"The Bicycle Thief" is a deeply moving neo-realist study of post-War
             Italy which depicts one man's loss of faith and his struggle to maintain
             personal dignity in poverty and bureaucratic indifference. Antonio Ricci is a
             bill-poster whose bicycle, essential for his job, is stolen by a thief. Joined
             by his son Bruno, Antonio vainly searches for his bike, eventually resorting to
             the humiliation of theft himself. Throughout this paper, I will attempt to
             trace the character through "The Bicycle Thief." The film opens with a montage
             of early morning urban activities ending on a crowd of unemployed laborers
             clamoring for work. Sitting to the side is Antonio Ricci. Beaten down by
             despair, he has lost the energy to fight. His spirits are lifted, however,
             when his name is called out for a job. Invigorated, he damns poverty. His joy
             however, is fleeting, employment depends on one condition -- that he owns
             a bicycle. To provide for his family, Antonio long ago pawned his bicycle
             and now, in one day, he raise the price of the pawn ticket. Not knowing
             where he will get the money, he turns to his wife Maria. In their stark home,
             the only thing left to pawn is a remnant of her dowry and the family's last
             vestige of comfort -- the bed sheets. Bravely, Maria strips the bed and
             begins to wash the linens. At the pawn shop, it becomes evident that the
             Ricci's misery is not unique. Their sheets are added to a mountain of small
             white bundles, and Antonio reclaims his bicycle from the rack of hundreds
             Delighted by the prospect of a good fortune, the couple happily ride
             away. Antonio picks up his instructions for the following morning and Maria
             stops by to see Signora Santona, a medium who predicted that Antonio would find
             a job. He gently scolds his wife for her superstitions, but Maria holds firm to
             her belief in the woman's psychic ...