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?
While we might look at the relationship between parent and child on a smaller scale in the form of Antonio and Bruno, this theme is much better explored on a larger scale. When parents have influence over their children and set examples for them, this sets a precedent for an entire generation. How our parents act shapes how we will act in the future, for better or for worse. Throughout the movie, we can obviously tell that Antonio sets a terrible example for Bruno, and this would ultimately teach Bruno that these are acceptable things to do. This wouldn’t happen if Bruno has a good moral compass, but given the political and social climate, we learn that there aren’t many noble and honest options for making a living. Depending on how their parents act, children will have different methods of adapting to life, and crime is shown to be an effective method which means future generations would have to rely on it as well to make a living. Ultimately, this is what causes a corrupt system like this to be perpetuated. There are less and less stable jobs, and future generations need to find ways to survive, whether that be through crime, or the endless struggle of labor. And even if there is someone who is inherently good like Antonio, we know that they will eventually crack under the pressure of capitalism, and this is the unfortunate reality that will be perpetuated for their kids if there is no change in role models or society.
ReplyDeleteIn the film Bicycle Thieves there is a big change in the relationship we see between Bruno and his father. The film begins with a very strong bond between the two. We can see this because Bruno imitates his fathers’ actions, eats the same food as him, and looks up to him and wants to be like him. Once Antonio’s bicycle is stolen, the feeling that we first had between the two characters begins to change. Antonio’s bicycle plays a huge role in his identity and in his life. When Antonio loses the bicycle he no longer thinks of Bruno as the most important person or thing and gives him much less attention because he puts all of his effort into finding the bicycle that was stolen from him. Throughout the story we see the relationship between Bruno and his father start to fall apart. Every time we see Antonio get more desperate to find his bike, Bruno starts to look more and more upset with his father. Halfway through the movie Antonio actually hits Bruno and shortly after that Antonio doesn’t know where Bruno is and thinks he drowned, luckily, he was at the top of the steps waiting for Antonio. There are several instances in this film where Antonio just leaves Bruno and he then realizes what he’s done. The first scene where this happens is after he accused the man of robbery and was kicked out of the neighborhood. He leaves Bruno for a longer period of time and then eventually realizes he left his son behind. The last scene is the final blow to the two characters relationship. Antonio tells Bruno to get on the train and leaves him so that he can steal a bike. Once Antonio gets caught stealing the bike, Bruno is horrified by what his father has just done. The relationship between Bruno and Antonio shows how the bad behavior or decisions of a father can crush the bond that he shares with his son.
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of the film, Bruno respects his father because he represents a role model. Antonio and Bruno’s relationship were strong where Bruno tried to please his father, and Antonio tried to be someone Bruno could look up to. Unfortunately, as the film progresses and Antonio starts to lose hope, he becomes angry and projects his anger onto Bruno. Bruno undeserving of this treatment begins to separate himself from his father because he starts to see his flaws. When Antonio slapped Bruno, that was the final straw and cemented a negative view of his father. This action of abuse towards his son was unacceptable and Bruno did not forgive his father. For the rest of the film, Bruno would leave a noticeably large amount of room in between his father and himself presumably out of fear to receive another slap in another burst of anger. This new dynamic of fear that arises throughout the film is also a reflectance of Bruno’s view of Antonio. After being unsuccessful in finding the old man, chasing down the boy who stole the bike, then finding the boy but not being able to find the bike, and finally watching his father try to steal another bike, destroys Bruno’s perspective of his father. A father and sons’ connection although may be very deep, can be destroyed very quickly through actions. Throughout the film, the respect Antonio receives from his son becomes less and less after each interaction. Unfortunately, this film highlights negative aspects of Bruno’s and Antonio’s relationship, family is forgiving and their relationship can be restored to what it once was.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the film, Antonio and Bruno’s father-son relationship seems to become more and more one-sided. While Antonio is responsible for the demise and devolve of the relationship, Bruno’s actions demonstrate his profound loyalty to his father. In the beginning of the film, Antonio is someone who Bruno looks up to and aspires to be. For instance, Bruno dresses in the same clothes his father does and he carries a sandwich in his pocket just like his father. At the start of the film, Bruno and Antonio’s relationship is portrayed as one that is healthy and strong. Antonio and Bruno have a bond that goes beyond father and son; they have a friendship. However, the dynamic of their relationship changes when Antonio’s bike is stolen. Antonio quickly loses sight of what’s truly important. He consumes himself in searching for his bike that he cannot see what is going on around him and what is happening to his son. Antonio repeatedly leaves Bruno alone in the streets of Rome because he is so adamant about finding his bike. Antonio’s frustration and anger from losing his bike make him a worse father figure. He uses the consumption of alcohol as a coping mechanism and forces Bruno to drink as well. Additionally, when Antonio is at his breaking point, he lets all his pent up emotions out on Bruno as he physically abuses him. Antonio leaves Bruno, teaches him wrong things, and hits him; yet, Bruno is the only one that sticks by his side. Bruno is there for Antonio in the church, in the pouring rain, and when all the townspeople gang up on Antonio. Antonio and Bruno’s choices depict contrasting ideas about the role that families play during hardships. Antonio’s actions illustrate that people will go to any lengths when they are desperate, even if it means hurting family. Meanwhile, Bruno’s actions show that family is the only thing you can rely on when things go haywire.
