Due Soldi di Speranza is better known by its English-language titles Two Pennies of Hope and Two Cents Worth of Hope. The film was the third in director Renato Castellani's "young love" trilogy (the first two being Sotto il sole di Roma and E Primavera). Filmed on location near Naples, the story concerns the romance between Carmela (Maria Fiore) and Antonio (Vincenzo Musolino). The ardor is one-sided at first, but Carmela is a determined young woman, willing to scale and conquer any obstacle in pursuing her heart's desire. Once he's "hooked," Antonio scurries from job to job to prove his financial viability. Faced with the hostility of their parents, Carmela and Antonio symbolically shed themselves of all responsibilities to others in a climactic act of stark-naked bravado. Due Soldi di Speranza won the 1952 Best Film award at the Cannes Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi