Two women = La Ciociara (Special edition)

Two women is the story of Cesira and Rosetta, mother and daughter, living in Rome and running a grocery store under grim World War II conditions. After a raid, Cesira, a beautiful widow who is propositioned at every turn, decides to relocate them to the rural village where she was born. Cesira idealises her innocent teenage daughter, attempting to shield her from the reality of war crimes and the potential danger (in particular rape) that the two face. Michele (Jean-Paul Belmondo) an idealist, who is horrified by the pettiness of the villagers, falls in love with Cesira. A love triangle forms between mother, daughter and Michele as war closes in around the village. Adapted from the Italian novel by Alberto Moravia, “Two women” effectively displays the randomness of war that can turn an individual’s fate to terror and the deprivations that reduce simple acts of kindness to bitter transactions. Sophia Loren won an Academy Award for her portrayal of Cesira, an uncommon accolade at that time. This is the dubbed version with Sophia Loren dubbing her own voice. Directed by Vittoria De Sica (The Bicycle Thief, Umberto D., Marriage - Italian style).