If Capra ever had the interest to put his antics in the guise of Italian neorealism, it would come out exactly like this. That's one weird mix. Some of is charming, but nowhere near enough.

Sorry to hate on a movie that many seem to enjoy but I liked absolutely nothing about this film - and was frustrated with plenty. One really silly movie.

#301

Uplifting, moving and insane, but good sort of insane.

This world is both overwhelming and fantastical - Naturally! What did you expect when leaving a semi-retarded, semi-dwarf infant with an insane woman? Miracles? Most definitely. Once he's all (sort of) grown up he spreads "La Vita é Bella" around like a free bootleg while this movie turns into a (silly) blunt political film, still managing to be more entertaining than De Sica's low key productions.. Thoroughly charming with minor drawbacks - both garnered through its utter retarded-ness-ish-o..

280

quite good, but too socialistic for my taste

A young man leaves the orphanage and ends up in a shantytown the same day. His charm and ability to unite people brings new life to the place... until the capitalist fatcats step in. Part Capra, part Chaplin, part absurdist magic realism. But is it funny? Yeah it is, for the most part. Some of it is a little on the stupid side, and the one-dimensional social commentary is hardly biting satire, but it has a pack of delightful tricks up its sleeve.

a magical film...

A joyous, frank and charming film. Not as impressive or caustic as Ladri de biciclette or Umberto D, but well-shaped and interesting in its unsubtle attack on capitalism and the inhumanity it can bring forth. The (unlikely) warm-hearted hero seems to become a symbol rather than a human in flesh and blood - still it works.

# 271

251

A disarming pseudo fairy tale that worms its way into your heart with light humour and a good dose of social commentary. The first half is just a warm up for the second, which manages to continuously one up itself right up to the fantastic finale. The humour is at times ridiculously stupid, but it's still somehow charming because the film doesn't linger on any joke too long and uses them to say things of substance.