I Bambini Ci Guardano (aka The Children Are Watching Us) (1943)

A young Italian boy (Luciano De Ambrosis) lives in a middle class condominium with his parents (Emilio Cigoli, Isa Pola). Although too young to understand the sexual connotations, the child becomes aware his mother is seeing a man (Adriano Rimoldi). Eventually, she abandons her family for her lover. Based on the novel PRICO by Cesare Giulio Viola and directed by Vittorio De Sica (GARDEN OF THE FINZI CONTINIS). This is a heart wrenching film. De Sica perfectly captures the world of a sensitive child caught up in an adult problem he can't fully grasp and eventually loses his innocence. The ending is a real kick in the gut. It's one of the very best performances I've seen by a child actor. The performances of Cigoli and Pola as his parents are wonderful too. At first, I was sympathetic to Pola as the mother and put off by Cigoli as the abrupt father but my positions changed as Cigoli proved to be a forgiving husband and loving father and Pola's mother proved herself to be a weak woman who gives in to her carnal desires and abandons the son who adores her. A devastating portrait of a family in crisis and how parents can screw up their kids. Highly recommended. With Giovanna Cigoli and Tecia Scarano.