Two Women - Alberto Moravia (1958)

Moravia's women are often independent and practical, taking every day as they find it. Often they live for sex. In 'Two women', his tough on-the-road tale of a mother and daughter they also live for food which is in scarce supply.

The time - World War Two. Cesira, played by Sophia Loren in the 1960 movie is a hard-headed country girl who moved to Rome after a loveless arranged marriage to an older man, a tight-fisted shopkeeper. We meet her as a young widow who loves her daughter Rosetta. She also loves her little grocery shop.

Cesira has no interest in politics. Will the English win the war, will the Germans - who cares so long as her life is ok. And of course it's not. When the Allies bomb Rome mother and daughter flee for their lives and trek back to her country village where they hope life will be ok.

And of course it's not. Nowhere's ok, not even Rome where they return tattered and torn after the war is over.The two women get by here and there living amongst straight and crooked country people, hiding in the hills. The village shopkeeper's son Michele who has been to uni is an ex-priest who is now a communist. He is one of the two characters who adheres to any principle beyond sheer survival. Michele lives for the betterment of humankind. Cesira lives for her daughter, praying that Rosetta will have a safe and happy life.

This is World War Two. Principles get smashed to pieces.

Too few on-the-road tales are female. Two Women is real, harsh, down to earth, sometimes even comic. Read it.

 

Comments

Sophie Loren is always wow. Italy that mettling pot of old and new, I guess that fits too. 

 

Now I have read the book I need to see the film.