Sophia Loren Gold Collection

Description

Collection of works starring Sophia Loren in four of her most iconic roles. In ‘Two Women’ (1960) Loren plays widowed shopkeeper Cesira during WWII. After the Allied bombing of Rome she leaves behind her grocery store and goes back to her hometown in the mountains with her young teenage daughter Rosetta (Eleonora Brown) where she believes they will both be safe. Once there Cesira forms a bond with an intellectual named Michele (Jean-Paul Belmondo), who becomes a father figure to Rosetta. However, once Michele is captured by German soldiers Cesira attempts to return to Rome as she does all she can to safeguard the innocence of her daughter from the horrors of war. In the romantic comedy ‘Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’ (1963) Loren plays Adelina of Naples, Anna of Milan and Mara of Rome. To support her unemployed husband Adelina sells black market cigarettes. However, unable to pay a fine and faced with a prison sentence she fears the worst until a neighbour reminds her that Italian law states a pregnant woman cannot be imprisoned. Adelina then becomes pregnant and intends to remain pregnant but after bearing seven children in eight years she is finally made to face the consequences of her earlier actions. Anna is the self-indulgent wife of a wealthy businessman. She and her lover Renzo (Marcello Mastroianni) take her husband’s Rolls Royce for a drive but when they become involved in an accident both must reconsider their suitability for one another. Mara is a prostitute who attracts the attention of Umberto (Giovanni Ridolfi), a naïve young man studying for the priesthood, who is unaware of her profession. When his grandmother finds out about his infatuation she warns against him getting involved. In ‘Marriage Italian Style’ (1964) Filumena (Loren) lives a comfortable life as the mistress of successful businessman Domenico (Mastroianni), whom she first met aged 17 when she was working in a brothel. However, when Domenico becomes engaged to another woman Filumena feigns illness. Filumena then, pretending to be on her deathbed, asks Domenico to marry her and he agrees only because he believes she has days left to live. Once Filumena reveals her deception she also opens up about having three sons and uses them as a ruse to keep Domenico interested in her. Finally, ‘A Special Day’ (1977) is set in 1938 on the day when Hitler visited Rome to meet with Mussolini. Housewife Antonietta (Loren) stays at home while her husband and children go to see the fascist leaders paraded through the streets of Rome. When their pet myna bird escapes into a neighbouring apartment Antonietta goes to retrieve it and strikes up a conversation with Gabriele (Mastroianni). Despite their marked differences of opinion the pair spend the day together and the encounter becomes one neither will forget.