Umberto D (1952)

Umberto D
Directed by Vittorio De Sica
Written by Cesare Zavattini
1952/Italy
Rizzoli Film/Produzione Films Vittorio de Sica/Amato Films
First viewing/My DVD collection
#259 of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die

[box] A graceful and honorable old age is the childhood of immortality. — Pindar [/box]

I think only De Sica could pull off such a non-saccharine look at a poor old man and his dog.

Umberto Domenico Ferrari (Carlo Battisti) seems to have been comfortably middle-class when he worked 30 years for an Italian government ministry.  Now he is retired and his post-war pension is not enough to keep body and soul together.  The movie begins with his participation in a demonstration protesting inadequate pensions.

Umberto’s immediate problem is that his awful landlady is threatening to evict him unless he pays up all his back rent.  Her main interest is in reclaiming his room so that she can remodel following her upcoming marriage.  Umberto sells off a watch and some prized books but only comes up with about one-third of the amount due.

Umberto has only two friends in the world.  One is his beloved and loyal little dog Flick. The other, who is much a co-conspirator as a friend, is Maria (Maria Pia Casilia), the teenage maid that works for the landlady.  She defies her boss to bring Umberto leftover food and the thermometer and in return uses his window to signal to one of her two boyfriends.  She is pregnant by one of these men and her tenure in the household is limited.

As Umberto’s situation grows increasingly precarious, he tries various strategies.  These include getting himself admitted to a hospital and attempting to beg or borrow money.  His eviction grows ever closer.  Eventually, it seems that his greatest problem will be how to ensure Flick’s welfare.

I have been dreading this film for a long time.  The plot summary made it sound like it would either be unbearably maudlin or just too sad to take.  Fortunately, De Sica handles the sad story with his characteristic slightly humorous touch.  The screenplay is also genius.  Both Umberto and Maria are made to be very human and thus flawed.  So while our sympathy goes out to them we can see how part of their situation is of their own making.  The movie is beautifully shot and really should be seen.

Umberto D. was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story.

Re-release trailer