10 Best Con Man Movies

We return to the master of the con, David Mamet, for what is easily his best film about the subject. The Spanish Prisoner follows Campbell Scott, a scientist whose MacGuffin-like "formula" will revolutionize the industry. The script respects our intelligence enough that any further details are erroneous, so we needn't worry about them. After a chance meeting with a mysterious wealthy man (Steve Martin), the two form a friendship that starts to fall apart - along with every other aspect of Scott's life.

While Mamet's notorious dialogue can come off as stinted when not handled well, it's laid out here as artfully as every other piece of the puzzle. Unlike Games, the con is not necessarily spelled out from the start, even though its ultimate conclusion is predictable, it's a pleasure watching the puzzle come together, as doors close behind our protagonist with every turn.

Martin, cast against type, is excellent as a calculatingly cold businessman.