Also, when Maria and Antonio sell their sheets to get the bicycle, they see a massive tower revealing pawned sheets strikingly similar to their own, an image representing the countless other families who have experienced the same basic struggle as Antonio. Bruno is maybe eight, but mature for his age. The Bicycle Thief takes place in Rome during a period where the unemployment rate was high and men struggled to support their families. A long continuous take then dissolves into a tracking shot as a group of men gather hurriedly at the foot of some steps. Antonio’s desperate odyssey allows us to understand how life can hinge upon an item as mundane as a bicycle. The film is beautifully shot. The film uses metaphor and parable to explore the sense of betrayal and hopelessness of post war Italy. An elderly man comes up to the pawnbroker’s window after Maria Ricci has dropped off her wedding sheets; the elderly man offers a pair of useless binoculars. While this miraculous event may not be logically explicable, it is perhaps Antonio’s greatest stroke of luck in the film. His partner comes out of his rundown apartment holding a baby when he hears the commotion. Characters like the old man, the group of unemployed men at the beginning of the film, the young boy begging for money, and the attendees at church live in dire conditions and are forced to degrade themselves simply to survive, and their collective predicaments illustrate the ubiquity of poverty in Rome. Through this exposition, we become aware of the love Antonio has for his family; if he fails to provide for them, he will be left with nothing, no real sense of happiness or purpose. Right from the start the film uses its realist aesthetic to foreground two key ideas. The writer must distinguish what makes a particular film different from those of another culture from the same time period (Corrigan, 2015). It is entertaining, but that is not the goal. ", Part 5: "If you only knew what this means to me. "I have a bicycle!" When he sees Antonio, he escapes back into his apartment. One always grabs me: early in the film, when Antonio rides Bruno to work on his bicycle. The other principal actors, Maggiorani and Staiola, avoid being senti­mental even though it is a sad story. The copious flea markets sell hundreds of bicycles, which renders Antonio’s task of finding his personal bicycle impossible. Go now, and try to understand.” Immediately afterwards, Antonio spots the thief. This suggests that people turn more to spirituality when institutions (the police, the government, religion, employment services) fail to offer them security and hope. Poverty runs through nearly every scene of Bicycle Thieves, and the main character Antonio and his family are acutely afflicted. ", Part 4: "Either you find it right away or you never well. This is reflected in our protagonist Antonio who throughout the film is shown as incapable of looking after his family. Just as Bruno leaves, he looks over at the baby and goes back to close the window. Not affiliated with Harvard College. I dread that moment, because I feel for how much he, and his son, have to bear. Bicycle Thieves opens with a slow pan that follows a bus into a shabby suburban housing estate. Many of Antonio’s actions are driven by his love for his family and his wish to support them. Bruno is not the boy in danger, but he could have been. Luigi Bartolini, the author of the novel from which de Sica drew his title, was highly critical of t… Bicycle Thieves is the best-known work of Italian neorealism, the movement (begun by Roberto Rossellini’s 1945 Rome, Open City) which attempted to give cinema a new degree of realism. The predators are the rich and disconnected. Because Antonio faces these authority figures—an employment officer, his boss, and a pawnbroker—one-on-one and is not outnumbered, he is finally treated like a human being. The Cultural Revolution had just ended, and the government was digging up a lot of old movies from before the Revolution to show the public. It is totally unromantic. There is a lovely score over the scene that turns it into poetry. Though not wholly distinct from religion, spirituality in The Bicycle Thieves is mainly represented by the seer, while religion is represented by the church. Antonio doesn’t notice Bruno fall in the rain, nor does he notice 2 cars nearly run over him. And yet, they are apathetic to Antonio’s problems, whose individuality becomes diluted and subservient to these powerful groups in society. I could watch it over and over again, and in truth, I have. It is postwar Italy, just freed from a Fascist government that had controlled information and lied to its people. A roomful of police deem the theft of his bicycle frivolous. We often see Antonio as an individual in crisis against a collective. Bicycle Thieves: The Unspoken Allure of Communism Bicycle Thieves is an exemplary demonstration of Italian neorealism that seeks to use non-professional actors to illustrate the struggle of average people surviving under a Fascist government. [citation needed]Their first year 2009 saw the band release their debut single "Stop To Start" backed by "Camera Shy" on Loog Records. The compositions are extraordinary; there are poetic moments throughout. With Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell, Elena Altieri. That little gesture comes across as being so real and endearing. Bicycle Thieves was made at a time of deep economic and social crisis, when 22% of men were unemployed in Italy and feeling impotent. The humiliation Antonio suffers