Ladri di biciclette (1948)

Genre: Drama/Adventure

Starring: Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carrell

English title: Bicycle Thieves. In the lives of simple folk, there is often a single object that plays a very crucial role for the individual to carry out their daily activities.Without that object, one is handicapped and is unable to carry out his duties. For Antonio Ricci, that element was a bicycle which was essential for him to carry out his job as a poster boy. After being unemployed for a long time, Antonio finally managed to get this job, provided he have a bicycle. After pawning some family bedsheets, Antonio manages to get himself a bicycle for his first day of work. Unfortunately, the cycle gets stolen on his very first day and a distraught Antonio does not know what to do. With help from friends, his son Bruno (Staiola) and some confidence from his wife, Maria (Carrell), Antonio sets out to finding his bicycle the next day. Most of the movie involves Antonio's hunt for his bicycle and the adventures that come along with it. The movie is the critics' delight and is an example of how early cinema can have a contemporary treatment. Every aspect of this movie has a touch of finesse and it would be hard to find anything technically incorrect about it. Possibly the only drawback of the movie is the simple story that does not lead to an exceptional climax. If you seek entertainment then perhaps this movie may not be able to deliver but if you seek to watch a fine movie from the days of early cinema, then this movie will certainly fit the bill.

Thumbs up: An example of good movie-making from the older days

Thumbs down: Simple story that lacks an interesting climax

Rating: 7.3/10