Ladri di Biciclette (The Bicycle Thief) (1948)
Directed by vittorio de sica
Vittorio De Sica’s Ladri di Biciclette (The Bicycle Thief) tells the story of Italy following the Second World War – a nation without hope. The film follows the story of Antonio Ricci, a man who, among thousands of other men after the war, is struggling to get a job. Antonio gets a lucky break as a Poster Man, gluing posters to buildings around the city. The only hindrance is that he requires a bicycle. Antonio buys back his bicycle that he sold a couple of weeks before he got his job, and sets out to work, only to have his bicycle stolen. He sets off through the city with his son, Bruno, on a search for the bicycle.
The role of Antonio was played by Lamberto Maggiorani. Maggiorani was a humble factory worker who had no acting experience when he was cast by De Sica to play the lead (New York Times, 1983). Throughout the film, Maggiorani beautifully captures Antonio’s desperation and the duty he feels to his family to keep them afloat. He remains a gem of Italian Neorealism.
The film is shot entirely outdoors in the streets of Rome, further conforming to the conventions of Italian Neorealism.
The role of Antonio was played by Lamberto Maggiorani. Maggiorani was a humble factory worker who had no acting experience when he was cast by De Sica to play the lead (New York Times, 1983). Throughout the film, Maggiorani beautifully captures Antonio’s desperation and the duty he feels to his family to keep them afloat. He remains a gem of Italian Neorealism.
The film is shot entirely outdoors in the streets of Rome, further conforming to the conventions of Italian Neorealism.
The use of shooting on-location out in the streets is a means for positioning the audience to become fully engaged in the story. It creates a sense of realism and highlights the struggle that thousands of everyday Italians were facing during the post-war period. “De Sica’s camera skillfully highlights the idea of individual struggle dwarfed by the struggle of the masses” (Roebuck, 2012). This is symbolised when Antonio and his wife Maria, played by Lianella Carell, sell their bed sheets for money to buy back Antonio’s bicycle and the pawnbroker climbs an enormous set of shelves, “tossing their sheets amongst hundreds of others” (Roebuck, 2012). Thus, producers have invited the audience to open their eyes to the harsh reality that the citizens of Italy faced following the Second World War – their struggle to make a living and support their families.
As the film progresses, Antonio becomes more and more hopeless – losing hope of finding his bike and supporting his family. His relationship with Bruno turns as Bruno realises that his father needs support just as much as his family does. Each time Antonio loses sight of his bicycle, he loses sight of himself as a father, feeling as if he has failed his family. This is portrayed in the final scene of the film, which shows the pair walking through a crowded Roman street in tears, hand-in-hand, as they give up on their bicycle chase. The altering mid-shots between the father and son convey the unspoken understanding between the two that their future is uncertain.
The Bicycle Thief leaves audiences feeling hopeless and despaired. The producers have used the conventions of Italian Neorealist cinema such as non-professional actors and outdoor shooting to portray to the audience that life is not fair, unpredictable and arduous times are unavoidable. The producers invite the audience to fill gaps and silences left by the story to create an ending. However, there is little room for interpretation when it comes to finding a way to survive in a forlorn, post-war society.
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