Marxist Reading

A Marxist critic would have no problem analyzing the plot or story outlines of both "Bicycle Thieves" and "On the Waterfront". Marxist critics discuss and look for meanings in films and literature having to do with society, class standings, economic issues etc. These two films have to do with all that a Marxist critic would look for. In Bicycle Thieves the main character names Ricci, seems to have to wait in a crowd of men, in the same economic state as he is, for a job opportunity. While the gentleman is calling out names Ricci's name is called and it seems as if his luck has turned around and he has found a job. However, when he is informed that he needs a bicycle to accept this job he realizes that something is stopping him from changing his current state of poverty. He goes home to let, who seems to be his wife, know what has happened. He is upset, and discouraged as his wife thinks of a way to buy a bicycle with no money so that Ricci may have a chance at a real job, a real good "city job" as he describes it. It seems as if whatever happens, or whatever good situation may come to Ricci something is always stopping him or "in his way". As if there is no hope for him to leave the economic state in which he is in. It is almost as if he is destined to be in the state of poverty because regardless of the fact that he ended up buying a bike and going to the job, his own bed sheets had to have been sold. In order for something good to happen, he had to sacrifice and it seemed as if he remained in same class he was in before. All the men waiting for a job were probably in the same situation trying to better themselves but there were only two jobs with a large group of men waiting for their names to be called. "On the Waterfront" also deals with the same situation of a group of people in the same economic state trying to better themselves and not being able to. Regardless of the strength and constant pursuit of trying to find a job, there was always something holding them back. A force they themselves could not control. Walter Benjamin states that "...changes of ownership are subject to a tradition which must be traced from the situation of the original". I believe that he is saying that nothing can change the situation these men are in because it has been happening for many years. The situation these people are in economically and socially are beyond their control, it would have to be traced back to the first generation; the original. Even standing out every morning for five days did not discourage these men. They would come back in the hopes of finding a job, however the class they were in was the class they would stay in. Walter Benjamin states that "Even the most perfect reproduction of a work of art is lacking in one element: its presence in time and space, its unique existence in the place it happens to be." I believe that Benjamin is stating exactly what the film is portraying, that even the most hardworking person is nothing if he is not born into an opportunistic society or in a class where he has a chance to work to his full potential and be rewarded.