They were golden days, the '50s. Vittorio De Sica and Carlo Ponti, my Carlo, were doing a project called "The Gold of Naples". De Sica said, "I need a Neapolitan girl." Carlo told him, "I know a girl. She's called Sofia Scicolone." I was given the role of the pizzaiola [pizza street vendor]. It was 1952. I was 17, and I was completely drunk with happiness.

For us Rome was an enchanting place, a city of trams and Vespas. I felt like this because I was very young, but there were people 40, 50 years old who felt like me too because of what they had gone through during the war. They felt they could afford maybe to start a new life.

De Sica was a sensitive man with great instincts and a great sense of humor. We spoke the same language-almost the way as when you're married a long time and you look at your husband and, with just a glance or a gesture, you know.