Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

Bicycle Thieves

Original title: Ladri di biciclette
  • 19481948
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 29m
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
161K
YOUR RATING
Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
Trailer for The Bicylce Thief
Play trailer2:00
3 Videos
99+ Photos
  • Drama
In post-war Italy, a working-class man's bicycle is stolen, endangering his efforts to find work. He and his son set out to find it.In post-war Italy, a working-class man's bicycle is stolen, endangering his efforts to find work. He and his son set out to find it.In post-war Italy, a working-class man's bicycle is stolen, endangering his efforts to find work. He and his son set out to find it.
IMDb RATING
8.3/10
161K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Vittorio De Sica
  • Writers
    • Cesare Zavattini(story)
    • Luigi Bartolini(novel)
    • Oreste Biancoli(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Lamberto Maggiorani
    • Enzo Staiola
    • Lianella Carell
Top credits
  • Director
    • Vittorio De Sica
  • Writers
    • Cesare Zavattini(story)
    • Luigi Bartolini(novel)
    • Oreste Biancoli(screenplay)
  • Stars
    • Lamberto Maggiorani
    • Enzo Staiola
    • Lianella Carell
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 344User reviews
    • 141Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Top rated movie #121
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 20 wins & 3 nominations total

    Videos3

    The Bicycle Thief
    Trailer 2:00
    The Bicycle Thief
    The Bicycle Thief
    Trailer 3:58
    The Bicycle Thief
    THE BICYCLE THIEF Trailer
    Trailer 2:00
    THE BICYCLE THIEF Trailer

    Photos127

    Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Vittorio De Sica in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Lamberto Maggiorani in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
    Lamberto Maggiorani in Bicycle Thieves (1948)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lamberto Maggiorani
    Lamberto Maggiorani
    • Antonioas Antonio
    Enzo Staiola
    Enzo Staiola
    • Brunoas Bruno
    Lianella Carell
    Lianella Carell
    • Mariaas Maria
    Elena Altieri
    Elena Altieri
    • The Charitable Ladyas The Charitable Lady
    Gino Saltamerenda
    Gino Saltamerenda
    • Baioccoas Baiocco
    Giulio Chiari
    Giulio Chiari
    • The Beggaras The Beggar
    Vittorio Antonucci
    Vittorio Antonucci
    • The Thiefas The Thief
    Michele Sakara
    • Secretary of the Charity Organizationas Secretary of the Charity Organization
    Fausto Guerzoni
    Fausto Guerzoni
    • Amateur Actoras Amateur Actor
    Emma Druetti
    Carlo Jachino
    • A Beggaras A Beggar
    Giulio Battiferri
    • Citizen Who Protects the Real Thiefas Citizen Who Protects the Real Thief
    • (uncredited)
    Ida Bracci Dorati
    • La Santonaas La Santona
    • (uncredited)
    Nando Bruno
      Eolo Capritti
        Memmo Carotenuto
        Memmo Carotenuto
          Giovanni Corporale
            Veriano Ginesi
            • Man in the Crowdas Man in the Crowd
            • (uncredited)
            • Director
              • Vittorio De Sica
            • Writers
              • Cesare Zavattini(story) (screenplay)
              • Luigi Bartolini(novel)
              • Oreste Biancoli(screenplay)
            • All cast & crew
            • See more cast details at IMDbPro

            More like this

            M
            8.3
            M
            Rashomon
            8.2
            Rashomon
            The 400 Blows
            8.1
            The 400 Blows
            Ikiru
            8.3
            Ikiru
            Wild Strawberries
            8.1
            Wild Strawberries
            Citizen Kane
            8.3
            Citizen Kane
            City Lights
            8.5
            City Lights
            Sunset Blvd.
            8.4
            Sunset Blvd.
            Double Indemnity
            8.3
            Double Indemnity
            Metropolis
            8.3
            Metropolis
            The Gold Rush
            8.2
            The Gold Rush
            The Apartment
            8.3
            The Apartment

            Storyline

            Edit

            Did you know

            Edit
            • Trivia
              There's a scene late in the movie where Bruno is nearly run over twice whilst crossing the street. This was absolutely unrehearsed - it was filmed on location and the two cars happened to pass by at the same time.
            • Goofs
              All entries contain spoilers
            • Quotes

              Antonio Ricci: "There's a cure for everything except death."

