Umberto D.

Carlo Battisti is brilliant in the title role in Vittorio De Sica's gut-wrenching 1952 classic about a post-WWII financially struggling elderly Italian man who strives to maintain some semblance of dignity. As the film opens, Umberto is behind on his rent, and is having trouble making ends meet on his meager pension (his landlady--played by Lina Gennari--plans to evict him; when he worked, she used to rent his room out during the day to lovers, but as a retired man he's more of a liability to her). Befriended by his only companion--his little dog Flike, whom he loves dearly--Umberto struggles to come up with the money, pawning what few items he has, and even standing in the street--at one point--to plaintively beg. Umberto D. is a masterful, realistic look at the hardships of the elderly in postwar Italy. De Sica, who never used professional actors in his early films, coaxed an incredible performance out of Battisti--who was actually a university professor. Presented in a characteristically sparkling black-and-white transfer, Criterion's release of this neorealist classic also includes a 55-minute 2001 made-for-Italian-TV documentary on De Sica, interview segment, and a booklet with essays. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. (R. Pitman)[Blu-ray Review—Sept. 11, 2012—Criterion, 88 min., in Italian w/English subtitles, not rated, $39.95—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1952's Umberto D. sports a stunning transfer with mono sound. Blu-ray extras are identical to those on the DVD release, including the 2001 Italian TV documentary “That's Life: Vittorio De Sica” (55 min.), a 2003 interview with costar Maria Pia Casilio (12 min.), a trailer, and a booklet featuring an essay by critic Stuart Klawans and reprinted recollections by De Sica and costar Carlo Battisti. Bottom line: a foreign classic makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]