NEO-REALISM VIEW ON FAMILY BASED ON THE MOVIE:-
BICYCLE THIEVES BY DE SICA AND CESARE ZAVATTINI
Yes, the family is very much at the center of neo-realism, both in its original Italian version and the new Italy version that picked on around the globe.
Bicycle Thieves is a drama film produced in 1948 by Produzioni De Sica. It was directed by Victoria De Sica based on an Italian novel by Luigi Bartolini. ( Ladri Di Biciclette, 1946) This film was set after World War 2, with the idea of showcasing a hard time of poverty and unemployment that came with the end of the war. It was characterized by no studio setups but shot on location, and the actors were not professionals.
Based on this story plot by Victoria De Sica and writer Cesare Zavattini, whose aim is to come up with a film that depicts reality at its core. Their idea of a family is one that sacrifices everything for each other, one that strives to see to the survival of its members no matter the cost, one that can command compassion from a total stranger and one that holds its members when they are going through the most in life. (Bicycle Thieves, 1948)
In Bicycle Thieves, the story revolves around Antonio’s family, his wife Maria, their son Bruno, their baby, and their community. They live in a village called Val Melaina in Rome. Antonio is the family breadwinner, and as he is struggling to make ends meets, he lands a job for advertising bills. It is not an easy job to take in as it requires a bicycle, and he does not own one because his bicycle was recently pawned. He goes ahead to share his concerns with his wife Maria, she sacrifices her dowry bedsheets and sells them. This helps them get money for purchasing back the bicycle needed for Antonio to start working.
While Antonio is up a ladder hanging posters, a thief steals his bicycle. And immediately Antonio gets to chasing him but fails at his mission after getting distracted by Antonio’s companions. But this does not make him lose hope because his job depends on him getting back the bicycle. He gets help from his son Bruno. They set out to the market where mostly stolen goods resurface, after having sought help from the police and which turns unfruitful. They manage to spot a bike similar to his, but it has different serial numbers. Fortunately, they spot the thief talking to an elderly man, but he manages to slip away as soon as he sees them, and his comrade feigns ignorance when they approach him. They again involve the police to help them search the thief’s house, but this does not yield any results, the thief’s neighbors are in no way helpful, and they help cover for him by giving him an alibi and chasing Antonio away.
On their way back home, Antonio spots a bicycle that is unattended, out of desperation to get his job back, which his family depends on for their survival. This drives him to become a thief himself and tries to steal the bicycle. Unfortunately, he is caught by the owner, and a crowd gathers around him. They decide to take him to the police station, but just before they embark, the bicycle owner spots Bruno and feels immense compassion towards him, he tells the crowd to let go of Antonio and hands the bicycle to him. The film ends with both skipping happily home.
REFERENCES
- Bicycle Thieves (an Italian neo-realism film)
Victoria De Sica, Cesare Zavattini, Adolfo Franci, Suso Cecchi D’Amico, Gerardo Guerrieri, Gherardo Gherardi, Oreste Biancoli.
- Ladri Di Biciclette (a novel)
Luigi Bartolini