Bicycle Thieves (1948)
Director: Vittoria De Sica
Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola
Honors:
Considered by many to be one of the finest motion pictures in
cinematic history, Bicycle Thieves is
a testament to the power of motion pictures within a state of simplicity. With
a humble running time on 93 minutes and a cast of amateurs this film captures a
deep seeded sense of emotion, manifests the power of the cinematic medium, and transcends
the era within it was created. Today it is a staple of the any student of film
as art, continuing to inspire countless filmmakers for generations. Its story
and presentation captured the hearts of cinematic world, earning numerous international
honors, and helped to change the most influential institution in Hollywood, the
Academy Awards, by helping to a new category for international productions.
Bicycle Thieves is
an Italian neorealist drama about a poor laborer searching for his stolen
bicycle, the item that without could cost him his employment. Antonio Ricci
(Lamberto Maggiorani) a poor citizen of post-World War II Rome is given promise
of work as an advertising bill poster on the condition that he has a bicycle to
do the job. His wife Maria (Lianella Carell) pawns prized family items to
acquire the bicycle since it was an opportunity of decent money for their
family, but on his first on the job Antonio has the bicycle stolen from him. Knowing
it would cost him and his family a great deal, on top of the sacrifices already
made, Antonio sets out in search of the stole bicycle with his young son Bruno
(Enzo Staiola). After a long, arduous day of combing the streets for the bike and
even confronting the thief, Antonio is left without the bike or hope. After sending
Bruno away Antonio, a true and honest husband and father, makes an uncharacteristically
desperate attempt to steal an unattended bike, but is immediately stopped by the
owner and a crowd of scolding citizens. Heartbreakingly, the whole incident is witnessed
by a shocked Bruno, a sight that the owner of the bicycle witnesses as punishment
enough for Antonio, deciding to not prosecute. An ashamed Antonio begins to
walk home as his traumatized Bruno takes his father’s hand as the film closes.
For a story simply about a man searching for his bicycle,
this movie hits an emotional core that goes well beyond its basic description.
This neorealistic capturing life of a poor neighborhood of Rome in an economic
down time, this film paints a beautifully expressive picture in black and white
a story of a man wanting to lovingly take care of his family to the point
performing a shameful act in a moment of desperation. The entire picture
culminates in a final scene that surges with sentiment as a father shatters the
innocence of his son, who has followed him like a dough eyed loving dog ever
looking up to his father. I a quick moment their relationship is forever change
and things will never be the same. The film can be slow, but never is it dull
or uninteresting. It is entirely relatable as a tale about one working to
provide for his family, unexpected misfortune, and the soul searching moments
that make moral people desperately dishonest. All together it is a film that is
very simple to watch, very simple to relate to, and therefore easy to be caught
up in.
The picture is a loose adaption of a novel by Luigi
Bartolini that director Vittorio De Sica molded into his neorealist vision of
post war Rome. Wanting to capture the true state of average citizens suffered
greatly from a depression De Sica filmmed on the actual streets of Rome and
cast amateur actors, very much in the style of Rossellini’s Rome, Open City from 1945. The result is
a film that was a bit gritty, documentary-like at points, but remains very
clean cinematically thanks to De Sica’s attention to detail.
For the lead character De Sica cast Lamberto Maggiorani, who
at the time was a factory worker in Rome and amateur actor. With a slender
build Maggiorani manofested the scant nature in which Antonio was living
through. Maggiorani was so nervous about acting on set that he would shake and
tense up during takes, which De Sica utilized in the anxious nature of Antonio.
Altogether Maggiorani’s performance is marvelously genuine, bringing the
perfect portrayal for the picture. As compensation Maggiorani was paid a meager
salary that covered him purchasing new furniture for his home, as well as a
family vacation. However, shortly after returning to his job at the factory Maggiorani
was laid off due to budget cuts and the perception that he was making good
money as a movie star. Maggiorani would never attain near the attention he received
for his performance in Bicycle Thieves, finding work at laborious jobs while receiving
scant bit roles in movies for a humble income, never to see prominence in
acting again.
De Sica filled other roles in the picture by way of
inspiration during production. The role of Antonio’s wife Maria was played by
Lianella Carell, a journalist that happened to interviewing De Sica immediately
before filming whom he hired to fill the role. Thanks to her performance in the
role Carell found herself in the world of motion picture acting for the next
decade.
The role of Bruno was perhaps the most interesting bit of
casting. Early in production De Sica spotted in the crowd that commonly gathered
around his crew to watch the filming a small, highly expresive boy, Enzo
Staiola, the son a street flower salesman. De Sica found his peculiar look and exaggerated
body language to contain characteristics that stood out, inspiring him to hire
the child for the role of Anotnio’s son. Every moment Staiola is on screen our
eyes are drawn to the young boy as he mostly watches and admires his father,
waiting for moments to help. His performance provides moments of levitate in an
otherwise serious drama, but most of all he brings the heart of the story to
life as we watch his face sink watching his father become a thief himself. It
is the moment shared between Antonio and Bruno in the final scene that grabs at
the heartstrings of audiences as a son has been forever changed by what he
witnessed his father do, but still grasps at his father’s hand in love. Staiola
would for a short time peruse a career in acting, even making appearances in
Hollywood films before returning to Italy, settling into a career as a math
teacher.
Upon initial release in Italy Bicycle Thieves was met with criticism. Local audiences felt it portrayed
Italians in a negative light, shunning the film. Luigi Bartolini, the author of
the novel, shunned the changes made to his original story. However,
internationally the picture received great praise, eventually opening the eyes
of Italian critics. Praised for its neorealistism, its acting, and its story,
the film became a rousing cinematically praised feature. American film critics
embraced the artistry that greatly outshone the style of Hollywood films of the
time. The British Academy Awards honored the film its greatest honor, while in
America the National Board of Review and Golden Globes did the same.
At the Academy Awards the Bicycle Thieves was nominated for
Best Writing (for the year 1949) while receiving an honorary award for his
artistic merits as a foreign made picture. The Academy at that time did not
have the Best Foreign Film category, but with the impact of Bicycle Thieves and other foreign films being
honored at the Oscars during this time the Academy would begin to think about
change s at their ceremonies. Beginning in 1956 the Academy would add an
entirely new category regularly honoring a foreign language features at each
ceremony.
Bicycle Thieves is
a true treasure of the cinematic world that should be enjoyed by any enthusiast
of the medium. Its story, visuals, and acting all come together in a near
perfect harmony, and at the risk of sounding cliché: this film is one of the
very best ever made. It is simple, but it grabs you and pulls you into a significant
world of that near everyone can relate to. It is sad, sometimes funny,
heartbreaking, and true to its core.
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