Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows Shop News Showtimes

Death of a Cyclist

Play trailer Poster for Death of a Cyclist 1955 1h 27m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
100% Tomatometer 11 Reviews 86% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Professor Juan (Alberto Closas) is sleeping with Maria (Lucía Bosé), who's married to a rich man. After one such tryst, Juan is driving Maria home when he accidentally strikes and kills a cyclist. But Juan is at a crucial stage in his career, Maria adores her luxurious lifestyle and both lovers fear that this incident will cause a scandal that upsets their lives. They flee the scene, but Rafa (Carlos Casaravilla), one of Maria's wealthy peers, confronts the couple with blackmail on his mind.
Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

Death of a Cyclist

Critics Reviews

View All (11) Critics Reviews
Mick LaSalle San Francisco Chronicle The film is a leftist commentary on bourgeois Spain under Franco, but its passion and sensitive observation transcend its political intent. Rated: 4/4 Sep 10, 2019 Full Review Scott Tobias AV Club Death Of A Cyclist addresses all the grievances that Bardem mentioned at Salamanca, and it succeeds most at capturing the general climate of fear and oppression in Franco's Spain. Rated: B+ Sep 10, 2019 Full Review Fernando F. Croce Slant Magazine Explicitly designed as a shock to the system, Death of a Cyclist too often settles for academic subversion. Rated: 2.5/4 Apr 27, 2008 Full Review Diana Tuova Spotlight on Film Although frustrating at times with a questionable ending, Death of a Cyclist also benefits from nuanced directing which brings out the best in this story about crime and attempts at redemption. Rated: 4/5 Aug 4, 2024 Full Review David Parkinson Radio Times Juan Antonio Bardem still manages to paint an unflattering portrait of the Madrid bourgeoisie, with its self-indulgence, hypocrisy and shameless ambition contrasting unfavourably with the dignity of the poor and the anger of the young. Rated: 4/5 Sep 10, 2019 Full Review Marco Lanzagorta PopMatters The result is a dramatic story that deeply resonates with the cultural anxieties that Spanish society endured under the regime of General Francisco Franco. Sep 10, 2019 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (63) audience reviews
dave s Juan (Alberto Closas), a math instructor, and Maria Jose (Lucia Bose), the wife of a wealthy businessman, are having an affair. Returning to Madrid through a desolate Spanish landscape after a clandestine meeting, they strike and injure a man on a bicycle. In order to protect their reputations and avoid detection, they leave the scene of the accident and later deal with their guilt when the accident victim dies. Set during the reign of Francisco Franco, Death of a Cyclist is clearly a condemnation of the class divide that existed during Franco's fascist rule, the wealthy protecting their own selfish interests at the expense of the poor. The acting is excellent, especially the luminous Bose, much of the cinematography is stunning, most notably the rural scenes, and Juan Antonio Bardem's direction, highlighted by many long, uninterrupted takes, is flawless. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member 6.4/10, my review: http://wp.me/p1eXom-2uh Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Obra maestra del cine español ,pelicula atemporal con un mensaje que se podrìa aplicar a nuestra sociedad de hoy en dìa , una fotografìa y planos impecables .Imprescindible. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/13/23 Full Review Audience Member A strange and wonderful twist on the "Getting away with murder" genre. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/09/23 Full Review Audience Member A Spanish-like Hitchcockian delight! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review Audience Member Excelente melodrama espanhol, com o poder do thriller numa mão e com o noir na outra, é um daqueles coices apontados ao estômago que abre caminho para o "Eyes Wide Shut" e para o Woody Allen mais intriguista. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Death of a Cyclist

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW

Cast & Crew

Show Less Cast & Crew Show More Cast & Crew
View All Death of a Cyclist photos

Death of a Cyclist

Death of a Cyclist (1955) Death of a Cyclist (1955) Death of a Cyclist (1955) Death of a Cyclist (1955) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Professor Juan (Alberto Closas) is sleeping with Maria (Lucía Bosé), who's married to a rich man. After one such tryst, Juan is driving Maria home when he accidentally strikes and kills a cyclist. But Juan is at a crucial stage in his career, Maria adores her luxurious lifestyle and both lovers fear that this incident will cause a scandal that upsets their lives. They flee the scene, but Rafa (Carlos Casaravilla), one of Maria's wealthy peers, confronts the couple with blackmail on his mind.
Director
Juan Antonio Bardem
Producer
Georges de Beauregard, Manuel J. Goyanes
Screenwriter
Juan Antonio Bardem
Production Co
Guión Producciones Cinematográficas, Trionfalcine, Suevia Films
Genre
Drama
Original Language
European Spanish
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 28, 2015
Runtime
1h 27m
Most Popular at Home Now