Movies

Il Bidoni [variously The Swindle, or The Swindlers] (1955) Co-written and directed by Federico Fellini. Broderick Crawford is a con man running cruel swindles that rob poor people of their life's savings, and Richard Basehart appears as one of his associates. This shows the beginnings of his stylistic separation from the realist school and the development of his wandering narrative style. The more freakish aspect of his later work is undeveloped here, but characters and settings are slightly skewed. Interesting and entertaining overall, especially as one begins to think Crawford's character may be developing a conscience. 7/10