ReplyDeleteIn the film The Bicycle Thief, we see the relationship between the main character, Antonio, and his son, Bruno, change in a beneficial way. This statement could be controversial and people may disagree because for much of the movie, he was a very mediocre father. Antonio lost track of Bruno many times, he did not pay attention to him, and he neglected him. The viewer thinks that the relationship between Antonio and Bruno is progressing when Antonio takes his son to dinner at the fancy restaurant (even though it was to make up for hitting him). This hope quickly dissipates after he lets Bruno drink wine and encourages him to get drunk. Finally, at the end of the movie, we see Antonio lose all hope and decide to become the “Bicycle Thief” with his son watching. This is an embarrassing image of a father for the eyes of his young child. All this being said, how could their relationship have progressed throughout the movie? Antonio did not become a better father or even a better person, but both Antonio and Bruno learned more about one another. Their relationship evolves because they become more honest with each other and have less secrets. A good relationship does not have to have perfection, but it does require honesty. At the beginning of the movie, Antonio does not tell his son about the fate of his bicycle. Bruno asks him where his bike went, but Antonio just tells him they are going to ride the bus home. As the movie continues, Bruno becomes more and more aware of the real events that took place and learns about who his truly father is. Antonio did not become a better father at the end of the movie, but he did improve his relationship with his son by not censoring him from the truth.
ReplyDeleteThe 1948 film, Bicycle Thieves, centers upon a man on an expedition to get his bike back after it was stolen. While Antonio is clearly the main character, his young son Bruno plays a large supporting role throughout the film. Bruno stands by his father throughout the journey to get her bike back. He seems to consider his father a role model throughout the film and follows his every move. Even when times get hard such as standing in the rain, Bruno is by Antonio’s side. However shortly after Antonio strikes Bruno in the face, their relationship adjusts. Bruno is able to see the transition in Antonio’s priorities shift to finding his bike once it is stolen away from him. I think it could be argued this his priorities are still the same they are just disguised. He needs to find his bike so he can work and provide for his family, for Bruno. Except as the film, goes on Antonio get increasingly more irrational and impulsive until he eventually tries to steal a bike of his own. The exact action that started this whole mess. Bruno was shocked to see his father display such deceitful actions such as trying to steal. It is the ashamed demeanor that Bruno shows, that I believe contributes to the victim of his theft ultimately letting him go. He knows that Bruno should not have to watch his father be taken away to the police. The idealistic image of his father Bruno starts the movie with is slowly destroyed. Overall, I believe that through Bruno the message of guilt and embarrassment Antonio experiences is displayed.
ReplyDeleteThe film Bicycle Thieves depicts the relationship of father and son and how it is important to a child’s development. After Antonio puts on his new uniform, he hands his son, Bruno, a sandwich and keeps a bigger one for himself. Then, they both tuck their sandwiches into their shirt pockets. Bruno rides with his father to work and in these scenes, the viewer notices how much Bruno looks up to his father and mimics his every move. He admires Antonio as the “man of the house” and looks at him with respect, as many sons do. However, as the film progresses, Bruno sees a side of his father that was hard to see before. Bruno follows as Antonio chases different men, gets kicked out of a church, and wrongly accuses two men of stealing his bike. As Antonio gets more frustrated with the situation, he tells Bruno to shut up and slaps him. Instantly, Bruno is brought to tears and tries to run away, threatening to tell his mother. Bruno starts to look at his father in a different way because he realizes that Antonio is more complex than he imagined. Later in the film, as Antonio has lost all hope in finding his bike, he asks Bruno to wait for him on the side of the road. The viewer watches as Antonio jumps on a random bike and tries running away, but people in the town see him. Bruno watches his father get chased by a group of men, and he realizes what has happened. The film ends with Bruno and Antonio both crying as they walk home without a bike. Bruno’s view of his father changes drastically throughout the film and ends with Bruno not really knowing who Antonio is. The film speaks to the influence that fathers have over sons and how their actions affect them in life. Bruno thought that his father did everything right, but now the line between right and wrong is blurred.
