The Grifters (1990)

Director:

Stephen Frears

Writers (WGA):

Jim Thompson (novel)
Donald E. Westlake (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 January 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Seduction. Betrayal. Murder. Who's Conning Who?

Plot:

A small-time conman has torn loyalties between his estranged mother and new girlfriend--both of whom are high-stakes grifters with their own angles to play.

Plot Keywords:

Con | Con Artist | Elevator | Con Trick | Female Criminal

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 8 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Anjelica Huston	...	Lilly Dillon
John Cusack	...	Roy Dillon
Annette Bening	...	Myra Langtry
Jan Munroe	...	Guy at Bar
Robert Weems	...	Racetrack Announcer
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Jeweler
Jimmy Noonan	...	Bartender
Richard Holden	...	Cop
Henry Jones	...	Simms
Michael Laskin	...	Irv
Eddie Jones	...	Mintz
Sandy Baron	...	Doctor
Lou Hancock	...	Nurse
Gailard Sartain	...	Joe
Noelle Harling	...	Nurse Carol Flynn

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:M18 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:12 | Argentina:18 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | Norway:15

Filming Locations:

Arizona, USA

Company:

Cineplex-Odeon Films

Trivia:

The Arizona motel sequence, from Lilly's approach through her dialogue with the clerk, mirrors that in Psycho (1960)

Goofs:

Continuity: In the train, when Roy is grifting the sailors, you can see that he is only rolling one die at a time. However, you can distinctly hear him drop two dice (out of the frame) to the table at the end of the game.

Quotes:

Myra Langtry: Don't tell me. You're Addison Simms of Seattle! And we had lunch together in the fall of 1902!

Movie Connections:

Features The Lady Vanishes (1938)

Soundtrack:

DO YOU DO YOU LOVE ME

A seedy underbelly of life exposed for all to see

Years ago, this was one of the films I was quite pleased with myself for seeing. I didn't know much about it, but decided to take a chance on it, with no regrets. From the opening sequence to the end credits I was mesmerized and in awe of events that communicated an entirely alien philosophy. Based on the novel by Jim Thompson, "The Grifters" tells a tale of a world that lies just under the surface of the one we know of. That is of course, if you count yourself among the squares and suckers who often fall prey to the craftsmen of the grift.

With startling precision, intrigue and depth, the story unfolds chronicling the lives of three distinctly different yet intertwined individuals. Their setting and perspective is entirely foreign to the majority of us. The filmmakers portray the grifters' different methods and environments as skilled scam artists. For unless you've had a personal experience having fallen prey or gotten wise to a grifter's ploy, you'll simply have to accept the reality of it. They are out there, waiting for the suckers to be born.

This particularly dark tale is very stylishly directed and moves along at a good pace. Each turn offers another sneak peek into the games played and the tricks pulled. The prey are often unaware of their own victimization as they go on about their business.

Another aspect the film deals with is trust or the lack thereof. Our protagonists spend most of their time scamming, conning and tricking people so much that their sense of trust and decency breaks down. They alienate themselves from everyone, and ultimately can't even trust each other.

And of course, what drama would be complete without a twisted love triangle in the mix with betrayal and murder to keep it interesting. If this doesn't sound like another day at the office, you might just find the workplace of "The Grifters" intriguing. Seeing it today, I enjoyed it as much as I did years ago, before I opened my eyes for a fresh look at the world.