Many of you commented in class about the relationship between Antonio and Bruno. Bruno admires his father at the beginning of the film, imitates his gestures and actions, looks at him with admiration. Yet the search for Antonio's bicycle puts a strain on that relationship. Antonio often fails to notice that Bruno is in harm's way and even strikes him. Furthermore, Bruno watches as Antonio himself becomes a bicycle thief and is humiliated by a crowd. What do you make of this relationship How does it evolve (or devolve) over the course of the film? What does the film tells us about fathers and sons? About family?
Bruno’s relationship with his father Antonio gradually evolves over the course of The Bicycle Thief from a position of blind idolization, to sobering enlightenment. Overall, the development of their relationship is natural because at a certain point, it is natural for the child to stop thinking of their father as an all-knowing, all-powerful figure. When Bruno was neglected by his father in the streets, almost getting hit by a car, Bruno learned that his father wouldn’t always be there for him in life. Instead of seeing his father as a perfect figure that would take care of him for the rest of his life, he began to see his father as a man who also had to struggle. Bruno saw that his father also had priorities other than himself. Thus, Bruno began to rely on his father less in their relationship. When Antonio slapped Bruno, Bruno learned that his father was not a perfect man who had no limits to his patience. Bruno discovered that his father could also become extremely irritated, and that his father’s control over his anger was just as feeble as everyone else’s. In addition, it must have been very sobering for Bruno to see his father stoop so low, as to become the very thing they hated so much (the bicycle thief). This was the final straw for Bruno. This event finally drilled into Bruno the fact that his father wasn’t any more special than the thief that stole their bike. Bruno learned that any man, even his father, could become the villain, as long as they were pushed enough in the right direction. From this Bruno no longer saw his father as invincible. In a sense, the lines between hero and villain became blurred for Bruno. He began to understand that there was no such thing as a “bad guy” and “good guy”, as both sides see themselves as the “good guy”, and their opposing side as the “bad guy”. Bruno’s relationship with his father no longer was an ignorant child modelling themselves after a “perfect adult”. Instead, Bruno became the observer, and Antonio became the example of what to avoid. Bruno ended up learning from his fathers mistakes instead of naively following his fathers’ example.
ReplyDeleteAntonio’s relationship with his son Bruno consistently evolves over the course of the film, The Bicycle Thief, as Bruno begins to realize his father is not the strong parental figure he makes him out to be. For most of the film, Bruno is characterized as a small adult. His poor family lives in dire conditions, which prevent him from living a typical, carefree childhood and thereby influence him to become rational and self-sufficient. Ironically, at the beginning of the film, he is the only employed member of his family, working at a gas station to support Maria, Antonio, and his baby brother. Working at such a young age, Bruno is the opposite of a typical snotty child in his hometown, and his first appearance immediately establishes him as a responsible, concerned adult. He cleans Antonio’s bike and is familiar with all its specific features and taunts his father's passiveness for not confronting the pawn shop employee about the new tiny dent in the frame. Before leaving for work, Bruno closes a window so his baby sibling will stay warm and not catch a cold. At the plaza, he is sensible enough to ignore the creepy pedophile, who offers to buy him a new shiny bicycle bell. Bruno seems to be capable of taking care himself, with his characterization highlighting a responsibility and concern that equals his adult counterparts. However, Antonio doesn’t treat his son like an equal; he barely pays any attention to him at all throughout the film. Bruno, while admiring his father, is in the unfortunate position of witnessing Antonio indulge in some of his most severe shortcomings, namely his carelessness. So obsessed with his own self-pity and distraught by his stolen bicycle, Antonio constantly outpaces Bruno while roaming around Rome. He does not notice when Bruno falls to the ground in the rain; he does not notice when the pedophile pests an unsupervised Bruno; and he does not notice when two cars nearly run over Bruno. Antonio treats his son just like his bicycle—inattentively. Failing to pay proper attention to Bruno, Antonio’s actions even suggest that he places more value and concern toward his missing bike than his own kind, loyal, and independent son. When Antonio projects his frustration onto Bruno and slaps him, we see the true childlike dimensions of Bruno’s personality unfold. He moves away from Antonio crying, latches onto a tree out of simultaneous defiance and fear, and tells Antonio he will tell Maria on him. This is no longer the self-sufficient, employed, and paternal small adult; this is a child tearfully reacting to the dehumanization and abuse inflicted by his biggest role model, his father.