after he is caught trying to steal a bike, in front of his son, is literally painful to watch. They ride in a pack, keeping ahead of a bus that is full of workers. The background players’ faces are also always incredibly expressive, which adds to the illusion of reality. The poster is of a Hollywood star. For his part, Bruno demonstrates his abiding love and admiration for his father at the end of the film. This reliance on blind faith explains why Antonio visits the seer, despite having belittled her earlier in the film. Maggiorani doesn’t have Hollywood movie star looks, but you believe him. Bicycle registries such as Bike Index allow cyclists to register their bikes for free. The theft of the bike ironically unveils the layers of corruption at all levels of postwar Italy, but especially in the upper classes. His face tells a story. There is a group of filmmakers like myself who wanted to counter the distorted narratives and stereotyped images of Hollywood, and on seeing Bicycle Thieves, I was moved by how ordinary people were able to express so much humanity. Directed by Vittorio De Sica. It stars Lamberto Maggiorani, not a professional actor, as Ricci, a man who joins a hopeless queue every morning looking for work. You see a well-dressed, self-indulgent young man blowing bubbles and totally oblivious to Antonio’s suffering as he and his friend conduct their search through vendors selling bikes and parts. In Bicycle Thieves, there is a correlation between truth and sentiment, and truth and the political statement – Which are justifiably both used in this film without over powering one another (balance) in order to positively enhance the films message. I have yet to watch the last act of the film without experiencing the same emotion I felt the first time. The story achieved in very simple terms what I was looking to do in film: humanize those watching. One day there is a job--for a man with a bicycle. The apathetic police are characterized by a similarly dismissive attitude; they encourage Antonio to search for the bike himself, as they claim they wouldn’t even recognize it if they saw it. I have always wondered what the meaning of this was, if there was any. The seer’s advice to Antonio is trite and simple; she says, “Either you find it right away or you never will...I don’t know what else to tell you. Also amazing is the fact that the thieves are not portrayed as bad people but as victims of a corrupt society. Bicycle Thieves (also called The Bicycle Thief) study guide contains a biography of director Vittorio De Sica, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. It’s “Bicycle Thieves” (“Ladri di Biciclette” in Italian) not only because more than one bike is stolen, but also because the cruelty of modern life threatens to make robbers of us all. The film, Bicycle Thief, which was directed by Vittorio De Sica, presents the complexity of human nature by telling a simple story. Bicycle Thieves is truly one of my favorite films. It’s a complicated and eloquent story in spite of its simple plot. It was the same where I grew up: life was basically a continuous struggle. In the film, an unemployed man, Antonio Ricci (played by factory worker Lamberto Maggiorani, in true Neorealist fashion), catches a lucky break and manages to land a job pasting up posters around the city. Cooper, James ed. ", Bicycle Thieves and the persistence of realism, Read the Study Guide for Bicycle Thieves…, View Wikipedia Entries for Bicycle Thieves…. The main actors in the film are ideal. Though not wholly distinct from religion, spirituality in The Bicycle Thieves is mainly represented by the seer, while religion is represented by the church. GradeSaver, 7 November 2018 Web. Following that scene is one in which her husband, Antonio, lifts her up to look into a window of the building where he now works. Something small can start a whole landslide of emotions. De Sica’s commentary is fascinating. The most significant insight I gained from Bicycle Thieves is that stories don’t have to be complicated. Summaries. Not only do the police and the employment offices fail to improve the destitute circumstances of the poor, but they showcase an indifference toward the cruel poverty affecting thousands of powerless individuals across Rome. The Bicycle Thief, directed by Vittoria De Sica, is a film that reflects Italian neorealism. And, as is often the case in life, reality here doesn’t have a happy resolution. He and his son set out to find it. Antonio receives the job offer when he is signaled out by the employment officer, he gets his official job assignment when he personally meets his boss, and he and Maria collect extra money for their sheets once the pawn shop employee empathizes with their suffering. Italian critic Guido Aristarco praised it, but also complained that "sentimentality might at times take the place of artistic emotion." In trying to find answers to what I experienced, I read a lot of Depression-era literature and studied the works of the photojournalists who focused on families struggling to make ends meet—slave narratives and books like Richard Wright’s Native Son and James Agee’s Let Us Now Praise Famous Men, which share the sensibility that produced neorealism. Bicycle Thieves gives meaning to the common man. In the pawnshop scene, as she watches the pawnbroker count her money, she bites her fingernail. Spirituality and faith underlies several characters’ actions in Bicycle Thieves. The lyricism of Bicycle Thieves is something that could also be seen as counter to realism. Systematic