AUGUSTO (BRODERICK CRAWFORD), PICASSO (RICHARD BASEHART) AND ROBERTO (FRANCO FABRIZI) ARE SMALL-TIME CONMEN WHO PLAY ELABORATE TRICKS ON THE POOR AND THE CREDULOUS. BUT THEIR CRUELTY AND LACK OF MORALITY IS TESTED WHEN AUGUSTO IS REUNITED WITH HIS ESTRANGED DAUGHTER AND PICASSO IS FACED WITH HIS LOVING WIFE'S DISAPPROVING PATIENCE. FEATURING EXCELLENT PERFORMANCES FROM CRAWFORD, BASEHART AND GIULE...TTA MASINA AGAINST A COLOURFUL BACKDROP OF SHARPLY OBSERVED CHARACTERS THIS SINCERE SOCIAL DRAMA IS BY TURNS COMIC, BITTER AND TRAGIC. SITTING BETWEEN LA STRADA AND NIGHTS OF CABIRIA IN FELLINI'S "TRILOGY OF LONELINESS", IL BIDONE DISPLAYS THE HALLMARKS OF THE DIRECTOR'S EMERGING MATURE STYLE.