Mamma Roma (1962)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writer:

Pier Paolo Pasolini (writer)

Release Date:

18 January 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Mamma Roma is a middle-aged whore of Roma. Now she can quit her job to become a fruit seller. And she can take back her 16-year-old son...

Plot Keywords:

Prostitute | Female Underarm Hair | Rome Italy | Hospital | Dead Boy

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Anna Magnani	...	Mamma Roma
Ettore Garofolo	...	Ettore
Franco Citti	...	Carmine
Silvana Corsini	...	Bruna
Luisa Loiano	...	Biancofiore
Paolo Volponi	...	Il Prete (Priest)
Luciano Gonini	...	Zacaria
Vittorio La Paglia	...	Il sig. Pellissier
Piero Morgia	...	Piero
Lanfranco Ceccarelli	...	Carletto (as Franco Ceccarelli)
Marcello Sorrentino	...	Tonino
Sandro Meschino	...	Pasquale
Franco Tovo	...	Augusto
Pasquale Ferrarese	...	Lino
Leandro Santarelli	...	Begalo
Emanuele Di Bari	...	Gennarino il trovatore
Antonio Spoletini	...	Un pompieretto
Nino Bionci	...	Un pittoretto
Nino Venzi	...	Un cliente (A client)
Maria Bernardini	...	La sposa (The Bride)
Santino Citti	...	Padre della sposa (Bride's father)
Renato Montalbano	...	Un infermiere (Nurse)
Lamberto Maggiorani	...	Un malato (Sick man)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Renato Capogna	...	Pimp (uncredited)
Pietro Ceccarelli	...	Man (uncredited)
Mario Cipriani	...	Thug (uncredited)
Renato Troiani	...	Pimp (uncredited)

Directed by
Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pier Paolo Pasolini		writer

Produced by
Alfredo Bini	....	producer

Cinematography by
Tonino Delli Colli

Film Editing by
Nino Baragli

Art Direction by
Flavio Mogherini

Set Decoration by
Massimo Tavazzi

Makeup Department
Marcello Ceccarelli	....	makeup artist
Amalia Paoletti	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Eliseo Boschi	....	production manager
Fernando Franchi	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Carlo Di Carlo	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Renato Cadueri	....	sound mixer
Leopoldo Rosi	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Franco Delli Colli	....	camera operator
Gioacchino Sofia	....	assistant camera
Angelo Novi	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Andreina Casini	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Bruno Cherubini	....	composer: song "Violino tzigano" (as Cherubini)
Carlo Rustichelli	....	music arranger

Other crew
Franco Casati	....	production secretary
Sergio Citti	....	additional dialogue
Lina D'Amico	....	script girl
Giulio De Stephanis	....	cashier
Bruno Frascà	....	production secretary
Mirella Gamacchio	....	script girl (as Mirella Comacchio)
Vincenzo Taito	....	administration inspector

Production Companies

• Arco Film

Distributors

• Connoisseur Video
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Meridian Video (1995) (USA) (subtitled)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Runtime:

106 min | USA:110 min | Argentina:110 min | UK:95 min (original version)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Italy:VM14 (cinema release) (1962) | Spain:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Argentina:16 | UK:15 (video rating) (1997) | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Arco Film

Goofs:

Continuity: When Mamma Roma takes off the veil from the bride and puts it on herself, the bride is shown still wearing the veil.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Wie de Waarheid Zegt Moet Dood (1981)

Soundtrack:

Concerto in D Minor

Impressive, Cruel, Touching, Riveting Realistic Drama

After many years working in the streets of Roma, the middle-age whore Mamma Roma (Anna Magnani) saves money to buy an upper class apartment, a fruit stand and retires from the prostitution. She brings her teenage son Ettore (Ettore Garofolo), who was raised alone in the country, to live with her, and Ettore becomes her pride and joy. However, the boy that does not want to study or work, joins to idle friends, has a crush on a bitch, and Mamma Roma uses her best but limited efforts to straight Ettore and make him an honest man. However, her past haunts her with tragic consequences.

"Mamma Roma", the second movie of Pier Paolo Pasolini, is an impressive, cruel, touching, riveting realistic drama. Anna Magnani has an awesome performance in the role of a limited mother trying to live an honest life and give the best for her son. Franco Citti has a short, but also fantastic acting in the role of a nasty pimp. In times when Hollywoodian fairytale world prevails in most worldwide movie theaters and rentals, it is good to revisit the real world in this unforgettable gem. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Mamma Roma"