The Swindler

It is unclear whether "The Swindler" refers to one of the three major characters of his 1955 film, or to Director Federico Fellini himself. If one went to "The Swindler" in the proper mind-obliterating mood, one might be able to see it as described in the little blurb handed out by the Brattle: "Here, Fellini makes no concessions; with an utterly serious tone, he throws in our face all the desolate solitude, the crucl absurdity of the world: it is a cry from hell." Unfortunately for Fellini, the long-distance lines from hell have been rather busy lately, and his message has been put through with considerably more grace in other calls.

Three swindlers swindle, till the chances, to swindle dwindle. One goes home crying, the second goes home singing, the third breaks his back trying to swindle other swindlers. You, too, will be swindled unless you arrive on time to see the comic short which starts the show. It is superbly funny.