ability. In a series intermittent domestic
             scenes, Antonio is portrayed as a loving husband and an understanding father.
             His warmth belies the stereotypically "macho" Latin male. He helps his wife
             carry heavy buckets of water and engages his young son Bruno as a reliable
             helper, and trusted him with the preparation of the cherished bicycle for the
             first day's work. Hired as a billposter, Antonio was required to affix looming
             images of Rita Hayworth to the gray and ancient walls of Rome; ironically, he
             juxtaposes Hollywood's glamorous world vision to the stark realties of post-War
             Europe. While Antonio struggles to smooth out the lumps under the
             advertisement, a thief slips up behind him and steals his bicycle. Antonio
             chases him in vain, loses him in the rush of the mid-morning traffic. Thus
             begins an unrelenting three day search for his stolen bicycle. Accompanied by
             Bruno, Antonio combs Rome to recover his property, which has come to represent
             ...