Media Arts Department

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Critical Theory Essay

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Course Code MA1101 Candidate Number 2309313

Module Title International Film: Context Submission Date 9th November 2022
and Practices
Coursework Tutor Dr Jon Hughes
Coursework Title  Examine the representation
of the father-son
relationship in Bicycle
Thieves.
Examine the representation of the father-son relationship in Bicycle Thieves.

Over the years, Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica 1948) has become a vital example of the importance of

the era of post-war Italian Neorealism. Bicycle Thieves entirely captures this genre, particularly the

Neorealistic principles, as it heavily rejects the typical tropes of the Hollywood cinema of the time and

opts instead for simplistic storylines and inexpensive productions. In particular, the absence of a

predictable happy ending, Neorealism films of this period were, as the name states, realistic, dealing with

themes of what most of the country was experiencing after the events of World War 2. Compare this to

the highest-grossing film of 1945 in America, The Bells of St Mary (Leo McCarey, 1945), a musical

comedy-drama. Neorealism's aim was not to distract from the problem faced by people but to highlight

them. Bicycle Thieves represents this period of post-war Italian struggles through its theme of society,

masculinity, childhood and, most importantly, family. It captures various emotions, such as love, hope

and frustration. Although the film's central narrative is about Antonio's desperate search for his bicycle,

Antonio's and Bruno's father-and-son relationship is a constant theme throughout the film experiences

many ups and down along the way.

De Sica evokes the emotion and relationship between the father and son in Bicycle Thieves through his

two main characters, the younger and the older, making the story of loss, love and the daily frustration of

being a human being incredibly effective. The story is universal. Audiences today can relate to the
relationship between father and son, as the problems they encounter as a family are timeless, making the

story even more heart-wrenching. It is essential to look at Bicycle Thieves through the eyes of De Sica

and the importance of the father and son relationship in Italy. De Sica mentioned that 'in Italy men often

go about with their sons. Children converse and argue with their fathers, become confidants and very

often become no longer children but "little men"'. We can see that with Antonio and Bruno throughout the

film. Still, especially at the beginning of Bicycle Thieves, we know the excitement of Antonio and Bruno

with this new job and the prospects that this could bring to their family, with Bruno clearly showing that

he looks up to his father. In the scene with Bruno coping with his father, not only with his outfit but also

his mannerisms. It is clear that Bruno has already become the 'little man' that De Sica mentions, with

Bruno being the one to tell Antonino to complain about the dent in the bike 'I'd have said something and

Bruno being the one to care for his infant sister, with his father Antonio again appearing neglectful

towards his family. Antonio continually neglects what he values in his life, mainly the bicycle, but also

his son. He treats his son in the same careless, inattentive manner that he did with his bicycle initially.

Constantly outpacing Bruno and leaving him behind, although Antino is presumably the one leading his

son, he often seems to forget he is even there. He does not notice Bruno fall in the rainy streets of Rome,

nor does he notice two cars nearly run him over, though all Bruno looks up to his father, even though he

struggles to even keep up with him. Antonio is careless towards these two items, but his concentration on

getting the bicycle back, seemly shows his concentration in caring for Bruno to slip away, up to the point

where he thinks that his son has fallen into the river and could have drowned. However, this is not Bruno;

his carelessness shows that Bruno could have met this devasting outcome. Antonio's character is unique

in his interactions with his wife and son. At certain times he seemly ignores them, unaware of their

emotions or presence. At other times he tries to comfort them and share the joy with them, yet is unable

even to look them in the eye when he, in his eyes, has failed them. Antonio is continuously shown to be

someone who is distraught and self-absorbed. At the same time, Bruno, on the other hand, remains loyal

to his father, no matter how neglected he becomes throughout the film. The film could be considered a

tragedy in terms of the progression of Antonio and Bruno's relationship throughout the film as it slowly
seems to deteriorate as the sight of the bicycle becomes more out of reach for the pain and the idea of

hope and faith deteriorates as well. In his article Bicycle thieves, Stubbs mentions that 'Antonio needs his

son's help and needs his consolation' (Stubbs, 1975). Showing that although Antonio appears at times not

even knowing that his son is there, he still needs him; seeing him constantly throughout the journey gives

Antonio the drive and the hope he needs to find his bike, as he sees what he is fighting for, not only a

better life for him but a better life for his family.

Antonio's frustration gets the better of him. However, his love and compassion are still there for his son

and family, and this affection leads him to send Bruno far away so he can steal the bicycle. This, to

Antonio, is his lowest point, clearly, something he is not proud of doing as he has become the person he

despised, and he still wants to be respected by his son. The audience can see that Bruno still respects his

father during the film's progression, up to the point that he sees his father get caught for stealing, and he

sees his father become the thief they have been chasing all along. The idealisation that Bruno has of his

father crumbles. Antonio is already cracking masculinity, and dignity is lost when he steals the bike. In

return, Bruno reaches a shocking realisation of the truth of what his father has become, making it one of

the most heartbreaking scenes in the film; the relationship has been on a steady decline for much of the

film. However, at this moment, we see something that has changed Bruno's outlook on his father forever;

the idealisation and admiration of his father has been lost. Although Bruno's admiration has been

challenged and Antonio's pride has been lost by the end of the film, we still sense the love between the

two, as Bruno demonstrates his abiding love for his father through the grasp of his father's hand, a small

gesture. Although no words are spoken between the two to explain this, De Sica shows us through this

gesture that Antonio has not fallen in Bruno's eyes. He shows us that nothing is more vital than a

relationship between a father and son.

Bicycle Thieves is a story about a father and son united in the pursuit of justice, Antonio, with all his

flaws; it teaches Bruno the importance of fighting for what is right and doing what is right for your

family. The relationship between father and son is a bond, especially in Italian society, that is stronger

than anything, and the relationship between Antonio and Bruno in Bicycle Thieves perfectly pictures this,

as although the relationship is on a decline and at times reaches its breaking point, we know that Bruno

will always stand by his father side. Bruno learns the enteral life lesson of what it means to be a man.

Bibliography

Baggs, M. (2009). Mosaic Movie Connect Group: the Bicycle Thief (Ladri Di biciclette) --
father-son Relationship. [online] Mosaic Movie Connect Group. Available at:
http://mosaicmovieconnectgroup.blogspot.com/2009/04/bicycle-thief-ladri-di-biciclette.html
[Accessed 7 Nov. 2022].

Celli, C. (2001). The Legacy of Mario Camerini in Vittorio De Sica’s the Bicycle Thief
(1948). Cinema Journal, 40(4), pp.3–17.

Chege, S. (2014). What I Learned about Father and Son Relationships through film. [online]
Silva word press. Available at: https://silvawpius.wordpress.com/2014/01/04/what-i-learned-
amount-father-and-son-relationships-through-film-2/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2022].

Jacobson, H.L. (1949). De Sica’s ‘Bicycle Thieves’ and Italian Humanism. Hollywood Quarterl,
4(1), pp.28–33.

Stubbs, John.C. (1975). Bicycle Thieves. The Journal of Aesthetic Education, 9(2), pp.50–61.

Tomasulo, F.P. (1982). ‘Bicycle Thieves’: a Re-Reading. Cinema Journal, 21(2), pp.2–13.

Filmography

Bicycle Thieves. (1948). Ente Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche.

The Bells of St Mary. (1945). RKO Radio Pictures.