Shoeshine

Originally released in 1946, Shoeshine was Italian director Vittorio De Sica's first artistic success in what would become known as Italian neorealism. Set in WWII-era Rome, the story centers on two pint-sized pre-adolescents—Giuseppe (Rinaldo Smordoni) and Pasquale (Franco Interlenghi)—both from broken homes and living hand-to-mouth on the streets, polishing the boots of American servicemen stationed in Italy. One day Giuseppe's older brother, Attilio, offers the pair some blankets to sell, and the boys eagerly agree, hoping to put the proceeds toward fulfilling their dream of owning a horse. But Attilio and his companions have a more sinister scheme up their sleeves: they pull off a clever heist of over 700,000 lira—money stolen from the fortune teller to whom Giuseppe and Pasquale innocently sold the merchandise—and the two hapless youngsters are fingered for the deed and sent off to a tough children's prison. Ultimately, it's not hard to read De Sica's presentation of the harsh youth detention center as a microcosm of the larger political landscape in fascist Italy. The message: when society is governed by criminals, let the innocents beware. DVD extras include audio commentary with film critic Bert Cardullo. Highly recommended. (M. Sandlin)