Best movie of this year hands down!

A very feeble attempt at affirmatie action

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

At twenty-five Sophia Loren was not supposed to be an Actress, she was supposed to be another Sylvano Mangano (another 'sex symbol' who turned out to be a fine actress) or Anita Ekberg but lo and behold she unleashes a powerful, moving and ultimately Oscar-winning performance, the first ever Best Actress gong for an actress in a foreign film (Simone Signoret beat her to it by a couple of years but she was a French actress appearing in a British film). Although she is playing down her sultry siren image both her beauty and sensuality shine through her 'ordinary' housewife persona and if anything her towering performance tends to unbalance a mostly ho-hum cast with, of course, the exception of Eleanora Brown playing her daughter. There's not a lot that's new or that CAN be new about the 'war is hell' story but nevertheless Loren keeps us engrossed.

Sophia Loren is truly memorable in her Oscar winning performance of 1961.She portrays a mother trying to help her child survive World War 11 in Italy.Unable to put up with the bombings in Rome, she decides to flee with her daughter to the countryside. There she will meet adventure after adventure.A widow, who had been married to a much older man, she had a lover whose only wish is that a bomb should fall on his wife so that he could be free to marry Loren.During her adventure, she meets Michele, solemnly played by Jean-Paul Belmondo. A man who had one time thought of becoming a priest, he lusts for her before tragedy ensues.The molestation scenes are adeptly depicted. This was also an unfortunate part of war.A memorable film made better by Loren's captivating performance. A gem of a film.

I've been wanting to see this film ever since I read about it in Sophia Loren's autobiography back in 1979 when I was eighteen. I saw it recently on TCM for the first time during their tribute to Miss Loren, and I found this to be a very powerful film.I've seen my share of films about war in the past but watching this one really affected me. Having been born the year this movie was released, it gave me a real sense of what people were going through during World War II regardless of where you were at in Europe. I knew the outcome of the story because of having read Miss Loren's autobiography, and at times it was unnerving knowing what was to come.On a lighter side Hollywood should re-make this film with Kathy Griffin as the mother, and in a dual role, Kathy Griffin as the daughter. (Listen, after watching this film you gotta crack a joke).I highly recommend this movie

Before I tell about the movie, I must point out that the videotape I viewed was ALSO the most horrible quality print I have ever viewed--another reviewer also said pretty much the same about this. The "Hollywood Classics" brand should be ashamed to release such an ugly print and it desperately needs to be cleaned and restored. I know other companies have also released the film and I assume theirs MUST be better quality than this! AVOID IT LIKE THE PLAGUE!!! Now, on to the movie. This is an exceptionally well-acted and written story about a mother and her young daughter as they try to avoid the horrors of the closing months of WW2 in Italy. They must avoid the Allied bombs as well as the fleeing Fascist pigs who have destroyed the country.Starvation is always a concern, along with stray bombs. However, the movie concludes with their both being raped by some savage Moroccan troops (I had no idea they were involved in WW2--I learned something here). I mention this rape because it is important to the story but must be considered by parents who let their kids see the movie. I would allow my 15 year-old to see it, but it is just too much for my 10 year-old to deal with right now.Although the movie is depressing it is not overly so despite the subject matter. It is well executed and deserved the fame and recognition the movie received. DeSica (director) and Sophia Loren received many kudos for this project. A great film that hopefully will encourage you to seek out more DeSica films (I strongly recommend UMBERTO D. and especially THE CHILDREN ARE WATCHING US).