Pssst, want to check out Il bidone in our new look?
Information
- A.k.a.
- The Swindle
- Year
- 1955
- Runtime
- 113 min.
- Director
- Federico Fellini
- Genres
- Drama, Comedy
- Rating *
- 7.6
- Votes *
- 2,667
- Checks
- 922
- Favs
- 63
- Dislikes
- 5
- Favs/checks
- 6.8% (1:15)
- Favs/dislikes
- 13:1
Top comments
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Siskoid
Fellini's Il Bidone ("The Swindle") follows aging grifter Augusto and his crew, initially on a number of cons that might be more amusing if they weren't swindling people who don't deserve it. Still my jam, but this vision of post-war Italy doesn't really allow for romantic notions of Robin Hood-ism. It is an amoral world where nothing is sacred, where even the Catholic Church's authority can be usurped by petty crooks, and indeed, when Augusto seems to grow a conscience (and even that is false, or partly false), his world rejects him with tragic consequences. The grifting world's lack of empathy works hand in hand with a lack of personal connection with others. If you don't care about anyone, it allows you to do terrible things. And so the one man saved is Picasso, whose goodly wife (Fellini's muse, Giulietta Masina, who we don't get enough of) makes him doubt and eventually fade from view. Augusto seems possible salvation in his estranged daughter, but it leads him to ruin. And of course, grifters can turn on each other, no matter the stated friendships. Augusto, well played by Broderick Crawford (who I imagine was dubbed in Italian), is a man the world is passing by. He doesn't understand how all his colleagues have moved on to bigger and better things while he's still pulling off the same old swindles. And similarly, he doesn't see his way out of it because even his best intentions are tainted by the wrong reflexes. 4 years 6 months ago -
Masch Man
One of Fellini's strongest endings in this film. Broderick Crawford's acting was outstanding. 13 years ago -
nicolaskrizan
Crime, choice, conscience – some loose ends, and some tight. Isn't in the book, but maybe it should be?
https://beyond1001movies.wordpress.com/ 8 years 4 months ago
Friends
Login to see which of your friends have seen this movie!In 4 official lists
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This movie ranks #27 in Cahiers du Cinéma's Annual Top 10 Lists
Cahiers du Cinéma's Annu…
27 -
This movie ranks #33 in Roy Menarini's Il Grande Cinema Italiano
Roy Menarini's Il Grande…
33 -
This movie ranks #192 in Eureka!'s The Masters of Cinema Series
Eureka!'s The Masters of…
192 -
This movie ranks #582 in TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest Films: 1001-2500
TSPDT's 1,000 Greatest F…
582