ReplyDeleteThrough this film, we can see that the relationship between Bruno and Antonio is very partial and slanted. On one hand Bruno is very loyal to his father, following him around trying to help in any way he can. Yet on the other hand Antonio is very self-centered, focusing on what would better him, and ignoring the trouble and considerable danger he puts his son in. We can see this trust that Bruno puts in his father in the beginning of the movie. The quick clips of them dressing up in the morning right before going off to work exhibits their relationship, as they dress up the same, and how his dad hands him a sandwich to match. However this changes quickly when Antonio loses his bike, losing a lot of morals along with it. He loses sight of what is right and we see him commit many atrocities in the town. He loses sight of what is right and what he’s supposed to do. As a father it’s a duty to take care of your children, yet we can visualize that Antonio clearly forgets that aspect and repeatedly leaves Bruno alone in the streets, just because he lost his bike and so fixated on getting it back that he will do anything. Not only does he hurt his son mentally and physically, as we see towards the end of the film he uses alcohol as a coping mechanism and has Bruno drink it too, and with the context of past scenes, is seen as a sign of negligence. Yet throughout all of what his father has done, Bruno sticks by his side. These two show what truly matters to them dealing with hardships and poverty. Antonio uses his pent up anger of something entirely not Bruno’s fault as strikes him. Bruno, despite that, is still upset for his father and tries to stick by his side at the end of the film when Antonio is caught stealing the bike. Antonio shows negligence of others and self-centered actions that improve an individual's life rather than a family’s. Bruno shows that family is a do or die in his life and that he will stick by their side no matter what happens.
ReplyDeleteThe film, The Bicycle Thief is a classic Italian neo-realism film that shows a sons relationship with his father changing throughout the film. In the beginning, Antonio and Bruno have a strong relationship. Antonio is happy to bring Bruno around with him during his day to day tasks. You could even argue that he is a great role model for Bruno, as the film often depicts Bruno following Antonio's actions very closely. As the film goes on, it becomes increasingly clear that Antonio is not a great role model for his son. He allows his son to get drunk off of wine and shows him that the right way to respond to something is with revenge. This revenge takes place when Antonio steals another persons bike to make up for the loss of his own. Bruno always seems to try and help his father, but Antonio seems unappreciative of this as he eventually ends up slapping his son over a misunderstanding. Even after this striking, Bruno remains loyal to his father. To me, this film is showing that being a father is a difficult task that requires a lot of self-reflection. I believe that Antonio should have been more grateful for his son as he went on the journey to find his missing bicycle. Antonio should have been able to realize that his actions were not shaping his son into the best man that he could be. If Bruno followed in his fathers footsteps he could become a bad man. A father should teach his son to deal with his problems in a way that does not harm others or their property.
ReplyDeleteThe Bicycle Thief displays the relationship between father and son, and the inevitability of them drifting apart. At the beginning of the film Bruno, the son of Antonio, was mimicking his father. For example, Bruno was wearing the same clothes as Antonio. Furthering, whenever Antonio would wipe the sweat off of his forehead, Bruno would do the same. Mimicking his father portrays both the similarities and bond between each other. Similar bonds today consist of the bond one would have with their parents from a young age. However, these bonds evidently erode and take new shapes. Coincidentally, this is the case with Bruno and Antonio. When Antonio gets his bike stolen, he decides to bring Bruno with him to help find it. They search at a bike part street store, however, Antonio leaves Bruno alone. Bruno was then approached by a creepy man intent on selling him a bell. Antonio would return, but Bruno would lose an ounce of trust in his father, as he left him alone with that man. The second instance is when Antonio slaps Bruno and sadness fills the screen, as Bruno is displayed by a high shot and tears roll down his eyes. The high shot displays how Bruno is sad and emphasizes his emotions towards his father. By the end of the film, Bruno is left alone to cross the street, showing that his father has virtually abandoned him. Though not as extreme, many people experience a slow drifting away from their parents. Through the many occurrences in which you view your parent in a negative light, you start to gain a negative perception of them. This causes you to slowly drift, and like Bruno, lose the precious relationship you once had.
