Mamma Roma (1962)

Director:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writer:

Pier Paolo Pasolini

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:

Prostitution | Juvenile Delinquency | Wedding | Iconography | Church

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
Pietro 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)
Mario Cipriani	...	Thug (uncredited)
Renato Troiani	...	Pimp (uncredited)

Directed by
Pier Paolo Pasolini

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pier Paolo Pasolini

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
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

• Cineriz (1962) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Indipendenti Regionali (2000) (Italy) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Medusa Home Entertainment (2005) (Italy) (DVD) (remastered: The Mediaset Collection)
• Cinemien (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Atlantic Film (2009) (Finland) (DVD) (5-disc Pier Paolo Pasolini Collection)
• Carlotta Films (2006) (France) (DVD)
• Connoisseur Video Collection (1990) (USA) (VHS)
• Criterion Collection, The (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2004) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1968) (Finland) (TV) (as MTV1)
• Medusa Home Entertainment (2005) (Italy) (DVD)
• Meridian Video (1995) (USA) (VHS) (subtitled)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (video) (VOD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2012) (Australia) (TV)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Yleisradio (YLE) (1989) (Finland) (TV)

Also Known As:

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:

Argentina:16 | UK:15 (video rating) (1997) | UK:X (original rating) | Italy:VM14 (cinema release) (1962) | Spain:7 | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:6 | Australia:M | Spain:T (DVD re-rating) | USA:Not Rated | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Arco Film

Trivia:

At the films premiere in the Quattro Fontane Cinema (Rome, 22nd September 1962), Mr. Pier Paolo Pasolini was attacked by fascists who protested against the 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 Come si fa a non amare Pier Paolo Pasolini - Appunti per un film sull'immondezza (2005)

Soundtrack:

Una vez me dormí

Good early Pasolini!

One of the early Pasolini, Mamma Roma is a forgotten gem of Italian cinema. Some pleasant surprises in this underrated movies, like the amazing performance of `mamma roma' -Anna Magnani , and the MUSIC, mostly classical!!! I can relate this movies with some work done by Vittorio de Sica , but is not so neo-realist, even though sometimes you feel like it is. Symbolism, a very dear approach of later Pasolini's work is present here as well, and we can even see this movie as a Greek tragedy, leaving the viewer's many options to explore. Overall, a well deserved 8.5/10.