: Pasolini blends the gritty reality of postwar Italian life with his own poetic, often religious, visual style.

: The essay and film highlight Pasolini's lifelong fascination with the "dispossessed"—people living on the edges of society who are often victims of its rapid modernization.

: Despite Mamma Roma's fierce efforts to protect her son, her past and the boy's own drift toward petty crime lead to a tragic conclusion. Where to Find More Information

: You can read the full text of James Quandt's analysis on The Criterion Collection website.

: Recent high-definition restorations of the film are available in the Pasolini 101 box set from Criterion.

: The film follows Mamma Roma (Magnani), a former prostitute who tries to build a "respectable" middle-class life for herself and her teenage son, Ettore, in a housing project in Rome.