            • Connections
              Edited into Bellissimo: Immagini del cinema italiano (1985)

            User reviews344

            Review
            Top review
            8/10
            Powerful and dramatic
            It is post-war Rome and much of the city's residents are impoverished and desperate for work. One man named Ricci who haunts the job lines day after day to provide for his wife and two children, when suddenly his name is called for a well-paying city job. The only catch is that he needs a bicycle for the job, and he has just pawned his bicycle in order to feed his family. Thus begins `The Bicycle Thief', Vittorio de Sica's gritty study in realism. Ricci and his wife sell the sheets off of their beds to get the bicycle back, only to have the bicycle stolen on his first day on the job. In order to keep the job, he and his young son walk around Rome, desperate to find the thief, and more importantly, the bicycle before his next day of work.

            de Sica chose non-actors to portray the characters in the film, favoring a further realistic vision by casting amateurs. The result is remarkable, because the pain and emotions conveyed are so true. The relationship between father and son is also compelling and endearing, in that for the most part, Ricci treats his son as an equal, letting him in on his innermost thoughts and fears, until the end, when a particular event causes him to be ashamed, and the roles become defined once again.

            `The Bicycle Thief' personifies the refreshing fact that European cinema was more daring and also true in their reaction to post-war life. While America was trying to paint a heavy coat of rosy paint on the times by churning out the saccharine MGM musicals by the dozen, Europe was showing that the effects of a war fought on their home turf did not inspire moments of spontaneously breaking into song, or a choreographed dance number, rather life pretty much sucked, but survival, as difficult and ugly as it can be, is most important. `The Bicycle Thief' has been a critical favorite for decades, and for good reason. It is a must-see film for any cinephile.

            --Shelly
            helpful•106
            13
            • FilmOtaku
            • Aug 1, 2004

            FAQ4

            • What is 'Bicycle Thieves' about?
            • Is 'Bicycle Thieves' based on a book?
            • How does the movie end?

            Details

            Edit
            • Release date
              • December 13, 1949 (United States)
            • Country of origin
              • Italy
            • Languages
              • Italian
              • English
              • German
            • Also known as
              • The Bicycle Thief
            • Filming locations
              • Citta Valmelaina, Via Salaria, Rome, Lazio, Italy
            • Production company
              • Produzioni De Sica
            • See more company credits at IMDbPro

            Box office

            Edit
            • Budget
              • $133,000 (estimated)
            • Gross US & Canada
              • $371,111
            • Opening weekend US & Canada
              • $25,377
              • Oct 4, 1998
            • Gross worldwide
              • $436,655
            See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

            Technical specs

            Edit
            • Runtime
              1 hour 29 minutes
            • Color
              • Black and White
            • Sound mix
              • Mono
            • Aspect ratio
              • 1.37 : 1

            Related news

            Contribute to this page

            Suggest an edit or add missing content
            Lamberto Maggiorani and Enzo Staiola in Bicycle Thieves (1948)
            Top Gap
            What is the Hindi language plot outline for Bicycle Thieves (1948)?
            Answer
            • See more gaps
            • Learn more about contributing
            Edit page

            More to explore

            View list
            List
            The Best Movies Coming This Summer
            See the full list
            View list
            List
            The Best Movies and Shows to Watch in June
            See the full list

            Recently viewed

            Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
            Get the IMDb App
            • Get the IMDb App
            • Help
            • Site Index
            • IMDbPro
            • Box Office Mojo
            • IMDb Developer
            • Press Room
            • Advertising
            • Jobs
            • Conditions of Use
            • Privacy Policy
            • Interest-Based Ads
            IMDb, an Amazon company

            © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.