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The Swindle

Play trailer Poster for The Swindle 1997 1h 45m Comedy Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
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71% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 50% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
Con artists Victor (Michel Serrault) and Betty (Isabelle Huppert) are a perfect team when it comes to cheating gamblers out of their winnings. But Betty, who's a master of the art of seduction, has a bigger scheme in mind: double-crossing bagman Maurice Biagini (François Cluzet) out of millions of Swiss francs that belong to organized crime. While it sounds like an airtight plan, Victor -- no fool when it comes to matters of deception -- suspects a double cross.

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The Swindle

Critics Reviews

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Budd Wilkins Slant Magazine 05/05/2022
Underneath all the briskly delivered élan lurks a sly study of manipulation and the slipperiness of identity. Go to Full Review Kevin Thomas Los Angeles Times 02/14/2001
4.5/5
A work of superb yet unpretentious film craftsmanship by a past master and an impeccable cast and crew. Go to Full Review Janet Maslin New York Times 01/01/2000
3.5/5
Even when it threatens to sink into the familiar mechanics of a double-dealing heist story, Chabrol keeps curiosity piqued, the actors delightful and the outcome in sufficient question. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy 05/16/2022
3/4
Most entertaining. Go to Full Review Sean Axmaker Seanax.com 03/10/2017
It takes too long to get started and the playful coda is far too precious, but Chabrol builds to a vice-grip tension as small timers face the terror of big time killers... Go to Full Review Mark Halverson Sacramento News & Review 08/07/2008
3/5
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Audience Reviews

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Simon T 03/14/2024 A blackly comic late-Chabrol about cons and exactly who is conning who. And therein lies the problem. The plotting is so convoluted that you end up not caring, despite wonderfully droll performances from Isabelle Huppert and Michel Serrault, and crystalline direction by writer-director Claude Chabrol. Entertaining and frustrating. See more isla s 09/02/2022 This was a very enjoyable tale of double crossing. The characters are intriguing, the plot twists kept me on my feet and it features some good landscapes/cinematography. Its more about the story than it is about big budget looks but its quite compelling and I enjoyed how things worked out. I won't say anymore so as not to provide unnecessary spoilers (hopefully). Yes, I'd recommend this film. See more 04/28/2022 Victor and Betty (Michel Serrault and Isabelle Huppert) have a great angle. They go to business conventions, Berry lures a man to her room and then slips him a knockout cocktail. Victor then appears and they take the cash they need. Is there honor amongst thieves? Well, Victor lives by the rule that you should never be greedy and just take a small amount from each mark. Betty, however, wants bigger scams, so she joins up with Maurice (François Cluzet) and make a big switch that gets them all 5 million francs. But then Maurice turns up dead and the people who did it have Victor and Betty marked for their next victims. Director and writer Claude Chabrol's fiftieth film, The Swindle even pulls a trick on audiences, never revealing if Victor and Betty are relatives, associates or lovers. You can watch the movie multiple times and draw your own conclusion and make your own story within the game that Chabrol has created. See more 12/26/2011 An unexceptional addition to the world of Chabrol. See more 11/08/2010 Never quite makes sense, but good frothy fun nevertheless. Huppert and Serrault rapport nicely. See more 04/20/2010 Le film est sympathique, c'est un vrai Chabrol ! Michel Serrault est super, comme d'habitude, quel plaisir de le revoir ! C'est aussi "drôle" de voir François Cluzet tout jeune. Si vous aimez Chabrol, alors n'hésitez pas. See more Read all reviews
The Swindle

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Cast & Crew

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Claude Chabrol

Director

Isabelle Huppert

Betty

Michel Serrault

Victor

François Cluzet

Maurice

Jean-François Balmer

Monsieur K

Jackie Berroyer

Chatillon

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The Swindle

The Swindle (1997) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis Con artists Victor (Michel Serrault) and Betty (Isabelle Huppert) are a perfect team when it comes to cheating gamblers out of their winnings. But Betty, who's a master of the art of seduction, has a bigger scheme in mind: double-crossing bagman Maurice Biagini (François Cluzet) out of millions of Swiss francs that belong to organized crime. While it sounds like an airtight plan, Victor -- no fool when it comes to matters of deception -- suspects a double cross.
Director
Claude Chabrol
Producer
Marin Karmitz
Screenwriter
Claude Chabrol
Distributor
New Yorker Films
Genre
Comedy, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
Canadian French
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 24, 1997, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Feb 21, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$245.4K
Runtime
1h 45m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR
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