Bicycle Thieves (1948) by Vittorio De Sica

In Bazin’s words, “realism in art can only be achieved in one way – through artifice” (Lawton, 16). The film Bicycle Thieves (1948) by Vittorio De Sica is a clear example of how in order for a film to be perceived as realistic by the spectator there needs to be a careful construction and manipulation of the film’s aesthetic. To tell any story, to get any message across, in just an hour and a half film, there needs to be a very deliberate selection and arrangement of narrative elements. In the article “Italian Neorealism: A Mirror Construction of Reality” by Ben Lawton, he explains that in the movie there are scenes that at first glance they might seem to be purely descriptive to further the story, however their construction have the purpose of conveying a message. For instance, when Antonio is debating if he should steal the bike of not, behind him there is wrestling statue to visually symbolize his moral struggle (Lawton, 17-18). Another example is the editing in a film; crafting sequences through editing has the purpose of creating continuity in the films but it also has to make the spectator feel what the characters are experiencing in the story world. Form some film theorists this has been described as a manipulation of the spectator, the minds behind the film are telling them and making them feel how want them to feel. In Bicycle Thieves, for example, the disorientation Antonio feels when he is looking for his bike can be felt by the spectator. One of techniques used to achieve that level of control over the viewers is through the editing of the sequence; the dissolves, cuts, unfinished pans of Antonio running around the city make the viewer feel the same disorientation as the character.

Bicycle Thieves seems to have a series of descriptive shots and sequences that aim to portray a realistic depiction of quotidianity; nonetheless, the illusion of reality in Bicycle Thieves can only be created through the deliberate manipulation of every aspect of the film.