Bicycles v. Uniforms: Who Has the Last Laugh?

On the surface Bicycle Thieves and The Last Laugh have the same plot.  In both films the protagonist either loses his job or will likely lose a job and in a desperate bid to restore that job they need to reacquire or even steal a precious object that symbolizes their position, a bicycle or a uniform, respectively. Furthermore, if we ignore the "happy ending" imposed by the studio on The Last Laugh, both protagonists end the movie defeated and depressed with seemingly little hope for a better future.  Nonetheless, despite these similarities, these are different movies.  In what way are they different?  What is the social or moral message of each?  What are each say about the society of their times (Germany in the 20's and Italy in the 40's)?  How do they differ on questions of social mobility, morality or the family?  Is one more hopeful or cynical?

Keep Your Eyes on the Eyes

Bicycle Thieves is not only a movie about looking for a bicycle -- it's also a movie about looking at other people. Many of the most memorable moments of Bicycle Thieves are scenes in which the main characters look at each other: Bruno looking at his father on their way to work, Bruno looking in shock as his father slaps him, Antonio looking in relief as he finds his son. In the final scene of Bicycle Thieves Antonio looked at his son Bruno before his desperate act, and most dramatically Bruno watched Antonio steal a bicycle, get caught and suffer public humiliation. What do these scenes tell us about relationships in the film? About community? About emotions? What about scenes in which a character fails to look at another (as when Bruno falls and Antonio does  not see it)? What is the significance of the look?

Fides

When Antonio's bicycle is stolen, he loses more than a bike. The brand name of the bicycle "Fides" (Faith in Latin) suggest it has symbolic value. What is the significance of that symbol? What does Antonio lose? Are there other symbols in this film?

Jay Gatsby v. Charles Foster Kane

Most of us read The Great Gatsby in our sophomore Humanities class. Both Gatsby and Citizen Kane,produced about twenty years apart, focus on a man who some might say is the epitome of success. What similarities and differences do you see? Are these works celebrations or critiques of these men, or somewhere in between?  Or something else?  Do they tell us anything about the American Dream?

Jigsaw Narrative

Multiple narrators tell he story of Charles Foster Kane's life.  We see his life in a newsreel format, in Thatcher's memoirs, and as told by Bernstein, Leland, Susan Alexander, and even Raymond, the butler.  What is the point of telling the story in this way?  Does each narrator give a specific "spin" or have a particular bias?  Does each see a distinctive aspect of Kane's personality?  Is each section told in a different way, utilizing different techniques of filming (such as camera angles, deep focus, lighting, or even choice of music)?  What" bang for our buck" do we get from this jigsaw narration?  Is it equal to or greater than the sum of its parts?

Rosebud

Rosebud is perhaps the most famous symbol in movie history. What is the significance of the name "rosebud?" What is the significance of the sled? Is it the key to understanding Kane's life or just one missing piece of a jigsaw puzzle that does not explain much at all? A meaningful symbol or a MacGuffin? Are there other symbols in the film that are more meaningful or complement you reading of the sled (such as statues, jigsaw puzzles, Xanadu, etc)?

Is Fantasy Fluff?

Top Hat takes place in a fantasy world.  All people are wealthy, dress impeccably (often in "top hat and tails") and stay in luxurious hotels with impossibly large rooms.  The characters can impetuously buy all the roses in a hotel or jet down to Italy in a moments notice.  The sets in the film are also artificial reconstructions of a Europe of the imagination (not unlike Epcot Center in Disney World).  Venice has canals alright -- but they are more swimming pool than navigation channel.  The buildings are all modern Art Deco hotels without a church or museum in sight.  Add to that that the genre of the musical is perhaps the most unrealistic one since most people don't spontaneously break out into song.  So is this film just entertaining or is there a bigger message amidst all the fakery?  What does it tell us about love and illusion?  What does it tell us about the American Dream in the midst of the Depression?  Is this movie a fluff piece or is it telling us something about the contrast between fantasy and reality?