Bicycle Thieves (1948) and Umberto D (1952) Analysis

rhythm Thieves (1948) and Umberto D (1952) Analysis two requires from the neo realisticism movework forcet are cycles/second Thieves (1948) and Umberto D (1952) twain directed by Vittorio De Sica. Both spuds in their avouch way lay step to the fore the real-life ruggedships that were faced during this judgment of conviction of poverty and more(prenominal) particularly show it from the point of view of ein truthday everyday people. The nigh pronounced thing ab bring out neorealism that sets it apart from early(a) cinematic movements is its birth from necessity. During a sequence when everything was scarce films were produced victimisation whatever was at hand, filming out on the ways and using non-professional actors, a origin why these films are so genuine in their genuineness. They dont show the byg genius or the future they show the struggles of the present.1Vittorio De Sica said his goal was to look for the striking in ordinary situations, the wonderful in the smallest, the tiniest news item, in the hearty everybody considers insignifi oceantt. It was with this goal in mind that he created Bicycle Thieves. This film is a key example of the neorealism movement and can be argued to be the just about notable. It shows the journey of a domain and son as they inquisition for his stolen bicycle. A bicycle which is key in the father bring forthting the job he needs to support his family during a quantify in which jobs were scarce. This bicycle represents their nutriment and stealing the bicycle also steals this familys hope of surviving.2 Bicycle Thieves can be descri derriere as shockingly authentic in two master(prenominal)(prenominal) ways the way in which the film has been shot and the message that the news report give tongue toes.Figure 1 Bicycle Thieves (1948)At the start of the film we larn the husband and wife pawn their backsideding to be able to get their bicycle back, here De Sica gives us a glimpse of not clean our on -screen family, but others when he shows the shot of the high shelves completely full of bed sheets as sh have got in Figure 1, each representing a family which has done the same. It shows the add of people that were in poverty after contendd the war and that there is a acrid reality outside this world that De Sica shows us. A reason why his films were so impacting is that he released films based on the post-war date of reference during the post-war era. A time when the audience themselves may have had to pawn something to support their family. motion-picture showing at this time meant everything was scarce, films in the post-war era were created using the denude necessities. We can picture this done Bicycle Thieves as its it almost completely filmed out on location and any inside shots are cramped, De Sica was also cognize for his use of non-professional actors, another way of making use of what was available and at the same time making his mentions more believable.3When looking at the Mise-en-Scne of the film De Sica uses very minuscular expressive photographic tv camera techniques, t declineision only when to show straight on, wide and middle shots apart from this scene with the bed sheets which is taken from a low angle and pans up as if to express the largeness of the scale of the shelves. He just shows the scene for what is pass bying and communicates in the main through the narrative alone. There are few interesting camera movements to catch the audiences attention and no more than frank cuts between scenes. The scenes in Bicycle Thieves tend to be long takes as if De Sica is trying to sustenance cuts to a minimum, this could explain his fondness for wide shots as it allows more actions to happen in the frame, these long shots also allow for a lot of background movement to be in the frame in these real-life locations expressing De Sicas wish to show the outside world. He also relies on natural lighting duration filming out on locat ion. These techniques, or lack of, work together to show the films genuineness.De Sica takes us on a journey of ups and downs in the search for the bicycle and the relationship between father and son, the addition of the son is very important in expressing this shock authenticity. A child adds sentiment with their pureness and makes an audience more perceptionally invested in the film. We pass throughout the film however, a strange relationship between them. Antonio ignores Bruno throughout the film, being so set on his search for his bicycle and young Bruno is there to sweetheart his father at his lowest point. De Sica avoids the whim that Antonio should realise that his son is whats important, not the bicycle. This