ReplyDeleteIn Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves, Bruno’s view of his father, Antonio, changes from naïve adoration to cynicism; in many ways, this change mirrors Antonio’s view of Italian institutions.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of Bicycle Thieves, Bruno is full of admiration for his father. Despite the fact that Antonio struggles to provide for his family as evidenced by presence at the unemployment office, his son emulates him in every way. Bruno proudly dons a uniform similar to that of Antonio and places his identical lunch, a wrapped omelet sandwich, in the same pocket and position as his father. Later in the film as the Antonio and Bruno search for the former’s stolen bike in the bicycle part market, Bruno mirrors his father’s actions and orders, gazing intensely at the parts that Antonio shows any interest in and mostly staying close by. Bruno’s emulation of his father cements his naïve adoration for him; the boy is either unaware of or willing to overlook his father’s many faults and see him as someone to look up to. However, as Bruno spends more time with Antonio and learns more about him, he loses his naivety and consequently his adoration. Bruno shows his first negative emotion towards his father when Antonio strikes him shortly after the duo let the old man escape. The son sees the frustrated side of Antonio and immediately begins to disobey his father’s orders to follow, showing a lack of respect. Furthermore, when Antonio and Bruno eat at the restaurant, Bruno sees a much wealthier family enjoying a more decadent meal. In this scene, Bruno begins to see that Antonio can barely keep his household afloat while other families live lavishly, and, as evinced by his frown, becomes more cynical and ashamed of his father’s capabilities. Bruno’s lack of admiration and increase in cynicism towards his father reach even greater levels after he sees Antonio attempt to steal a bike. The boy almost pities his father as the latter tears up and Bruno is forced to comfort him by holding his hand. As Bruno must take on the comforting role that his father should provide, he shows a cynicism towards their relationship.
Antonio’s view of Italian institutions also changes from naïve adoration to cynicism. When the thief steals Antonio’s bike, the protagonist’s first action is to file a complaint with the local police station. The officer in the station quickly rebuffs Antonio, telling him to look for the bicycle himself. Antonio then questions the purpose of filing a complaint with the police station in the first place. Therefore, while Antonio innocently and naively admires the institution of Italian law enforcement to the point that it is the first place he seeks help, he quickly becomes cynical, learning that the police will do little for him. Unfortunately, history repeats itself for Antonio as a police officer is yet again unable to help the desperate father when he does manage to find the thief. While Antonio looks to the police officer as a solution to his problem, the latter informs the protagonist that there is little that can be done to return the bike, as the thief has dozens of people to vouch for him. In this scene, Italian law enforcement and the justice system fail Antonio. In a display of cynicism for Italian institutions, he attempts to take justice into his own hands by shouting that he will smash the face of the thief in. Clearly, Antonio loses his respect and adoration for the effectiveness of the institutions around him.
Throughout the movie Bicycle Thieves, Antonio's and Bruno's relationship is clearly devolving, but not necessarily in a bad way. In other words, I would even go to say that the devolution of their relationship acts as an evolution of Bruno's view on life and of his father. There comes a point in life where a child will realize that their parent/s is human, that they might not necessarily be the hero of the day, although they still might be someone the child can look up to, and still, of course, love. Bruno experiences this realization at a younger age than a lot of kids typically do due to his family's situation. It is hard to watch your parent struggle, because through a child's eyes they are the closest thing to perfect. Bruno also finds himself in danger multiple times with his father not noticing or helping him, and even hits him in the face. This is not something that should happen to a child no matter what, but especially from a parent. The only way in which this would benefit Bruno at all would be teaching him what not to be like when he is older and how to be a better father to his own kids. It is important that since Bruno, at a young age, has to go through some traumatizing things that he takes away from it the change in his view towards his father, because being so young and having your father as your hero might cause a child to turn a blind eye to their wrongdoings or even view it as something that is acceptable. The fact that Antonio is put in a situation that causes him to become stressed out and desperate, not to mention a situation that is life threatening (in the sense that if he does not have the bike he can't maintain a job to pay to keep his family afloat), might bring out some sides of himself that he didn't even know he had. This is bad for Bruno because he would never of had to experience the pain of seeing his hero fail and have to alter his perception of his father for life. Although this is not what should happen in a father-son relationship no matter what happens, it can be the unfortunate reality of many situations. It is important for Bruno to still be able to love his father, but he needs to learn these hard lessons for himself so that he doesn't end up acting as his father has. This film portrays an interesting side to a father-son relationship, but its lesson is unique and is important to understand.
