6 Best Anna Magnani Movies

By Vlad Zakh · January 15, 2026

Anna Magnani brought raw, volcanic intensity to Italian neorealism and became one of postwar Europe’s most celebrated actresses. Mamma Roma has a former prostitute building a respectable life for her resentful son, The Rose Tattoo has a Sicilian-American widow upended by a new suitor, and The Golden Coach has a theatre troupe’s leading lady juggling suitors. Wild Is the Wind, Bellissima and Rome, Open City round out the list.

Mamma Roma (1962)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A former prostitute tries to build a respectable new life for herself and her son, who resists.

Directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini · 1h 50m

Where to watch

Stream: Criterion Channel

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Wild Is the Wind (1957)

TMDB ★ 6.9

Anna Magnani plays a widower's new wife, her late sister's replacement, who struggles to find her own place in the household.

Directed by George Cukor · 1h 54m · Rated NR

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Rose Tattoo (1955)

TMDB ★ 7.2

Anna Magnani plays a grieving Sicilian-American widow whose life is upended by a new suitor and a shocking discovery.

Directed by Daniel Mann · 1h 57m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Golden Coach (1952)

TMDB ★ 7.4

Anna Magnani plays the leading lady of a travelling theatre troupe who juggles three suitors in colonial South America.

Directed by Jean Renoir · 1h 45m

Where to watch

Stream: Criterion Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, MovieMe · Buy: Amazon Video

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Bellissima (1951)

TMDB ★ 7.4

An overbearing stage mother pushes her young daughter through a chaotic film studio audition.

Directed by Luchino Visconti · 1h 55m · Rated NR

Where to watch

Rent or buy: Amazon Video

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Rome, Open City (1945)

TMDB ★ 8.1

Resistance fighters and ordinary Romans defy Nazi occupation in the final days of the war.

Directed by Roberto Rossellini · 1h 44m

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Artiflix · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Anna Magnani Movies

Mamma Roma (1962)

Wild Is the Wind (1957)

The Rose Tattoo (1955)

The Golden Coach (1952)

Bellissima (1951)

Rome, Open City (1945)

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