Bicycle Thieves (1948)
8.172 /10
2643 Reviews
Rate This Movie:
Unemployed Antonio is elated when he finally finds work hanging posters around war-torn Rome. However on his first day, his bicycle—essential to his work—gets stolen. His job is doomed unless he can find the thief. With the help of his son, Antonio combs the city, becoming desperate for justice.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Antonio
... Bruno
... Maria
... Baiocco
... Alfredo Catelli, The Thief
User reviews
When in Rome... keep an eye on your bicycle! Or else it might be stolen and you'll find yourself fruitlessly searching the streets of Italy, as the father and son do in this classic Italian film. Lamberto Maggiorani, as the desperate, out of work father, and Enzo Staiola, as his frustrated young son, play off each other nicely and a nice pace keeps things interesting. It's heralded as one of the greatest movies ever made, but personally I don't quite see why. It's a good story none the less, and it kept my attention. There's a very satisfying dose of irony at the end.
Director:
Writer:
Cesare Zavattini (Screenplay)
Adolfo Franci (Screenplay)
Suso Cecchi d'Amico (Screenplay)
Luigi Bartolini (Novel)
Oreste Biancoli (Screenplay)
Gerardo Guerrieri (Screenplay)
Vittorio De Sica (Screenplay)
Gherardo Gherardi (Screenplay)
Cesare Zavattini (Story)
Genres:
Release Date:
1948-07-21
Run Time:
89 min
MMPA Rating:
NR
Reviews of
Bicycle Thieves
When in Rome... keep an eye on your bicycle! Or else it might be stolen and you'll find yourself fruitlessly searching the streets of Italy, as the father and son do in this classic Italian film. Lamberto Maggiorani, as the desperate, out of work father, and Enzo Staiola, as his frustrated young son, play off each other nicely and a nice pace keeps things interesting. It's heralded as one of the greatest movies ever made, but personally I don't quite see why. It's a good story none the less, and it kept my attention. There's a very satisfying dose of irony at the end.
In post war Rome, money is very tight for "Antonio" (Lamberto Maggiorani) so when he gets a chance to earn some extra cash, he grabs the opportunity. Snag is, he needs his bike to do the work and someone has just pinched it. Together with his young son "Bruno" (a superb Enzo Staiola) he sets out on the near impossible task of tracking the thing down! What ensues are a series of escapades as the father and son team encounter a range of equally war ravaged citizens - some more helpful than others - on their mini-quest. It's an interesting study on humanity this, centred around something so apparently pedestrian as losing a bike, but the cascading impact of that event on their lives and their relationship as well as with the profound effects on their livelihood and self respect are expertly laid out by De Rica, who draws us gradually into their series of adventures. The simplicity of the story also engenders an opportunity to look at the poverty endured by many sections of the citizenry (those who sit through the mass so they can be rewarded with a bowl of soup rather than worrying about any redemption of their soul, for example). The performance from the young Staiola is excellent. He plays the role of the young boy with considerable natural skill - his character has no real idea of why this bike is so important, nor of why it's loss is causing his father's behaviour to vacillate - but like a loyal puppy, he continues to help out, even saving the day at one stage. The settings in this ancient city add considerably to the sense of despair - ruins (old and new) - and at times they make you wonder of life here has really moved on so much from Roman times. The pace of the film is very well measured, the script is not devoid of a bit humour, even joy, now and again and the momentum builds steadily to a conclusion that is remarkably poignant and that left me with a smile on my face. Question is though, does he find his bike???
A heartwarming yet surprisingly bleak masterpiece of hope and despair.
Cast & Crew of
Bicycle Thieves
Cast
... Antonio
... Bruno
... Maria
... Baiocco
... Alfredo Catelli, The Thief
... The Beggar
... The Charitable Lady
... A Beggar
... Secretary of the Charity Organization
...
... Carabiniere (uncredited)
... Amateur Actor (uncredited)
... Citizen Who Protects the Real Thief (uncredited)
... A Seminary Student (uncredited)
... Meniconi, the Street Sweeper (uncredited)
... Guard in Piazza Vittorio (uncredited)
... Police Officer (uncredited)
... (uncredited)
... (uncredited)
... (uncredited)
... A Young Boy (uncredited)
... Rich Kid in Restaurant (uncredited)
Crew
... Screenplay
... Screenplay
... Editor
... Screenplay
... Novel
... Original Music Composer
... Production Design
... Screenplay
... Screenplay
... Screenplay
... Director
... Producer
... Focus Puller
... Producer
... Unit Manager
... Sound
... First Assistant Director
... First Assistant Director
... Screenplay
... Camera Operator
... Production Manager
... Sound Engineer
... Director of Photography
... Story
... Production Secretary
... Conductor
Similar Movies To
Bicycle Thieves
The Rules of the Game (1939)
7.481/10
The Marquis de la Chesnaye and his wife host a weekend gala where a variety of complicated romantic and social entanglements between guests and servants lead to tragedy, all against the backdrop of a looming war.
Release: 1939-07-09
The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)
7.983/10
A classic of the silent age, this film tells the story of the doomed but ultimately canonized 15th-century teenage warrior. On trial for claiming she'd spoken to God, Jeanne d'Arc is subjected to inhumane treatment and scare tactics at the hands of church court officials. Initially bullied into changing her story, Jeanne eventually opts for what she sees as the truth. Her punishment, a famously brutal execution, earns her perpetual martyrdom.
