Bicycle Thieves, Ladri di Biciclette in Italian, is a 1948 neorealist drama directed by Vittorio De Sica. The film is about fathers and sons, about the way the poor steal from each other because somebody else steals from them. It is adapted from a Luigi Bartolini’s novel of 1946 for screen by Cesare Zavattini.
The film stars Lamberto Maggiorani as Antonio Ricci and his little boy Bruno played by Enzo Staiola. The father and son duo embark on a desperate search for their stolen bike. Maria Ricci, played by Lianella Carell, even goes to the supposedly wise lady which is probably why they even get the bike in the first place. This film accurately depicts the life of an average citizen in post WWII Rome. Antonio, an unemployed husband and father in dire need of a job when finally stumbles upon one, finds out that it requires him to have a bike. Not just his own life but his two young kids’ as well as his wife’s life depends solely on that bike.
Poverty can propel people to do crazy things and Antonio’s feeble attempt at stealing doesn’t even cover the extent of it, much less touch upon it. The scene where they share a meal in the restaurant is such a simple yet powerful scene. A father and son simply enjoying one of the most fundamental joys of life; having a nice warm meal until you’re full. But during that scene we’re worried whether Antonio can even afford such a thing right now? There’s indignity at class contrast; why is it that the rich lad can enjoy a fancy plate of pasta without a care in the world when a simple mozzarella bread is an extravagant treat for little Bruno? Hopelessness is yet another prominent theme in the film. After having chased aimlessly and without any success, both father and son are just standing by the bridge, at that point Antonio just says the hell with it. If we’re going down we might as well go down in style and asks Bruno if he’d like Pizza. Neglect is also seen throughout the film, especially with Antonio and Bruno. Antonio is so lost in his own head, worrying about the bike, it’s ridiculous how much he neglects Bruno. Bruno might as well have fallen into a ditch or gotten slammed by a car and Antonio probably still would be searching for the apple of his eye, which are usually offsprings but in this case, the beloved bike steals the place.
The entire film develops similarly to a Hollywood film, with the hero and their struggle but unlike most mainstream Hollywood films, this one doesn’t have a happy ending. The film, though might not seem like it, is actually so sad. Every time they think they’re going to get the bike, they don’t and the situation progressively just gets worse. It’s almost frustrating to even watch and it’s not even our bike. The cinematography is quite clever and simple at the same time. The opening scene is reversed which shows that this film is about the people and not so much about the landscapes and surroundings. The director has focused on making this film as real as possible, with no unnecessary dramatic music during chases and fresh faces to make it seem as real as a documentary.
We all have our own bicycles in our lives, which makes you wonder, would you steal someone else’s, if you lose yours?
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