ReplyDeleteAntonio and Bruno’s relationship deteriorates throughout the search for Antonio’s bicycle, due to Antonio’s weaknesses being shown as he gets more desperate for his bike. At the beginning of the film, Bruno looks to Antonio as a role model. When Antonio puts his lunch in his coat pocket, Bruno copies him. He is excited to be a working man with his dad, and was excited to see him when his dad picked him up from work. However, the second time he picked him up, he was late, and Bruno was just a little bit hurt by that. This scene was the first time cracks in their relationship were seen. As the search for the bike continues, Antonio’s temper grows more and more as he runs into more and more dead ends. Bruno watches him falsely accuse people of taking the bike, and creating unnecessary harm in people’s lives just for his bike. When they share an expensive meal together, upon first glance it appears a heartfelt father-and-son moment, however it becomes clear to see that Antonio is only treating Bruno to convince and gaslight him of the importance of his bicycle. Shortly after this, their relationship spirals downward when Antonio slaps him. After this, Bruno walks a little bit farther away from his dad, similes a little bit less and loses his eagerness to help his Dad find the bike. At the end, when Bruno watches his dad become the enemy and steal a bicycle, he is in disbelief. All of his desires to be like his dad are gone, and he now views him from an omniscient and flawed perspective.
ReplyDeleteChloe Katz
DeleteThroughout The Bicycle Thieves, Antonio constantly disappoints his son Bruno. Antonio at the beginning of the film is a father and husband trying to provide for his family, and spending much of his time trying to get a job, any job he can. He is a proud and goal-minded character when he gets his job, talking about his dreams with his wife Maria until his bike is stolen. He sees the thief’s face and chases after him, and asking bystanders around to help him. The scene ends with a close-up shot of Antonio, watching everything he has pinned his hopes and dreams on, biking away. For the rest of the movie, Antonio searches for his bike in every corner and street of Rome; hoping that his bicycle thief got rid of his beloved bike. After the bike was stolen, a part of Antonio was also stolen as well, his hope. He was setting all his dreams on this bike and lost sight of what was important. Bruno recognized how distraught his father was from having his bike stolen early on, but continued to follow his father around Rome, wanting his father to find his bike. After hours or days of searching for the bike, Antonio’s goals become unclear and accused innocent people of taking his prized possession. This lost hope for Antonio strains his relationship with his son because he slowly began to forget about him and finding his bike. The relationship does more than devolve, it becomes nonexistent. When Antonio steals another person’s bike, Bruno loses all respect for his father. From the perspective of Bruno, their family is the most important thing until all hope is lost. At the beginning of the movie, it is clear who and what is important to Antonio, but by the end of the movie, the most important thing is his stolen bike and getting it back. This not only shows how relationships between fathers and sons are not as important as a father’s possessions but also how quickly people’s lives during this time could become their worst nightmare.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the film Bicycle Thieves, the relationship between Antonio and Bruno devolves significantly after Antonio’s actions towards his son change. Bruno and his father embark on an unsuccessful journey to retrieve the stolen bike; although Bruno imitates Antonio in the beginning of the film in admiration, their relationship deteriorates during their trip. This is best seen when Antonio physically abuses Bruno, striking him in the face after Bruno talks back. Bruno is reluctant to continue with his father, but he has no other option. Antonio disregards his family and sets a bad example for Bruno when he attempts to steal a bicycle, almost going to jail. Antonio’s actions make him no better than the men who stole his bicycle. Bruno starts the film looking up to his father, but in the end, Antonio is not someone to admire. Bicycle Thieves depicts the relationship between a father and son where the son idolizes the father, but eventually, we realize the son is the mature one between the two. After Bruno sees his father try to steal, Bruno forgives him, and they walk away holding hands. Bruno is the one who rekindles their relationship and is mature enough to understand his father’s faults. This film also depicts Antonio as someone who cares more about an object than his family. The bike will allow him to make money and support his family; however, he puts Bruno in harm’s way to get his bicycle back. Bicycle Thieves shows that sometimes our priorities are misplaced, and family should always come first.