Release: 1928-04-21
Kuhle Wampe or Who Owns the World? (1932)
6.885/10
Kuhle Wampe takes place in early-1930s Berlin. The film begins with a montage of newspaper headlines describing steadily-rising unemployment figures. This is followed by scenes of a young man looking for work in the city and the family discussing the unpaid back rent. The young man, brother of the protagonist Anni, removes his wristwatch and throws himself from a window out of despair. Shortly thereafter his family is evicted from their apartment. Now homeless, the family moves into a garden colony of sorts with the name “Kuhle Wampe.”
Release: 1932-05-14
Mr. & Mrs. Smith (2005)
6.691/10
A husband and wife struggle to keep their marriage alive until they realize they are both secretly working as assassins. Now, their respective assignments require them to kill each other.
Release: 2005-06-07
Persona (1966)
8.133/10
A young nurse, Alma, is put in charge of Elisabeth Vogler: an actress who is seemingly healthy in all respects, but will not talk. As they spend time together, Alma speaks to Elisabeth constantly, never receiving any answer.
Release: 1966-10-18
Roman Holiday (1953)
7.888/10
Overwhelmed by her suffocating schedule, touring European princess Ann takes off for a night while in Rome. When a sedative she took from her doctor kicks in, however, she falls asleep on a park bench and is found by an American reporter, Joe Bradley, who takes her back to his apartment for safety. At work the next morning, Joe finds out Ann's regal identity and bets his editor he can get exclusive interview with her, but romance soon gets in the way.
Release: 1953-08-26
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
7.818/10
A young couple, Rosemary and Guy, moves into an infamous New York apartment building, known by frightening legends and mysterious events, with the purpose of starting a family.
Release: 1968-06-12
Judgment at Nuremberg (1961)
8.004/10
In 1947, four German judges who served on the bench during the Nazi regime face a military tribunal to answer charges of crimes against humanity. Chief Justice Haywood hears evidence and testimony not only from lead defendant Ernst Janning and his defense attorney Hans Rolfe, but also from the widow of a Nazi general, an idealistic U.S. Army captain and reluctant witness Irene Wallner.
Release: 1961-12-18
The Music Room (1958)
7.531/10
An aging, decadent landlord’s passion for music becomes the undoing of his legacy as he sacrifices his wealth in order to compete with the opulent music room of his younger, richer neighbour.
Release: 1958-10-10
The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951)
7.46/10
An alien and a robot land on Earth after World War II and tell mankind to be peaceful or face destruction.
Release: 1951-09-18
M (1931)
8.06/10
In this classic German thriller, Hans Beckert, a serial killer who preys on children, becomes the focus of a massive Berlin police manhunt. Beckert's heinous crimes are so repellant and disruptive to city life that he is even targeted by others in the seedy underworld network. With both cops and criminals in pursuit, the murderer soon realizes that people are on his trail, sending him into a tense, panicked attempt to escape justice.
Release: 1931-05-11
Umberto D. (1952)
7.878/10
When elderly pensioner Umberto Domenico Ferrari returns to his boarding house from a protest calling for a hike in old-age pensions, his landlady demands her 15,000-lire rent by the end of the month or he and his small dog will be turned out onto the street. Unable to get the money in time, Umberto fakes illness to get sent to a hospital, giving his beloved dog to the landlady's pregnant and abandoned maid for temporary safekeeping.
Release: 1952-01-20
In the Mood for Love (2000)
8.088/10
Two neighbors form a strong bond after both suspect extramarital activities of their spouses. However, they agree to keep their bond platonic so as not to commit similar wrongs.
Release: 2000-09-29
2046 (2004)
7.224/10
Women enter and exit a science fiction author's life over the course of a few years after the author loses the woman he considers his one true love.
Release: 2004-09-29
Strangers on a Train (1951)
7.666/10
A charming psychopath tries to coerce a tennis star into his theory that two strangers can commit the perfect crime by exchanging murders—each killing the other’s most-hated person.
Release: 1951-06-27
Scarface (1932)
7.405/10
In 1920s Chicago, Italian immigrant and notorious thug, Antonio 'Tony' Camonte, aka Scarface, shoots his way to the top of the mobs while trying to protect his sister from the criminal life.
Release: 1932-04-09
The Best Years of Our Lives (1946)
7.765/10
It's the hope that sustains the spirit of every GI: the dream of the day when he will finally return home. For three WWII veterans, the day has arrived. But for each man, the dream is about to become a nightmare.
Release: 1946-12-25
Policewoman (2000)
6.769/10
A young police woman is faced with the difficulties between her responsibilities at work and her personal responsibilities.
Release: 2000-05-10
Andrei Rublev (1966)
7.962/10
An expansive Russian drama, this film focuses on the life of revered religious icon painter Andrei Rublev. Drifting from place to place in a tumultuous era, the peace-seeking monk eventually gains a reputation for his art. But after Rublev witnesses a brutal battle and unintentionally becomes involved, he takes a vow of silence and spends time away from his work. As he begins to ease his troubled soul, he takes steps towards becoming a painter once again.
Release: 1966-12-16
The World of Apu (1959)
8.1/10
Apu, now a jobless ex-student dreaming vaguely of a future as a writer, is invited to join an old college friend on a trip up-country to a village wedding.
Release: 1959-05-01