Thehibikiew Not even bad in a good way

Helloturia I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

Fairaher The film makes a home in your brain and the only cure is to see it again.

Bumpy Chip It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

TheLittleSongbird Il Bidone mayn't make my top 5 of Fellini movies like Nights of Cabiria, La Dolce Vita, 8 1/12, Amarcord and La Strada. But along with Ginger and Fred it makes my top 7. Il Bidone is superbly directed as ever by Fellini, and looks absolutely beautiful with the sweeping cinematography and scenery. The music score by Nino Rota is bright and jaunty in tone with enough of the sumptuous orchestration to make his wok distinctive. The story is both charming and moving, with a nostalgic feel that is further accentuated by Fellini's direction and Rota's score. Broderick Crawford in the lead gives a heart-breakingly moving performance, and you do feel sympathy for his character. The rest of the acting is strongly characterised, but Crawford is the one who really stands out in the memory.Overall, one of Fellini's best and unjustly overlooked. 10/10 Bethany Cox

mikeolliffe I don't like keeping actors confined to one type of role, but it doesn't always work when they try something different (see Eastwood in The Beguiled,for example.) Likewise, here in this movie Broderick Crawford is required to play a lovable rogue with a certain degree of pathos.This is a case where the casting is wrong. It's too difficult for Crawford to play lovable and he is not the type to encourage an emotional response.He is the consummate tough guy, a literal 'heavy' - without the obvious qualities to portray a con-man. (I concede that he could play a man of the church).Despite the casting reservation, Fellini is masterful as usual. The party scene seems to predate the recent Italian prime minister's 'bunga-bunga' parties.SPOILER coming up: how did the team 'plant' the treasure and bones without being spotted? One location even had two savage dogs roaming around.Excepting that and Mr. Crawford, everyone else - and the situations - seems real. See it.

dcole-2 Il Bidone is as good as anything Fellini has ever done. A masterwork with brilliant performances, stunningly beautiful shots and a wonderful script, this film tells more about Italy than any dozen other films. It all centers on Broderick Crawford's amazing acting -- the pinnacle of his career. An achingly wonderful film and a monumental performance. His character is so nasty and so bad -- yet still you feel sorry for him. But all the roles are filled with wonderful actors, down to the smallest bit part. Some of these scenes can't be rivaled anywhere -- the one between Crawford (dressed as a fake Monsignor) and the girl on crutches is one of the best bits of cinema in history.

Claudio Carvalho Augusto (Broderick Crawford) is a con man. He cheats simple persons with two friends of him. He has a daughter, who lives with her mother and does not know the activity of his father. This simple story is basically supported by the talent of the direction of Fellini, in the beginning of his outstanding career, and the performance of Broderick Crawford. Although not being in the list of the most famous works of Fellini, this film is wonderful and very touching. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): `A Trapaça' (`The Cheat')