Agnelli [DVD]

A compelling and insightful portrait of one of the most charismatic figures of modern history, Agnelli chronicles the dramatic and colorful life of Italian industrialist Gianni Agnelli, the world-renowned head of Fiat Automobiles. Divided into five parts, the 102-minute documentary covers Agnelli's eccentric childhood and emergence as a glamorous international playboy during the 1950s and '60s; the dark and turbulent "Years of Lead" in Turin, which tested the mogul's determination to act as a stabilizing force in the politically chaotic decade of the 1970s; the revitalization and prosperity of Fiat in the 1980s; and a string of emotional and physical challenges that crippled Agnelli prior to his death in 2003. The film features archival video footage and photographs, interviews with family members, high-society friends and his house staff, and insights from journalists and historians who put Agnelli's accomplishments and struggles in historical context. An insightful profile of a preternaturally charismatic figure, Agnelli brings viewers into the life of Italy's "crown prince" of industry, underlining the mythic nature of his place in the minds of the Italian people and the lasting legacy he left behind.