The Bicycle Thieves

(Ladri di biciclette, Vittorio De Sica, Italy 1948, 89 min., 35mm, Italian w/subtitles)

In this founding film of the neorealist movement, De Sica used non-actors, including Lamberto Maggiorani as Ricci, a poster-hanger who relies on his bicycle to make a living. While he is busy with his son Bruno, the bicycle is stolen and the two embark on an odyssey of despair. Their efforts to find the bicycle are fruitless, forcing this proud man to make a difficult choice: to steal or go hungry. Not an exploration of political or collective struggle but of personal hardship, Bicycle Thieves nonetheless suggests a universe inextricably bound by perverse economic ties.