Ladri di biciclette (1948)

Director:

Vittorio De Sica

Writers:

Luigi Bartolini (novel)
Cesare Zavattini (writer) ...

Release Date:

13 December 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

A man and his son search for a stolen bicycle vital for his job.

Plot Keywords:

Bicycle | Job | Poster | Thief | Chase

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 16 wins

Cast

Lamberto Maggiorani	...	Antonio Ricci
Enzo Staiola	...	Bruno Ricci
Lianella Carell	...	Maria Ricci
Gino Saltamerenda	...	Baiocco
Vittorio Antonucci	...	The Thief
Giulio Chiari	...	The Beggar
Elena Altieri	...	The Charitable Lady
Carlo Jachino	...	A Beggar
Michele Sakara	...	Secretary of the Charity Organization
Emma Druetti
Fausto Guerzoni	...	Amateur Actor

Also Known As:

Bicycle Thieves (UK) (USA)
The Bicycle Thief (USA)
The Bicycle Thieves (UK)

Runtime:

93 min | Spain:80 min (DVD edition)

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Colour:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Portugal:M/6 | Spain:T | Australia:PG | West Germany:12 (f) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Citta Valmelaina, Via Salaria, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Produzioni De Sica

Trivia:

There's a scene later in the movie where Bruno is nearly run over twice while crossing the street. This was absolutely unrehearsed - it was filmed on location and the two cars happened to pass by at that time.

Quotes:

Antonio Ricci: I've been cursed my whole life.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Louis 19, le roi des ondes (1994)

Real

Even if you are merely a moderate fan of cinema you will have at least heard of this film. It has been hailed as a masterpiece for just short of sixty years and has been routinely studied in film classes everywhere. In a sense, it is one of the recognized masterpieces of cinema. And yet, this is not a film in which to pick up obviously great shots like the 360 degree shot in the hotel room in "Vertigo" or cuts as good as the jump cut in "2001: A Space Odyssey" with which Kubrick transports you from prehistoric ages to an age in which space travel is common in barely a second. This is a subtle, realistic film, and though it looks terrific, it is not flashy. It exists not to excel technically or tell the story of humanity, but simply to tell a story. A simple story which may say more about human nature than any other film in existence.

"Bicycle Thieves" is about a man in economically depressed post-World War II Italy who is lucky enough to find a job which requires him to use a bicycle as transportation while putting up posters around the city. It's relatively well-paying and almost too good to believe for his family. While on the job his bicycle is stolen, and the rest of the movie tells the story of him and his son attempting to recover the bicycle.

In the magnificent final scene Antonio Ricci (the lead character) finds himself tempted to steal a bicycle in order to be able to perform his job. Here we have our 'hero' thinking about doing to someone else what was done to him. There is no black and white in the world, no good and evil. This film does a great job of stating that fact without moralizing and preaching like so many modern films do. This film does not insult your intelligence and I pity those who wanted a third act, or those who wanted more explanation. This film is beautiful and brilliant because it is completely understated. It's realistic. We feel Ricci's desperation and are transported into 1940's Rome as he makes his way through the city's crowded streets, alleyways, churches and brothels.

I have no idea how much this film cost to make, but I would be surprised if it was made on a low budget. The location shooting throughout the city is impressive, as is the (again) understated cinematography. De Sica cast non-actors in the lead roles, and I find their performances to be among the most realistic and effective I've ever seen. Alessandro Cigognini's score is a highlight of the film, and I consider the melancholy main theme one of the greatest musical cues I've heard in any film.

I enjoy theatricality as much as anyone and I certainly don't dislike Hollywood gloss, but "Bicycle Thieves" serves as a jarring reminder of how great a medium film can be. The jarring effect the film had on audiences upon its release (in particular American audiences) is easy to understand viewing the film in 2007 and it escapes my comprehension how anyone can't be completely captivated and enthralled by this masterwork.

****/4