Italian Neorealism-Growing up

In all of the three films( Bicycle thieves, Viridiana, La Strada) the development of the characters throughout the films is an essential part. First I would like to talk about the development of Bruno, Antonio’s son in ’’ Bicycle thieves’’ and his way to growing up. In the beginning he looks up to his father. He admiers him in a way , but a childish way. He acts like his father, copying his walking style, his gestures and just simply doing everything the same way. But later on when he is criticizing his father , he gets slapped by him. By this act the idol feeling towards his father is lost. Antonio slaps Bruno , because Bruno is right and that makes him nervous. After the ’’ drowning scene the father realizes how important Bruno is to him, so he is trying to be a better father. The psychological core of the film is on the father & son relationship. Father starts to ask questions to his son about soccerteams and other things as well. This is a kind of role reversal. In the restaurant they drink wine and talk about money together. At this point they are equal , Bruno is growing up. Later on Bruno saves his dad by cal

She is trying to live a perfect christian life in the ral world. She acts like a mother superior. But after the ’’ orgy scene’’ she gives in to real world, when the beggars betrayed her. Virdiana was ignorent of human nature, because of the lack of experience in real world. –she is not a good christian again. She is trying to deny her own beauty, her flesh, her bodily needs. When she is sleepwalking her legs can be seen –this refers to her subconcious, where she is not denying herself. She even has problem with milking a cow ,because it looks too phallic—too sinful. She gives up her principles , because she realizes that people cannot be changed. She even lets her hair down. Viridiana was the symbol of good christian value system ,but in the end she finally offers herself to Don Jorge who intends to get her into a threesome right away. So she goes in to ’’play cards’’ (devil’s bible-sin) with the other two. Throughout the film there were several attempts of losing her virginity: by Don Jaime, the painter, touching cow, the bum trying to rape her and of course in the end going over to Jorge. The thorncrown burning in the end is a metaphor for Viridiana giving up her principles.

In ’’La Strada’’ the title is already suggesting (the Road) the changes of feelings, it suggests an emotional journey. Gelsomina is the main character of the film . She is a person with strong emotions , her gestures are silentfilmlike expressions. She always shows what she feels ,this shows that she is an innocent being. In the beginning she runs towards the sea and arrives home---cheat cut expresses that her home is nature, she is

Some topics in this essay:
Bruno Bruno, Zampano Gelsomina, Don Jorge, Bruno Antonio’s, Don Jaime, La Strada, Viridiana’s Gelsomina’s, Zampano Fool, , role reversal, don jorge, real world, don jaime, strong emotions,