ReplyDeleteAntonio’s progression of his lack of attention and morals not only puts Bruno in danger, but also ruins their strong father-son relationship by the end of the film. At the beginning of Bicycle Thieves, Antonio leaves Bruno on a street and tells him to meet him back there when Antionio comes back from work. This was very odd, as Bruno looks about 6 years old and is in the city with no adult supervision. Despite the lack of attention from Antonio, Bruno clearly enjoys his father treating him like an adult by leaving him alone, as he is excited to hear about his father’s day when he comes back. Bruno constantly looks up at his father, portraying that Antonio is his role model. We see this dynamic as Bruno walks heavily, to copy his father’s footsteps. The moment that Antonio loses his bike, all of his attention diverts from the family to the bike. We see that this causes a strain on his relationship with Bruno, as he gets frustrated with him for not listening and hits him. The way that Bruno was crying and started walking at a significant distance not only showed that this was the first time he was ever hit by his father, but it also depicted the distance that his father created by not treating Bruno with the same care he somewhat gave him before the bike was stolen. Antonio’s downhill progression of his morales doesn’t help their relationship either. He becomes a bad role model for Bruno, as he chooses to steal a bike towards the end of the movie. The people who catch him make the same observation as well. By the end of the film, we don’t see Bruno being happy at all, which portrays his sadness because he lost his connection to his father. Bicycle Thieves shows that the father-son relationship is extremely important and can affect the way sons make decisions in the future, due to the lack of a father-figure role model or a great father-figure role model.
ReplyDeleteMarisa M
DeleteVittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves is a tapestry representing the often-untold dynamic between parent and child, or in this case, father and son. Many children grow up fostering the belief that their parents are unstoppable protectors—their very own heroes to tuck them in at night. However, that is not the case for every child, some families do not have the luxury of living carefree and unconcerned. Bruno’s family certainly did not have the luxury of living stress free, gluttonous lives. Antonio, Bruno’s father, struggles with employment while his wife stays at home to care for their baby. They have to scrounge and save every euro just to keep themselves clothed and fed, yet Antonio possesses a unique bicycle that he holds dear. Antonio’s love of the bicycle motivates Bruno to pour copious energy into the bicycle’s maintenance, for Bruno wants to make his father proud. Bruno is depicted as no regular child. He does not wear play clothes, he does not eat candy, nor does he spend his time playing games. In fact, in the beginning of the film Bruno is the only employed member of his family working at a gas station in town. Despite his unemployment, Bruno admires Antonio’s effort as a working class man, finding his determination inspiring. When Antonio’s bike is stolen, Bruno is excited to help his father reclaim it, as it is the one thing that bonds them. Although, through the unorganized and angry search for his father’s bike Bruno witnesses that Bruno is a normal human, unable to live up to his parental perfection. Antonio is so blinded by the loss of his bicycle that he does not realize he puts Bruno is harm’s way at multiple junctions. Antonio smacks Bruno and leaves him unsupervised at many points, almost letting Bruno get run over by cars. Even worse, Bruno bore witness to his father stealing a bicycle; literally, Bruno witnesses his father turn into a person he despised the most: a bicycle thief. Their journey together in the real world allowed Bruno to see his father outside of his traditional setting, cementing the realization that his father is just an ordinary man.
