“You live and you suffer” — a translated quote from Antonio (from the film The Bicycle Thief), is a brief statement that sums up the feelings of those who lived after World War II . "civilization". This article will provide an overview of Italian neorealism and how its elements are incorporated into the film “The Bicycle Thief” to reveal the ideal Italian setting as it was after World War II. Italian neorealism was a national film movement that occurred between 1945 and 1952. It depicted the psychological, physical, and economic effects faced by a post-World War II society. Italian neorealism aimed to show harmful consequences; including despair, pauperism and inequity – caused by war. The Bicycle Thief (Vittorio De Sica, 1948) is a film set in such a society; Post-war Italy. The main character, Antonio Ricci, tries to find work to support his family; wife and two children. When he finally finds an opportunity, the job requires him to have a bicycle. His wife manages to raise enough money by selling their sheets to the pawnshop so that Antonio can get a bicycle, which is then stolen while he hangs posters. The film then follows Antonio's quest to find his stolen bicycle. De Sica aims to depict what is happening in a post-war society by incorporating elements of the Italian cinematic movement of neorealism, but also adding some of the typical Hollywood elements that secure the film. is entertaining. He achieves this by creating a film that makes the viewer feel like they are experiencing captured real events, as opposed to a scripted play. To achieve this, the film had no “set”. The film was shot in a documentary style to ensure that a connection was made between...... middle of paper ......io, Vincent F. Cinema of Anxiety: A Psychoanalysis of Italian Neorealism. Austin: University of Texas, 1999. Print. Fabe, Marilyn. “Psychological Themes.” Closely Watched Films: An Introduction to the Art of Narrative Film Technique. Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California, 2004. 105-10. Print.Wagstaff, Christopher. Italian neorealist cinema: an aesthetic approach. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2007. Print. Ruberto, Laura E. and Kristi M. Wilson. Introduction. Italian neorealism and world cinema. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 2007. 7. Print.Adamo, Stefano. “The Italian economic miracle in contemporary cinema.” International Center for Economic Research, 2013. Web. . p. 10-11 “The Bicycle Thief (1948).” Classic Turner Films. Np, nd Web. “Italian Neorealism”. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, February 16. 2014.