Bicycle Thieves
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bicycle Thieves is a 1948 drama film directed by Vittorio De Sica, starring Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell. It drew a wide audience and shaped its genre.
Plot
Bicycle Thieves (Italian: Ladri di biciclette), also known as The Bicycle Thief, is a 1948 Italian neorealist drama film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It follows the story of a poor father searching in post-World War II Rome for his stolen bicycle, without which he will lose the job which was to be the salvation of his young family.
Adapted for the screen by Cesare Zavattini from the 1946 novel by Luigi Bartolini, and starring Lamberto Maggiorani as the desperate father and Enzo Staiola as his plucky young son, Bicycle Thieves received an Academy Honorary Award (most outstanding foreign language film) in 1950, and in 1952 was deemed the greatest film of all time by Sight & Sound magazine's poll of filmmakers and critics; fifty years later another poll organized by the same magazine ranked it sixth among the greatest-ever films. In the 2012 version of the list the film ranked 33rd among critics and 10th among directors.
Production
Written by Cesare Zavattini and Adolfo Franci, the film was produced by Produzioni De Sica. Alessandro Cicognini composed the score. Carlo Montuori handled the cinematography. The film runs 89 minutes. The crew and editing refined every shot.
Reception
On a budget of $133,000, Bicycle Thieves grossed $450,159 worldwide at the box office. A critic consensus praised its screenplay and score.
Legacy
Its legacy endures through a remake, a sequel and a lasting franchise; later cinema cites its influence and symbolism.
See also
References
- "The 100 Greatest Films of All Time". topfilms100. Retrieved 30 June 2026.
- Ebert, Roger. The Great Movies. Broadway Books.
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