Cesare Zavattini

A man and his son search for a stolen bicycle vital for his job (imdb)

Umberto Domenico Ferrari, an elderly and retired civil servant, is desperately trying to maintain a decent standard of living on a rapidly dwindling state pension. (imdb)

At a track near Rome, shoeshine boys are watching horses run. Two of the boys Pasquale, an orphan, and Giuseppe, his younger friend are riding (imdb)

After returning from the war, Paul and a young woman meet on a bus as she's headed home from college to help with the grape harvest and face her Old World domineering dad. The woman has not married but is pregnant and she thinks her father is going to kill her... (imdb)

Once upon a time an old woman discovers a baby in her cabbage patch. She brings up the child and, when she dies, the boy, Toto, enters an orphanage. Toto leaves the orphanage a happy young man, and looks for work in post-war Milan. He ends up with the homeless and organizes them to build a shanty town in a vacant lot. The squatters discover oil in the land and Toto sees a vision of the old woman who gives him a magic dove that will grant him anything he wishes. (imdb)

A married American woman has gotten involved with another man while visiting relatives in Rome. She decides that the time has come to break off the relationship, and she makes plans to return home to her husband. But she soon realizes that she is not at all sure about what she wants to do, and she continues to agonize over her decision. (imdb)

Cesira and her 13-year-old daughter, Rosetta, flee from the allied bombs in Rome during the second world war. They travel to the village where Cesira was born. During their journey and in the village, the mother does everything to protect Rosetta. However, on one occasion they both get raped by soldiers hiding in a church... (imdb)

Peter Sellers plays Aldo Vanucci (aka the Fox), one of the greatest criminals of the world, and master of disguise... (imdb)

Film director Blasetti is looking for a little girl for his new movie. Along with other mothers, Maddelena takes her daugther to Cinecittà, hoping she'll be selected and become a star. She is ready to sacrifice anything for little Maria, even if her husband would prefer they save their little money for the rent, instead of paying teachers, hairdressers or bribes for her illusions. (imdb)

An Italian woman conducts a desperate search for her husband, a soldier considered missing in action in Russia - like fifty thousand others during WWII. (imdb)

Seven mini-stories of adultery: "Funeral Possession," a wayward widow at her husband's funeral; "Amateur Night," angry wife becomes streetwalker out of revenge; "Two Against One," seemingly prudish girl turns out otherwise; "Super Simone," wife vainly attempts to divert her over-engrossed writer husband; "At the Opera," a battle over a supposedly exclusive dress; "Suicides," a death pact; "Snow," would-be suitor is actually a private detective hired by jealous husband. (imdb)

Stories about three very different women and the men they attract. (imdb)

A women lives a miserable life in the basement of her Milan apartment, with her boring inlaws and three children. Her husband has been injured. Her bleak life takes an unexpected turn when she is diagnosed with tuberculosis and has to go to a sanatorium in the Italian Alps. At the medical clinic in Milan she meets young mechanic with the similar health problems. At the sanatorium she meets again the same man and they start a passionate love affair. All good things must come to an end... (imdb)

Tribute to Naples, where director De Sica spent his first years, this is a collection of 6 Napolitean episodes : a clown exploited by a gangster; an inconstant pizza seller (Sofia) loosing her husband's ring; the funeral of a dead child; the gambler Count Prospero B. defeated by a kid; the unexpected and unusual wedding of Teresa, a prostitute; the "professor" Ersilio Micci, a "wisdom seller". (imdb)

Under provincial Italian law at the time, once a roof is erected, the occupants cannot be evicted from a building. This comedy follows the efforts of a family to erect the roof on a house overnight so that a newlywed couple can have their own home. (Written by David Kinne)

The story is about hen-pecked husband Paolo(Gino Cervi) who doesn't seem particularly blissed-out in his marriage to a shrewish Giuditta Rissone. He is a candy salesman and one day while off on his rounds he meets on a train a seemingly distraught young girl, Maria (Adriana Benetti), who cannot find her ticket and who is given a hard time by the obnoxious conductor (Lauro Gazzolo). (imdb)

Sunday, august 7th. Various people from Rome, poor and rich ones, spend their Sunday at the beach in Ostia.

