"Umberto D" was considered by critics and audiences at the time of its release in 1952 to be a disappointment in comparison to Vittorio De Sica's previous releases, "Shoeshine" and "Bicycle Thieves". With the passing of time, it now stands as a masterpiece in the director's canon and a beautiful portrait of a troubled Italy in the aftermath of World War II.
The title character is played by Carlo Battisti, a non-professional actor (typical of Italian Neo-Realist films). It is an understated, engaging performance and lends sympathy to the character's plight. He is an elderly pensioner who is struggling to make ends meet on his pitiful earnings. He owes money to his landlord on previous month's rent and his best friend is his constant canine companion, Flike.
As is common in Neo-Realist films there is a very basic plot and not much happens over the course of the story in terms of exciting action. Modern day viewers used to the spectacles of today will most likely be bored by the slow, meandering storyline. But, lovers of cinema will savor the lingering beauty of each passing moment of this film. We see Umberto in soup kitchens, wandering city streets and passing his fleeting moments in his run-down apartment.
Like life itself, not every moment is jam-packed with adventure and flashy dialogue. This is what makes the film look and feel so authentic and mystifyingly alive. We get a sense that we are experiencing real life in one moment in history and witnessing the miracle of a life lived to the best of one troubled man's ability.
It is a sad tale, but in the film's last moments we get a glimpse of hope. Umberto, struggling to maintain his dignity and self-respect comes close to attempting suicide. But, he chooses life and with the viewer, the courage and hope necessary to continue in this great struggle called Life.
This is a beautiful, life-affirming motion picture and a quintessential entry in the Italian Neo-Realist oeuvre.
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