I'm curious...

The movie is known for this rape scene and for Loren saying, "Basta, basta!" at the end so even though the description wasn't working on my tv after a little while I came to realize this must be *that* movie.

My Time Warner cable guide also says that. Waiting to watch the film now on TCM. Perhaps a better description: "A mother tries to protect her young daughter from the horrors of war. After a shared traumatic event, they struggle to rebuild their bond." Gleamed this from Wikipedia.

Armstrong Cable synopsis:

Sophia Loren won an Academy Award for this story of a widow and her daughter trying to survive in war-torn Italy.

I'd say it served as a warning to people who can't or don't want to watch a rape scene.

This film is based on the infamous real-life event where thousands of Moroccan soldiers raped thousands of Italian women in the Ciociaria region in May, 1944. The film was always intended to be viewed from a historical perspective, with foreknowledge of the major plot point. Indeed, for Italians, the film's original title ("La Ciociara" translates to "Woman from Ciociaria") tells them exactly what's going to happen. Fortunately, this intention is preserved somewhat by modern introductions to the film in America, even if only to reveal the rapes without providing the greater backstory familiar to Italian audiences.

Imagine if you had watched the film without knowing what was going to happen to Cesira and Rosetta. Their sudden rape near the end, just as things were looking up, would have felt like a cheap plot twist. Instead, by knowing their awful fate in advance, you can focus on the main theme: the heartbreaking futility of their attempt to escape being victimized by the war. The film is much more powerful seen this way, adding tragic depth to scenes of Cesira's strong-willed self-sufficiency and her tender upbringing of the innocent Rosetta.