehasbeencalledbythelocalsocialists.Cardiniturnstothefasciststohelpavertthestrike.HissonRobertoroundsupfascistfriendstofightthosealignedwiththestrikersandthetown'ssocialists.Mario,Roberto'skidbrother,wearsthefascistarmbandthatreads"menefrego""Theyarenotnaughtywords,"hetellshislittlesister,"theyjustshowthatwefascistshavenofearofanything."Brawlsbreakoutbetweenthefascistsandthestrikersandtheyaregiventhe"castoroil"treatmentandforcedtoreturntowork.Moreconfrontationsoccurbetweenthefascistsandthe"socialistsubversives",whoareofcourseseenasathreattotheItaliansocialorderinthisvillage,amicrocosmicemblemofthenation.MorebattlesensueandinoneofthemlittleMarioisshotdown.Newsoftheboy'sdeathstrengthensthefascists'resolvetojoininthemovementtoformanewItaliangovernment.Thejourneywillrescuethenationfromtheclutchesofsubversion,socialism,communism.Dr.Cardinigoeswiththem."Today,nobodycanstayathome!Marioiswithus!"Onaverysimplistic,elementallevelthefilmsucceedsinrousingpassions,exactlyitsintention.Onanyintellectualormorallevel,thereisagreatdealtoquestionhere,ofcourse,especiallyinhindsight.Simplyasafilm,itisextremelyinterestinganddirectedeffectivelybythegreatAlessandroBlasetti,whogaveusterrificfilmslikeTHEIRONCROWN,PRIMACOMUNIONEandFABIOLA.In1937itplayedNewYorkCityattheBroadwayCine'Roma,anItalian-languagehouse,underthetitlePICCOLOEROEor"LITTLEHERO",atatimewhenmanyItalian-AmericansorItalianslivinginAmericaindeedsupportedMussoliniasasavioroftheItaliannation.　　　　Onitsreleasethefilmreceivedapositivereceptionfromcriticsforitsstylisticqualitiesandinnovativeapproaches,suchasrealisticcuttingandnativelanguageoftheactors,intunewiththeirsocio-culturalclass.Howevertheregimereceivedthefilmwithacoldnessorevenhostility,includingtopfilmofficialLuigiFreddi.Thisreflectstheinherentthreatofthefilm'sglorificationofthesquadristiatatimewhentheregimewantedtoforgetits"revolutionary"pastandtheFascists'defenseofthewealthyclassesandemployersagainsttheworkingclassesandtheproletariatthatIlDucehimselfhadalwaysbeenproudtoprotect.　　InRomeitissaidthatMussoliniprojectedthefilmatVillaTorloniaandwept.Howeverthefeaturestayedincirculationonlyafewmonthsandtheregimedidnotpublicizeit.AfterVecchiGuardia,Italiancinemaretrenchedintheapolitical,suchasthetelefonibianchi[whitetelephone]films,characterizedbyanabsenceofpoliticalandsocialissues.OnlywithItaly'sentryintothewarin1940wouldpoliticalfilmsagainbeproducedinthe"apologetic"vein.　　…