Die Schwindler (1955)

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Die Schwindler: Directed by Federico Fellini. With Broderick Crawford, Giulietta Masina, Richard Basehart, Franco Fabrizi. A trio of con-men led by a lonesome swindler must deal with their job and family pressures.

“The middle chapter in Felliniu0026#39;s u0026quot;trilogy of lonelinessu0026quot;, made by a master between u0026quot;La Stradau0026quot; (1954), and u0026quot;Nights of Cabiria,u0026quot; (1957), u0026quot;Il Bidoneu0026quot; (1955) is less known, for long time simply forgotten (and I canu0026#39;t imagine why) but powerful, humorous, heartbreaking, and poignant film. Broderick Crawford, Academy Award winner for playing Willie Stark, a corrupt politician and a charismatic man in u0026quot;All the Kingu0026#39;s Menu0026quot; (1949), gives a compelling performance as Augusto, an aging con man, a leader of a trio of small time crooks who take advantage of poor and uneducated Italians in both country side and poor quarters of Rome. Augusto realizes at the age of 48 that his life of selfishness, greed, and wrongdoings only made his existence meaningless. Once in his life, he decided to con the con men in order to help his daughter whom he rarely sees but deeply loves with fulfilling her dreams of better life but a swindle gone wrong leads Augusto to the final scene of pain, both physical and mental, to loneliness and desperation. It is very much like u0026quot;Nights of Cabiriau0026quot; final scene but without eternal hope of Cabiriau0026#39;s smile… u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eTechnically, u0026quot;Il Bidoneu0026quot; is a very strong film with memorable performances, including the smaller cameos. Felliniu0026#39;s directing is as satisfying as always and many scenes remind of his future triumphs (New Year party is a stunning sequence and brings to mind u0026quot;La Dolce Vitau0026quot;, 1960 ). Nino Rotau0026#39;s music and Otello Martinelliu0026#39;s cinematography add to many pleasures of the film, one of them is Giulietta Masina who plays supporting role of Iris, the wife of Picasso (Richard Basehart), the younger con artist with a dream to become an Artist. Both, Masina and Basehart starred in Felliniu0026#39;s first chapter of u0026quot;trilogy of lonelinessu0026quot;, u0026quot;La Stradau0026quot; (1954).”

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