The Italian actress Sophia Loren is one of the finest talents to have left a mark on Hollywood. When people hear the name Sophia Loren, many first recall her glamorous figure. But Sophia Loren was not just a beautiful woman—she was also a brilliant actress. She was the first actress to win an Oscar for Best Actress in a film that was not in English.
The film Two Women is based on a novel of the same name (La Ciociara) by Alberto Moravia, one of Italy’s most famous novelists. Moravia’s novels often deal with sexual themes quite candidly. The black-and-white film Two Women brought Sophia Loren 22 international awards. This film, directed by the renowned Italian filmmaker Vittorio De Sica (whose films have won four Academy Awards and who also directed the famous The Bicycle Thief), movingly portrays the impact of war on ordinary people.
Cesira, a widowed shopkeeper, lives in Rome with her twelve-year-old daughter Rosetta, a devout Christian. During the Second World War, when Allied forces begin bombing Rome, Cesira flees the city with Rosetta to her native village in a mountainous rural region.
There, Cesira becomes fond of a young man named Michele, who is interested in communist ideology. Rosetta sees Michele as a father figure, and a strong emotional bond forms between them. However, Michele is arrested by German soldiers because he is familiar with the terrain, and the Germans believe he could assist the enemy.
After the Allies liberate Rome from German occupation, Cesira and her daughter begin their return journey to the city. On the way, in a church, they are both gang-raped by Moroccan soldiers of the French army. This traumatic incident profoundly affects young Rosetta—she loses her childlike innocence and is deeply changed psychologically.
Cesira and Rosetta take refuge in a nearby village. There, without her mother's knowledge, Rosetta begins going out at night to meet an older boy. At first, Cesira thinks her daughter is looking for Michele. Meanwhile, Cesira learns that Michele had been killed by the same Moroccan soldiers who raped them.
One night, when Rosetta returns home from meeting her male friend, Cesira scolds and even slaps her. She then tells Rosetta about Michele’s death. Upon hearing this, the emotionally hardened Rosetta, who had shut down since the rape, breaks down and cries like a child once again, rediscovering her innocence. The film ends with the mother comforting her daughter.
The role of Michele was played by Jean-Paul Belmondo, the popular French actor known for his ever-smiling, charming demeanor. During my student days, he was one of my favorite actors. His film The Brain, where he plays one of the thieves, was among my favorites—it’s a hilarious film from start to finish. Another movie of his that I’ve watched is Borsalino.
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