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Summary: Lesson on how poverty dehumanizes the soul!
Review: An excellent story depicting the journey of a desperate struggle of an unemployed factory worker who finally gets a job but must rely on his bicycle to do it. When it is stolen, he and his son scour Rome searching for the thief. As his desperation shows, we see the bicycle as the material possession, even though it is his possession of survival. In the quest, he starts to lose his soul, the soul of humanity. He encounters such agony, frustration, hostility, grief and desperation, all for that possession. He begins to alienate his son, walking a further distance away from him as the pursuit continues. It is clear that the son Bruno is secondary to the bicycle. He slaps his son once, but redeems with him later by treating him to lunch. At the end we see and feel the ultimate betrayal and degradation of the soul. An excellent portrayal of the journey through which we learn how poverty and desperation dehumanizes the soul.
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Summary: Very moving...
Review: Beautifully acted, scripted, directed. Be prepared to be deeply drawn into this man's story, no doubt the story of many. A seemingly simple film at first, that is meaningful on so many levels... it's been a while since I've seen it, and I am still thinking about it.NOTE: Do not read the review below dated March 22 from "somewhere in the midwest" if you have not seen the film yet - the reviewer reveals the ending.
Rating: 
Summary: Classic needs a re-release
Review: Classic movie about the cruel nature of life, of inescapable fate. The dvd itself is pretty bad, with defects shown in the transfer, along with terrible audio. Hopefully a re release will be offered, with the latest restoration software being used. The dvd came out early on, before the current restoration techniques were used. And the audio/subtitles just suck!
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Summary: Moving portayal of a father & son struggling to survive.
Review: Great Film! The realism of the film marks a wonderful relationship of a father and son struggling to survive in post war Italy. On another level, it is the story of Italy fighting to re-integrate itself. The story is emotional. This is what film was meant to be.
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Summary: A milestone that still holds up 50 years later
Review: I first saw this movie as a student decades ago, and now seeing it all these years later on DVD, I'm amazed how well it holds up. It's a lesson in what can be done on the screen with so little; there's no budget here, largely amateur actors and a very simple plot. It's about an unemployed man, who gets a job offer that requires a bike, the sacrifice his family must make to get his bike out of hock, and what happens when the bike is stolen on the job. It's successful because I think the writers and director focus on some universal truths--about human nature, love, pride, survival and--yes--family values. It's disheartening to read some reviews that say: "I was bored," "It wasn't entertaining enough," or "Enough with the black & white." It's also disheartening to see reviews from people with no concept of this film's historical context. The poverty of post-WWII Europe produced a revolution in cinema, and this movie was one that redefined the medium's possibilities. I can't imagine someone not being moved by the dilemma faced by the lead character in this film. I do regret that this movie has not gotten a full "Criterion Collection" restoration, and I would have liked more "extras" on the DVD--like background information on the time the director and the Italian neo-realist movement. BTW, the more accurate translation of the Italian title is "Bicycle Thieves," which (after you see the movie) you must agree is more appropriate.
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Summary: Incredible, even in the eyes of a teenager
Review: I first watched this film in our Senior English class in high school last year. I admit that I tend to stray away from older movies, especially ones with subtitles. But as I watched it, I couldn't believe the power the film had over me. It was so realistic, and I admit in the end I cried, only to look over and see my male English teacher crying too. Thank you so much Mr. Brady for making me watch this movie, I will never forget it as long as I live.
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Summary: I really enjoyed this movie!
Review: I had never heard of this movie when I stumbled on it late one night right before I went to bed. Instead of turning off the TV because it was late and I needed to go to work the next day, I found myself glued to the screen. This movie was unlike any I'd ever seen. Filmed in Italy after WWII, I felt like I caught a glimpse of Italian life in the late 40's. This was not a Hollywood made movie. There was little if no music in the background to manipulate emotions from the viewer yet I was extremely moved by the silence in between the dialogue. There is no Hollywood ending. The movie just ends, but it is not the end of this father and son story. I'm not sure who to reccommend this film too, but I loved it. It was different. I really felt like I was in Rome in the late 40's.
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Summary: Phenomenal Acting
Review: I procrastinated far too long at seeing "The Bicycle Thief", after viewing a snippet in Robert Altman's "The Player". After I started watching the film, I honestly couldn't walk away from this movie.
Lamberto Maggiorani's portayal of the father struggling to keep his new job is staggering in its simplicity and realism. Just by looking at his face, you can sense the whirlwind of emotions he is feeling.
The star of the show, though, has to be Enzo Staiola as the young son. He brings a sense of frivolity to an otherwise bleak landscape. "I fell down!", he shouts in exasperation when his father asks him how he got so muddy in the rain. The look on his face and his gesture toward the flooded street are priceless.
Rating:
Summary: Not Disappointed
Review: I waited a long time to see this movie. I had heard good things about it over the years and my expectations had grown and grown and .... I was not disappointed when I finally got to see it. Different - simple, powerful, raw and angry. A masterpiece.
Rating:
Summary: The Bicycle Thief
Review: I was hooked from the beginning to the end. One of the best films I watched in college. The story is heartwrenching and beautiful. The acting superb because it was so real to the people who played in it. You forget the subtitles are there and soon you even stop reading them.
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