The Bicycle Thief / Ladri di bicilette on TCM

[johnnyonthespot]

For those of you who receive the TCM (Turner Classic Movie) channel as part of your cable TV package, permit me to highly recommend that you tune in or record Saturday, May 7th at 8:00PM EST.

I first saw "The Bicycle Theif" ("Ladri di bicilette") several months ago and loved it, even though it is a somewhat bittersweet movie. Set in post-WWII Italy and made in 1948, it is a, "Simple, realistic tale of workingman whose job depends on his bicycle, and the shattering week he spends with his young son after it is stolen. An honest, beautiful film that deservedly earned a special Academy Award (before foreign films had a category of their own); one of the all-time classics." (http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/68597/The-Bicycle-Thief/ )

If you are interested in things Italian, then please be sure to mark your calendar.

[Tessa78]

Carmine, I'll second that suggestion!
A heartwarming film...

I've actually borrowed it from my local library several times - a good option if you don't have TCM

T.

[Squigy]

For those of you who receive the TCM (Turner Classic Movie) channel as part of your cable TV package, permit me to highly recommend that you tune in or record Saturday, May 7th at 8:00PM EST.

I first saw "The Bicycle Theif" ("Ladri di bicilette") several months ago and loved it, even though it is a somewhat bittersweet movie. Set in post-WWII Italy and made in 1948, it is a, "Simple, realistic tale of workingman whose job depends on his bicycle, and the shattering week he spends with his young son after it is stolen. An honest, beautiful film that deservedly earned a special Academy Award (before foreign films had a category of their own); one of the all-time classics." (http://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/title/68597/The-Bicycle-Thief/ )

If you are interested in things Italian, then please be sure to mark your calendar.

I love that movie! My sister had to watch it for a film class, and she loved it, too.

It's also on Netflix's online streaming, for those who are interested.

[pink67]

If I may give my little contribution here... I would advice you to see also the film: Nuovo Cinema Paradiso of Giuseppe Tornatore, I believe that many of you know it because the film won The Oscar as Best Foreign Language Film. It's my favourite film an it's a wonderful "picture" of the villages of south Italy at the end of WW2, late '40.
I cry every time at the final scene...
The soundtrack is of Ennio Morricone and it is absolutely fantastic.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinema_Paradiso

Another of my favourites is "Mediterraneo" of Gabriele Salvatores:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mediterraneo

Laura

[pink67]

Another masterpiece is La grande Guerra of Mario Monicelli

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Great_War_(1959_film)

Laura

[amerital43]

I watched this a couple of months ago when you said TCM had it on, and really loved. I knew it was a classic, post-war, Italian film but never got to see it. Enjoyed it a lot. The cast was wonderful.

[Squigy]

Another good one is Rome, Open City/Roma, città aperta. I saw this one on Netflix online streaming, too, but it's not on there anymore (although, you can have the DVD sent to your house).

Anna Magnani is wonderful in it. She was a very talented actress.

I really love watching these movies, because I had a lot of aunts and uncles still living in Italy during this time (my last uncle there actually just died in the late 70's/early 80's). So it's interesting to see what life might have been like for them at that time.