Bicycle Thieves (1948) Ladri di biciclette (original title)

Director:

Vittorio De Sica

Writers:

Luigi Bartolini (novel)
Cesare Zavattini (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

13 December 1949 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

A man and his son search for a stolen bicycle vital for his job.

Plot Keywords:

Bicycle | Job | Thief | Poster | Search

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 17 wins

Cast

Lamberto Maggiorani	...	Antonio Ricci
Enzo Staiola	...	Bruno Ricci
Lianella Carell	...	Maria Ricci
Gino Saltamerenda	...	Baiocco
Vittorio Antonucci	...	The Thief
Giulio Chiari	...	The Beggar
Elena Altieri	...	The Charitable Lady
Carlo Jachino	...	A Beggar
Michele Sakara	...	Secretary of the Charity Organization
Emma Druetti
Fausto Guerzoni	...	Amateur Actor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Giulio Battiferri	...	Citizen Who Protects the Real Thief (uncredited)
Ida Bracci Dorati	...	La Santona (uncredited)
Nando Bruno	...	(uncredited)
Eolo Capritti	...	(uncredited)
Memmo Carotenuto	...	(uncredited)
Giovanni Corporale	...	(uncredited)
Sergio Leone	...	A Seminary Student (uncredited)
Mario Meniconi	...	Meniconi, the Street Sweeper (uncredited)
Massimo Randisi	...	Rich Kid in Restaurant (uncredited)
Checco Rissone	...	Guard in Piazza Vittorio (uncredited)
Peppino Spadaro	...	Police Officer (uncredited)
Umberto Spadaro	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Vittorio De Sica

Writing credits
Luigi Bartolini		(novel)
Cesare Zavattini		writer &
Suso Cecchi D'Amico		(as Suso D'Amico) &
Vittorio De Sica		writer &
Oreste Biancoli		writer &
Adolfo Franci		writer &
Gerardo Guerrieri		writer

Produced by
Giuseppe Amato	....	producer
Vittorio De Sica	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Alessandro Cicognini		(also as Cicognini)

Cinematography by
Carlo Montuori

Film Editing by
Eraldo Da Roma

Production Design by
Antonio Traverso

Production Management
Nino Misiano	....	production supervisor
Umberto Scarpelli	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Luisa Alessandri	....	assistant director
Gerardo Guerrieri	....	assistant director
Sergio Leone	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Biagio Fiorelli	....	sound technician (as Gino Fiorelli)
Bruno Brunacci	....	sound engineer (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mario Montuori	....	camera operator
Carlo Di Palma	....	focus puller (uncredited)

Music Department
Willy Ferrero	....	conductor

Other crew
Joseph Burstyn	....	distributor
Roberto Moretti	....	production secretary
Alberto Sordi	....	voice dubbing (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Produzioni De Sica

Distributors

• Ente Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche (ENIC) (1948) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Arthur Mayer & Joseph Burstyn (1949) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Image Entertainment (1996) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Image Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (2002) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Vídeo Mercury Films (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (2006) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Criterion Collection, The (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (????) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Corinth Films (2009) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (subtitled)
• Park Circus (2008) (UK) (theatrical) (re-issue)
• RKO Radio Pictures (1951) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Rosenbergs Filmbyrå (1950) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2010) (Australia) (theatrical)
• VEB Progress Film-Vertrieb (1953) (East Germany) (theatrical)
• Alive Vertrieb und Marketing (2008) (Germany) (DVD)
• Another World Entertainment (2008) (Denmark) (DVD)
• Continental Home Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• DVD Magic (2005) (Russia) (DVD)
• Epoca (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Homescreen (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Multimedia San Paolo S.r.l. (2002) (Italy) (DVD)
• Studio S (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (TV) (PAY TV)

Also Known As:

"Ladri di biciclette" - Italy (original title)
"The Bicycle Thief" - USA (poster title)

Runtime:

93 min | Spain:80 min (DVD edition) | West Germany:88 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | South Korea:12 | Portugal:M/6 | Spain:T | Australia:PG | West Germany:12 (f) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | USA:Not Rated | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Citta Valmelaina, Via Salaria, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Produzioni De Sica

Trivia:

Lead actor Lamberto Maggiorani really did struggle for work after this film was completed.

Quotes:

Antonio Ricci:"Why should I kill myself worrying when I'll end up just as dead?"

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Nitrate Base (1996)

Another one to add to my top 50- a delicate study of desperation in post war Italy

Vittorio De Sica's ground/heartbreaking motion picture, The Bicycle Thief, is based on a very simple ideal for a story- man against the elements. In this case the elements are of a society that is often cruel and unforgiving, and that a job in post-war Rome is looked on as the luckiest of good luck charms.

Such a man as presented by De Sica is Maggiorani (an actor who really is the type of actor right off the street), a father of a little boy who gets a job putting up movie posters along some walls in Rome. To do this he needs a bicycle, or the job will be lost, and he gets one following a pawning of linen sheets. Very soon though, the bicycle is stolen, and from there a sad downward spiral unravels for the man and his son as they scour the streets for the bicycle.

While the score adds basic dramatic tension, everything else on the screen is done to such a pitch of neo-realism it's at times shattering, joyful (scene in the pizzeria the most note-worthy), and with a feeling of day-to-day resonance to those who may have not even felt at or below the poverty level in their lives. Credit due to all parties involved, though I don't think the boy Bruno, played by Staiola, gets nearly enough considering his role as a minor coming of age (that moment after the father and son leave the church nearly brought tears to my eyes). A++