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Feb 04, 2015Nursebob rated this title 4 out of 5 stars
During the latter half of the Depression two petty con-artists bite off more than they can chew when they unwittingly steal a sizable sum of cash belonging to a vengeful mobster. After one partner is murdered for his part in the theft, the remaining man escapes to Chicago where he hooks up with an acquaintance of his dead friend; a one-time master grifter now living in a squalid waterfront dive. Together the two plot a most ingenious revenge on the gangster responsible for their friend’s death. As their elaborate scam takes shape, involving rigged poker games and fake bookie joints, nothing is quite what it appears to be...but will it be enough to fool a master criminal? This is a briskly paced, colourful tale featuring wonderful performances from its star-studded cast while the detailed sets, costumes and musical score bring 1930s Chicago to life with a vibrancy that is part fact, part wistful nostalgia. The ending may not come as a great surprise, Hill offers up too many clues beforehand, but the journey there is thoroughly enjoyable.