Vittorio De Sica: the cinematic poet of Italian Neorealism
For almost 20 years, Italy was ruled by fascist dictator Benito Mussolini. Throughout a significant portion of his tyrannical reign, the Italian film industry prioritised movies which mirrored the kind that were popular in Hollywood – glossy and studio-bound. These movies, known as Telefoni Bianchi productions, promoted an unrealistic vision of Italian society, something that several progressively-minded filmmakers desperately wanted to change.
These directors, known as the Italian Neorealists, believed that cinema could be used to depict the social issues that countless people in the country were facing, particularly the working class. From poverty to the mundanity of everyday life, these filmmakers used naturalistic techniques, such as shooting on-location and hiring non-professional actors, to convey the harsh realities of life for the lower classes in such a politically volatile country.
One of the critical filmmakers to emerge from this period of Italian cinema was Vittorio De Sica. During the 1920s, he became a successful theatre actor before transitioning to cinema as sound films started to gain prominence. He eventually made his directorial debut, Red Roses (co-directed with Giuseppe Amato), in 1940, which was considered a Telefoni Bianchi film. He made a few more films in this accessible style before directing A Garibaldian in the Convent in 1942, which saw him take a more unique approach to filmmaking. His style was clearly progressing, but it was The Children Are Watching Us, released the following year, which truly marked the beginning of his move towards more realistic filmmaking and the utilisation of hard-hitting themes.
There are clear traces of Neorealism present in The Children Are Watching Us, such as a young boy playing a leading character and an exploration of darker thematic territory. It didn’t feel quite like a Telefoni Bianchi, yet it wasn’t exactly a Neorealist film either, using artificial sets and other production techniques that De Sica would soon move away from. Still, it paved the way for his future work, which would come to define him as one of the most essential figures of the Italian Neorealism period.
1946’s Shoeshine is considered one of the earliest examples of a Neorealist film, with De Sica following two young boys who make all their money by shining people’s shoes. Yet, after trying to find the money to buy a horse, they end up in trouble with the authorities and subsequently get sent to a juvenile detention centre. The film was highly acclaimed, so much so that the Academy Awards gave De Sica an ‘Honorary Award’, inspiring the creation of the ‘Academy Award for Best International Feature Film’ category.
Two years later, De Sica directed one of his most accomplished movies, Bicycle Thieves, often considered one of the greatest films ever made. It was partly conceived by Cesare Zavattini, who frequently worked with De Sica as a screenwriter. Tender and honest, the film follows a father, Antonio, and his son, Bruno, as they search for the former’s missing bike, which he needs in order to carry out his job.
The film painted a realistic portrayal of working-class Italian life, although many Italian viewers disliked it, believing it to be an unfair depiction of the country. Many people wanted cinema to reflect goodness, prosperity and success, and while Bicycle Thieves emphasises the importance of human connection, it is also a bitingly honest look at poverty, depicting a government unconcerned by its citizens’ well-being.
Bicycle Thieves won several illustrious awards in other countries, taking home an ‘Honorary Award’ at the Oscars. Giulia Saccogna, the programmer for BFI’s upcoming Italian Neorealism season, recently spoke to Far Out, calling De Sica’s film one of the most essential movies of the era. She described it as “a human masterpiece by the two poets of reality, De Sica and Zavattini,” emphasising the film’s lyrical qualities despite being firmly rooted in the harsh realities of everyday life.
Zavattini would also collaborate with De Sica on two other vital pieces of Italian Neorealism: Miracle in Milan and Umberto D. The former took a more fantastical approach, using humour and allegory to explore social themes, proving that this era of cinema could still be good fun, even when dealing with weighty topics. Umberto D., meanwhile, is a fantastic character study, depicting an old man and his dog doing all they can to stay afloat in the face of poverty. It’s a moving film and one of De Sica’s best, yet, like many of his other movies, Umberto D. was looked down upon in Italy while finding success abroad.
De Sica’s tenure as a Neorealist seemed to end with Umberto D., as he started acting more and even appeared in several Hollywood movies. The ‘60s saw him collaborate with Sophia Loren numerous times, casting her in movies such as Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow and Marriage Italian-Style. The filmmaker found success with these movies, although they were not considered Neorealist.
While some of his later filmmaking efforts, such as A Brief Vacation, showed glimpses of his Neorealism days, De Sica’s best efforts are widely considered to be those films he made in the ‘40s. He has had a magnificent impact on cinema, with movements such as the French New Wave and British social realism (kitchen sink dramas) taking clear influence from the innovative and documentary-inspired techniques used by De Sica and his contemporaries. Martin Scorsese is also a significant champion of the filmmaker, finding himself deeply affected by titles like Bicycle Thieves and Umberto D. as a budding director.
De Sica’s films might feel like they’re from a time period far removed from today, but much of his search for meaning in human connection and his highlighting of prevalent issues among the less privileged still ring true, even now.
Chasing the Real: Italian Neorealism is at BFI Southbank from May 1st – June 30th, with selected films also available to watch on BFI Player.
Rome, Open City is re-released by the BFI in selected cinemas from May 17th.