ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the process of moralizing audiences was successful in Rome and how it was remembered by its protagonists. The process of both moralizing cinema and attracting audiences employed by the Vatican in conjunction with the government presented profuse compromises. The chapter explains how the contextual formation of post-war Catholic cinema-going in Rome was significant in shaping audiences responses. In terms of geographical distribution the network of Catholic movie theaters only covered part of the Italian territory. Roman audiences had a wide network of city center and neighborhood cinemas which catered for all tastes and budgets. The oral history project provides us with information on various aspects of the parish cinema network: programming, censorship and gender preferences, as well as judgment on the physical qualities of the venues in comparison with commercial cinemas and the significance of those venues.