poverty also damages several citizens’ livelihoods postwar Italy. The black-and-white photography and full aperture give it a classical look. In an apartment block between Welcome to Thornbury and Separation Street, Chris Griffiths and Shri Bhagwanda's newest venue also caters to brunch-goers hungry for more than the basics. He and his son set out to find it. Spirituality and faith underlies several characters’ actions in Bicycle Thieves. The film follows Antonio Ricci, the main character, during his search for his stolen bicycle. By forcing impoverished populations to embrace and conform to their religious practices to receive basic aid, the church reveals its true intentions, which is to control the poor and take advantage of their abject poverty. At the beginning of the film, we see Antonio’s family bond: Maria makes Antonio breakfast, Bruno winsomely ribs Antonio, and an infant lies peacefully in bed. The characters are just ordinary people, and the film gives the impression you are watching life unfold before you. “Bicycle Thieves” certainly has an economic message: a critique of social inequality, alienation, and lack of opportunity. The most popular of these films, and perhaps one of the most beautiful, is Ladri di biciclette, The Bicycle Thieves. There is a lovely scene where he cleans his father’s bike with just enough light to see. And, as is often the case in life, reality here doesn’t have a happy resolution. In post-war Italy, a working-class man's bicycle is stolen. Having received little help elsewhere during his journey to find his bike, Antonio desperately insists on having some authority figure offer guidance and hope to him. In two different scenes, we see a crowd of people line up to receive insight from the seer. T he first time I saw Bicycle Thieves was in the late seventies, when I was around ten years old. It's a tribute to Northcote's Italian heritage. The first time I saw Bicycle Thieves was in a class on neorealism, and I was immediately struck by how seamless and real it was, as if a camera were fortunate enough to be present in capturing an actual event. I find myself still full of admiration after seeing Bicycle Thieves recently. One police officer even convinces Antonio not to press charges against the thief. Their faces are so expressive. They seem to be playing themselves. Even the church is not a sanctuary. Perhaps the only self-conscious touch of De Sica’s is the scene in which Antonio’s bike is stolen, while he is hanging a poster of Rita Hayworth. To tell a story without imposing your values is very challenging. Bicycle Thieves gives meaning to the common man. There were three cinemas near where I lived in Fenyang, and my mother had worked at one of them, so the employees there would let me in. Antonio’s family is limited with their resources, forced to choose one necessity over the other: the basics of comfort (their sheets) or employment (the bike). I often wonder if that was De Sica or her. Out now on DVD: http://www.criterion.com/films/210-bicycle-thieves In spite of his Antonio’s shameful actions, Bruno grasps his father’s hand; this small gesture reassures Antonio that he has not fallen in his son’s eyes. By contrast, Antonio’s defeats occur when he is alone and outnumbered by a collective. In Bicycle Thieves, there is a correlation between truth and sentiment, and truth and the political statement – Which are justifiably both used in this film without over powering one another in order to positively enhance the films message. Antonio continually neglects what he values most in life, namely his bicycle and Bruno. Yet it never reduces Antonio … In post-war Italy, a working-class man's bicycle is stolen. The Question and Answer section for Bicycle Thieves is a great The plural of the title of course refers to the message of the film; to the ending where the protagonist becomes a bicycle thief as well. When Antonio Ricci (Lamberto Maggiorani) forces the young man who stole his bike to take him to his house, all of the thief’s neighbors come out to give him support. He opens the window that is over his sleeping baby sibling so he can see better. In the same scene, De Sica shows a well-dressed pedophile trying to seduce Antonio’s son, Bruno (Enzo Staiola); no one seems to be concerned about the pedophile, as if it is all too common. Class struggle is clearly a concern of De Sica’s. Members of the Communist party ironically hush Antonio, a distressed working class man, out of their meeting. You endure, as William Faulkner points out. Copyright © 1999 - 2021 GradeSaver LLC. Antonio finally upholds some parental concern when he suspects that Bruno is the drowning boy in the river in Part 4. Bicycle Thieves (also called The Bicycle Thief) study guide contains a biography of director Vittorio De Sica, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis. Antonio treats his precious son in a similar inattentive manner. It is clear that it was made as a tool for change. Bicycle Thieves clearly represents the relationship between Ricci and Rome as a crisis by constantly showing the struggles of its people during the aftermath of World War II in the mise en scene. All of his triumphs occur when he personally confronts authority figures, who actually value his perspective and view him as an individual with legitimate hardships. Fellow Italian neorealist film director Luchino Visconticriticized the film, saying that it was a mistake to use a professional actor to dub over Lamberto Maggiorani's dialogue. 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