Shoeshine (1946)

4 Stars (out of 4)

Laces Under Pressure

By Jeffrey M. Anderson

Italian Neo-Realist master Vittorio De Sica fully established himself with Shoeshine, a heartbreaking film that deals with empathy and compassion in a remarkably clear-eyed way, closer to journalism than poetry, but certainly both.

Two shoeshine boys, the older, homeless Pasquale (Franco Interlenghi) and the younger Giuseppe (Rinaldo Smordoni) have been saving their money to buy a horse. When Giuseppe's older brother involves the boys in a scheme to sell stolen blankets, they find that they now have enough money. Not long after their victorious ride through town with their new purchase, they are arrested for their involvement in the crime. They are physically separated in different cells, but further separated when Giuseppe becomes convinced that Pasquale ratted out his brother. (He did, but only because he thought he was protecting Giuseppe from a flogging.)

De Sica's handling of the story is gentle, patient, but unflinching. One of the most heartbreaking refrains from the adult characters is "why should I care?" Indeed. Watching this film, it becomes impossible not to care, and that question becomes moot. James Agee called it "one of the few fully alive, fully rational films ever made." Pauline Kael said "it has a sweetness and simplicity that suggest greatness of feeling." It would be nice to say that the film has dated, but unfortunately, in 2025, it's still entirely necessary.

The Criterion Collection's impeccable Blu-ray release includes an hour-long documentary produced in 2016 to commemorate the film's 70th anniversary, a new discussion by film scholars Paola Bonifazio and Catherine O’Rawe (19 minutes), a radio broadcast from 1946 featuring director De Sica (3 minutes), and a trailer. The liner notes booklet includes an essay by film scholar David Forgacs and a 1945 photo-documentary by De Sica. Highly Recommended.