ReplyDeleteTo me, their relationship shows that they care about each other, but Antonio’s priorities are not the best in terms of building a father-son relationship. Throughout the film, Antonio is more worried about his bike then he is about his son. He is more worried about his bike staying by his side then his own son. I found it strange how loosely Antonio would let his son go off on his own in a new town. I feel the reason he was so caught up in losing the bike is that losing it in his mind, cut off any chance he had of becoming successful. However, the drowning scene shows a lot about Antonio’s care for having a family. When a boy who from a distance looks like Bruno is seen drowning. Antonio rushes down towards the water to see what happened. Even though this doesn’t mean much considering his reaction was just of curiosity, the following event showed him having a realization about the importance of family. The fact that he spoiled his son by eating at a restaurant after he thought he almost died, shows Antonio realized how important family was to him. The entire movie leading up to that scene showed horrible parenting on Antonio’s part. From leaving his son on his own to hitting him, he needed the thought of losing his son to make him reevaluate his priorities. Up until that part, the only thing that mattered to him was finding his bike. He let this take control of him which lead to lack of attention towards his son.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between Antonio and Bruno becomes strained in the quest for Antonio’s bicycle, highlighting the stressors placed on the familial bonds between the two by capitalism. What began as a loving father/son relationship quickly soured as Antonio’s focus became less centered around what his family really needed. Bruno was in need of a strong, caring father, yet was forgotten in the mad dash for this bicycle. The relationship in the exposition of the film was a unified, respectful bond between the two, and although Bruno tries to regain his fathers attention, he fails in this regard. Although Bruno is not a bad person because of this, he has become a somewhat careless father in this search. The tension grows, and when Antonio slaps Bruno out of anger, the relationship changes. Throughout the movie, the dynamics of their relationship were changing, but an abrupt shift occurred here. Even after Antonio thought
ReplyDeleteBruno was the child who almost drowned, Bruno took second place in Antonio’s brain. Consistently, Bruno was 2nd place, and this conflicted with the image of Antonio in his head, who was a role model for him. The film makes a commentary on how, in the search for a specific, money-oriented goal, the most important bond that makes a family can break. It’s even rational to assume that what truly makes a family is love, as Bruno was driven as a young boy to work with bikes, partly because he had to, but his love for his father made him passionate about it. Antonio lost sight of what was important, and as a result grew apart from his son. Antonio realizes this in his darkest moment; when Bruno sees him become a thief. There he realizes what he’s doing, and how more harm has come upon them then good. The meaning of family rang clear once again in his head, and how life is more than just money and material objects.
The relationship between Antonio and Bruno seems to be evolving throughout the film, but it suddenly begins to devolve towards the end of the film. At the beginning of the film, Bruno looks up to his father as a caring, hardworking man. You can even see Bruno trying to be like his father when cleaning the bike in the house. During this time, we can see the happy and energetic vibe given off by Bruno and his father when everything seems to be going right. Antonio has just gotten a new job that helps him provide for his family, including his newborn. Everything seemed to be going right and Antonio was loving life until his bicycle was stolen. After the bike was stolen, Antonio did a complete 180. Shortly after being robbed, he stopped mainly focusing on his family. His only focus was on his bicycle. This was thought to be a roadblock in their father/son relationship, but Bruno ended up making the best of it, never leaving his father’s side when searching for the lost bike. Bruno’s relationship with his father naturally evolved with them spending days in pursuit of the bicycle, but it seemed to take a turn once Antonio raised his hand to his son. After that, Bruno looked at his dad differently. He did not seem as energetic as he did once before. The relationship ended up taking a turn for the worst when Bruno witnessed his father steal a bicycle and be chased down by other civilians. This moment in the film shows us that Bruno sees his father as a completely changed person. It speaks to viewers and tells them that the example Antonio is setting for Bruno is a poor one, and is changing Bruno’s opinions about his father. This up and down relationship throughout the film tells us that sons are very influenced and inspired by their fathers, regardless of the kind of person the father truly is.
ReplyDeleteIn Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves, the economic hardships in the film create resiliency within family structures.
ReplyDeleteThe directors paint a healthy and typical father-son relationship in the beginning in the film where the son wishes to be just like his father, wearing the same uniform and holding the same aluminum wrapped lunch in the same front pocket. However, as the film progresses, they are forced to endure several challenges that strain their relationship. Most clearly, Antonio’s outburst against Bruno that results in Antonio striking Bruno creates a ripple in their tightknit ties. But like any ripple, it dissipates into the open waters as Antonio is faced with the possible realities of losing his son when he over hears commotion at the bank of the river. What is commonly thought of as love creates strong bonds between family members allowing them to overcome almost any hardships. Behind this concept of love is one’s unimaginable fear of losing someone dear to them. This fear is intensified within Antonio’s current plight where he must find his bicycle lest he lose his job and his family starves. It is this fear that causes him to take extreme action in the end of the film and steal a bicycle. However, Bruno, who is forced to grow up faster than many his age as he is forced to take on a job to support his family, is empathetic to his father and desires his approval. Thus, no matter how many times his father is humiliated, yelled at, abused, or threatened, Bruno continues to be by his side and looking up to his father as a role model. And, even though the film ends with the son and father in tears, it is important to note that despite all the hardships, they continue as a unit with them continuing to hold hands as they walk towards their uncertain future.
