DAY SIX

Today we had our fourth screening, of Bicycle Thieves.

This film is very rich and I can see why it is renowned and highly acclaimed. The script is well-written and comprehensively revised but gives off an air of spontaneity. You really feel as though you are on the streets of Rome watching the action unfold.

There are many beautiful panning shots which allow you to soak in the mood and really understand the scene. A memorable example is at the market when the camera pans across the lines of bicycles for sale. This simple idea is quite touching, and really makes you hope that Antonio's bicycle is one of those in line.

I found this film to be more cinematic than the previous three we have watched for this unit. The soundtrack, in particular. Music seems to be omnipresent, used to build tension. Although it is subtly, it is always there to enhance the mood of the scene. I found this to be much more familiar for me, as it is similar to contemporary films. Saying this, I did miss the beautiful silences in the other neorealist films.

Again, editing is minimal and understated. There was one swipe but apart from that the transitions are very unobtrusive. There were a few glitches in the film but this did not take away from the mood, if anything making it seem more real and wholesome.

The acting was very impressive for non-professional actors. Antonio, his wife and his son all had amazing performances. Bruno, the son, is gorgeous and his hand gestures and funny sayings provided welcome comic relief. The close-ups of Bruno's face when he his hit by his father are very touching and you really feel for the kid. In the final scene, the shame in Antonio's face is palpable; what has he done?

This film was quite confronting and often uncomfortable to watch. It seemed as though there was so much potential for things to go wrong, and sometimes they did and sometimes they didn't.

This certainly is a emotion-inspiring commentary about the injustices of the working class, and how institutions set up to help neglect to help those individuals in need. It also points out the tragedy that in society, the poor are stealing from the poor in order to survive. A telling sign of the direction society is going, but should not be.

This film will certainly stay with me.

Notes