Illusion and Cagliostro, The Other Face of the Coin, Cola di Rienzo or the Obsession of Antiquity, and Mussolini or the Limitations of Showmanship Summary and Analysis

The surface of Italian life has many characteristics of a play or show: entertaining, moving, animated and engaging. The people are even more aware of this when they know they are being observed. For example, an Italian mother will care competently for her baby, but when she knows she has an audience, she will exaggeratedly fondle and coo over the child as if he is the center of the universe. This striving for effect is also witnessed in scenes such as the timid smile of a begging child, the majestic façade of a church...