Vittorio De Sica

Umberto D.

Umberto D.

This neorealist masterpiece by Vittorio De Sica follows an elderly pensioner as he strives to make ends meet during Italy’s postwar economic recovery. Alone except for his dog, Flike, Umberto struggles to maintain his dignity in a city where human kindness seems to have been swallowed up by the forces of modernization. His simple quest to satisfy his basic needs—food, shelter, companionship—makes for one of the most heartbreaking stories ever filmed, and an essential classic of world cinema.

Film Info

  • Italy
  • 1952
  • 88 minutes
  • Black & White
  • 1.37:1
  • Italian
  • Spine #201

Special Features

  • New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
  • That’s Life: Vittorio De Sica, a fifty-five-minute documentary about the director’s career, made for Italian television in 2001
  • Writings on Umberto D. by Umberto Eco, Luisa Alessandri, and Carlo Battisti (DVD only)
  • Interview with actress Maria Pia Casilio from 2003
  • Trailer
  • New English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: A new essay by critic Stuart Klawans and a reprinted recollection by De Sica (DVD and Blu-ray); a reprinted recollection by actor Carlo Battisti (DVD only)

New DVD cover by Lucien S. Y. Yang, new Blu-ray cover by Sarah Habibi

Purchase Options

Collector's Sets

Collector's Set

Essential Art House: 50 Years of Janus Films

Essential Art House: 50 Years of Janus Films

DVD Box Set

50 Discs

$650.00

Out Of Print

Special Features

  • New high-definition digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray edition
  • That’s Life: Vittorio De Sica, a fifty-five-minute documentary about the director’s career, made for Italian television in 2001
  • Writings on Umberto D. by Umberto Eco, Luisa Alessandri, and Carlo Battisti (DVD only)
  • Interview with actress Maria Pia Casilio from 2003
  • Trailer
  • New English subtitle translation
  • PLUS: A new essay by critic Stuart Klawans and a reprinted recollection by De Sica (DVD and Blu-ray); a reprinted recollection by actor Carlo Battisti (DVD only)

New DVD cover by Lucien S. Y. Yang, new Blu-ray cover by Sarah Habibi

Umberto D.
Cast
Carlo Battisti
Umberto Domenico Ferrari
Maria Pia Casilio
Maria
Lina Gennari
Landlady
Memmo Carotenuto
Man in hospital
Napoleone
Flike, Umberto's dog
Credits
Director
Vittorio De Sica
Screenplay
Cesare Zavattini
Screenplay
Vittorio De Sica
From an original story by
Cesare Zavattini
Produced by
Giuseppe Amato
Produced by
Vittorio De Sica
Produced by
Angelo Rizzoli Jr.
Sound
Ennio Sensi
Cinematography
Aldo Graziati
Editing
Eraldo Da Roma
Production design
Virgilio Marchi
Assistant directors
Luisa Alessandri
Assistant directors
Franco Montemurro
Music
Alessandro Cicognini

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