Guido Orefice: A Jewish-Italian bookstore owner and the protagonist of the film. He has a way of making seemingly magical things happen by manipulating his surroundings.

Dora Orefice: Guido's wife. She is charmed by the enchanted situations that seem to find Guido wherever he goes. 

Giosue Orefice: Guido and Dora's son. .

Eliseo Orefice: Guido's uncle. Uncle Eliseo is a target of Nazi violence.

Ferruccio Papini: Guido's friend. Ferruccio moves to the city with Guido and accompanies Guido on many of his adventures.

Dora's Mother: Dora's mother. She does not want Dora to marry Guido, and the two fall out of touch for many years.

Doctor Lessing: One of Guido's regular patrons at the restaurant. He becomes a doctor in the concentration camp but does not help Guido's family escape despite his longstanding friendship with Guido.

Amico Rodolfo: Dora's fiance when she first meets Guido. He is insensitive and caught up in Italian high society, and he makes Dora unhappy. He also denies Guido a loan to open a bookstore.

Bartolomeo: One of Guido's bunkmates in the concentration camp.

Vittorino: A fellow prisoner at the concentration camp.

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