#thebicyclethief

[superman-2050]

#FullHouse #TheBicycleThief #JodieSweetin #ScottWeinger #CandaceCameron #StephanieTanner #DJTanner #SteveHale https://www.instagram.com/p/CSGXVoCr-3r/?utm_medium=tumblr

[awardseasonblog]

#Ladridibiciclette #TheBicycleThief dir.#VittorioDeSica oltre a vincere un Oscar onorario, ha conquistato la nomination per la miglior sceneggiatura #CesareZavattini. Ha vinto inoltre vari premi durante l'Awards Season di quell'anno: dal BAFTA e al Golden Globe, dai 3 National Board of Review fino al Premio Speciale della Giuria al Festival di Locarno del 1949 https://www.instagram.com/p/CBXqByMIyuD/?igshid=i6ityu9nqxpy

[elephile]

#Halifax #theoceanplayground #thebicyclethief (at The Bicycle Thief) https://www.instagram.com/p/B4baZzvjx2LXZx0zDkhckuHwHW_sPQH5bf50N40/?igshid=9o4emcv7tudu

[harryhenry1]

Nice early winter weather outside the restaurant The Bicycle Thief! (Photo taken in June) #rain #newzealand #rain #truck #restaurant #thebicyclethief (at The Bicycle Thief) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bq9czLmgB_3/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=pke94pcdl2xe

[indica153-blog]

#VittorioDeSica #Bicycle #Thief #TheBicycleThief #Classic #Film #Movie #Cinema #Italian

[andreegracie]

Lunch with my #mom at @ourbicyclethief #thebicyclethief #celebrating #halifax #novascotia

[kdlig]

1st episode is like a homage to the film #thebicyclethief #vittoriodesica #masterofnone #azizansari

[luna-pur-cinema-blog]

The Bicycle Thief

The 1948 Italian film, The Bicycle Thief takes place during post-World War II Rome and is one of the representatives of Italian Neorealism. In this film we follow Antonio and his son, Bruno scour the streets to find their stolen bike. For Antonio to maintain his new job of hanging posters, he needs a bike. After his bike is stolen he goes to the black market to find pieces of his bike, but finds nothing. He then follows a young boy that rode a bike off into the distance that Antonio thought looked a lot like his bike. After chasing him and losing him Antonio and Bruno set out to find the old man that he was talking too. After finding the old man and nearly threatening him to release the information of the young boy, they finally get him to speak up and they set out to find the young boy. Finally finding the young man they threaten him to uncover the bike he was riding, which he does not have. After shamefully walking down the street after the towns’ people went after Antonio for his false accusation, Antonio and Bruno walk back home. On their way home, feeling deeply worthless and vulnerable Antonio decides to steal a bike that was leaning outside a house. As Antonio rides off with the bike he is captured, and on their way to jail the owner of the bicycle decides to let him go, in which we watch Antonio and Bruno walk down the street with hundreds of other people beside them carrying on with their own lives.

           The first point about this film I want to bring up is the title, The Bicycle Thief. Although, this film is about Antonio and how his life changes because of a thief who steals his bicycle, after thinking about this title it has made me realize that the title is in reference to Antonio. It basically tells you the ending of this film and what Antonio does. ‘The’ is singular, and when Antonio’s bike is stolen it is not by one person and the storyline does not revolve around the men that actually steal Antonio’s bike. Furthermore, nor is this film about the young man who was seen riding a bike. This film is about Antonio and Bruno as they search for their bike. Antonio is the person that steals the bike in the end, the only person that commits this crime, thus the title is in reference to Antonio.

           Looking at the last 8 or so minutes of this film the audience sits in suspense. This scene especially, and the film overall, represents the idea of André Bazin’s notion of reality reflected onto the screen magnificently. The audience of this film are not given a certain perspective, there are no implied interpretations instilled onto the audience. We watch this film as though we are another character in the film, in which we are able to each make our own interpretations from the events that are portrayed. Moreover, looking at the ending sequence of this film and when Antonio is debating weather to steal the bike, we notice that these are all long takes. I believe that this represents the mind of Antonio in this situation and the situation overall. By not having cuts between these actions it shows the continuous thought of Antonio, and his impulse of stealing the bike. The idea that this is all happening in one moment, in one take, Antonio does not have a split second where he stops and thinks. We can see that in this moment the only thing on Antonio’s mind is getting a bike so he can continue to keep his job and support his family. As the day comes to an end and we see that Antonio has lost faith and lingers heavily in desperation because he realizes that he will soon need to head home to his wife. We see the worry that overcomes him when throughout the day he has failed, been humiliated, spent money on expensive food, and still has not found his bike. Antonio is at the lowest he can get and for the moment when he sees the bike sitting there he thinks he is able to get away with it, because three guys were able to get away with stealing his bike.

           Looking at the very last scene of this film I want to bring up the power that this cinematographically had on me personally. The way we watch Antonio and Bruno cry as they walk down the street after their long day and the relief of them being let go, we see and feel the struggle of their situation heavily. Although we may not understand exactly what they are going through, we can understand the frustration and desperation that they feel in that moment. However, as they walk down the street and the camera zooms out we see the other people around them that are also carrying on with their own lives. This hit me very hard, and made me realize that this day, this situation with Antonio and Bruno is but one day and one situation that happened during this day, during these post World-War II times. This one little situation of Antonio’s bike being stolen is such a huge event that happened to him and his life, because life at this time was hard and there were intense struggles. I think this ending truly emphasizes and portrays Bazin’s notion of reality on the screen because it was so subtly yet it was so powerful. It was relatable, because it is exactly like our own reality. It is something that the audience can understand and sympathize towards.