''Mamma Roma'' is a 1962 Italian

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

written and directed by

Pier Paolo Pasolini Pier Paolo Pasolini (; 5 March 1922 – 2 November 1975) was an Italian poet, filmmaker, writer and intellectual who also distinguished himself as a journalist, novelist, translator, playwright, visual artist and actor. He is considered one of ...

, and starring

Anna Magnani Anna Maria Magnani (; 7 March 1908 – 26 September 1973) was an Italian actress.Obituary ''Variety'', 3 October 1973, pg. 47 She was known for her explosive acting and earthy, realistic portrayals of characters. Born in Rome, she worked her ...

and Ettore Garofolo.

Synopsis

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

, an ex-prostitute, Mamma Roma (

), tries to start a new life selling vegetables with her 16-year-old son Ettore. When Ettore later finds out that she was a prostitute, he succumbs to his dark side and stops doing his duties. He later carries out a petty theft of a radio in a hospital and goes to prison. Meanwhile, until his incarceration, Mamma Roma struggles to raise her son the best way possible and build a new life for both.

Cast

as Mamma Roma * Ettore Garofolo as Ettore *

Franco Citti Franco Citti (; 23 April 1935 – 14 January 2016) was an Italian actor, best known as one of the close collaborators of director Pier Paolo Pasolini. He came to fame for playing the title role in Pasolini's film ''Accattone'', which brought hi ...

as Carmine * Silvana Corsini as Bruna * Luisa Loiano as Biancofiore * Paolo Volponi as Priest * Luciano Gonini as Zacaria

Production

Shooting for ''Mamma Roma'' began on April 9, 1962.

Controversy

On 13 August 1962, a complaint was filed, claiming ''Mamma Roma'' was "offensive to good morals" and "contrary to the common sense of morality because of obscene content, contrary to public decency". The complaint was thrown out by a magistrate five days later. At the film's premiere in the Quattro Fontane Cinema in Rome on 22 September 1962, Pasolini was attacked by protesting

fascist Fascism is a far-right, Authoritarianism, authoritarian, ultranationalism, ultra-nationalist political Political ideology, ideology and Political movement, movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and pol ...

References

External links

* * *
''Pasolini, Mamma Roma, and La Ricotta''
an essay by Gary Indiana at the

Criterion Collection The Criterion Collection, Inc. (or simply Criterion) is an American home-video distribution company that focuses on licensing, restoring and distributing "important classic and contemporary films." Criterion serves film and media scholars, cinep ...

{{Authority control 1962 drama films Italian black-and-white films Films about prostitution in Italy Films directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini Films set in Rome Italian independent films Italian drama films 1962 independent films 1962 films 1960s Italian-language films 1960s Italian films