Umberto D. Is a classic of Italian social realism, along the same lines as The Bicycle Thieves. It follows the intimate story of an old man (the Umberto D. Of the title) and his dog as they try to survive on a meagre pension in post-war Italy, going through all of his daily tribulations. Because of its naturalistic setting, the characters are all grounded and offer no solutions, only more desperation and strife. No details are spared as Umberto D. Tries anything and everything from selling his belongings to negotiating with his landlady to begging on the street. It's very tense to watch as he slowly runs out of options and sadly even tries to abandon his dog, knowing that we as the audience would not be able to try much more, especially with so many social forces acting against him. It's a simple but heartbreaking story, but one that needs to be told.
Review of Umberto D.
