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)

Quiet Desperation---Italian Style.

In post-World War II Italy poverty is a dire reality for a large portion of the population. Work is scarce and the opportunities for employment are few and far between. "Ladri Di Biciclette" (translated "The Bicycle Thief") is quietly one of the finest films ever produced. It follows one economically distraught man (Lamberto Maggiorani) who is heading down a desperate path fast. Things look up when he gets a job putting posters on walls in town, but he must sell what few meager possessions he and his family have to buy a bicycle to uphold his end of the business bargain. Naturally tragedy strikes immediately as the title character shows up the very first day Maggiorani is on the job. The police are little help, believing the bicycle is not as important as it really is. Thus Maggiorani and young son Enzo Staiola take it upon themselves to look all over town to try and find the bicycle and bring the thief to justice. "The Bicycle Thief" was originally released in 1948 and won an Honorary Academy Award for Best Foreign Language film the following year (the movie was not released in the U.S. until 1949). It is still a production that strikes deep even today. The lengths and desperate measures that some go through is very evident here. Director Vittorio De Sica crafts a film that is much deeper than it appears on the surface. It examines the human condition and questions society, family, law enforcement, alliances and mental anguish perfectly. "The Bicycle Thief" is an excellent production that has aged well and allows the viewer to think about many subjects that go beyond ordinary cinematic depths. 5 stars out of 5.