Film Review: Il Bidone

"Il Bidone" *** (out of ****)

As I draw closer and closer to my 300th review (can you believe it?) I want to sort of clean out my closet and review films by all the great directors I haven't done so yet.

I have reviewed a film by the great Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini, his "Intervista" (1992), but Fellini's modern films are not what have gained him the reputation as one of cinema's great directors. So I thought I should review one of his more classic, older titles.

"Il Bidone" (1955) is not one of Fellini's better known titles. It often gets lost in the shuffle of some of his more acclaimed films; "8 1\2" (1963), "La Dolce Vita" (1960) and "La Strada" (1954), but "Il Bidone" shouldn't be dismissed by film fans. It should be celebrated as should most of Fellini's work.

In Peter Bondandella's book "Italian Cinema: From Neorealism to the Present" he observes "Il Bidone" is actually part of a trilogy along with "La Strada" and "Nights of Cabiria" (1957) dealing with "spiritual poverty and an inquiry into the nature of grace or salvation." Putting the film in this context makes it seem to be one of Fellini's more personal films straying away from the themes more often associated with his work.

Bondandella describes "Il Bidone" as such, "a variation on the Christian parable of the good thief". The film centers on three con men; Augusto (Broderick Crawford), Picasso (Richard Basehart) and Roberto (Franco Fabrizi). They go around, dressed as priest, pretending they have just come from confession where a dying man has confessed to murder. The victim, along with a buried treasure, are on unsuspecting peasants' property. With the owner's permission, they dig on their land and discover human bones and the treasure. The peasants are allowed to keep the treasure for a price. What they don't know is the bones and the treasure have been planted by the con men. The "treasure" is worthless.

"Il Bidone", which translated into English means "The Swindle", not to be confused with Claude Chabrol's lighthearted and charming film, also about cons, attempts to use these deeply flawed men as an examination into human suffering, poverty and alienation.

As I started watching "Il Bidone" I thought it was going to be a strict comedy, something in the tradition of Mario Monicelli's "Big Deal on Madonna Street" (1958). But Fellini doesn't want to settle for laughs. And I'm glad he doesn't. But the biggest problem with this film is Fellini's examination doesn't go deep enough into these men's lives. We never truly get a sense of who they are.

In order for a film such as this to work Fellini needs to tell us about these men's hopes and dreams. What drives them into this line of work. Fellini does make minor attempts but doesn't hit this point hard enough. By the time he tries to show us another side, it is simply too late. The film is almost over.

We learn Picasso is married to Iris (Giulietta Masina, Fellini's real life wife). They have a child. He wants to be a painter. He only does this work to have off his debts but once he gets the chance to get out of a life of crime, he'll take it.

Roberto wants to become a singer. He has bought a collection of Johnny Ray LPs and has studied his voice.

But the character we center on the most is Augusto. Augusto is the oldest of the three men. He is 48 years old. Much is made of his age. Working with younger people makes Augusto feel old. He wonders, as do others, why is he still in this con game. What has he accomplished with his life. Augusto doesn't have the status symbols we associate with success. He doesn't drive a new car, own a beautiful home, wear expensive clothes. All Augusto has is his memories. He takes great pride in what he use to be. At one time he was considered the best con man in the business. But eventually Augusto is going to get left behind by these younger guys.

It is strange to see American actor Broderick Crawford in the lead role but he delivers a fine performance. He body language and facial expressions tells us everything we need to know about him. There are moments when we see Augusto stare off into space and we know what he is thinking. Crawford, who was an Oscar winning actor, for his performance in "All the King's Men" (1949), had made a reputation as playing tough guys, usually criminals. Watch him in "Larceny, Inc." (1942), which served as the basis for Woody Allen's "Small Time Crooks" (2000). Actually Fellini originally wanted Humphrey Bogart in the lead.

More than half way into the film we find out Augusto has a daughter, Patrizia (Lorella De Luca) a college student. The character pops up out of nowhere and isn't seen again until near the end of the film. And this represents the problem with "Il Bidone". Fellini only touches the surface surrounding these characters but doesn't scratch beneath it. That is where all the drama and human emotion is.

Augusto learns that Patrizia wants to work her way through college and become a cashier. She won't make much money and she doesn't care. Other young people are making the same amount of money and are getting by. I think she takes pride in the fact that she will work her while in school. It shows maturity and seems like the right thing to do. It offers a direct contradiction to her father, who, as far as we know, has never made an honest living in his life.

Fellini ends the film playing with the usual cliches we may have found in such a story about character redemption. I won't reveal it here but it is a clever twist Fellini has in store for us and takes the film in a whole new direction.

"Il Bidone" was Fellini's fifth film. Already "The White Sheik" (1952) and "La Strada" where behind him. It film was co-written by Fellini along with Ennio Flaiano, who also co-wrote "Juliet of the Spirits" (1965) and "8 1\2", and Tullio Pinelli, who worked with Fellini on "La Dolce Vita" and "I Vitelloni" (1953).

The musical score was by Nino Rota. The score has some of the elements in which we expect in his Fellini scores. But doesn't become as memorable as the ones he created for "Amarcord" (1973), perhaps his best or "La Strada".

While I wouldn't call "Il Bidone" a masterpiece it does have effective moments. Crawford's performance is standout. It is the best in the film. In a lesser actor's hand, I don't think the film would work as well as it does. Much of the film's appeal has to do with the acting. Still I wish Fellini would have given us more personal information about these people. It would have made this a much more emotion piece of work and perhaps make the ending even more devastating in its social message.