Benito Mussolini January 1945 by Madeleine Mollier, a few months before he was captured and executed by Italian anti-fascist partisans, he stated flatly: "Seven years ago, I was an interesting person. Now, I am little more than a corpse." He continued: On 25 April 1945, allied troops were advancing into northern Italy, and the collapse of the Salò Republic was imminent. Mussolini and his mistress Clara Petacci set out for Switzerland, intending to board a plane and escape to Spain. Two days later on 27 April, they were stopped near the village of Dongo (Lake Como) by communist partisans Valerio and Bellini
The Man Who Lived at the Ritz the author's style, a "savor vivre" learned in Paris, perhaps, which makes these various modes cohere." "People" noted that "the ending ... is melodramatic, but the yarn is as easy to read as it will be to sit through the inevitable movie version". "The Man Who Lived at the Ritz" was adapted into a four-hour 1988 television miniseries starring Perry King as Philip. Directed by Desmond Davis with a teleplay by Gordon Cotler, it costarred Joss Ackland as Hermann Göring and Leslie Caron as Coco Chanel. Other cast members included Cherie Lunghi as Lili Gloebocka, David McCallum as Charlie Ritz,