I recently watched Federico Fellini's Il Bidone, a curiously sad film about the lives of three thieves all trying to turn a fast buck in Rome. I had never seen this film, but I had heard good things about it. I'm also a huge fan of Giulietta Masina, Fellini's wife, who always adds a bit of professionalism and class to his movies. In this film, while her role is small, her presence makes all the difference.The film stars American Broderick Crawford (whose lines in Italian are dubbed over by Arnoldo Foà), another American actor, Richard Baseheart (whose lines were dubbed by Enrico Maria Salerno) and the Italian Cary Grant, Franco Fabrizi (he was also one of the leads in I Vitelloni).
Broderick Crawford plays the leader of their group, Augusto - an aging man with a young daughter who spends his life avoiding his familial responsibilities while trying to do his best to help his daughter. The other American actor, Richard Baseheart, play the thief, Picasso, who has fallen into the same situation as Augusto, except that so far he has remained married and with his wife. He also has a daughter who he adores immensely. In many ways the character of Picasso is a younger incarnation of the older leader. The third man of the group played by Fabrizio Fabrizi is Roberto, who appears to be the most driven of the three and is always looking for the next best opportunity.
The climax of the film is undoubtedly New Years Eve when the three con-men (along with Picasso's wife -- playd by Giulietta Masina) go to a party of an old "friend" of Augusto's, who in the past swindled him out of great sums. The party goes horribly when Roberto is accused of stealing from the guests and the three leave embarrassed and ashamed. Giulietta Masina's character, Iris, realizes immediately that her husband must be a thief as she starts to piece together how he is always bringing home such large sums of money. The climax culminates when Augusto runs into his daughter and attempts to turn back time and reconnect with his daughter - perhaps imitating the fealty that Picasso shows to his family.
However, the old man's feelings betray him -- the same warning he gave to Picasso earlier in the film after he had drunk too much. While taking his daughter out, one of Augusto's old marks recognizes him and confronts him. He's arrested and sent to prison for several months. When he gets out, Augusto learns that his former team has since moved on. Roberto has left Rome for the north, and Picasso has gone straight. Augusto, though, attempts to revive his ways in order to fulfill a promise made to his daughter but meets his untimely end when swindle goes bad -- a scene which is foreshadowed in the film several times.
Arguably not one of Fellini's best (the reviews of the time were not exceptional -- see this review from 1964 in the NY Times -- note how critic disapproved of the dubbed voices for the two American actors), it does have a certain Fellini-esque charm that is unmistakable.
