Bidone, Il (1955)

Director:

Federico Fellini

Writers:

Federico Fellini (writer)
Ennio Flaiano (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

October 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Aging small-time con man Augusto, who swindles peasants, works with two younger men: Roberto, who wants to become the Italian Johnny Ray...

Plot Keywords:

Religion | Cheating | Imposture | Family Relation | Poverty

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Broderick Crawford	...	Augusto
Giulietta Masina	...	Iris
Richard Basehart	...	Picasso
Franco Fabrizi	...	Roberto
Sue Ellen Blake	...	Anna
Irene Cefaro	...	Marisa
Alberto De Amicis	...	Rinaldo
Lorella De Luca	...	Patrizia
Giacomo Gabrielli	...	Il Baron Vargas
Riccardo Garrone	...	Riccardo
Paul Grenter
Emilio Manfredi
Lucetta Muratori
Mario Passante
Sara Simoni
Xenia Valderi	...	Luciana
Mara Werlen	...	Maggie
Maria Zanoli	...	Stella Florina
Ettore Bevilacqua	...	Swindled Man
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ada Colangeli	...	Bit part (uncredited)
Yami Kamadeva	...	(uncredited)

Directed by
Federico Fellini

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Federico Fellini		writer
Ennio Flaiano		writer
Tullio Pinelli		writer

Produced by
Mario Derecchi	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Nino Rota

Cinematography by
Otello Martelli

Film Editing by
Mario Serandrei
Giuseppe Vari

Production Design by
Dario Cecchi

Set Decoration by
Massimiliano Capriccioli

Costume Design by
Dario Cecchi

Makeup Department
Rocchetti	....	hair stylist (as Fiamma Rocchetti)
Eligio Trani	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Giuseppe Colizzi	....	production manager
Antonio Negri	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Dominique Delouche	....	assistant director
Paolo Nuzzi	....	assistant director
Moraldo Rossi	....	assistant director
Narciso Vicario	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Giovanni Rossi	....	sound editor

Camera and Electrical Department
Roberto Gerardi	....	camera operator
G.B. Poletto	....	still photographer
Arturo Zavattini	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Nada Delle Piane	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Franco Ferrara	....	conductor

Other crew
Manolo Bolognini	....	production secretary
Ezio Rodi	....	production staff
Brunello Rondi	....	advisor
Manolo Bolognini	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Arnoldo Foà	....	voice dubbing: Broderick Crawford (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Titanus
• S.G.C.

Distributors

• Titanus Distribuzione (1955) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Astor Pictures Corporation (1963) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Altomedia. Co. Ltd. (Korea) (DVD)
• Amaya Films (Spain)
• Connoisseur Video
• Homescreen (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Kinowelt Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Medusa Home Entertainment (2004) (Italy) (DVD) (restored)
• Sagres Filmes (Brazil) (VHS)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2005) (Australia) (DVD)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)

Other Companies

• IntraMovies  international sales

Also Known As:

The Swindle (USA)
The Swindlers (UK)

Runtime:

USA:92 min | 112 min (original version) | Argentina:100 min | Spain:95 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian | English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:L | Argentina:16 | Finland:K-16 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:12

Filming Locations:

Acquedotto dell'Acqua Felice, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Titanus

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Cinecittà: La casa di F. Fellini (2004) (V)

A Heart Wrenching Comedy

This movie follows the exploits of Augusto and his team of unscrupulous crooks, they cheat and swindle the poorest, and most helpless, of the Italian countryside stealing what little savings these people have for promises of immense riches. They then return to Rome where everyone seems to be trying to work the other, each character and minor character tries to outwit the other. There are a few very subtly funny hustling scenes that are offset by the tragic everyday life of Augusto. He is no longer a young hustler, but a middle aged crook with nothing to look forward to. That is, until he sees his young, and estranged daughter Patrizia, and he sees her as a way to make his life more meaningful, or maybe, less lonely. (POSSIBLE SPOILERS) And she only needs a small sum of money to help her get on her feet, so Augusto, the working man he is, tries to help her. The viewer gets the feeling that it might actually be one last bidone, or big swindle, and for once he has a legitimate reason. But, in the life of Augusto nothing can be as easy as that. Augusto's character is forlorn and sad, but, if I might add, if the last scene does not leave a lump in your throat you are a stronger man than I.