Don’t Be So Political: UMBERTO D. (1952)

Don’t Be So Political is a monthly film series that engages with films through a political lens. Each screening is preceded by an expert Q&A. Hosted by Zach Wortzman

“Come on. Stand up.” 

An Italian pensioner and his dog try to survive in a Rome racing from its past. 

Umberto returns from a pensioners protest to find that his landlady is ready to evict him. Caught in an impossible financial situation, he and his adorable dog Flike struggle to find a way to keep their home and live with dignity. He encounters poverty’s cascading problems with Carlo Battisti bringing profound humanity to his sole film role. 

Vittorio de Sica (Bicycle Thieves) creates a neorealist triumph in empathy. Growing up impoverished, de Sica dedicated the film to his father, Umberto de Sica who moved the family from city to city, looking for work and a better life. The Italian government, a key funding source for films, were displeased with how de Sica depicted Italian life and Umberto D. earned de Sica a personal rebuke from the Prime Minister. Today, considered essential viewing, Umberto D. reaffirms our shared humanity, a right to a dignified life, and illuminates the dignity between sorrow and hope. 

Part of the Don’t Be So Political series!

Cast/Crew Info
Director: Vittorio De Sica | Cast: Carlo Battisti, Napoleone the Dog, Maria Pia Casilio, Lina Gennari, Elena Rea