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Mamma Roma

Name: Mamma Roma
Genre: Drama
Released: 1962-09-22
Cast: Anna Magnani, Ettore Garofolo, Franco Citti, Silvana Corsini, Luisa Loiano

1962 | 110 min | Drama

Sunday Safe Bet

Why it’s a Sunday Safe Bet

Critics loved it (95% on Rotten Tomatoes), though it had little lasting buzz. A safe bet when you want something reliable.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it: Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood: Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace: Takes its time with its characters, at 1 hr 50 min.
What might put you off: It's in Italian, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
Made in 1962: an older pace and style.
Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

After years spent working as a prostitute in her Italian village, middle-aged Mamma Roma has saved enough money to buy herself a fruit stand so that she can have a respectable middle-class life and reestablish contact with the 16-year-old son she abandoned when he was an infant. But her former pimp threatens to expose her sordid past, and her troubled son seems destined to fall into a life of crime and violence.

How it earned its rating

CriticsVery strong
95% on Rotten Tomatoes
AudiencesSolid
7.9 out of 10
AwardsNot counted
No major awards or nominations
Reach & staying powerSolid
Streaming release that reached a modest audience; still draws a steady audience long after release
Buzz & cultural impactBelow par
About 22K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini

Anna MagnaniMamma Roma
Ettore GarofoloEttore
Franco CittiCarmine
Silvana CorsiniBruna
Luisa LoianoBiancofiore
Paolo VolponiPriest
Luciano GoniniZacaria
Vittorio La PagliaIl Signor Pellissier
Piero MorgiaPiero
Franco CeccarelliCarletto