Bodily Movements in Italian Neorealism Films: Bicycle Thieves and Bellissima

This paper examines the role of bodily movements in shaping parent-child relationships in Italian Neorealism, focusing on Vittorio De Sica's Bicycle Thieves (1948) and Luchino Visconti's Bellissima (1951). While both films explore the struggles of post-war Italy through familial bonds, they depict contrasting dynamics: Bicycle Thieves illustrates the growing physical and emotional synchronization between a father and son, whereas Bellissima highlights a mother's controlling grip over her daughter, emphasizing their emotional dissonance. Through visual cues such as eye contact, strides, and physical gestures, these films reveal the impact of societal pressures on familial intimacy and individual agency. By analyzing these movements, this study underscores how Neorealist filmmakers used physicality to deepen narrative meaning and social critique.