★ 7 / 10
I had no idea, until recently, that Broderick
CinemaSerf
I had no idea, until recently, that Broderick Crawford had ever done this film and he's really quite good. He ("Augusto") leads a trio of grifters who take the…
I had no idea, until recently, that Broderick Crawford had ever done this film and he's really quite good. He ("Augusto") leads a trio of grifters who take the low hanging fruit. They have no scruples about robbing the vulnerable, ordinary folks - and are quite imaginative when it comes to their scams. Set against a backdrop of a still recovering post-war Italy, there is an effective cynicism about the way the plot and the characters develop. Crawford works well with sidekick Richard Basehart's "Carlo" but his is the stand out role. The rest of the film does run a little to typical crime-noir stereotype, but the photography that marries the bleak with the beautiful, and a superb score from the always reliable Nino Rota give this more of a grandeur. I wasn't mad on the ending - it was just too easy, too predictable and somehow underwhelmed Crawford's otherwise really quite nuanced performance. It tugs well at our heart-strings at times whilst offering a soupçon of humour and is a film that demonstrated a talent in the star I wasn't expecting.
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★ 8 / 10
A Heart Wrenching Comedy
Chalker1123
This movie follows the exploits of Augusto and his team of unscrupulous crooks, they cheat and swindle the poorest, and most helpless, of the Italian…
This movie follows the exploits of Augusto and his team of unscrupulous crooks, they cheat and swindle the poorest, and most helpless, of the Italian countryside stealing what little savings these people have for promises of immense riches. They then return to Rome where everyone seems to be trying to work the other, each character and minor character tries to outwit the other. There are a few very subtly funny hustling scenes that are offset by the tragic everyday life of Augusto. He is no longer a young hustler, but a middle aged crook with nothing to look forward to. That is, until he sees his young, and estranged daughter Patrizia, and he sees her as a way to make his life more meaningful, or maybe, less lonely. (POSSIBLE SPOILERS) And she only needs a small sum of money to help her get on her feet, so Augusto, the working man he is, tries to help her. The viewer gets the feeling that it might actually be one last bidone, or big swindle, and for once he has a legitimate reason. But, in the life of Augusto nothing can be as easy as that. Augusto's character is forlorn and sad, but, if I might add, if the last scene does not leave a lump in your throat you are a stronger man than I.
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Amazing Fellini film like 729boris has mentioned. So glad to be able to watch it finally in 1080p. You're the man!