Plot Summary for
Bicycle Thieves (1948) More at IMDbPro »Ladri di biciclette (original title)

Ricci, an unemployed man in the depressed post-WWII economy of Italy, gets at last a good job - for which he needs a bike - hanging up posters. But soon his bicycle is stolen. He and his son walk the streets of Rome, looking for the bicycle. Ricci finally manages to locate the thief but with no proof, he has to abandon his cause. But he and his son know perfectly well that without a bike, Ricci won't be able to keep his job. Written by jolusoma

The unemployment rate is high in postwar Italy. Antonio Ricci has been workless for two years, when he at last is offered a job as a poster. There is only one condition: he must have a bike of his own. At the moment his bicycle is at the pawn-shop, but Antonio's wife Maria says they can pawn their six sheets instead. The first day at work Antonio's bicycle is stolen. A friend offers to help him search for it the next morning at Piazza Vittorio, where the street vendors sell stolen bikes. The search is unsuccessful, but Antonio and his little son Bruno don't give up. They continue to the market at Porta Portese, where Antonio happens to see the thief talking to an elderly man. As he cannot catch the thief, he instead pursues the old man, who goes into a church, where he disappears during the mass. The third time Antonio happens to see the thief, he succeeds to pursue him to his dwelling-place. A local policeman believes Antonio's story about the theft, but as he cannot find the stolen bike in the apartment, the case is dismissed. Driven into utterly despair Antonio tries to steal a bike himself, but fails. Crestfallen he and Bruno walk back home - back to unemployment. Written by Maths Jesperson {maths.jesperson1@comhem.se}

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