Series about fraudsters are usually in great demand, because they drag spectators into the fascinating world of adventure, where the main characters walk every day along the razor's edge, turning ingenious scams. What series of films on this subject were especially directed to directors?
The most interesting Soviet TV series about scammers
Soviet cinema is one of the best in the world. However, it was not customary to shoot series about fraudsters in the USSR because of ideological considerations. Nevertheless, the directors managed to circumvent censorship and, in a veiled form, touch on the topic of the amused life of crooks:
- "12 chairs" by Mark Zakharov. The story of the "great combinator" Ostap Bender has long become a classic not only in fiction, but also in cinema. In 1976, the legendary director Mark Zakharov released a four-part film adaptation of the novel by Ilf and Petrov, in which the main roles went to Andrei Mironov and Anatoly Papanov.
- “The meeting place cannot be changed” by Stanislav Govorukhin. The crime drama with the participation of Vladimir Vysotsky tells mainly about the work of the MUR and the activities of organized crime. But still a lot of screen time is devoted to describing life and such colorful people as Manka-Bond, thief in law Ruchechnik and others.
- “Treasure Island” by Vladimir Vorobyov. The Soviet film adaptation of R. L. Stevenson’s novel is a colorful costume novel about scorched pirates, thieves and swindlers who are hunting for Captain Flint’s wealth. The main roles in the adventure film were played by Oleg Borisov and Fedor Stukov.
Russian serial films about swindlers
Russian series about fraudsters go to television screens quite often, but not all of them differ in their original plot and artistic value. Against the general background, several popular films can be distinguished:
- "Life and Adventures of the Bear Jap" by Sergey Ginzburg. The series tells the story of the life of the Odessa king of thieves, who went from a petty swindler to a formidable gang leader. The role of Bear Jap was played by artist Evgeny Tkachuk.
- "Sonya Golden Handle" by Victor Merezhko. The main character of the multi-part picture is Sophia Blyuvshtein, a famous scammer of the XIX century. And although the cinematic scam of Sonya Golden Handle is a complete fiction, the character himself is a real historical figure.
- "Fraudsters" Vitaly Moskalenko. The star cast of the project is already an occasion to watch “Fraudsters” at least once: Alexei Guskov, Olesya Sudzilovskaya, Lev Durov, Galina Polsky. The main characters of the action are noble "scammers" who hunt exclusively for drug lords and mafiosi.
TV series about scammers: a list of American hits
In Hollywood, large-scale scams most often become the topic for full-length big-budget films. But there are a couple of outstanding series about scammers:
- “Impact” by John Rogers and Chris Downey. The creation of American producers talks about a gang of modern "robin hoods" that use their fraudulent skills to help people who have suffered from frauds of the powerful. In the frame you can see the Oscar-winning Timothy Hatton, Gina Bellman, Christian Kane and Beth Risgraph.
- The White Collar by Jeff Easten. The project is notable for a non-standard scenario: here the brilliant swindler is sold by the FBI in exchange for his release from prison and helps the feds unravel the machinations of white-collar workers on Wall Street.
- “If Tomorrow Comes” by Jerry London. The picture was shot in the late 80s. based on the novel by Sidney Sheldon. The series tells the story of a bank employee who, under the pressure of circumstances, has turned into a first-class swindler of European scale. The main roles in the series were played by Tom Berenger and Madolin Smith.
The best British series about swindlers
It is worth recalling the British series:
- "Virtuosos" by Tony Jordan. A multi-part project about a group of scammers who in each episode expropriate some value from the rich.
- "Robin Hood" by Dominic Minghella and Foz Allen. Another historical person who uses fraudulent skills to benefit is the national British hero Robin Hood. About him, BBC One filmed the series in 2006 with the participation of Jonas Armstrong and Keith Allen.
- Poirot by Rosalind Hicks. The list of TV shows about scammers and swindlers of British manufacture will be incomplete if you do not mention the cult film about detective Hercule Poirot. Each crime in this multi-serial picture is so complicated that even if it is a murder, its organization is still part of a large-scale adventure.
TV series about swindlers and scammers: a list of Japanese films
TV series in Japan are called "drama."
And, despite the special preferences of the Japanese public, in the land of the rising sun, there are also series of scammers in honor. Doramas deserve special attention:
- "Thief of the Edo era, nicknamed the Rat" dir. Rintaro Mayuzumi and Tomohiko Yamashita;
- The Game of Liars, dir. Kim Hong-son
- "The Royal Thief" dir. Hisashi Kimura.
Other foreign series about fraudsters
Producers of television channels are constantly in search of original stories. The life of thieves and crooks provides rich material for creating entertaining scenarios, so the best series about scammers can be found in every country.
In Ukraine, in September 2013, the Inter TV channel presented the criminal movie Shuler with Anton Feoktistov in the title role, telling about Odessa, who led a double life in Soviet times - he was an employee of the research institute in the afternoon, and turned into a cheater in the evenings.
From the very first episodes, the Turkish multi-part film Ezel also captures, the main character of which changes his appearance and fraudulently tries to take revenge on his enemies for his broken life.
The best full-length pictures about swindlers
Series about fraudsters and swindlers help brighten up hours of leisure, but still the vast majority of television projects can not be compared with full-length films made by the best directors of Hollywood and Europe with the participation of adored stars.
If you are fed up with television, pay attention to the TOP 5 best full-length films about scammers according to the IMDb website:
- The Departed (dir. Martin Scorsese) is a story about how an informant policeman performed by Leonardo DiCaprio was introduced into a gang of scammers. The picture received 4 Oscars.
- “Catch Me If You Can” (dir. Steven Spielberg) - a film about the adventures of rogue Frank Ebegneil, who received 2 Oscar nominations.
- “Ocean's 11” (directed by Stephen Soderbergh) is a crime thriller about how thief David Ocean tried to rob the richest casino in the country.
- “The Best Offer” (directed by Giuseppe Tornatore) is an action-packed drama about the director of an auction house who turned complex scams involving sellers and buyers.
- City of Thieves (directed by Ben Affleck) is a crime tape about a gang of ingenious bank robbers, which was nominated not only for an Oscar, but also for a Golden Globe.