Umberto D

Umberto D is a 1952 Italian neorealist film directed by Vittoria De Sica . Most of the actors were non-professional , including Carlo Battisti, who plays the title role of Umberto Ferrari., a poor old man in Rome desperately trying to keep his room.  His landlady is a gold-digger , looking to show off her apartments and marry someone who can provide for her.  His landlady is evicting him and his only true friends , the housemaid  and his dog Flike are of no help. The young maid , Maria who is pregnant by  one of two soldiers - still likes him , though and provides moral support ,even if she can't help in any practical way.   "Umberto D" is a character-driven film .  It works very well because of its sharp observations on loneliness and poignant gestures.  Many of the scenes ,  even the ones that do not necessarily advance the plot, are hypnotically beautiful in their simplicity.  The film sticks firmly to the neo-realist conventions ;  the lead actor is a non professional actor (who does a good job if not great) , the use of studio sets is kept to minimum and the everyday lives of people are examined in minute detail.  Indeed, Umberto D could have been one of the most  depressing films ever made ,  but instead it's one of the most heartfelt.