Two Women
A harrowing neorealist lament, where the ravages of war strip away innocence, leaving behind the haunting echo of a mother's fierce but futile love.
Two Women
Two Women

La ciociara

"Suddenly, Love Becomes Lust… Innocence becomes shame… As two women are trapped by violent passion and unforgettable terror!"

22 December 1960 France 100 min ⭐ 7.8 (556)
Director: Vittorio De Sica
Cast: Sophia Loren, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Raf Vallone, Eleonora Brown, Carlo Ninchi
Drama War
The Horrors and Indiscriminate Cruelty of War The Destruction of Innocence The Mother-Daughter Bond and Maternal Protection The Collapse of Social and Moral Order

Two Women - Movie Quotes

Memorable Quotes

Isn't there some safe place in the world?

— Cesira

Context:

The line is spoken during a moment of relative peace in the countryside, yet the threat of war is ever-present with planes flying overhead and soldiers passing through. Cesira's question reflects her dawning realization that her journey from Rome may not have brought the safety she sought for her daughter.

Meaning:

This question, posed by Cesira to Michele, encapsulates the film's central theme. It is a desperate, rhetorical plea that highlights the futility of trying to escape the pervasive reach of war. The answer, which the film brutally provides, is no.

Now she's worse than dead.

— Cesira

Context:

Cesira screams these words at American soldiers shortly after she and Rosetta have been assaulted. It is a moment of pure, unfiltered agony as she cradles the catatonic Rosetta, realizing the full, irreversible extent of the damage that has been done.

Meaning:

This raw cry of anguish expresses Cesira's profound grief and horror. To her, the spiritual and psychological death of her daughter—the destruction of her innocence and soul—is a fate more terrible than physical death. It signifies the ultimate failure of her role as a protector.