# Con (as in "confidence game") movies and novels **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 8, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/con-as-in-confidence-game-movies-and-novels/765370 "2016-09-08T21:48:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/con-as-in-confidence-game-movies-and-novels/765370/61 "2016-09-12T16:02:05Z")
Well, there was this nice little con job pulled by aliens in a _Twilight Zone_ episode titled [“To Serve Man”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/To_Serve_Man_%28The_Twilight_Zone%29). ---
**Author:** ![JohnGalt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johngalt/32/184_2.png) [@JohnGalt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnGalt)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/con-as-in-confidence-game-movies-and-novels/765370/62 "2016-09-12T16:03:26Z")
It’s not a movie and not a novel, but the episode of _Community_ [Conspiracy Theories and Interior Design](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conspiracy_Theories_and_Interior_Design) starts off with Jeff being a conman faking a class he took, only to discover by the end there are a series of cons being played. I just watched it again and still can’t really follow the ending. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/con-as-in-confidence-game-movies-and-novels/765370/63 "2016-09-12T19:57:15Z")
For novels … Well, there’s _The Talented Mr. Ripley_, and sequels. I’m not quite sure it fits – Ripley is a sociopathic liar and killer who strikes out at people who realize he’s living a fraudulaent like, My as to what the OP is looking for I think would be the _Dortmunder_ series by Donald Westlake, John Dortmunder is a criminal mastermind with really bad luck. A similar series _The Burglar …_ by Lawrence Block. Bernie is an antiquarian book dealer by day and a cat burglar by night, and much comedy ensues. Both these series have movies made of one or more of their books. ---
**Author:** ![Lok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e8c25b/32.png) [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/con-as-in-confidence-game-movies-and-novels/765370/64 "2016-09-13T02:54:24Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > _Hu$le_, a UK show, and its inferior US rip-off _Leverage._ > > _The Grifters_ has some of this. I enjoyed what I have seen of _Hustle_, but I found _Leverage_ to be much more enjoyable. I just looked the characters better I think. My recommendation is [The Art of the Steal](http://imdb.com/rg/an_share/title/title/tt2172985/). Kurt Russell and Matt Dillon, and a very rewarding movie about a long con that I loved. I saw it streaming on Netflix and I believe it is still available there. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2016, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/con-as-in-confidence-game-movies-and-novels/765370/65 "2016-09-13T03:41:18Z")
Con men and magicians share much in common. Therefore, I nominate The Illusionist. And I should include the story it was based on, Eisenheim the Illusionist. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/con-as-in-confidence-game-movies-and-novels/765370.md?page=3)