Overview
A gripping exploration of morality and consequence among con artists and their victims.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- cynical
- melancholic
- somber
- classic cinema night
- reflective viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly recognize strong performances and memorable Fellini moods while finding the crime story uneven and less assured than the director's finest work.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Augusto, Carlo, and Roberto repeatedly target poor rural peasants for modest sums, making exploitation central to the drama.
The black-and-white imagery and recovering Italian backdrop reinforce the trio's cynicism and degraded social world.
Roberto remains committed to immediate profit while Carlo and Augusto begin questioning the consequences of their schemes.
Augusto's unexpected reunion with Patrizia challenges his self-image and conflicts with his desire to support her materially.
Films like The Swindle, and why
Bicycle Thieves
shared neorealist social observation, morally compromised criminals, and postwar economic hardship
Ace in the Hole
shared bleak crime drama, con artists, and concern with spiritual and moral collapse
The Organizer
shared Italian postwar setting, episodic criminal schemes, and tragic humanism
The Killing
shared black-and-white crime storytelling, cynical atmosphere, and emotionally layered antiheroes
Movie Details
- Director
- Federico Fellini
- Release Date
- 1955-10-07
- Runtime
- 113 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (231)
Cast
- Broderick Crawford
- Giulietta Masina
- Richard Basehart
- Franco Fabrizi
- Sue Ellen Blake
- Irene Cefaro
- Alberto De Amicis
- Lorella De Luca
- Giacomo Gabrielli
- Riccardo Garrone
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- TCM
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Swindle about?
- A seasoned Italian con man confronts the human cost of exploiting the poor when family encounters expose the emptiness behind his criminal life.
- What is The Swindle like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Swindle as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Swindle violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Swindle as mild.
- What did critics think of The Swindle?
- Critics broadly recognize strong performances and memorable Fellini moods while finding the crime story uneven and less assured than the director's finest work.
- Which films are like The Swindle?
- Films with a similar feel include Bicycle Thieves, Ace in the Hole, The Organizer, and The Killing.
- How long is The Swindle?
- The Swindle runs 113 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Swindle?
- In United States, The Swindle streams on TCM.
