Year:1948
Director: Vittorio De Sica
Country: Italy
Language: Italian
The Golden Age of Italian Cinema was characterized by stories about the poor and working class. Also known as Italian Neorealism, this period in Italian film came about when the allies won World War II and Benito Mussolini's oppressive government crumbled. The Italian film industry lost its balance due to the damage studios had taken during the war. Thus films were often shot on the streets and were focused on cultural change and social progress, something Mussolini would not have allowed during his reign. As a counter to Hollywood at the time, Neorealists filmed on location, frequently used non-professional actors and strayed as far from "fantasy" as possible. Ricci (Lamberto Maggiorani), an unemployed man in the depressed post-WWII economy of Italy, gets at last a good job - for which he needs a bike - hanging up posters. Soon his bicycle is stolen. He and his son (Enzo Staiola) walk the streets of Rome, looking for the bicycle. Without it, he cannot maintain employment and thus will continue to struggle in poverty.
Perhaps in 21st Century North America it may be difficult to understand the necessity of a bicycle in terms of supporting a family. In Post-war Italy, and many places in Africa currently, this seemingly primitive mode of transportation may be the difference between a life of ease and a life of hardship. With Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves I was struck by how heartfelt, humble and honest the picture was. The Director really gives a loud enigmatic voice to the common man and thus brings poverty to the forefront. Even the most cold of the bourgeoisie would have difficulty holding back tears at this powerful picture.
Unfortunately, due to the controversy of Shoeshine (1946) and the rebellious attitude of Bicycle Thieves' script, Vittorio De Sica was not able to achieve financial backing from any studio and thus had to fund the film by himself. A proletariat in his own right, having worked as a post office clerk in his youth to support his poor family, Sica understood the importance of neo-realism and desperately wanted filmgoers to connect with the working class.
Overall Bicycle Thieves is beautifully shot. The black-and-white photography and full aperture give it a classical look. The compositions are extraordinary; there are poetic moments throughout. The actors' faces are incredibly expressive; De Sica could have made this picture a silent film and it would have worked on body language alone. The theft of Ricci's bike unveils an onion's worth of layers regarding corruption in Italy. We get a sense that post-war Europe was full of injustice, making it a miserable place to live. Bicycle Thieves is memorable; a great sorrowful film. Praise it! 5/5
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