What 1948 Italian film directed by Vittorio De Sica is a landmark of neorealism?

The 1948 Italian film directed by Vittorio De Sica that became a landmark of neorealism is Bicycle Thieves.

The film follows Antonio Ricci, a poor father in postwar Rome who needs a bicycle for a new job. When the bicycle is stolen, Antonio and his young son Bruno search the city for it, moving through crowded streets, markets and working-class neighborhoods. The simple pursuit becomes a portrait of unemployment, poverty and strained family dignity.

De Sica made the film largely on location and cast many nonprofessional performers, including factory worker Lamberto Maggiorani as Antonio. These choices reflected Italian neorealism’s interest in ordinary people, real environments and social problems rather than polished studio spectacle. Cesare Zavattini helped shape the screenplay from a novel by Luigi Bartolini.

The title is commonly rendered as The Bicycle Thief in English, but Bicycle Thieves is the film’s established English title and its Wikipedia title. It is also sometimes confused with Rome, Open City or Paisan, two other major postwar Italian films associated with neorealism.