Changes with Time

All three films, The Bicycle Thief, The Third Man, and Das Boot clearly take stances opposing war and the horrible atrocities resulting from war that affect all walks of life. But it is interesting to note the different approaches these three movies take to express this point of view. The approaches are influenced greatly by both the time period in which the film was made and the country in which the film was produced. The Italian-made Bicycle Thief was released in 1948, only a few years after the war. At that time, instability still plagued Italy. Memories and guilt burdened people as consistent reminders of the past, chaotic politics and debt prevented the country from moving into a new stage post-war. Making The Bicycle Thief amidst Italy's trying times validates the sentiments expressed in the film. The tone set in the film mirrors the mood that paraded throughout Italy at the time. On the other hand, Das Boot, released in 1981, takes a German perspective. Alex explains the German expression that is present throughout the movie, a combination of abhorrence towards the acts of war and a dose of German nationalism. Italy and Germany both lost a great deal in the war, both countries had to deal with consequences and carrying the guilt for the war's occurrence. However, it is clear that the overwhelming notion of helplessness and disorder that pervades throughout The Bicycle Thief has faded with time. Das Boot, made some thirty years later, can take a more introspective look at the war. Time has passed, immediate responses to the war have subsided, grander theories and expressions of the war have been able to form. Both films look to show the disasters of war, but it's interesting to see how time can influence a perspective.