A film analysis of the bicycle thief and the classical Hollywood narrative

  Through the article, the author tries to relay the main point that the film depicts the typical injustices of life. While the film has many traits of the Classical Hollywood Narrative, the main difference is that there was no happy ending in the movie as Antonio fails to recover his bicycle, and his life continues to spiral downwards. After his failed attempt to steal the bike, Antonio walks home with his son- defeated, depressed, crying, and with no hope of returning to his work. The author also relays that the divergence from the Classical Hollywood ending was important because it leaves the viewers feeling sad instead of good as the film captures life’s injustices. 

In addition, the divergent meanings aid viewers in understanding the typical person on several levels. The referential meaning of the film is that in post-war Rome, the typical individual struggles to find work, but as soon as he gets employed, he gets through another hurdle. Most individuals would perceive this fundamental meaning of the movie. However, symptomatically, it exemplifies the social problems of life. The symptomatic meaning is that a moral man that was placed in a very challenging social and economic situation eventually gets beaten down by his environment, and this forces him to compromise on his morality in a bid to survive. The typical man would do anything to survive; even it means betraying his personality and morals. This is also the case in most Hollywood narratives as it showcases an individual leaving his natural role and behavior in order to survive the harsh world that knows no boundaries. These deeper meanings give the viewer an understanding of the agenda and meaning of the film, and they clarify the message that the writers and directors were trying to put across. 

References 

A Film Analysis of The Bicycle Thief and the Classical Hollywood Narrative. (2012). Retrieved 23 April 2020, from https://www.registerednursern.com/a-film-analysis-of-the-bicycle-thief-and-the-classical-hollywood-narrative/