Search - Il Bidone on DVD

MPAA Rating: NR Content Advisory: Suitable for Children Movie Release: 1955 DVD Release: 07/18/2000 Format: DVD - Black and White Audio Tracks: Italian Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 1 hrs 31 mins Studio: Image Entertainment Members Wishing: 3 Genres: Comedy Drama, Crime Drama

Swindle and The Swindlers are both English-language titles for 1955's Il Bidone, a lesser-known effort from Federico Fellini. Broderick Crawford, Richard Basehart, and Franco Fabrizi play a trio of con artists who victimize the Italian bourgeoisie (who are shown to be no better than the crooks). Giueletta Masina (Fellini's wife), who had previously costarred with Richard Basehart in La Strada, here plays Basehart's wife. Humphrey Bogart had been intended for the role played by Broderick Crawford; one wonders how Crawford's self-deprecating curtain speech about the hollowness of his existence would have played in Bogart's hands. Swindle was not released to the US until nine years after its completion. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Broderick Crawford - Augusto
Richard Basehart - Picasso
Franco Fabrizi - Roberto
Giulietta Masina - Iris
Sue Ellen Blake - Anna

Federico Fellini's crime story Il Bidone comes to DVD with a standard full-frame 1.33:1 image. An Italian soundtrack is rendered in Dolby Digital Mono. English subtitles are accessible. Although there are no special features on this release, the quality of the film itself makes this a disc worthy of attention from anyone with an interest in world cinema or Italian film specifically. Other Fellini films may have more prestige, but this disc might help make this less renowned film more popular. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide