The film The Bicycle Thief by Graziadei and De Sica depicts a man named Antonio who loses his bicycle, which he needs for his job, when it is stolen. He searches desperately with his son Bruno to try to find it but is unsuccessful. In a moment of desperation, Antonio tries to steal another bicycle but is stopped. He is shown compassion when the bicycle's owner sees Bruno crying and has Antonio released. The film uses Antonio's plight to portray the landscapes of powerlessness experienced by many in post-WWII Italy.