DVD
The Bicycle Thieves

Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola and Lianella Carell
Arrow Films
RRP: £17.99
FCD251
Certificate: PG
Available 20 February 2006


In post war Rome work is hard to come by as the economy tries to revive itself. Antonio Ricci finally finds work as a bill poster around the city; problem is he needs a bicycle to get around. His wife comes up with the money but tragically the bike is stolen. Unable to work without it he scours the streets of Rome, with his son, trying to get it back. As desperation takes hold he is forced to steal a bike in order to keep his job. Not being a professional thief he is caught and faces humiliation in front of his son...

Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di Biciclette), was based on the novel by Luigi Bartolini, and directed by Vittorio de Sica. Screenplay was by Cesare Zavattini, one of the main proponents of neorealim in post war Italian cinema. Neorealism was an attempt to move away from what was seen as the fantasy elements of film making, where everything seems to exist in a world apart from the real world. To this end, none of the actors in the film were in fact actors, rather they were ordinary people recruited to fill the roles. All the filming was done on location in and around the city of Rome and no effort was made to show anything other than the real experiences of the people involved or the slums that they lived in. The film therefore has a kind of documentary feel to its cinematography.

However laudable this idea, it creates a number of problems. The actors are not in fact speaking with their own voices about their own experiences, with a script in place they are actually doing what trained actors would do. Nor does the cinematography or lighting move so far away from its set bound predecessors. Whilst there is use of hand held camera shots, a closer look at the film reveals a lot of professional framing. That aside, Thieves was a very important film and went a long way in reinvigorating post war Italian cinema, paving the way for the creation of Cinema Verite, in France, in the late 1950's and early 60's with directors such as Jean-luc Goddard.

One would expect that with such an inexperienced cast that the film would seem amateurish, so it's amazing just how effective Lamberto Maggiorani is in the role of Antonio Ricci - considering that he had no acting experience. Prior to his role he had been a factory worker. Enzo Staiola, who plays his young son Bruno, also turns in a fine performance. Although at the start of the film Bruno looks like he is shaping up to be one of those annoying kids. With his fathers eventual fall from grace Bruno comes through as the moral conscious of the film.

Whilst the plot is simple, it is the lives of the main characters and those they encounter that makes this film a classic. As much as poverty has destroyed these people's lives, and the harshness of their condition hardened their souls, the film has many standout moments of unexpected kindness and humanity. These small acts of grace stop the world from imploding into a morass of self pity and depression.

The print is in good shape for such an old film, though there is evidence of print damage and artefacts - though not enough to spoil the film. Audio is naturally stereo, but very clear. On the extras you get poster artwork (ironically enough), lobby stills and a trailer. More interesting is the documentary about Vittorio De Sica, with film of the great man talking about his work as both an actor and director.

So, a splendid disc for all lovers of great cinema. Pity they didn't clean the print up though.

Charles Packer

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