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 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.
"Mamma Roma" was dedicated to the director of "Roma, città aperta" (1945), Roberto Rossellini. Anna Magnani plays a pregnant woman who is killed in the middle of Rossellini's film. Rossellini represents "good Italians" through the deaths of a priest, Don Pietro, who helps a communist group and a mother who tries to help her communist husband. People who killed these "good Italians" are Nazis. On the other hand, Pasolini comments on how the country changed from 1945 to 1962 in "Mamma Roma". First of all, characters in the film are whores, pimps, and thieves. None of them are people who work for people.
Pasolini is an interesting character in how he viewed Rome (and Italy), perhaps more real than the neo-realists did. He was dark and gritty at times, and of course was not afraid to dip into the most disturbing satire (with "Salo"). Who shows us the true Rome, or perhaps they both speak the truth: one talking of Rome in the sun, and one under the moon?
"Mamma Roma" was dedicated to the director of "Roma, città aperta" (1945), Roberto Rossellini. Anna Magnani plays a pregnant woman who is killed in the middle of Rossellini's film. Rossellini represents "good Italians" through the deaths of a priest, Don Pietro, who helps a communist group and a mother who tries to help her communist husband. People who killed these "good Italians" are Nazis. On the other hand, Pasolini comments on how the country changed from 1945 to 1962 in "Mamma Roma". First of all, characters in the film are whores, pimps, and thieves. None of them are people who work for people.
Pasolini is an interesting character in how he viewed Rome (and Italy), perhaps more real than the neo-realists did. He was dark and gritty at times, and of course was not afraid to dip into the most disturbing satire (with "Salo"). Who shows us the true Rome, or perhaps they both speak the truth: one talking of Rome in the sun, and one under the moon?