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Umberto D.
DVD cover
Directed by	Vittorio De Sica
Produced by	Giuseppe Amato Vittorio De Sica Angelo Rizzoli
Written by	Vittorio De Sica Cesare Zavattini Cesare Zavattini (story)
Starring	Carlo Battisti Maria-Pia Casilio Lina Gennari
Music by	Alessandro Cicognini
Cinematography	Aldo Graziati
Editing by	Eraldo Da Roma
Distributed by	Dear Film (Italy theatrical) Janus Films (US theatrical) Fabulous Films (UK VHS) Criterion (Region 1 DVD)
Release date(s)	Jan 20, 1952 Nov 7, 1955
Running time	89 min
Country	Italy
Language	Italian
All Movie Guide profile
IMDb profile

Umberto D. is a 1952 Italian neorealist film, directed by Vittorio de Sica. Most of the actors were non-professional, including Carlo Battisti, who plays the title role. It tells the story of Umberto Domenico Ferrari (Carlo Battisti), an old man in Rome who is desperately trying to keep his apartment on a small state pension, but whose landlady (Lina Gennari) is attempting to drive out to fit her social lifestyle. He tries to find the money but is unwilling to beg to his richer friends, and cannot be helped by his only true friends, a pregnant maid (Maria-Pia Casilio) and his dog, Flike (called 'Flag' in some subtitled versions of the film).

The film begins with a march of elderly men for the raising of pensions which is quickly stopped by the police because the men had no permit to march. The crowd files out of the square, still muttering their protests, with the camera eventually focusing in on one of the marchers, Umberto D. Ferrari. He returns to his apartment, only for the landlady to threaten to kick him out at the end of the month, assuming he will not pay her fifteen thousand lire. Umberto goes out to sell his watch and some books in desperate attempts to raise the money, but can only hope to appease the landlady with half the funds required. These efforts to appease the landlady are sent through the housemaid, who is clearly sympathetic to Umberto, and reveals to him that she is pregnant, which will likely get her kicked out as well. The maid tells Umberto about her relationships with two soldiers, and how they are both abandoning her in her pregnancy. She and Umberto become friends through this mutual trust.

Umberto calls for doctors to take him to a hospital in an attempt to escape paying rent, and the maid is given care of Umberto's dog while he is away. The hospital eventually forces him to leave, with Umberto coming back to the apartment during extensive renovation. The landlady is changing and decorating the house to accommodate her fiancé, a cinema owner, and future social gatherings. This renovation generally causes a mess in Umberto's room and sends the message that the landlady no longer plans to house him. Umberto contemplates suicide by jumping out the window unil discouraged by the image of his dog asleep on the bed.

Umberto then leaves the apartment after saying goodbye to the maid, and attempts to find a place for his dog to stay before finding where he himself will live. Umberto attempts to leave Flike with a couple who house over twenty dogs, then a little girl that he knows, then appears to be about to throw himself onto a passing train as the dog escapes his grip and runs away from Umberto, essentially saving his owner's life. Umberto chases the dog down then slowly entices him with a pinecone, getting the dog to play with him and trust him once more, and the film ends with Umberto and the dog playing off into the distance.

• (1957) Cesare Zavattini Nominated for Best Writing, Motion Picture Story Academy Award
• (1957) Vittorio De Sica Nominated for the Grand Prix - Cannes film festival

• Umberto D. at the Internet Movie Database
• Criterion Collection essay by Stuart Klawans
• Umberto D. (Vittorio De Sica – 1952) film review at Pellicola - window to fine italian cinema.
• Alternative Film Guide Review of DVD

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