ITALY Platform Face

Platform Face

Into Mussolini Speaks, an anthology of Italian newsreel shots released in the U. S. last week as a feature picture, has gone much extremely dim, blurry photography, but Il Duce comes to life, especially his face. Even Italians who sang Fascist anthems and cheered the preview in Manhattan last week, rocked with mirth at the Premier's rubbery platform face.

In scores of shots showing Signer Mussolini orating to throngs in Italy who also cheer (but do not laugh), the Dictator is seen:

P: Throwing back his head with a quick jerk and popping both eyes stark wide for emphasis.

P: Gesturing with the right hand about half closed, the forefinger making a circle with the thumb while other fingers are relaxed.

P: Seizing both his lips and tugging for a fraction of a second so hard that II Duce gives the impression of trying to tear off his own mouth.

P: Speaking with lips drawn so far back that they expose all the Dictator's teeth (no fillings) and form an approximate rectangle.

Obviously such facial gymnastics give maximum carrying power to the Premier's expressions, permit what he is saying with his face to be seen by people too far away to hear him. Significant shots: 1) the Dictator's completely self-effacing wife standing gracious and well dressed beside Il Duce, who seems genuinely unaware of her existence, at the marriage of their daughter Edda to Count Ciano; 2) Pietro Cardinal Gasparri, paying no visible attention as Premier Mussolini reads to him parts of the Lateran Treaty, and having to be energetically roused and instructed by a young Catholic cleric as to just where to sign the various copies of the Treaty.

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