“There's a girl like her in every town!”
Paola, a Milan call girl, returns home to her village in the Abruzzi mountains in an attempt to go straight. Rejected by her father, blackmailed by a former lover, and lusted after by her brother-in-law, she turns to her beloved sister for support. Denied succor, like so many of Rossellini’s isolated figures, Paola awaits the arrival of her fiancé, who has offered her a new start, but instead decides that life is untenable.
Where to watch
Not streaming anywhere
Not on any streaming service in United States, and not available to rent.
Your rating
Your review
Cast
11 people
Massimo Girotti
Nando Mancini
Known for
Theorem
Obsession
Carlo Ninchi
Giovanni Mirelli
Known for
Two Women
The Beauty of the Devil
Elli Parvo
Paola Previtali
Also in
Toto the Third Man
Twelve Hours to Live
Roswita Schmidt
Anna Previtali Mancini
Also in
The Man with the Cross
Lia Corelli
Elena
Known for
Bitter Rice
Francesco Grandjacquet
Riccardo
Known for
Rome, Open City
The Assassin
Jucci Kellerman
Lia
Also in
The Adventuress from the Floor Above
In High Places
Spartaco Conversi
Known for
The Great Silence
A Bullet for the General
Giovanna Scotto
Elvira Previtali, Paola and Anna's Mother
Also in
The Rose of Baghdad
Torna!
Astorre Pederzoli
(uncredited)
Also in
Il viaggio del signor Perrichon
L'invasore
Tito Rinaldi
(uncredited)
Also in
Güemes, la tierra en armas
Roberto Rossellini Director · Marcello Pagliero Director Giuseppe De Santis Screenplay
United States release February 8, 1950 · Produced in Italy · Production Imperator Film, SAFIR
Production
Sovrania Film
Production
Imperator Film
Production
SAFIR
Production
Società Anonima Film Italiani Roma (SAFIR)
Production
Italy
Produced in
Rinuncia · Scalo merci
Working titles
Languages
Original title
Desiderio
Original language
Italian
Spoken on screen
Italian
Release dates
Italy · September 9, 1946
Theatrical · Rome
United States · February 8, 1950
Theatrical · New York City, New York
France
March 2, 1951 · Theatrical
Sweden
December 19, 1952 · Theatrical
More from Roberto Rossellini
Other films they directed, best known first.
If you liked Desire
Picks that share its genres, themes, cast and crew.
Some details come from TheTVDB.