One of, if not the defining
masterpieces of Italian neorealism, Ladri
di biciclette (Bicycle Theives)
is the first film I’ve seen in the post war sub genre which emerged from a
country on its knees in the wake of a brutal Fascist regime. If there are other
films in the movement that are half as good as this one, it won’t be my last
dip into the genre. Vittorio De Sica’s film is set on the streets of Rome in 1948. With work
scarce and hunger raging, a man tries desperately to secure work in an
unfavourable job market. He manages to secure a job with adequate pay as
someone who puts up film posters but when a thief steals his bike, something he
needs for the job, his family are left penniless and he has to wander the
streets, searching for his bike amongst a city of millions.
De Sica used ordinary people in
the acting roles but it’s difficult to tell that from the performances. Lead
actor Lamberto Maggiorani is superb as the man at his wits end following the
crime and his miniature adult son, Enzo Staiola comes close to stealing the
whole movie. The situation the family find themselves in makes for compelling
viewing and the themes and imagery thrown up by the movie add to its impressive
overall effect. I wasn’t surprised to read that in Sight & Sound’s first ‘greatest films of all time’ poll in 1952,
Bicycle Thieves was ranked at number
one. The most recent poll in 2012 ranked it at number 33 all time and my own algorithmic study ranked it at 35.
