SOPHIA LOREN: HER OWN STORY

US, 1980, 180 minutes, Colour.
Sophia Loren, Armand Assante, John Gavin, Rip Torn, Theresa Saldana, Edmund Purdom.
Directed by Mel Stuart.

An entertaining TV movie biography. It is long but retains the interest. It is generally on the level of popular biographies by ghost writers or the series of articles on celebrities in women's magazines. However, because it is introduced by Sophia Loren herself, because she plays her own mother very vividly and because she plays herself with ease and charm, the film is more interesting and gives us a glimpse of the charisma and talents of Sophia Loren. The film focuses in its first half very much on Remelda, the strong-willed mother who brings up her illegitimate daughters with pride and begins to live their hopes for careers.

In the second part the film takes up Sophia's winning beauty contests (as runner up), her screen tests, her friendship with Carlo Ponti which was to develop eventually into a very long marriage, the friendship with Vittorio de Sica and his building up her career, the move to international stardom, her relationship with Cary Grant, her winning the Oscar for Two Women and eventually the longed-for birth of her first child. This is material that has been generally in the public eye over several decades - it is done with genial good taste. Hints of difficulties are in the film but by and large it is a rather pleasant biography.

Sophia Loren is especially persuasive in portraying her mother. Armand Assante is effective as Sophia's father - who disowns her but eventually comes to recognise his daughter. (Assante was punched by Goldie Sawn in the name of Women's Liberation in Private Benjamin; he appears as an extreme male chauvinist in this film.) Rip Torn is unusual casting for Carlo Ponti. Edmund Purdom has some good sequences as Vittorio de Sica. There are some film clips from The Gold of Naples, Two Women, Arabesque - with some praise of Gregory Peck. John Gavin does only an average imitation of Cary Grant.

The film shows the warmth of Sophia Loren and is attractive as the wish fulfilment success story in the aspirations of so many people. Direction by Mel Stewart who has made a number of features and many telemovies.

1, Audience interest in the life of Sophia Loren, her background, career, success? Written and developed for a home audience? The telemovie style? The level of biography, depth, quality of response?

2. The star Introducing the film and her tribute to her mother? The strength of her interpretation of her mother - interpretation and memory? Her playing herself with natural warmth? The highlights of her life as seen by herself? Enough to give a satisfying impression of the actress?

3. The structure of the film and its ranging over times and places? The introduction. the focus on Remelda and her life’ in Pozzuoli, the relationship with Ricardo and the need for a career in acting, the birth of Sophia and her struggles, the experience of the war, the allies? Her push and promoting Sophia's career? The transition to Sophia herself, Carlo Ponti, Vittorio de Sica, Cary Grant, the Oscar, the baby? A satisfying range of incidents in Sophia Loren's life?

4. The sketching in of Sophia’s background: family life in Pozzuoli, the grandparents, aunts? The Greta Garbo look-alike competition and Remelda's success, her mother's refusal? Her going to Rome and attempts at acting? Mussolini and fascism in Italy in the 130s, the background of war, migrating to Rome, the bombings? The allies and the occupation? The transition from poverty to success? The background of the Catholic Church, moral stances, illegitimate children, divorce and annulments, remarriage? Italian strictness as regards the divorce law? The environment shaping Sophia Loren?

5. The character of Remelda - her confidence in the Garbo competition, her home life and her decision to stay at home, the infatuation with Ricardo and believing him about her career., her pregnancy, her being abandoned by him after her visit to his home, the influence of his mother? Hospital and the nuns getting Sophia's name? Possibility of adoption? Her return home and her pride? Bringing up her daughter at home? Her visits to Rome and the continued infatuation with Ricardo? Tricking him to visit Pozzuoli to see Sophia? Her second pregnancy? Getting the legal name for Sophia? Her attitude towards family, wariness of marriage, suspicion of men? Her pushing her daughters to career? The surrogate career in her daughters? The irony of Sophia Loren playing both parts - literally her career in the image of her mother?

6. Sophia’s background at how, the family, school and the antagonism of the children? War and moving to Rome - echoing Sophia Loren's film Two Women? Cabaret for the allies? Ricardo's reaction and the news of his marriage? Maria and Sophia? Her growing up, the beauty contests? The meeting with Carlo Ponti, his comments about her mask? The benefit of her acting lessons? The screen tests, Vittorio de Sica? The collage of her early films and capacities? The launching of her career?

7. The relationship with Ponti and her mother's attitude? Her career, his wife, the Mexican divorce? The irony of the Mexican marriage by proxy? The marriage in the scene of Houseboat with Cary Grant? Her relationship with Cary Grant? Her choices? Becoming a French citizen for marital purposes? Her miscarriages and longing for a child? The time in Switzerland for a careful pregnancy? The birth of her child and the culmination of her biography? The fact of her steady relationship with Carlo Ponti for almost thirty years?

8. Her charisma. career? International fame with The Pride and the Passion? The affair with Cary Grant and its style yet her decision that it was two people from different worlds? Her talk to reporters? The indications of her films and leading men? The insert about Gregory Peck? Her visit to her mother and the success of her career? The decisions to make Two Women - and the sequences shown., Oscar night and her reaction to winning? Audiences knowing the success of her career?

9. Themes of relationships - her mother and her love, push e.g. in the making of Quo Vadis? Sophia not wanting to be bitter like her mother? Her attitudes towards her father and the reconciliation sequence? Maria and her support? The achievement in terms of an Italian girl from the south?

10. The Italian focus on children and the desire to have her baby? The joy in her achievement?

11. A pleasant biography - the intrinsic interest, personality of a star, a glimpse at the history of cinema, Italian cinema, and international success, the success story. glamour? A film of pleasant insight?