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?
The Last Laugh and Bicycles Thieves share a common underlying story, the idea that someone who is well intentioned can lose everything they care about and be forced into a horrible society. Similarly, in both films they are somewhat societal outcast due to their predicament with the protagonist of The Last Laugh being rejected by his neighbors, family, and coworkers, and the protagonist of Bicycle Thieves suffering a similar fate with the police, the very people who were meant to keep such an event from happening. However, this is where one of the major differences become apparent between the two films, particularly in the last shots of each. With the Last Laugh, the final shot very much shows a sense of isolation as the doorman sits alone in the very dark and very much empty room. This is not true of the family in the Bicycle Thieves. While it is true that the protagonist is somewhat of an outcast from his attempted robbery and loss of his bike, we see that he still has what is truly most important to him, his son. So, while the two films have a similar tone and story, not all endings are treated equally. The Bicycle Thieves has a much more bittersweet and hopeful tone, implying that, even though it seems like all is lost, there's still hope for the future. The Last Laugh, on the other hand, does not grant such a hopeful ending, instead implying the death of the doorman in pure isolation. So, while it is true that they share common themes, it is incorrect to imply the same message is shared between the two of them.
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