Il mattatore (USA title: Love and Larceny, 1963) is a 1960 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi. It stars Vittorio Gassman in sveral comic roles. Gassman showcases his talents in this farce by director Dino Risi about the growing success of a con artist. In one scene he impersonated Greta at a photographic session.

Vittorio Gassman

Vittorio Gassman (1922–2000), popularly known as Il Mattatore, was an Italian theatre and film actor and director. Gassman is considered one among the best Italian actors and is commonly recalled as an extremely professional, versatile, magnetic interpreter, whose long career includes both important productions as well as dozens of divertissements (which gave him a vast popularity).

Gassman, 1960

The Plot

Gerardo (Gassman) starts out as a vaudeville performer and noting that acting abilities can be used for less legit purposes, he creatively assumes different guises in order to con people out of anything from a pair of shoes to ultimately mucho lira.

  
Gassman as Garbo

In one of his escapades he passes himself off as Greta Garbo, donning an appropriate disguise, and has all manner of paparazzi ready to take the bait. He did not learn all his inventive and often spontaneous tricks alone, his cellmate Chinotto (Peppino de Filippo) was a great mentor. But even his cellmate could not coach him on how to remain single after his girlfriend Annalise (Anna Maria Ferrero) sets her heart on matrimony.

Movie poster

Alternative titles:
Der Meistergauner (Germany)
Love and Larceny (USA 1963)
L' Homme aux cent visages (France)