ReplyDeleteIn the film the Bicycle Thieves directed by Vittorio De Sica,family, particularly the bond between father and son, is a major theme and contributor to the story. In the movie, the relationship between Bruno and his dad shows how even parents are human, and flawed, displaying their ability to make mistakes. When Antonio receives his new job his first thoughts are of the increased amount of money will help his family. He is so excited he immediately tells his wife, and son. Bruno is very pleased his dad has his bike back and admires him greatly for it. Unfortunately, soon after getting the bike back it is stolen and Antonio may have to give up his newly admired position. Bruno does not understand the severity of the situation, and is taken on a wild chase to find the bike. On the chase, viewers are able to see Bruno undergo a journey to realize his father is not the perfect person he looked up to at the beginning of the film. Over the course of the movie, Antonio becomes less of a role model for Bruno with his negligence, and his actions/examples. His negligence begins when he leaves Bruno to fend for himself during a rainstorm, and offers no help or remorse when he learns Bruno had fallen. The negligence continues to grow when he almost lets Bruno get hit by a car and leaves him alone with a mob of thieves and criminals. Then when Antonio begins to become desperate he turns into a terrible example and he encourages the notion to drink when sad. Antonio even lays hands on Bruno and hits him when his frustration reaches its culmination which,again, is a terrible action and precedent to set. Finally, Antonio’s thievery of a bike cracks Bruno’s perfect perception of his father and leads him to see his father as a villain rather than a role model.
ReplyDeleteBruno's role in this film was to create a point of view where Antonio would be seen as a role model and leader. A point of view where this father figure is the one that's always correct. At the beginning of the film, the father is given a job which he gratefully accepts. Although at that time, he wasn't fully qualified for it. He not only shows his interest in his family's future by jumping at this opportunity for a better life with the job, but also provides a solid foundation to which his son can look up to. Antonio's firmness and ability to provide guidance worsens throughout the movie as he becomes more and more desperate in looking for his bicycle. This leads to Antonio overstressing, which then causes him to bring Bruno down with him. Antonio and Bruno become tired after a while of searching, so they go into a restaurant for lunch. At this point, Antonio is very stressed out to the point where he decides to drink wine with Bruno to "live their life to the fullest". This starts to stimulate the idea that Antonio is becoming unresponsible as a parent. Later, he gets so frustrated from not being able to find his bicycle that he physically hurts Bruno. This has very clearly crossed the line between frustration and furiosity. Thus showing the relationship between father and son is not always supposed to be the son following the father, or a young family member following in the steps of an elder. Rather, the leader of a family shall always be the one that is in the right.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the film Bicycle Thieves, we see how Bruno and Antonio's relationship worsens over time. They got along great in the start of the film. The two seemed to enjoy being together and both cared for each other. In the beginning the two had a very good father and son bond and Bruneo seemed to look up to his father. Overtime, Antonio began to prioritize finding his bicycle over the safety of his own son. He repeatedly lost him in crowds without realizing until some time later. He told his young son he would get drunk with him. Overall he became more neglective and rude towards his son. Bruno appeared to lose respect for his dad as a result of this. Once Antonio lost the same kind of kindness and attention for Bruno it felt harder for Bruno to deal with that, especially as a young child. It's difficult to care for someone who does care for you back. Relationships like this can tell us when respect and kindness goes both ways in families, oftentimes things go much smoother like how it did in the beginning of this film. Bruno went from looking up to Antonio to the very end where Bruno seems to be ashamed of how his own father was acting. This film shows how Antonio gradually became a horrible father and role model to his son and in the end Antonio had lost more than he did after the bike was stolen, he lost his son's respect.
ReplyDeleteThe relationship between Antonio and Bruno is one of great importance. Throughout the whole film Antonio tries getting back the stolen bike for the goal of being able to support the family. His motive is good but it brings up the impact of his actions as being a positive or negative affect on his son Bruno. He needs the bike back so his family can be self sufficient and safe. However, the actions that Antonio does in order to get the bike back turn more and more into a bad role model for his son. He starts off with going to the fortune teller in an attempt for advice but then resorts to blaming innocent people of being the bike thieves and, in the end, trying to steal another person’s bike. It’s an unmoral action and after this his son seems to view him differently. Not only this but the scene when both of them are crossing the street and the son almost gets hit by a car because his dad is distracted and not being a father. Towards the end of the film the two have to head home without a bike but they are still together. Family is what was the theme of the movie and was Antonio’s incentive for the majority of his actions. Even if this is the case he gets distracted on the way but is able to amend the relationship with him and his son and have the importance of family shine through.
