This film is a very good example of Italian Neorealism. It was filmed in a very working class area and seemed to be very real in it's interpretation of life at that time. It's black and white with no special effects or special lighting or noise. It all appeared to be a very natural setting, consistent with the Italian Neorealism. The showing of the flea market with hundreds and hundreds of bikes and bike parts really put in perspective for me that the demand for bikes was very big at that time. The reality for Ricci is that his life was on the way to turning in a positive direction. With the use of his bike, he can keep his government job and his family will prosper. The bicycle thief unfortunately was doing what he had to do to make a living for his family and by stealing Ricci's bicycle, made his families day a little brighter.
Even in this day and age, when times are tough, people turn to this means of survival.
It's an unfortunate situation when people are forced into crime when times get bad. Ricci was not a thief, but did steal a bike for the betterment of his life and the life of his family. The basic instinct of survival made Ricci steal someone elses bicycle. He was not a thief but couldn't think of another positive solution to the problem of having no bicycle.
Jill L.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Good entry, Jill, and I can tell you made it a point to elaborate on your points, and I think it paid off here. Neolism shows us the real agony and unfairness of life, living poor. A "subjective" sort of experience is the result of shooting on real locations, with real people as actors, in a real-time style of depiction. Thanks for posting.
ReplyDelete