The film was one of the first important examples of a movement called Neo Realism which was a reaction to the frivolous nature of earlier Italian films. Neo realist directors like Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica reduced drama to its essentials to achieve truth. They were fond of using non-professional actors. An important figure in formulating the style was the writer Cesare Zavattini who contributed to many of the neo-realist films.