Death and the dolce vita : the dark side of Rome in the 1950s

On 9 April 1953 an attractive twenty-one-year-old woman went missing from her family home in Rome. Thirty-six hours later her body was found washed up on a neglected beach at Torvaianica, forty kilometres from the Italian capital. Some said it was suicide; others, a tragic accident. But as the police tried to close the case, darker rumours bubbled to the surface. Could it be that the mysterious death of this quiet, conservative girl was linked to a drug-fuelled orgy, involving some of the richest and most powerful men in Italy? It was a crime that the newspapers, the public and one particularly determined detective wanted to get to the heart of. The short life and tragic death of Wilma Montesi was played out against a fascinating backdrop. By the 1950s Italy, in the wake of Mussolini's brutal Fascist government, was in the process of reinventing itself. And with the help of Hollywood stars such as Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, it seemed to be succeeding. Suddenly Italy, and Rome in particular, was the most glamorous place on earth. But the murder of Wilma Montesi exposed a darker side of Roman life - a life of corruption, cover-ups and carnal pleasures. In Death and the Dolce Vita the distinguished cultural historian Stephen Gundle uses the gripping and tragic story of Wilma Montesi to explore the fascinating contradictions of this most complex country. On 9 April 1953 an attractive twenty-one-year-old woman went missing from her family home in Rome. Thirty-six hours later her body was found washed up on a neglected beach at Tor Vaianica. Some said it was suicide; others, a tragic accident. Darker murmurs blamed her death on a drug-fuelled orgy that had gone horribly wrong. The crime gripped the nation. And some were determined to find out the truth of what had happened: the mystery took them from the capital's seediest back streets right up to the highest office in the land. Dolce Vita casts fascinating light on the myriad colours and contradictions of Rome in the 1950s. Stephen Gundle brilliantly portrays the Rome of romance, luxury and glamour; the Rome of flowers, fountains and Vespas. It is Rome as a film set- embodied by Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck in Roman Holiday. But the murder of Wilma Montesi exposed the other side of this beautiful city: carnal crimes, sex, drugs, corruption and endless cover-ups. Stephen Gundle picks his way through the evidence to expose the foul underbelly of Rome in the 1950s – a place of bitter hearts and broken dreams. By The 1950s, Italy Was In The Process Of Reinventing Itself And Becoming One Of The Most Glamorous Places On Earth. But The Murder Of Wilma Montesi Exposed A Darker Side Of Roman Life--a Life Of Corruption, Cover-ups And Carnal Pleasures. It Was A Crime That The Newspapers, The Public And One Particularly Determined Detective Wanted To Get To The Heart Of. Dramatis Personae -- Prologue -- Part One: The Body On The Beach ; The Rumour Mill ; Politics And Scandal ; Via Margutta ; Hollywood On The Tiber ; Girl About Town ; The Marchese Of San Bartolomeo ; New And Old Rome -- Part Two: Muto On Trial ; A New Investigation ; Via Veneto ; Piccioni's Alibi ; The Establishment Fights Back ; A Family Under Stress ; The Long Arm Of The Mafia ; Dr Sepe Reports ; The Venice Trial -- Part Three: The Rise Of The Paparazzi ; The 'sweet Life' On Screen ; Aftermath ; Keys To The Case -- Epilogue Stephen Gundle. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [355]-365) And Index. The true story of Italy's most infamous murder, and the scandal that rocked the country.Export price GBP12.99