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In 1980 I saw this film at Chapter Arts centre in Cardiff after a lecture from old-fashioned but legendary film critic Dilys Powell. She had Umberto D (about a man and his dog for goodness sake) down as her favourite movie of all time. And you’ve got to remember that she had sat through about 35,000 films in her lifetime. As you might imagine I was fairly intrigued at this prospect. The reality is that this film genuinely delivers like no other, if you like your heart shaken and stirred with something authentic. Now I roar fairly easily at movies when the going gets tough, but this one is truly in a class of its contain. In fact the final scenes are so painful and poignant that even 20 years later I cannot capture them without emotion. But ironically this film leaves you feeling better than when you went in about the human spirit, and that’s why I assume it’s ultimately so expansive.

Vittorio DeSica’s fantastic “Umberto D” was one of the last films of the Italian neo-realism movement and by far its best one. It is also one of my popular movies ever. The movie’s premise is simple: it is a carve of the life of a dreadful lonely pensioner, Umberto. Throughout the movie, we scrutinize Umberto struggle to acquire money to pay rent to his disagreeable landlady, fancy his dog Flike, and deal with the loneliness and disillusionment of the postwar era.

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“Umberto D” is a character-driven film. It works very well because of its enthralling observations on loneliness and poignant gestures. The gestures evoke worthy feelings without necessitating dialogue. Many of the scenes, even the ones that do not necessarily arrive the status, are hypnotically heavenly in their simplicity. Catch, for example, a resplendent scene where Umberto finally needs to beg for money but cannot physically bring himself to do it. He extends his palm up, but when a passer-by stops to give him money, Umberto fast flips his hand over, as if testing for rain. The film is fat of these itsy-bitsy gestures that quietly emphasize the desperate loneliness and poignancy of Umberto’s set.

The acting in this film is absolutely marvelous. Carlo Battisti, despite having never acted before, is astonishing as the titular character; his face is a attractive blend of stubborn dignity and weariness of life. Maria Pia-Casilio, who plays the maid, is objective as edifying as evoking life’s loneliness and composed desperation. The supporting cast is also very strong.

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One of the very few criticisms I have heard of this film is that it is too sentimental and borderline sappy. While some scenes with Umberto and his dog Flike are sentimental, never is it “too” sentimental. DeSica knows how far he can push his film without making it sappy, and he wisely shows it as it is. Nothing feels forced. The subject material itself and the simplicity in which it is presented will bring tears. (If you don’t bellow in this movie, you need to have your heart professionally de-thawed.) But “Umberto D” is never dumbed down into sappiness and clichéd corniness. It is a very considerable film.

“Umberto D” is the masterpiece of the Italian neo-realist era. Unprejudiced the great and ambiguous ending alone is worth the designate. It’s a rather bleak and very realistic movie, but it makes some sharp commentary on the human condition, specifically the loneliness we face. Highly, highly recommended. 5/5
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