Before you condemn Rosellini watch Voyage in Italy, certainly one of the best Italian films ever made, and with professional actors to boot. I'll admit that much of neorealism is sentimental and sappy, hence the reason that Bunuel's Los Olvidados is much more potent today than most of those films. I did enjoy Umberto D, but I can agree with what you say. The acting in The Bicycle Thief I for one found to be quite good for non-professionals.