Unfathomably overrated.

I know I'm in the severe minority here, but The Bicycle Thief is a film I found to be just tolerable as opposed to great. The film is a poignant character study that was an intrepid move at the time of its release. Critics have hailed it as being an all-time classic and the film even won a special Oscar at the Academy Awards of 1949.

I thought The Bicycle Thief was an extraordinarily good drama that delivers a powerful message; however I felt that the whole film built up to an inadequate conclusion. People may say that this is missing the point of the movie. But if it has a point to convey I expected it to be delivered faster as opposed to stretching out the whole thing for 90 minutes. For this message I felt it could have come and gone in less than an hour. I mean we all know that bicycles are stolen constantly and are sometimes found. Anyone could tell you that. So why did the filmmakers have to interminably drag out the movie? I enjoy a good classic drama. This one just couldn't grasp my interest in amidst delivering its message.

The film's plot is fairly straightforward: set in Rome succeeding the conclusion of World War II, jobs are very scarce. It is every man's dream to find themselves a job and earn money to support their family. We follow a man named Antonio Ricci (Maggiorani) who lives with this wife and son. Antonio is given a job as someone who hangs posters around the city. But he needs a bicycle. Although out of funds, they are forced to sacrifice a few household items in order to possess the required cash to obtain a bicycle. As the title would suggest, Antonio's luck soon runs out when his bicycle is stolen. The film is then a tale of Antonio and his son Bruno (Staiola) as they search for the stolen bicycle.

I am in two states of mind about this film. On the one hand, The Bicycle Thief is an excellent movie that delivers an uncompromising, unconventional message. Despite this, I still found the movie to be far too dragged out considering it was just going to deliver this certain, simple message. I liked some of the drama throughout and thought its un-clichéd temperament was bold. Although bold, it was still abundantly unsatisfying.

Surprisingly, the movie was made with all the roles being filled with non-actors. This isn't very obvious because I thought all the performances were absolutely superb. Maggiorani displays a wide range of emotions and is very engaging in his role. The desperation in his eyes is obvious at times, with some scenes being truly unforgettable. The most memorable moment of the movie would have to be the scene in the restaurant that conveys desperation, happiness and the gulf between rich and poor in just a few minutes. Young Staiola is also very good as little Bruno. It's his performance that captures the heart of the movie. The film is not really about the bicycle. It was a portrait of father and son with the mutual concern of dignity and respect.

This film is a beautiful portrait of course. I just wish that it wasn't so stretched out and wasn't so depressing. I understand that it was a perfect way to portray reality, but I guess I just watch too many happy films. It was a nice change of scenery, though.

One important aspect that must be mentioned is the filmmakers have made the city of Rome an actual character in the film. They exhibit the city of Rome with its beautiful churches contrasted with the poverty and effects of the war in a way that would be impossible to replicate by any Hollywood studio.

The Bicycle Thief has been regarded as a classic film that will always be one of the greatest movies of all time. I bitterly disagree with that statement. Regardless of me strongly disagreeing I still found the movie to be a beautiful human portrait created by a director who excels at his craft.