Bellissima

Bellissima centres on Maddalena Cecconi, a working-class Roman mother who takes her young daughter Maria to Cinecittà when the director Alessandro Blasetti holds a casting call for a girl to appear in his new film. Convinced that Maria can become a star, Maddalena pursues the part relentlessly, enrolling the child in dance and acting lessons, commissioning dresses and paying for photographs. Her husband opposes the scheme, and she places her trust in Alberto Annovazzi, a man who claims to have the connections needed to secure Maria a screen test.

Luchino Visconti directed the film, the second of the fifteen features listed in his filmography, following Obsession and preceding Anna Magnani. The screenplay was written by Suso Cecchi d'Amico, Francesco Rosi and Visconti, with Salvo D'Angelo producing. Anna Magnani plays Maddalena, heading a cast that includes Walter Chiari, Tina Apicella, Gastone Renzelli, Tecla Scarano and Lola Braccini, with twenty-nine credited performers in all.

Released in Italy in January 1952 and running 115 minutes, the drama holds a rating of 7.7 out of 10 on IMDb from around 6,000 votes and the same score on TMDB from roughly 257 votes. A critics' rating of 7.8 out of 10 from five reviews places it close to the audience assessment.