Nine Queens (2000)

Two con artists try to swindle a stamp collector by selling him a sheet of counterfeit rare stamps (the "nine queens").

Director:

Fabián Bielinsky (as Fabian Bielinsky)

Writer:

Fabián Bielinsky (as Fabian Bielinsky)

Stars:

Ricardo Darín, Gastón Pauls, Leticia Brédice

22 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ricardo Darín	...	Marcos
Gastón Pauls	...	Juan
Leticia Brédice	...	Valeria
María Mercedes Villagra	...	Convenience Store Employee 2
Gabo Correa	...	Convenience Store Manager (as Gabriel Correa)
Pochi Ducasse	...	Aunt
Luis Armesto	...	Bar Waiter
Ernesto Arias	...	Bar Manager
Amancay Espíndola	...	Woman in Elevator
Isaac Fajm	...	Vendor
Jorge Noya	...	Aníbal
Graciela Tenenbaum	...	Convenience Store Employee
Oscar Nuñez	...	Sandler
Ignasi Abadal	...	Vidal Gandolfo
Carlos Lanari	...	Man on Cell Phone

Storyline

Early one morning, Marcos observes Juan successfully pulling off a bill-changing scam on a cashier, and then getting caught as he attempts to pull the same trick on the next shift. Marcos steps in, claiming to be a policeman, and drags Juan out of the store. Once they are back on the street, Marcos reveals himself to be a fellow swindler with a game of much higher stakes in mind, and he invites Juan to be his partner in crime. A once-in-a-lifetime scheme seemingly falls into their laps - an old-time con man enlists them to sell a forged set of extremely valuable rare stamps, The Nine Queens. The tricky negotiations that ensue bring into the picture a cast of suspicious characters, including Marcos' sister Valeria, their younger brother Federico and a slew of thieves, conmen and pickpockets. As the deceptions mount, it becomes more and more difficult to figure out who is conning whom.

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Plot Keywords:

held at gunpoint | playing cards | philately | bag of money | counterfeiting | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Official Sites:

Metropolitan Films trailer, interview, etc. (French, Flash) [France] Sony Pictures Classics - trailer, synopsis, etc. (Flash) [United States]

Country:

Argentina

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

31 August 2000 (Argentina)

Also Known As:

Nine Queens

Filming Locations:

Hotel Hilton, Puerto Madero, Capital Federal, Argentina

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$40,724, 21 April 2002, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$1,221,261, 6 October 2002

Company Credits

Production Co:

FX Sound, Industrias Audiovisuales Argentinas S.A., J.Z. & Asociados

Technical Specs

Runtime:

114 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Included among the "1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die", edited by Steven Schneider.

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Goofs

About 10 minutes into the movie, when Juan and Marcos are ringing doorbells, a maintenance guy comes out of the building sweeping the floor. While you can hear the sweeping, the broom never really touches the ground.

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Quotes

Marcos: Can't you see the way she swings her ass? There are no saints.

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Connections

Referenced in Vivo en Argentina: Tomás Fonzi (2011)

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Soundtracks

Il Ballo del Mattone
by Rita Pavone (1976)

User Reviews

Scams and con artists in modern day Buenos Aires

This is one of the best whodunit's in years! The acting is great, and cleverly staged. Each individual adds more and more complexity to the storyline such that you can't discount whether or not they're crucial to the plot. The plot unweaves slowly, but evenly, adding layer on layer of innuendo, suggestion, twists, and turns that catch you off guard. No one character, or actor for that matter, overtakes any of the others. I don't think you'll get this consistency, unless Mamet directs. The downtown realism of Buenos Aires only adds to the story. It's not a shoot location we're used to seeing, and the novel setting creates an odd contrast to what we've seen come out of modern Europe. The action is well-paced, with a steady guessing, and wondering-what's-gonna-happen-next pace. I highly recommend seeing this movie before, and if, a US version is released.