wes-connors In Rome, middle-aged Anna Magnani (as Mamma Roma) tries to shed her past life as a prostitute and reconnect with rebellious teenage son Ettore Garofolo (as Ettore). He moves in as she gets a legitimate job. Things already show signs of falling apart when young ex-pimp Franco Citti (as Carmine) returns to town. After failing to make himself respectable, Mr. Citti demands Ms. Magnani return to the working the world's oldest profession. If not, he threatens tell son Garofolo about Magnani's sordid past...This neo-realistic drama loses some realism in the story. You have to wonder how Citti ("I was 23 and you were 40") hooked up with Magnani and why he doesn't look for more profitable whores, presently. Also, Garofolo (age 17½) certainly seems able to deduce his mother's past. Still, writer/director Pier Paolo Pasolini uses his landscape stylishly, with a lot of walking scenes. Christian religious allegory is prevalent (note Garofolo in bondage). A fly walks across the opening credits, which serves as a comment.******** Mamma Roma (8/31/62) Pier Paolo Pasolini ~ Anna Magnani, Ettore Garofolo, Franco Citti, Silvana Corsini

sevisan Many years ago, I saw this film in a theater, and I remember the final scene: Mamma opens the window and shouts at the houses opposite "Where are the responsibles?", or something like that. Now, in the Spanish DVD (98 min. running time) she opens the window as if she were to jump and only stares at the houses opposite, but no shouting. Besides, in the Leonald Maltin book the running time is 110 min. Has this something to do with the "original" and "US" versions? I should be grateful if someone could explain me it. I know that in this commentary there are not 10 lines of text but, sorry, the next one will be longer, thank you.

Claudio Carvalho 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"

Petrakos Kyriakos If you think that you know the answer, just watch this masterpiece by the patriarch of the Italian "New Generation" whose work has changed the history of the Italian cinema (and literature). A marvellous poetic, neorealistic look on the pure maternal love and its interaction with the rotten feelings of the real world. The movie has the expressional force of a Greek tragedy, describing the impuissance of ordinary people to alter their fate by believing that "life is so beautiful, if you can think wisely".