Il bidone

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Audience Member It would be a great mistake to discount "Il Bidone" as one of Fellini's minor works, given the endless profusion of imagination that characterizes this complex film. Fellini proves that he can aptly apply all of the qualities that we have come to love about his work to a genre that might seem incompatible with his nature. In place of a con story involving the typical twists and turns that we've come to expect from that format, we're given a more engaging and enriching view into the complex emotional dispositions of the film's profligate criminals. A wonderfully protracted New Year's Eve sequence provides more than ample opportunity for Fellini to display his exuberant flair and tenderness for the Italian mode of joyous celebration, all wonderfully preceding a more emotionally fraught trajectory into the depths of existential crisis and moral confusion. With Fellini, one isn't merely told a story, but is enveloped in an atmosphere and passionate way of life that can be easily relished again and again; "Il Bidone" is no exception to that rule. Rated 4.5/5 Stars •  Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review lucca b A fascinating character study that often shifts seamlessly between comedy and tragedy that, despite not being one of Fellini's best works, it's ultimately a must-see. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Fra B I think it's good that Fellini tried something different even in his early years; at the same time I don't really see this movie as that different from others Fellini's. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/24/22 Full Review s r A powerful moral tale, but it doesn't quite cut it in the end to make it a classic. The punch kind of misses despite a good build up. Regardless, it still reminds of of the futility of the swindle and the inevitable end of the road for those who do it, all with an Italian twist. Saw it on TCM. Rated 3.5/5 Stars •  Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Though Italian cinema is all too often pigeonholed with mafia and criminal tales, Fellini demonstrates little to no interest in such things. This is even true of 1955's Il bidone (The swindle), a film all about professional con men. Fellini is far more intent on depicting the sheer heartlessness in their operations, which target impoverished people living in remote areas. Led by a slightly more vulnerable than usual Broderick Crawford, the despicable nature of these thieves demonstrate on an internal level how crime does not pay- even when it's pulled off successfully. Very recognizable seeds of Il bidone have since sprouted in films such as Michael Mann's Heat, Drew Godard's Bad Times at the El Royale, and Oliver Stone's U-Turn. These are criminals as workaday grifters, survivalists using immoral skills fostered during Italy's time of postwar desolation. The film isn't so much the gut punch of La strada as a felt depletion of oxygen. Rated 4/5 Stars •  Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/27/23 Full Review andres s Pretty crazy how these guys are willing to swindle and con anybody, even the poor. Maybe it's because it's one of his earlier movies, but this doesn't feel like a Fellini movie at all. Holy shit this was boring as fuck! I had to fast forward because the plot was just so uninteresting. Nothing was really happening and I couldn't really give a shit about the characters. I never would have thought I'd see a Fellini film that I wouldn't like but here it is. Rated 2.5/5 Stars •  Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Read all reviews

Il bidone

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