
This film, which tells the story of a father and son, depicted the post-World War II conditions in Italy. A emotional movie on social realities and how people strive to survive in a cruel world where nobody cares. The scene where several men are vying for a job is the most realistic. Because everyone is unemployed and living in substandard conditions, when the officer stated that Antonio Ricci( the leading character) had been hired, everyone rushed to obtain something from him.

Child labor is a key theme in this movie as well. Very young children do performances like that for money, but Ricci's friend makes them feel ashamed. The son of Ricci had previously worked at a gas station.

The movie shows the brutal truth of the affluent and uneducated classes in a hotel, and Ricci's son feels very uncomfortable when he sees another young man enjoying a delicious meal.
In the beginning scenes , the portrayal of Italy , after World War II , where peoples are fighting for their simple livelihood , where office, big buildings were all over but there are huge number of peoples for whom those are only , a nice view of some far far away country , that not seems to be their own. The main actor who have a wife , one little boy and a very new born baby are struggling to find a job after returning from the War, want to have some money to have his bicycle back from the store as it is required for his job of spreading cinema poster all over the city where ,poster o…
There are many themes that this movie brings to light. Themes that are different from the typical body shaming, marriage, and gender-based discrimination. The way this film touches the theme of ‘alienation’ in the modern world is just amazing. The most modern theme of the film, is the idea that man is alienated from others in a segmented society, and everyone focuses on their individual needs. The film focuses intently on its struggling working class characters and on their concerns and behavior. Economic problems are illustrated early on as a large group of men wait for any kind of job opportunity. This was an intelligent demonstration in the script which uses the working class as subject to describe and portray…
Great blog Bushra! Thankyou for writing.
This movie is a masterpiece it showcases the real problem of living after the war. Once you start watching you got emotionally attached to it the struggle they put to buy that bicycle ahh and unfortunately that was stolen and when he even caught that theif he somewhere realises that he is on the same page. Poverty was eating them all.
I remmber whenever I lost something my grandmother consle me by saying “Beta the one who will find might need that thing more than you do”.
The most thought-provoking ending in frustration he becomes a thief, becomes ‘one of them and his life continues on a downward spiral.
Hey Bushra!
I loved how this film make viewers aware of a particular social condition that needs a political solution. It is clear that it was made as a tool for change. Also amazing is the fact that the thieves are not portrayed as bad people but as victims of a corrupt society.
Nice blog, Bushra! I haven't watched many media products around World War II, and not trying to say that many don't exist. I just haven't had the chance to look into it. But it was great to read that there is actually a film that focuses on a micro level about what post-World War II era meant for people.
While we might have studied the World Wars on a political and international level in our history books, it's great to take a look into how the wars affected people's day-to-day life.
You have mentioned how the movie has highlighted child labor. I think I can understand why people might have felt forced to put their children into labor in a…