Bicycle Thieves: Criterion Collection Review # 1

Bicycle Thieves
Director: Vittorio De Sica
1948
93 minutes
Italian

Criterion Spine # 374

This is my first Criterion Collection Film review, and will not be my last. I have been collecting this collection for a few years now and have always wanted to review them. For more information on Criterion, visit them here http://www.criterion.com.

In postwar Italy, a man struggling to find work finally gets a job offer - riding his bike around town to hang advertising posters along the side of buildings. Everything seems to be going his way, until the day his bike is stolen. Discouraged and fearful of being terminated, he and his wide eyed son walk the streets looking for the thieves. Though this film has a very simple plot, it is full of great emotion. The relationship between the father and son is brilliant to watch. I don't want to ruin the ending, but it is one of the most realistic and powerful in film.

This was a very good movie. My only problem with this film was that it was slow in some parts, but thankfully not enough to take away from the film's meaning and greatness. I think this film was great, but not as great as some other Italian films, such as Fellini's La Strada, and 8 1/2. I would recommend this movie to everyone who love father and son stories and also to anyone who wants to see good picture. Brilliant acting and direction are other highlights of Bicycle Thieves.


Bicycle Thieves

3.5 out of 4 stars