ReplyDeleteThe film Bicycle Thieves shows that when a parent is financially struggling, it disrupts their relationship with their family, similar to Antonio and his son Bruno’s relationship. At the beginning of the film, Bruno loves his father, he looks up to him. But as the film continues, their relationship starts to deteriorate when Antonio’s bike is stolen which causes him to lose his job. Antonio becomes hopeless and is more concerned about finding his bike than his son Bruno. The tipping point of their relationship is when Antonio loses control and slaps Bruno. At this moment, Bruno loses his admiration for his father and distances himself from him. Antonio is a poor role model in that he allows Bruno to drink, he leaves him near a bridge, he makes Bruno cross the street by himself while in the process Bruno almost gets hit by cars twice, and he runs away without Bruno following him. These actions show that the loss of his bike impairs his parental skills and eventually, he loses his morals when he decides to become a bicycle thief and steal a bike. He tries to steal it without Bruno knowing, but unfortunately Bruno witnesses his father getting caught and how his father is willing to do anything to get his bike back. Antonio almost gets arrested and goes to jail, but the owner of the bike saw Bruno and lets Antonio go. If it wasn’t for Bruno looking helpless, Antonio would have gone to jail, leaving Bruno fatherless. The distances Antonio went through to try and get his bike back shows that when a parent is going through hard times, they will go desperate measures to resolve the problem, however, there are consequences in doing so.
ReplyDeleteIn the film, Bicycle Thieves, the relationship between Antonio and Bruno over time shows its true colors as the movie progresses. Initially, the relationship between the two seems quite cheerful, as Antonio brings along Bruno, who appears to be quite helpful to him. Antonio is respectful towards his son, though as the film progresses, Antonio reveals his irresponsibility as a parent, and lacking care for his son. Antonio is kinder to his son at the start, taking his son out to lunch to make up for his outburst. Antonio still remembers his family while he still has hope, but loses sight of what he really cares about as he loses hope. He constantly leaves Bruno in potentially dangerous situations, and does not realize the potential threats that face Bruno. This leaves Bruno essentially on his own, despite his father bringing him along. Bruno is humiliated greatly by his father on two separate occasions, both times hiding in the crowd, as he admires his father less and less. Bruno initially sees his father sort of like an idol, but that vision quickly deteriorates, and the optimism turns to disappointment as he sees his father attempt to steal a bike, becoming everything he was against. Bruno sees his father become incredibly desperate, yet the film illustrates how Bruno sticks with his father despite his actions, as he has no other choice. The film conveys how family members can have flaws, and can oppose ideologies, but the family generally can stick together, attempting to recover from the downfall.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the film, we see how identity and society can affect the relationship between a father and son. We learn early in the film that Antonio’s influence over Bruno is tremendous, as it should be being he is his father. Bruno is very loyal to his father. He copies the actions and manner of his father in hopes of being like him someday and there was a healthy father son bond. However, Antonio’s bicycle is an important part of his life as well as his identity, and when it was stolen he began to prioritize finding the bicycle thief over his son’s wellbeing which ultimately damaged their relationship. Antonio’s bike being stolen is why we see the relationship start to deteriorate. We see at times, Antonio become impatient and angry, enough to slap his own son, and he drinks as well. Bruno is aware of Antonio’s anger and desperation of the image he used to have of his father begins to go away. It is hard for Bruno to see the person he looked up to and respect most do things like hit him, leave him by himself, drink, and steal. Antonio getting his bike stolen eventually led to him setting horrible examples for his son and damaging his son internally. The journey that Antonio and Bruno go on, show how a father losing a part of his identity in a society where it’s his way of making a living, is enough to stop focusing on his son.
ReplyDeleteThroughout the film Bicycle Thieves, Antonio loses focus on his family, as the search for his bicycle overtakes him. At the start of the film, we see Antonio eagerly volunteering for a job, knowing that it is the only way to gain money so he can help support his family. He does not even have a bicycle that is needed for the job, but he still says he can paste posters. Antonio sees finding a bicycle as a problem for later, just happy that he finally hep his family. After losing the bicycle, Antonio runs around the town frantically searching for it, as he knows getting it back is imperative to keep his job. During this search, Antonio is too focused on trying to find the bicycle, leaving his son in the dust to chase after the man he assumes took it. Bruno is left to wander around the town by himself multiple times throughout the film. This puts his safety at risk as something could have happened to Bruno, and Antonio would have never known. This same scenario happens again, as Antonio tells Bruno to wait by the bridge, as he runs off in search of the bicycle. While waiting for his father to come back, another child drowns. This kid could have been Bruno, as he was left unsupervised. We know that Antonio cares for Bruno since he is doing everything he can to get his bike so he can work. But as the stress of being unable to find the bicycle gets to Antonio, he hits Bruno. Antonio was so caught up in finding his bicycle, that he overlook who was getting hurt in the process. Antonio forgot getting the bicycle back meant more money for his family so that Bruno could have a good life. Unfortunately, his focus on the bicycle was too strong, blinding his love for Bruno.
