Umberto D Essay

1693 Words7 Pages
Umberto D. Film Analysis The Italian neorealist film, Umberto D., directed by Vittorio De Sica, focuses on the life of an elderly man named Umberto Domenico Ferrari, played by Carlo Battisti. The movie focuses on Umberto as he goes through a series of challenges to pay off his debt to his landlady, who desperately tries to do everything in her power to drive him out to fit her rich and glamorous facade. In this neo-realistic film, Umberto D. is in post-war Italy. Through his endeavors, Umberto symbolizes the hardship and difficulties that citizens of poverty in post-war Italy went through. Umberto D. shows how people lost track of what was important to them in this time of poverty as well. This film was during the end of the “neo-realism” film period, which means that Italy was beginning to modernize. This film also depicts how Umberto D. adapts to the modernization of post-war Italy, and how the outdated and struggling man is slowly being forced to conform to modern society. The role of Umberto is played by Carlo Battisti (Affron), who was in real life was a professor. Maria was just 15 years old at the time (Affron). De Sica brings out the best of both of them in Umberto D. That is the true essence of neorealism films, they are played by non-actors, depicting the scenes of everyday life Vittorio De Sica, the director of Umberto D., had a prolific career that spanned 55 years, De Sica directed 35 films and acted in more than 150 (Biography.com). De Sica is more known in the film industry for the films that he directed, rather than the ones he acted in. De Sica was usually in collaboration with screenwriter Cesare Zavattin (Biography.com), who is also the screenwriter in Umberto D. De Sica is famously known for his post-war neorealism movies (Biography.com). Neorealism is an emphasis upon simple, honest story lines, a documentary style, on-location shooting,

More about Umberto D Essay

Open Document