Character Relationship Map: The Swindle

Characters

• Augusto (played by Broderick Crawford) — protagonist

  Augusto is the head of the swindling gang and the central figure of the story. After reconnecting with his teenage daughter Patrizia, his conscience begins to awaken. Later, he joins Baron Vargas in a...

• Iris (played by Giulietta Masina) — protagonist

  Iris is Carlo's faithful wife. Carlo deceives her by claiming to be a traveling salesman while participating in the gang's frauds, but she gradually stops believing his story. Her growing distrust ref...

• Carlo (played by Richard Basehart) — supporting

  Carlo, nicknamed Picasso because he aspires to be an artist, is a member of the swindling gang. He pretends to Iris that he works as a traveling salesman, but her disbelief and his own troubled consci...

• Roberto (played by Franco Fabrizi) — supporting

  Roberto is a member of the gang who finds cheating poor people amusing and enjoys spending the stolen money on parties and luxury. Unlike Carlo, whose conscience is troubled, Roberto takes pleasure in...

• Stella's Sister (played by Sara Simoni) — minor
• Stella Florina (played by Maria Zanoli) — minor

Canonical Relationships

Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.

• Stella's Sister → Stella Florina (sister)
• Carlo → Roberto (Professional Gang Associate) — Their connection is based on shared criminal work.

  Carlo and Roberto are both members of the gang that carries out scams and enjoys the proceeds from them.

• Carlo → Iris (Romantic Husband) — Their marriage is strained by Carlo's deception and criminal life.

  The plot explicitly describes Iris as Carlo's faithful wife. Carlo pretends to her that he is a traveling salesman, but she gradually stops believing...

Story Dynamics

Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.

• Augusto → Roberto (Alliance Teammate) — Roberto operates within Augusto's criminal group.

  Roberto is described as another member of the gang led by Augusto, participating in scams and spending the proceeds.

• Augusto → Carlo (Alliance Teammate) — They belong to the same swindling operation during its earlier phase.

  Augusto and Carlo are both identified as members of the gang that deceives farmers and residents of a shanty town.

Story Analysis

A criminal life built on deception is gradually confronted by distrust, conscience, violence, and death.

Plot Progression

1. Profits Behind Disguises — The gang uses clerical and official disguises to steal money from poor farmers and shanty-town residents. Their profits are converted into cars, champagne, and nightlife.
2. Conscience Inside The Gang — Carlo hides his criminal life from Iris, but her distrust grows as his lies become less convincing. Carlo eventually decides to quit, while Roberto continues to enjoy the stolen wealth.
3. A Brief Return To Family — Augusto meets his teenage daughter after years apart, and the encounter awakens his conscience. His recognition at a cinema leads to arrest and imprisonment.
4. The Mountain Deception — After release, Augusto joins another gang and repeats the clergy scam in the Apennines. Speaking with a sick teenage girl makes him reconsider the theft.
5. The Price Of Repentance — Augusto claims that he returned the stolen money, provoking an argument with the gang. The criminals beat him, discover the hidden takings, and abandon him to die.