ReplyDeleteIn Ladri di biciclette (bicycle thieves), Antonio and his son Bruno are shown to have a rapidly devolving relationship that is spurred by Antonio's quest to find his bicycle. Although Antonio has good intention in working so hard to find the bicycle and attempting to make money to support his family, the way he does so shows an unfortunate side of neglect as he is blinded by his desire to find the bike. The film makes a statement about how desperation can change the way that people act, even to those that they love the most. Director Vittorio De Sica uses a couple key moments to show the neglect and danger that Antonio buts Bruno in throughout the film, ranging from a stranger who tries to take Bruno to giving him alcohol despite his young age to leaving him unattended and in great possibility of drowning. These key moments shape the relationship of father and son in the film and the distance that forms between them as a result of Antonio's actions, which only gets worse in the final scene of the film where Antonio attempts to steal a bike and gets caught and humiliated. Even despite all of his father's actions, Bruno is shown to still be caring for his father as he tries to help tidy him up and retrieve his hat. The film is able to show that despite setbacks, family can still prevail and both father and son realize that they have love and respect for each other but were thrown into an incredibly stressful and tense situation that did not bring out the best in them.
ReplyDeleteIn Ladri di biciclette, Antonio, the main character, has lost his bike and goes all around the city searching for it. His son, Bruno, searches alongside him. At the beginning of the film, Bruno and Antonio's relationship is clear. Bruno admires his father heavily. Specific reasoning could be because Antonio is a hustler. He fights everyday to provide for his family and Bruno notices that. On the contrast, Bruno admires Antonio for simply being his father figure. We see Bruno's admiration for Antonio through his mirroring of Antonio's actions. An action such as getting ready in the morning. These small actions show how much he looks up to his father. However, this admiration diminishes as the film progresses. Throughout the advancement of the film, Antonio becomes more and more hungry for the retrieval of his bicycle. In doing so, he is willing to do anything to get it, including tarnishing his relationship with his son. While Antonio and his son search for his bike, Bruno is constantly put in danger. Constantly being neglected and deserted. This repeated negligence of Bruno leads to the mistreatment of him. Antonio in the heat of the moment, strikes his son. This makes Bruno look at his father much more differently. Bruno then walks away from his father and abandons Antonio like he had done to him. Antonio realises his wrongdoings and chases after Bruno. After finding Bruno, it is obvious that Bruno is still upset about the situation. For the rest of the film, Bruno can be seen trying to mend their relationship. They end on good terms, but it is extremely hard to see their past disagreements not linger in their father-son relationship.
ReplyDeleteAntonio is oblivious to Bruno following him around and fails to watch out for his safety in such a busy town. While at the bicycle market, Antonio is nowhere to be seen protecting his kid. While he is looking for the man from church near the lake, Antonio hears voices from around him exclaiming, “Help! A boy is drowning”. Having abandoned Bruno in the previous scene, Antonio looks around anxiously and begins to fear that Bruno is the one drowning. After countless examples of him neglecting Bruno, Antonio is given a reality shock of the effects of his actions. After Antonio sighs a breath of relief, we see a longshot of Bruno at the top of an immense staircase overlooking the river. Since the image of Bruno is shot from Antonio’s point of view, the low camera placement emphasizes Bruno’s tiny and precious appearance to Antonio. He is reminded of how special Bruno is to him after so many occasions of neglecting him. The vast distance between Bruno and Antonio in this shot highlights the relationship that is slowly becoming spaced after the previous scene where Antonio slapped Bruno. Since Antonio is so focused on finding the bike so that he can have his job, he becomes enveloped in the finding of it and continuously neglects his responsibilities as a father. He doesnt guide Bruno through a busy city, watch out for his safety, or check on him to make sure they are together. These effects are a direct cause of the competitiveness and desperation in having a job in 1940s Italy.
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