The Bicycle Thief Movie Review (BSA 106)

THE BICYCLE THIEF

The Bicycle Thief is said as one of the greatest movies at all times which is played by Lamberto Maggiorani (main protagonit) and Enzo Staiola (his son). This film was released in 24 November 1948, Italy, which is regarded as the masterpiece of Italian neorealism. In my own opinion, I actually agree that The Bicycle Thief is a really great great movie, even though the story plot is quite simple, but the sense of humanity and family bonds are very strong in this film. I like the way the director showed how hard life is and sometimes things are not going as what we want it to be.

In this film, the bike represents the possession of the family as his wife, Maria exchanged their only bed sheets (at that time it was the prized possession for poor family) to a pawn shop in order to redeemed a bicycle for her husband to get a new job. But on the first day of his job, the bike was stolen by an irresponsible young man, and since that day on, Antonio and his son have been searching every place in order to get their bike back. The bike means everything for them.

 When I was watching this film, I thought that the actors' acting are really good, so it never crossed my mind that they are nonprofessional actors at all.

At the beginning of the film, Antonio had a goal for his own, it's to provide his wife and two little children a better living. He was full of passion and optimistic about life. But, after going through a lot of troubles and suffering, it seemed he has lost his own hopes, until at the very end of the story he was very frustrated for not finding his bike, he tried to steal another person's bike. He became a thief as well in the final movie which gives a bad influence for his son.

Antonio's son is very determined in helping his father who is full of hopes and motivations. But in the end, he has to see the reality of the world and I think he was disappointed in his father with tears flowing on his face after seeing his father was a thief as well.