In Bicycle Thieves, the ups and downs of the father-son relationship between Antonio and Bruno show the resilience of family compared to material possessions. Near the beginning of the film, Antonio is seen getting ready for his new job. Bruno, Antonio’s son, follows him through the whole process. Antonio’s wife hands him a large egg sandwich, which is followed by her handing Bruno a similar but much smaller version of the same sandwich. Continuing that pattern, Bruno promptly tucks his sandwich into his breast pocket in the same manner as his father. This scene demonstrates the strong father-son connection between the two. This theme continues throughout the film until Antonio slaps Bruno. Although it is mainly out of frustration at losing his best lead as to where his bike is, it is the first instance that chips away at their relationship. However, Antonio quickly regrets his action when he hears shouting coming from under the bridge he had just told Bruno to wait by. He rushes over to the growing crowd by the bank of the river where he sees a few men struggling to pull a young boy out of the water. He face is immediately filled with regret and worry because he thinks the boy is Bruno. Once he sees that it is not Bruno the worry leaves his face and he rushes towards his son. Bruno, standing near the edge of the bridge, coat in hand, is met by his exasperated father who promptly tells him to put his jacket back on. It seems as though Antonio does this, not to be a strict father, but to protect Bruno from the outside world in any way he can. Although the relationship seems to be repaired after that, Antonio chips away at it further near the end of the movie. When Antonio has lost all hope in finding his bicycle, he feels that his only chance of keeping his job is to become the man he had been chasing for the entire movie. When Bruno sees his father steal the bike, it seems to him that everything his father stood for meant nothing anymore and the person he thought his father was had disappeared. Despite this, in the final scene, while Antonio and Bruno shuffle off with the crowd, Bruno reaches for his father’s hand and holds on tight. This illustrates that family is so resilient that even when Antonio is not who Bruno thought he was, deep down he still loves his father. Additionally, throughout the film Antonio loses, not only his bike, but his job and, more importantly, his hope. However, the one thing he never loses is the bond between Bruno and himself.
ReplyDeleteThroughout Vittorio De Sica’s film Bicycle Thieves, the relationship between Antonio and his son, Bruno, rapidly deteriorates as Bruno comes to the realization that his father is someone not to be idolized, but is rather empathetic because of his digressed morale code. In the beginning of the film, Bruno and his mother are visibly overcome with a sense of immense joy when Antonio informs them that he got a poster job from the government. Bruno is then seen to be cleaning and repairing his fathers bicycle for the following morning, and dons a uniform similar to that of his father. Impassioned by his task, Bruno shouts as to who dented his fathers bicycle, but is later told by his father to visualize the grand scheme of things, not a little dent. It is reasonable for one to assume that Bruno is not only proud of his father because of his ability to provide for his family, but also views him as someone to rely on for advice in life, and gives him a great deal of respect as a result. Bruno’s perception towards his father gradually changes during their search for their stolen bicycle. Towards the middle of the film, Bruno and his father frantically chase the old man seen speaking with their supposed bicycle thief, and track him down in a local church. In their search for the old man, Antonio disrupts the service, and results in the minister shouting at Antonio to leave the church because of his “immoral conduct”. As Bruno was hungry after spending the entire day searching for his fathers bicycle, he asks if they can eat at the church before departing. Having been enraged by making no progress and being annoyed by Bruno’s requests, Antonio slaps Bruno across the face. Consequently, Bruno's outlook on his father begins to deteriorate, and refuses to continue to help his father search for the bicycle as a result. Antonio’s relationship with his son continues to decay towards the end when Bruno sees his father publicly humiliated for attempting to steal a bicycle. It is reasonable for one to assume that Antonio has lost all faith in Italian societal rules due to minimal help in both the police and average citizen, and prompts him to abandon his moral code as a result. Although Antonio’s actions can be justified, he fails to recognize that he must remain as a role model for his son despite the various hardships that he has endured. Although Antonio was publicly defamed, Bruno held his fathers hand and demonstrated a great deal of empathy; realizing that his father is merely a man trying his best to provide for his family.
