Two Women (1947 film)

Two Women, also known by its Italian title La Ciociara, is a 1947 Italian neorealist drama film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It is based on the novel of the same name by Alberto Moravia. While De Sica later remade the film with Sophia Loren in the lead role in 1960, this earlier version features Anna Magnani in the starring role as Cesira, a Roman widow who, along with her daughter Rosetta, flees the Allied bombing of Rome during World War II. They seek refuge in her native Ciociaria, a rural area south of Rome.

The film portrays the hardships endured by women and civilians during wartime, including displacement, hunger, and the ever-present threat of violence. It specifically focuses on the relationship between Cesira and Rosetta and the devastating impact of war on their lives and their bond. Two Women (1947) is notable for its raw and realistic depiction of wartime suffering, its strong performances, particularly by Magnani, and its exploration of themes of survival, motherhood, and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity. While often overshadowed by the 1960 remake, this original version remains a significant work of Italian neorealist cinema.