What if... Part 02

... what if Robert did less theater, taught less and spent a little more time in front of the camera? What roles would he play, or what roles could you imagine him in?

Here's another idea and it's definitely not my last:

What if he had been in Peaky Blinders? This is how I imagine it:

Robert is Vittorio Mancini, known as Il Corvo, traveled to Birmingham in 1921. With a dark coat around his shoulders and his cap pulled low over his face, he wandered through the foggy streets of the industrial city. The foggy haze seemed like a memory from another life. A life he had left behind while walking the streets of Palermo, knowing the shadows of the powerful and the horrors of the underworld.

His mission was clear: stabilize the Sicilian smuggling ring, which was threatened by internal traitors. The only way to maintain his influence was the upcoming meeting with Thomas Shelby, the feared leader of the Peaky Blinders. This meeting promised danger but also the opportunity to gain power. Vittorio knew that he had to be on the right side to avoid becoming a target himself.

The two men met at the hottest club in town. Thomas, who always looked like a businessman in the midst of chaos in his expensive suits, smiled with the coldness of winter. Vittorio, whose steady eyes quickly grasped the essence of people, remained calm and observant. Between them lay a silence of respect, expressed only by a glance or a nod.

“You're in a tight spot,” Thomas began, unfolding a fake map that showed the city's rivers and streets in detail. “We know who you are and what you're planning.”

Those few sentences sealed the beginning of their partnership, and their business flourished. While Thomas orchestrated the Peaky Blinders to eliminate their rivals, Vittorio was the silent strategist pulling the strings behind the scenes. Weapon shipments from Italy found their way to Birmingham, while opium and alcohol were smuggled through the port cities.

Over time, Vittorio “Il Corvo” became disturbed by the excessive and brutal violence of the Peaky Blinders in their conflicts, even though he knew it could not be entirely avoided. He also noticed a creeping loss of his position of power.

Over time, tensions simmered beneath the surface. Intrigue and mistrust crept into the business, and Vittorio's patience was tested. One night, as he sat in an elegant restaurant enjoying his usual espresso, his presence was challenged by a new rival, a small-time crook who thought he could take control of the smuggling ring.

Vittorio remained calm, returning the piercing glances across the table without a word. The silence between them was palpable, and when the fighting finally broke out, Vittorio was gone. He was the raven, “Il Corvo,” leaving behind only raven feathers and confused chaos. The consequences became apparent one after another. Friends disappeared, and with every bit of influence he regained, the loss of a friend was all the more painful. Vittorio knew he had to reshuffle his cards to stay alive.

Rumors about his trip to New York grew louder as an old ally found it increasingly difficult to survive in his position. Perhaps it was to escape the unrest, perhaps it was the pursuit of new power.

The last few weeks in Birmingham passed, leaving Vittorio Mancini seemingly only a shadow of his former greatness. He was like a mystery, disappearing into the fog. Wherever he ended up, one thing was certain:

The game of power was always in flux, and Il Corvo was a master at it.

Here is a little edit to the DVD cover