Rich oriental lord Cassim's cheeky servant Ali Baba was sent to buy a meaty girl-slave, but brings dancer Morgiane, whom he is enamored with. When he's part of a caravan robbed by Abdel's 40 thieves, Ali hides in a camel hive and thus learns the secret of Sesame cave. (imdb)

A powerful and mysterious voice from the skies of Naples announces the coming of Doomsday and the characters amongst the citizens react and prepare themselves for the end.

Five portraits of actresses in their "common" life, seen as women rather than movie stars.

The true story of the seven Cervi brothers, Italian farmers who joined the resistance movement against nazi-fascism.

After saving a tramp from suicide, a millionaire takes his clothing and disappears. Word is out that he will give a million dollars to anyone who is kind of a tramp. (imdb)

Mastr'Antonio Miciaccio caretaker and shoemaker is devoted to Saint John Beheaded and is trying to find out who has been stealing the oil that keeps the candle to the saint burning. He also does not approve of his daughter's boy friend and he does not want him to marry her. (imdb)

A couple used to a very high standard of living and suddenly faced with imminent ruin, prefers to avoid ruin by selling one of the husband's eyes to a richman who has lost one in an accident. (bfi)

Film in three episodes: Cocaine on Sunday the professor a businesswoman, Studies in frustration. (bfi)

Psychopathic drama about susceptible schoolgirl who gets involved with prostitute's killer. (bfi)

Story of a man who seeks a hired killer to commit a crime. (bfi)

Arturo is a teenage boy who lives alone on an island. His mother died when he was born, and his father is always away. From time to time, Arturo's father comes to see him, but only too soon leaves him again. He seems not to appreciate his son at all, but, nevertheless, Arturo adores his father. One day, Arturo's father arrives with his second wife, Nunciata, a seventeen-year-old girl with whom Arturo soon falls in love... (imdb)

Story of an industrialist who is killed by a truck and gets a 12 hour reprieve t o return to earth and right two wrongs. From a story by Cesare Zavattini. (bfi)

Story of the tribulations of self-centred confectioner in Rome on the day of his little daughter's First Communion. (bfi)

A suspected murderer's guilt hangs on the reliability of an old man's pocket-watch.

The film tells of old Antonio, 81, who refuses to stay in a mental home and walks away. He hits the streets to give a message to people: be yourselves, tell what you think, make love and stop with violence against the weaker members of society. When he realizes nobody will listen, he tries to take his life by holding his breath, but he doesn't succeed. (imdb)

In rural Yugoslavia, Lenka (Chaplin) lives with her blind brother, Miscia (Scrobogna). They were orphaned of their Greek Orthodox mother and their Jewish father, Rasco (Gavric) is believed to have been killed in the war. As the Second World War continues to rage and fascism activity blights Europe, Lenka and her brother becoming increasingly vulnerable targets to anti-semitic sentiment. She finds support in Ivan (Castelnuovo), a partisan in love with her.

A meek bank teller gets a harsh lesson on how the world goes when he gets wrongfully accused of a huge robbery. All his friends and family turn their backs on him, until they realize he might have kept the money. When everyone thinks you're the bad guy, you may just as well play the part.

A funny bus driver helps out a jobless girl in wartime Rome.

Nicoletta is a young rebel, cherished by his forgiving father, until an old relative joins the family after the wedding of her sister, and insists that the impetuous girl is sent to college. Nicoletta becomes a true tornado for educators trying in vain to bring her under control.

A struggling model concocts a story of being raped and beaten by three strangers and soon becomes a media darling. Complications arise when the police eventually arrest three suspects.

In ancient Rome a love story blossoms between Fabiola, daughter of a senator, and Rhual, a gallic gladiator. When Fabiola's father is killed, the Romans blame the Christians and the persecution begins. Rhual confesses to be a Christian and is accused of the murder and sentenced to fight to death in the arena.

A group of pilgrims embark on a long train journey to the sanctuary of Loreto, where they hope to receive a miracle.

Paolo and Maria are two primary school teachers and they love each other, but cannot have a child. (imdb)

The tormented and visionary story of the "naive" painter Antonio Ligabue (1899-1965), who lived before being discovered and celebrated, a painful existence marked by loneliness and psychic discomfort. (Raiplay.it)