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:

Job | Bicycle | Thief | Poster | Proof

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)
• Homescreen (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Multimedia San Paolo S.r.l. (2002) (Italy) (DVD)
• Studio S (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)

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:

Portugal:M/6 | Spain:T | Australia:PG | West Germany:12 (f) | Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl | UK:U | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Citta Valmelaina, Via Salaria, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Produzioni De Sica

Trivia:

The film is frequently on critics' and directors' lists of the best films ever made. It was given an Academy Honorary Award in 1950, and, just four years after its release, was deemed the greatest film of all time by the magazine Sight & Sound's poll of filmmakers and critics in 1952. The film placed sixth as the greatest ever made in the latest directors poll, conducted in 2002.

Quotes:

The Beggar:I mind my own business, I bother nobody, and what do I get? Trouble.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "United States of Tara: Crunchy Ice (#3.11)" (2011)

The true point of the film

....is the relationship of the father and son.

Watch the film with your focus on the son, not the father. Watch what happens to the boy, what he sees, how he is influenced, his point of view. The father is so preoccupied with the bicycle he fails to see what is happening to his son. This is the strength of the film. Watch the boy.