Il Cocco di Mamma translates to "Mamma's Boy," a more than adequate description of protagonist Maurizio Arena. On the verge of achieving success as a prizefighter, Arena loses because he's afraid his face will be permanently damaged. Branded a coward by his friends and family, our hero is finally able to find inner reserves of strength through the love of a good woman (Inge Schoener). No longer frightened of facial disfigurement, Arena at last emerges victorious. The story is nothing special, but the handling of the material, combined with the film's realistic depiction of life in working-class Rome, is first rate. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi