The bitterness of the effects of war isn't always healed by family, and for shy soldier John Ericson, getting through the worst of it is only made better by the presence of Pier Angeli, the sweet Italian girl he meets and marries while on active duty. He's welcomed into her home by her warm, loving family (even though they don't understand each other very much), and returning home to deal with his grasping mother (Patricia Collinge) makes his time in war torn Italy seem like a vacation.
The new wave of Italian cinema is mixed with Hollywood trends to create an interesting mix of attitudes, with intense performances by Ericson, Angeli and Collinge who practically has a nervous breakdown when she discovers that her son is married. It's sadly a rather depressing and dour story as Ericson's shyness is obviously a result of his mother's possessiveness and the only way he can survive is to get out which would destroy her. Definitely one you need to be in the right mood for with few moments of happiness.
The new wave of Italian cinema is mixed with Hollywood trends to create an interesting mix of attitudes, with intense performances by Ericson, Angeli and Collinge who practically has a nervous breakdown when she discovers that her son is married. It's sadly a rather depressing and dour story as Ericson's shyness is obviously a result of his mother's possessiveness and the only way he can survive is to get out which would destroy her. Definitely one you need to be in the right mood for with few moments of happiness.