Umberto D.

The Italian Neo-realist film Umberto D directed by Vittorio De Sica follows the life of elderly Umberto Domenico Ferrari, a pensioner struggling to get by after pensions have been reduced post World War II. In the aftermath of major tragedy and suffering, such as the war that Umberto lived through, hope can be hard to find. Society is a web of dependence. Individuals rely on the government to provide a support structure of benefits and protection. Individuals count on each other for love and validation

Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica, made its trademark on cinematic history not only in Italy, but also throughout the world. It was films such as Rome Open City (Roma città aperta, 1945), The Bicycle Thief (Ladri di biciclette, 1948), and Umberto D., (1952) whose style of depicting the harsh economic and social realities of the poor and working class of Italy took off as a new cinematic style after World War II. Neorealism is a response to desperate economic situations and often illustrates

Vittorio De Sica is considered one of the most important directors during the time of the Italian Neorealism movement which occurred after the fall of fascism in Italy. Neorealism revolves around realistic filmmaking. Rather than produce glossy films to heal the heartbreak in this post war country, De Sica and several other directors focused on the working class and how fatal the blow of fascism was. It was an artistic response to an abundance of commercial entertainment films spewing from Hollywood

exemplified by Umberto D., released in Italy in 1952, and after a slow commercial reception, released abroad and in the U.S. in 1955. It features an old man and his dog as they struggle to survive in the tough reality of the Italian postwar city. The film was hailed by critics as a shining example of the maturity and emotional power of realism. In a world of fabricated Hollywood plots, critics all over the world in the 1950s relished the uncompromising candor of the neorealist film Umberto D., while the

Introduction Italian Neo-Realism is a movement and trend in Italian film based on the changed social and economic realities forced upon Italy by WWII. It is a style of film characterized by stories set amongst the poor and working class, filmed on location, frequently using nonprofessional actors. Italian Neo-Realism relates closely to the war realities in Italy at the end of World War II and after World War II. “Italian neorealist films mostly contend with the difficult economical and moral conditions

The Bicycle Thief The Bicycle Thief is probably the best known and most highly praised of all the Italian Neorealist films of its era. The films of the Neorealist movement were characterized by several primary ideas. Instead of featuring stories focusing on glitz and glamour, Neorealist films focused on the poor and the working class. Instead of building and fabricating complex sets to film on, they did their filming on location. And instead of trying to get the most well known, highly paid celebrity

Salaam Bombay is an international film success that is influenced by Italian Neorealism. The film abstracts key elements of the movement such as; nonprofessional actors, location and narrative, played an important role in creating the meaning for the film. This essay will briefly describe Italian Neorealism, its aesthetics and political visions throughout the essay. With reference to the film Salaam Bombay, this essay will connect the influences of it to the film through analysis, with examples from

Water is pouring into the heavy containers to be carried by the women to their houses. Waiting in line, the women must care for their household by doing their “duty” as a mother and the necessities for survival. De Sica’s, Ladri di Biciclette, involves an essential take on female identity in post-WWII Italian society. This scene, among the other early scenes in the film featuring Maria, not only emphasize the nurturing and supportive role women were often placed into, but also the dominant role women

After World War II during the years 1945 to 1951, there was a surge of films being made in Italy. These films usually had a central story line that revolved around social problems and poverty that the Italians were facing then. Another signature from this film movement was the use of non-actors and scenes being shot on location. This film movement is known as the Italian Neorealism. This essay will further elaborate how World War II, poverty and social problems faced by the Italians gave birth to

The last thing I want, especially as a journalist, is for people to be afraid to talk to me openly. Don’t get me wrong I love a good list (grocery lists, to-do lists, playlists), and study after study shows that the brain responds well to them. Umberto Eco told The Atlantic the list “has an irresistible magic” and in cultural history has “prevailed over and over again.” Agreed. The