User reviews

I must say that I enjoyed this TV series, though some of my expectations were not fully met. The direction, acting, scenes, and transitions between storylines were all well-executed.

The Aldo Moro case is a significant part of the "Years of Lead," the period of political terrorism in Italy from the late 1960s to the late 1980s. It's clear that Aldo Moro was targeted by terrorists, making his case one of the most tragic episodes in Italian history.

The case remains unsolved, with many unanswered questions surrounding his kidnapping and murder. In "Esterno notte," however, these unresolved aspects and the controversial elements of the case are not fully explored. Instead, the series presents the story as a somber abduction of a political figure, focusing on Moro's democratic values and his Christian family in a more subdued manner.

While the series provides an insightful perspective, it does overlook the impact of US influence on Italian politics, particularly through the fascist elements in the military.

If you enjoyed this TV series, I recommend watching additional content for a fuller understanding of the case, such as related YouTube videos and the film "Aldo Moro - Il Professore." Consulting Wikipedia can also provide helpful background information.

Overall, I recommend this TV series and appreciate the efforts of the entire team for shedding light on Aldo Moro's case.

As for unanswered questions : 1) Why was an armored vehicle given to Aldo Moro? (Aldo Moro asked for the vehicle and all applicants got armored vehicles, except Aldo Moro.) 2) Who tried to show Aldo Moro as a lunatic guy after kidnapping? (Aldo Moro's letters were not letters written by a lunatic person. But he was getting angry because the government didn't want to start negotiations.) 3) What was the impact of USA? (US Foreign Affairs Secretary Kissinger's threat to Aldo Moro was not mentioned.) 4) Why did the Ministry of Internal Affairs showed a false place as a place where Aldo Moro had been kept? (Experts say that the place was not the place where Aldo Moro was really kept. The forensic results confirmed that claim.) 5) Why did the Pope changed his letter or Who changed the Pope's letter to the Red Bridgades? (Aldo Moro was very upset about the Pope's letter. It was below the expectations and didn't suggest an exchange between Aldo Moro and the arrested members of the Red Bridgades.)

As a result, we may find our own truth by asking this question "Who wanted the death of Aldo Moro?" Possible answers :

• The Christian Democrats may not want Aldo Moro's kind approach to the Communist Party of Italy. The death of Aldo Moro may create an anger in society against communists.

• The USA and the USSR don't want a coalition between the right wing government and communists. (Even the leader of the Socialist Party, Berlinguer had gotten a severe accident in Bulgaria before Aldo Moro's case. Was it an accident or the hand of KGB??)
• The high ranked fascist elements in the Italian Army were very unrest with Aldo Moro's negotiator position between the left and the right.

My answer is "All parties which didn't want a democratic Italy found a huge opportunity in the death of Aldo Moro! Enemies of democracy united for this tragedy!" And today the democratic Italy can't enlighten this killing even after nearly 50 years. Why?

Overall this mini-series (watched with subtitles) was a solid production that included some interesting overlay of actual footage within the show itself. The acting was generally very good, with a pretty effective result of look-alike actors (thanks to make-up) who portrayed their characters quite believably. There were a few instances of over-playing a part or when some scenarios came across as Fellini-like pieces, but the perspective and background of the various politicians and clergy gave it a good pace and perhaps better understanding of what it was like in Italy at the time. The political situation has not really improved much since then, as constant government changes and coalition collapses still define Italy's chaotic bureaucracy and unstable politics. Great period details like the delightful cars, especially the old Fiats, bring this 'old' story to new life. Very watchable for the most part although it could have been done in far fewer episodes, given the many repeated scenes that were re-shown several times. The Red Brigade is thankfully not made out to be 'martyrs' for their cause. And the politicians are also not shown to be without fault or guilt in the brutal outcome.

Film perfetto che descrive magistralmente l'odio terroristico delle BR (rappresentato perfettamente dai volti tesi di Adriana Faranda/Daniela Marra e di Valerio Morucci/il sempre grande Gabriel Montesi) w viaggia in parallelo alla raffigurazione della classe politica di allora. Tutto si chiude lì e tutto inizia lì. Esterno Notte è dramma che si trasforma in amore con delle performance magistrali di tutti. Un film semplicemente immortale.

I truly appreciate Bellocchio. His direction is dynamic and inventive, his topics always important. What I object to in this production is the portrayal of Aldo Moro as the pure among the bipolar and the corrupt. Moro was as responsible as the rest of his party for the political and social situation that created the conditions for the red brigades to come into action, he was not an innocent bystander whose life was all family and church. His hands were as bloody as andreotti's and it's a real shame that Bellocchio gave this one-dimensional account of his activities and of the reasons why the BR came to be at all.