# Shoeshine (1946)

> Two shoeshine boys’ dream of owning a horse collapses into a tragic ordeal of crime, prison, and broken friendship in postwar Rome.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/28321

## Facts

- Runtime: 91 min
- Genres: Drama
- Director: Vittorio De Sica
- Cast: Franco Interlenghi, Rinaldo Smordoni, Annielo Mele, Bruno Ortenzi, Emilio Cigoli, Gino Saltamerenda, Peppino Spadaro, Antonio Nicotra
- TMDB rating: 7.8/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0038913/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: strong
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: mild
- Mood: melancholic, harrowing, compassionate, classic cinema viewing, film study

## Synopsis

A poignant tale of friendship and betrayal unfolds in post-war Italy, where two boys dream of owning a horse.

## Movies like Shoeshine

- [The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978)](https://ember.film/movie/19749)
- [Bitter Rice (1949)](https://ember.film/movie/19366)
- [Rocco and His Brothers (1960)](https://ember.film/movie/4094)
- [Mamma Roma (1962)](https://ember.film/movie/31948)
- [The Swindle (1955)](https://ember.film/movie/22364)
- [I'm Not Scared (2003)](https://ember.film/movie/14992)
- [Umberto D. (1952)](https://ember.film/movie/678)
- [Don't Be Bad (2015)](https://ember.film/movie/233270)
- [Piranhas (2019)](https://ember.film/movie/401478)
- [La Terra Trema (1949)](https://ember.film/movie/28297)

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