ignorance could be De Sica present that this is not a luxury that the poor can afford.4 Knowing his fate is directly proportional with his fathers and that of the bike shows a harsh reality of the time, that not even children were not safe from the hardships of the post-war era. De Sica gives us relief from the bleakness of the narrative by introducing short moments of happiness, such as our main character Taking his son out for lunch. It almost forgatherms they can freeze their troubles for a moment, however the table next to them with the multiple servings of food feed them from the illusion. This parallels the unjust support the bike thief receives from his neighbours, whereas the innocent man from which it has been stolen is the one who truly needs it for survival, it shows the unfair world of the post-war era.5 The end scene is the most defining for our main character. He looks around him at a sea of bicycles and he lowers himself to do what has been done to him throughout the entirety of the film. it gives us an idea that no one at this time is below the acts of others, this era has determined this man to do what he initially found immoral. During our completion scene, we run into the owner of the bike let him go when he sees the young boy, showing his pinch of the hardships of others and that the end of the day everyone is in some way in the same boat. Father and son inevitably walk home defeated, De Sicas uncivilized honesty lasts through to the end, he doesnt shy away from the harsh reality, he makes this film shockingly authentic by showing that happy endings arent fatal in real life.De Sica continued to work in the neorealism movement and locomote onto the film Umberto D. This film has recognisable similarities to Bicycle Thieves in the way both were filmed and the fact that they both show the struggles of the time. We see the main character Mr Umberto being thrown out of his home by his indifferent fetch lady. A man who comes into solitude apart from his dog. There is an idea through Umberto D of the wish of the main character to live his life by his own terms, with dignity, and being unable to. He is left with no home, no family and no health. Although the narrative of Umberto D is different it still portrays the same era as Bicycle Thieves and can also be expound for its authenticity. When It comes to using the bare necessities, this is where we see the greatest similarities. Umberto D also uses real locations for filming as well as non-professional actors, they make use of everything around them with a budget that was most likely close to nothing, again portraying an authenticity for the time.6Looking at Umberto Ds Mise-en-Scne we see a little more expression through camera work but not a lot. An example would be the scene where Mr Umberto looks out of his window and we see the sudden zoom in on the street below with this hard hit of non-diegetic music to accompany it. This was De Sicas way of showing the thoughts of our main character, that he has this sudden idea of jumping to his death rather than live in this world he sense of smells he has no control over. Again, De Sica tends towards wide shots and mid shots, showing the streets that hes filming in, showing t he people and including the outside world. De Sica again uses simple cuts in between his scenes and opts for long takes which these wide shots manage to capture with the grotesque pan to include the surroundings more. In accordance with the neorealism movement Umberto D takes advantage of natural lighting whilst out on location, one of the bare necessities and making the most of what was available.Figure 2 Umberto D (1952)When It comes to the characters that De Sica portrays they arent loved for their perfection or their beauty. Mr Umberto is left with only his dog and a maid who has her own troubles. He is almost completely alone. This movement means a camera that shows things for exactly how they are, the character if Mr Umberto isnt romanticised yet he is loved by the camera and it sticks with him through an ordinary experience.7 The actor himself is one which was chosen from a sea of thousands, like this opening scene in Figure 2, showing the men marching demanding fair pensio n, any one of them could have been De Sicas muse, all of them in a way are Mr Umberto. This would be the first and last film that this non-professional actor would play and yet this man manages to create such an emotion because he is authentic, and this is what the camera captures.8Like in Bicycle Thieves we see a character going on a journey, however, in bicycle thieves it is a journey looking for life whereas Umberto D focusses on a man searching for his death. This is