Shoeshine details
| Format: | 12 DVD |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Franco Interlenghi, Rinaldo Smordoni |
| Director: | Vittorio De Sica |
| Genres: | Drama - General, World Cinema - Italian |
| Original title | Sciuscià |
| Collections: | Decades: 40s, Top Italian Films |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
Shoeshine |
12 Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 29 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 25 Sep 2006 |
| Main languages: | Italian |
| Subtitles: | English |
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Most helpful review
Elevators sure are great.
By ChesterDent (121 reviews) from London , 03 Apr 2007[Highly rated reviewer]
Shoeshine is a landmark film of the neo-realist movement which would be so influential on future filmmaking. A sensitive portrait of two children's descent into despair where post-war institutions of police and prison are as Fascistic as before. There is great kindness among the betrayal and brutality and moving performances from the two main characters. It was the recipient of a deserved honorary Academy Award two years after its release and was a massive influence on Bunuel's Los Olvidados, his tragic film about Mexican slum live, and Shoeshine climaxes which a scene which is just as devastating.- Was this review helpful to you?
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(7)Ragazzi! Ragazzi!
By Oldbloke (308 reviews) from Sidmouth , 23 May 2012In post war Rome, two street urchins are saving up to buy a horse, but get tricked into taking part in a robbery and end up in prison. Once separated, their friendship is broken by rumour of betrayal and an escape attempt ends in tragedy. Another painfully sad, sweet slice of street life from De Sica marred only by the sudden and slightly deflating ending, as if they ran out of film stock. This is common in European cinema and shouldn't detract from went before. Once seen, never forgotten, add this to Bicycle Thieves and Umberto D (why haven't they) and you would have the greatest box set of all time.- Was this review helpful to you?
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poor kids in post-war italy
By a customer from London , 08 Jan 2011an interesting look at a couple of poor young kids growing up in post war rome. predictably they end up in gaol. filmed in post war rome the movie has an authentic feel and is interesting to that extent. plot is predictable but a good vehicle to look at the lives of the kids at the time.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Wonderful film
By boredwithinventingnicknames (10 reviews) from Bordon , 09 Feb 2009This is a wonderful film that is a great example of the best of neorealism. The performances of the boys who are the two main characters are sensitive and natural; the look of the film is stunning, with many memorable images; the story is intricately plotted and the boys' plight is depicted without melodrama or sentimentality.
What is also special about this DVD is the extra material such as interviews with the boys (now quite elderly), a discussion of neorealism and a commentary that covers the whole film, highlighting many points of interest.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Reality
By a customer from Hereford, England , 03 Jul 2007What a wonder this was in the context of the films which were reaching our screens at the time. A master director of children and of naturalism as demonstrated in the Bicycle Thieves. Having seen this when it was new and not having seen it since, I was so much more moved the second time now I am older.
No one better shows the helplessness of children in the toils of the system.- Was this review helpful to you?
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A Hard Life
By Projectionista (34 reviews) from Etchingham , 02 Jul 2007There must have been a thousand stories of hardship in the immediate post-war period that de Sica might have chosen from. This is the tale of two young shoeshine boys whose loyalty and friendship is put to the test and finally destroyed by poverty and the corrupt forces around them. They start out carefree, their daily woes relieved by horse riding and the prospect of buying a horse of their own. They become caught up in a robbery and are arrested. Separated in prison they are subject to a confused sense of honour, of squealing, letting down cellmates and family. While the unsympathetic prison authorities struggle to keep control the two lads are first tricked and then goaded into hatred of each other. Strangely the closing scenes seem rather too artfully staged and contrast with the documentary feeling of the prison. But this should not detract from the whole. The many characters that weave in and out of the story have a natural style common to this period of Italian film. One has the feeling they just walked in off the street and played their parts. Everything has that downtrodden look that black and white film captures so well. Definitely one of those 'must see' films for all buffs.- Was this review helpful to you?
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