Umberto D. (1952)'s comments - page 2

Do you want to let us know what you think? Just login, after which you will be redirected back here and you can leave your comments.

mathiasa

Great movie about an old man finally learning to take responsibility. What irked me was the unnecessary vilification of the landlord. This cliché is in a lot of movies, mostly to please the no-so-smart-movie-watchers. The portrayal of the landlady is so bad, that one commenter here maintains that Umberto was mistreated by her. But in what way? He didn‘t pay the rent, so she lawfully evicted him. There‘s no mistreatment, at least not on her part. One could make a point that he mistreated her by not paying the rent. But the take-home point is that he always makes other people responsible for his situation and the movie shows that this kind of behavior doesn‘t lead to no good. The movie watcher is asked to take pity in Umberto D. but it would be a gross misunderstanding to see him as a victim (fe we’re told that he worked for several decades in an above average paying job and he never saved anything substantial for his pension). Also, in the beginning, we see him talk to two comparable fellows, telling him that they have no debt. A scene like that is important, it tells us that it wasn‘t simply „circumstances“ that defined what Umberto is, but that the goals that Umberto seeked throughout his life had an impact who, and in what circumstances he now is.
The great thing in De Sica‘s directing lies in that he doesn‘t preach or look down on Umberto and instead shows the empathy that every human deserves toward him.
If you think he‘s a victim or portrayed as one, you will not understand the symbolism of the ending.
Italian Neorealism movies are usually not as one-dimensional and superficial as some social romantics tend to believe.

3 years 9 months ago

nicolaskrizan

theatrical and poignant

http://1001movies.posterous.com/802

12 years 10 months ago

Sobchak

I lol'ed several times, great movie

13 years 1 month ago