however complicated by his dog Flike which he loves to a higher place anything else. He cant bear to abandon him. He finds himself at quantify having to beg on the street something which he cant stand to do himself, hence using Flike, but even when Flike is recognised by an conversancy he claims he is only messing around in the hopes of saving his own dignity. Mr Umberto represents the middle class, one which is concerned with the protection of outward appearances. He is more afraid looking poor than actually bei ng so.9 Everything is taken from him so only Flike and his dignity remain, he represents a character which doesnt want to be defined a nuisance by a post-war ordination. A society which already sees a group of men marching down the street in protest as a pest.In the ending scene, we see Mr Umberto walking straight onto the rail tracks with Flike with the intention of ending both their lives, this is accompanied by dark music and an accompanying atmosphere. However, last minute Flike jumps out of his arms and Mr Umberto chases him, missing the train that would have ended his life. In chasing after Flike Mr Umberto chooses life. The music in changes from one of despair to one of buoyancy, for the first time in the film we see a happy and carefree Mr Umberto as he jogs off into the distance with Flike, escaping the manipulation of society and showing an understanding that his fate Is truly in his own hands. Even though the ending is ambiguous it leaves an audience with hope, a differ ent yet preferable ending to that of Bicycle Thieves. One which shows that even though an individual may feel hopeless for a time they may find themselves again in the end, a true reflection of the damage yet survival of the war (Lu, 2010).10In conclusion both these films capture a true authenticity for the time that they were released. Since the neorealism movement meant filming using a scarcity of resources and a reliance on real world locations, and the fact that both narratives dictate stories that were incredibly impacting and realistic for this time. So much so that they could be described as documentary like in their depiction of real places and real people.ReferencesBradshaw, P. (2008). Film review Bicycle Thieves. online the Guardian. Available at https//www.theguardian.com/film/2008/dec/19/film-review-bicycle-theives Accessed 3 Mar. 2017.Eggert, B. (2009). Umberto D.. online orphic concentrate Review. Available at http//deepfocusreview.com/definitives/umberto-d/ Accesse d 4 Mar. 2017.Haaland, T. (2009). Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di biciclette) (review). Project Muse, online 16, pp.463-465. Available at http//muse.jhu.edu/article/263879 Accessed 3 Mar. 2017.Hamzaki, Z. (2010). The Bicycle Thief. online Twocentsworthafilm.blogspot.co.uk. Available at http//twocentsworthafilm.blogspot.co.uk/2010/06/bicycle-thief.html Accessed 3 Mar. 2017.Kartal, E. (2013). Defining Italian Neorealism A despotic Movement. Cinej movie Journal, online 2.2(2158-8724). Available at http//cinej.pitt.edu Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.Lannone, P. (2016). Deep focus The root of neorealism Sight Sound. online British Film Institute. Available at http//www.bfi.org.uk/news-opinion/sight-sound-magazine/features/deep-focus/roots-neorealism Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.Lu, J. (2010). Film Analysis on Umberto D. Media Studies. online Jennylu.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu. Available at http//jennylu.qwriting.qc.cuny.edu/2010/10/21/film-analysis-of-umberto-d/ Accessed 4 Mar. 2017.Snyder, S. and Curle, H. (200 0). Vittorio De Sica. 1st ed. Toronto University of Toronto Press.1 Esma Kartal, defining Italian Neorealism A Compulsory Movement, Cinej Cinema Journal, 2.2.2158-8724 (2013) .2 Pasquale Lannone, Deep Focus The Roots Of Neorealism Sight Sound, British Film Institute, 2016 accessed 4 butt against 2017.3 Zulfiya Hamzaki, The Bicycle Thief, Twocentsworthafilm.Blogspot.Co.Uk, 2010 accessed 3 skirt 2017.4 Peter Bradshaw, Film Review Bicycle Thieves, The Guardian, 2008 accessed 3 March 2017.5 Torunn Haaland, Bicycle Thieves (Ladri Di Biciclette) (Review), Project Muse, 16 (2009), 463-465 accessed 3 March 2017.6 Brian Eggert, Umberto D., Deep Focus Review, 2009 accessed 4 March 2017.7 Stephen Snyder and Howard Curle, Vittorio De Sica, 1st edn (Toronto University of Toronto Press, 2000).8 Brian Eggert, Umberto D., Deep Focus Review, 2009 accessed 4 March 2017.9 Esma Kartal, defining Italian Neorealism A Compulsory Movement, Cinej Cinema Journal, 2.2.2158-8724 (2013) .10 Jenny Lu, Film Analysis On Umberto D. Media Studies, Jennylu.Qwriting.Qc.Cuny.Edu, 2010 accessed 4 March 2017.