A Short-Lived Era

Although the Italian neorealist era is remembered as a unique phase in Italian cinema that was responsible for such masterpieces as The Bicycle Thief and Rome, Open City, the era itself did not last long. Films loyal to the neorealist techniques and themes were produced roughly only in the decade following the war. For having such a profound influence on worldwide cinematic artistic expression, the movement's short life does not make sense. But then when you look at the movement's central purpose, to illustrate the realities of Italy's postwar period, it only seems appropriate that the film movement would last as long as Italian society begged cinema to express the cultural sentiments (180). 15 years following the war, the economic and political faces of Italy had considerably improved. A new government headed by De Gasperi set up many economic reforms to regulate and reduce inflation that had been inflicting the country since the war. The results of the reform indicated Italy's positive progression to stability. Instability was such a crucial component in characterizing the Italian neorealist films that without the inspiration of political and economic instability, the film movement could no longer flourish.