THE ICYCLE THIEF
Italy, 1989, 93 minutes, Colour.
Maurizio Nichetti, Cateria Sylos Labini.
Directed by Maurizio Nichetti.
The Icycle Thief is a comedy by writer-director and actor Maurizio Nichetti.
Nichetti was a strong figure in Italian cinema and television of the '80s. With his appearance as the proverbial little man comic, he is able to exploit the pathos of his image as well as perform with great eccentricity, capitalising again on his appearance and size. In this film he has two roles: he is Nichetti himself, the wild-haired, wild-eyed film director, invited into a television studio to be interviewed about his film prior to its screening, upset by the introduction of the commercials and then gradually becoming absorbed literally into his film; he also portrays then the pathetic hero of his own film, the father of a family, out of work, his son depending on him emotionally, his wife driven to prostitution - until the commercials from the 1980s invade the story and he gets mixed up with those.
The film owes quite a deal to Woody Allen, especially The Purple Rose of Cairo. However, it is also a tribute to the neo-realism of the Italian cinema of the '40s and '50s, the film within the film being a play on Vittorio de Sica's Bicycle Thieves.
However, the film is quite funny as well as critical on television audiences and their not paying attention to what is shown, pompous cinema critics and professors who introduce movies on TV, the whole range of television commercials.
1. An enjoyable spoof, tribute to Italian film and television?
2. The title, the mimicking of Vittorio de Sica's Bicycle Thieves and its neo-realism?
3. The Italian film and television industry of the '80s: cinema in decline, people watching television, the silliness of television commercials, the effect on audiences and their incapacity for concentration and attention, the changed consciousness by media?
4. Maurizio Nicchetti: in himself, his wit, capacity for comedy and farce, characters and situations, his range of cinema references?
5. The introduction and Nicchetti as himself, looking askew and arriving at the studio, the expert not knowing him, talking about Melville's French films? His awkwardness and the pratfalls as he gets ready for going on television, the interview and his not even being seen? His watching his movie, the commercial breaks? Entering in, the girl in the commercials, the young boy, searching for his mother, going to the priest? His trying to control his characters within the film, not being able to? His finally being locked into the television set - being watched by the audience at home?
6. The film within the film, black and white, Italian neo-realism, the man and the pathos of his being unemployed, his relationship with his family, his wife, the young boy, the baby - and the echoes of Bicycle Thieves? Work, search, the bike? Meals? His talking about his plight? His travelling on the road, saving the girl from the river, her talking English and his not understanding, bringing her home? The search for his wife? The girl from the ad taking over, the shopping, cornflakes etc? Altering the story? His wife returning home and wanting to be in colour and have all the modern conveniences?
7. The children, the echoes of Bicycle Thieves? The wife and her plight, the prostitution, being lost? Her turning into Technicolor, going into the shops, doing all the shopping? Delighted with all the goods and not wanting to return to black and white photography? The children in the advertisements?
8. The priest, the role of religion, his style, the scenes in the church, the little boy? Helping - and the director arriving and getting instructions from him?
9. The commercials and their style, spoofs: Superman, the statuesque Swedish beauty? Colour, food, cleansers? Their all being mixed up with the movie?
10. The home audience: the family, changing channels, the husband and his not paying attention, the wife and her comments, the short attention span, the children going to bed, making phone calls at the breaks? Not being able to differentiate from what was going on in the film and the commercials?
11. The ponderous film commentator, his remarks about Melville's film, his telling the story of Nicchetti's film? The spoof on the television commentator?
12. The studio types, the technical people, the floor - and their reaction to Nicchetti?
13. Nicchetti's debt to Vittorio de Sica, to Woody Allen and The Purple Rose of Cairo? The tradition of the comedian as the Little Man? His indebtedness to the Italian cinema and television?