ReplyDeleteAntonio and Bruno’s relationship show that even through hardships, let downs, and conflict, a relationship of unconditional love will always stay strong. Antonio is a very flawed and selfish person, we see his many imperfections in the ways in which he attempts to get his bicycle back. We see his desperation in stopping down to levels that he wouldn’t imagine himself being at. Some of these examples include disturbing a church service to try and find out information about the thief, trespassing to chase down the thief, searching the suspected thief’s house, and even stealing a bicycle. All these events cause Antonio to be humiliated in one way or another, and Bruno is always watching him in all these events. However, despite always witnessing humiliation after humiliation, Bruno never seems to think less of his father, always supporting him and following him after each defeat. Bruno always follows his father obediently and without question, with the only exception being when Antonio slaps him. However, we see how even after this incident, Antonio makes it up to Bruno by taking him out to eat at a fancy restaurant. Many may argue that Antonio is not a good example for Bruno and doesn’t keep Bruno’s best interests in mind, as Antonio is often leaving Bruno alone to pursue the bike. However, I believe that even though Antonio doesn’t always make the best decision and isn’t the best example for Bruno, he has a good heart and is actually doing all these things for the good of Bruno and his family. This is because without the bike, Antonio can’t provide for Bruno and his family. Therefore, even though his acts of desperation don’t always prove to be beneficial to raising a child, Antonio does all he does for Bruno. The scene that gives the audience a true view of the role of fathers and sons is at the end of the film, right after Antonio gets released from being reprimanded after attempting to steal a bike. Antonio and Bruno are walking home, with Antonio weeping and humiliated. The scene ends with Antonio taking Bruno’s hand. They both are defeated, devastated, and full of anxiety, but the simple act of holding hands shows how even though their relationship is not perfect, they will always support each other.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the film, it is clear Antonio and his son, Bruno, have a strong relationship, with Bruno admiring his father very much. Their relationship is similar to all father-son relationships when the child is young, with the son wanting to be able to do everything like their dad because they are great. It seems as Bruno is too young to understand the certain financial burden if his father was to lose his job, but he enjoys the time with his father, fixing up his bike. However, when Antonio’s bike is stolen, and his search yields little to no result, it clearly begins to damage the relationship between father and son. The development of this relationship caused by Antonio’s fathering both evolves and devolves their relationship. There is often a time in a son’s life where they stop seeing their father as a superhero-like figure, which is almost necessary to mature in life. However, Bruno learns this lesson far too soon, after seeing his father unsuccessfully attempt to steal a bike. There is not much more involving the Ricci family however an important commentary is made by contrasting Antonio and Bruno to the person who stole Antonio’s bike. When Antonio finds the man, who stole his bike, Antonio harasses the man, trying to get his bike back. However, a group of his friends and family, who eventually get a police officer to make Antonio leave the premises, instantly supports the man. This is a strong contrast to Antonio and Bruno because of their response to adversity. Albeit, the scenarios are different, but Antonio and Bruno’s relationship is very tense and even violent when faced by adversity, opposed to the family of the thief, who is very supportive and helpful in lowering his suspicion. These two examples show a clear theme of how families react as they try to get through hard times.
ReplyDeleteWhile the plot of Vittorio de Sica’s Bicycle Thieves centers around the search for a stolen bike, the heart and soul of the movie lies in the relationship between Antonio and his son, Bruno. In the novel “Dune” by Frank Herbert there is a quote that describes Bruno's outlook on his father in this film perfectly. It reads as follows: “There is probably no more terrible instant of enlightenment than the one in which you discover your father is a man - with human flesh.” Over the course of the film, Bruno realizes that his father is not the hero that he has always worshipped him as, but rather a human being with flaws and sometimes questionable morals. Antonio frequently puts Bruno in harm's way. He doesn't notice when his son is no longer by his side, and often plunges around corners and into perilous situations without checking to see if Bruno is still in tow. Additionally, he doesn't supervise Bruno when crossing the street, causing the young boy to often be within an inch of getting hit by a car. Antonio even strikes his son across the face merely for speaking his mind. Rather than exhibiting regret upon this, Antonio calls his son a “nag.” Near the end of the film, Antonio tells Bruno to go home, because he has made the decision that he needs to steal a bike for himself and doesn't want his son's image of him to be shattered. The thing that Antonio doesn't seem to realize is that Bruno's image of his father has been shattering bit by bit throughout the entire movie. However, Bruno does not get on the streetcar as his father instructs him, but rather stays and watches as Antonio attempts to steal a bike and gets beat up by the crowd around him. In a “terrible instant of enlightenment,” Bruno sees his father become the very thing that they spent the entire movie chasing: a thief. While he has not entirely lost his respect for his father, which is shown when Bruno hands Antonio the cap that has been knocked off his head, he has definitely lost a bit of his innocence, and the reverence he once held for his paternal figure.
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