Among the handful of perfect, ultimate film experiences, Bicycle Thief still has the power to amaze. Try to take your eyes off Ricci and his son, Bruno, as scene after scene turns hopefulness into despair then abject humiliation. Yes, Bicycle Thief is a political film, and its characters do represent a war-torn Italy deciding its fate(metaphorically, Ricci without his Bicycle; and literally, the Socialist agitators meeting in the basement along side community entertainers). But should we care about that now? Politics and emerging regimes in Bicycle Thief wisely take a backseat to the urgent problems of joblessness and "feeding the kid". In that respect, the only comparable US film is Ford's "Grapes of Wrath". Tom Joad and Antonio Ricci may be caught in different stories, but they have a lot in common. Politics aside, Bicycle Thief's script is concise, unsentimental and its power still resonates. The black and white photography, capturing Rome in its ancient and more recent state of post-WWII decay, is often breathtaking. Editing and directing are flawless -- Bicycle Thief flows like a scary, poverty-stricken nightmare, and then delivers one of world-cinema's greatest closing images. Do not miss this perfect film.
Review of Bicycle Thieves
