Umberto D
Posted: July 15th, 2011, 2:07 pm
I watched this this afternoon, I enjoyed it but for me De Sica had wrung my emotions a bit too much. Neorealistic film is trying to highlight social problems of the day and no doubt the plight of the pensioners needed highlighting. Why do I feel like comparing him to Chaplin for the way he hangs on our emotions, the Kid being torn out of Chaplin's arms and Filke being left in the park, I've wept at both. I wonder if a little less, in terms of heartwringing would perhaps highlight more seriously the plight and the social conditions in Italy at the time? Does anyone else have an opinion on this movie? Has anyone else wept at it like me?
Here's the review I left on another thread. I've watched most of De Sica's films from this period and I respect them and enjoy them, if that is the right word.
I've had a harrowing time today, alone, just before the kids break up from school, I decided to have a film fest and decided it was time to watch Umberto D. I've put off watching Umberto D for a couple of years, I love De Sica's Neo Realistic period but it's pleasure and pain, like eating a lovely icecream but having sensitive teeth. Admittedly with Umberto D I had to take a couple of breaks, I found Bicycle Thieves harrowing and compelling, so this replacing the child with a dog was no less an ordeal. It is acted with such dignity by Carlo Battista and dignity by Maria Pia Casilio, each subject to the whims of a tyranical landlady. Umberto's problems are twofold, his pension is pitiful, he's see at first on a protest march, more than half his pension goes on his rent, he's in arrears and the landlady is wanting to throw him out, which she succeeds in doing later by knocking down one of his walls in his room. He goes through a series of undignified situations, selling his watch and two prized books and desperately trying to beg. His one joy in his joyless existence his Flike, his dog. When he is taken to hospital (as much for free lodgings) he discovers the landlady has let Filke run outside and he's been lost since. The coty pound, I turned it off and had to come back to it, he searches in vain for Filke, looking in all the cages, and trucks coming in laden with dogs, he frantically searches the truckload of dogs being taken to the gas chamber. Another seen a poor man inside is trying to rescue his dog but hasn't got the money to release it, it will be gassed. Things take a turn for the worst, Umberto's room is destroyed, he decides to take his life, but seeing Filke on the bad stops him. He departs early the next morning with Filke and takes him to a boarding house for dogs wanting to leave him in good hands but the proprietors are interested only in the money and not the dogs welfare. The film climaxes in the park, Umberto tries to give Filke away to a little girl, failing that he leaves him but the little dog faithfully follows his master, desperate, Umberto picks him up, clinging to him and stands by the railway track waiting for the oncoming train, but Filke wriggles free causing Umberto not to commit suicide. Filke runs off, seemingly deserting Umberto, who has to pull out all his tricks to convince Filke to come back to him. Here the film ends. I was blubbing so much in the last ten minutes, shouting to the TV, if any of the family had come in they'd have thought something really serious had gone on.
Here's the review I left on another thread. I've watched most of De Sica's films from this period and I respect them and enjoy them, if that is the right word.
I've had a harrowing time today, alone, just before the kids break up from school, I decided to have a film fest and decided it was time to watch Umberto D. I've put off watching Umberto D for a couple of years, I love De Sica's Neo Realistic period but it's pleasure and pain, like eating a lovely icecream but having sensitive teeth. Admittedly with Umberto D I had to take a couple of breaks, I found Bicycle Thieves harrowing and compelling, so this replacing the child with a dog was no less an ordeal. It is acted with such dignity by Carlo Battista and dignity by Maria Pia Casilio, each subject to the whims of a tyranical landlady. Umberto's problems are twofold, his pension is pitiful, he's see at first on a protest march, more than half his pension goes on his rent, he's in arrears and the landlady is wanting to throw him out, which she succeeds in doing later by knocking down one of his walls in his room. He goes through a series of undignified situations, selling his watch and two prized books and desperately trying to beg. His one joy in his joyless existence his Flike, his dog. When he is taken to hospital (as much for free lodgings) he discovers the landlady has let Filke run outside and he's been lost since. The coty pound, I turned it off and had to come back to it, he searches in vain for Filke, looking in all the cages, and trucks coming in laden with dogs, he frantically searches the truckload of dogs being taken to the gas chamber. Another seen a poor man inside is trying to rescue his dog but hasn't got the money to release it, it will be gassed. Things take a turn for the worst, Umberto's room is destroyed, he decides to take his life, but seeing Filke on the bad stops him. He departs early the next morning with Filke and takes him to a boarding house for dogs wanting to leave him in good hands but the proprietors are interested only in the money and not the dogs welfare. The film climaxes in the park, Umberto tries to give Filke away to a little girl, failing that he leaves him but the little dog faithfully follows his master, desperate, Umberto picks him up, clinging to him and stands by the railway track waiting for the oncoming train, but Filke wriggles free causing Umberto not to commit suicide. Filke runs off, seemingly deserting Umberto, who has to pull out all his tricks to convince Filke to come back to him. Here the film ends. I was blubbing so much in the last ten minutes, shouting to the TV, if any of the family had come in they'd have thought something really serious had gone on.