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

Also Known As:

Anatomia do Golpe (Portugal) [pt]
Grifters (West Germany) [de]
Huijarit (Finland) [fi]
Les arnaqueurs (France) [fr]
Los timadores (Spain) [es]
Los tramposos (Argentina) [es]
Oi kleftes (Greece) [el]
Os Imorais (Brazil) [pt]
Rischiose abitudini (Italy) [it]
Svindlarna (Sweden) [sv]
The grifters - Huijarit (Finland) [fi]
Yasak iliskiler (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

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:

Character names "Lilly Dillon" and "Myra Langtry" allude to 1800s actress Lilly Langtry.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: In the scene where John Cusack visits Angelica Houston in her hotel room to repay his medical expenses, there is an overhead mic clearly visible at the top of the screen.

Quotes:

Myra Langtry: [laughing while having sex with Joe]
Joe: What're you laughing at?
Myra Langtry: Oh, nothi- nothing, nothing, no, never mind, Joe. It's just... I was remembering, at lunch... on the menu it said, "Today's Special: broiled hothouse tomato under generous slice... of ripe cheeeeese!"
[giggles]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: 'Manos' the Hands of Fate (#5.24)" (1993)

Soundtrack:

DO YOU DO YOU LOVE ME

Great Writing, Acting Make This A Superior 'Noir'

Here is a modern-day "film noir," if I ever saw one. You get sleazy characters with no morals, brutal attitudes, some interesting photography and a story that is not exactly a happy one - all the ingredients of a good noir. Since the film is a 1990 one and not the '40s and '50s (in which purists think that's the only period for noirs), you also get nudity and profanity.

The best part of the film, to me, is the fact that the three leading characters are so interesting. You never know what these intriguing characters are going to do next. There is an odd mother-son relationship, too - very odd, between John Cusack and Angelica Huston who play "Lilly and Roy Dillon." The third person among this trio of "grifters" (scam artists) is played by Annette Bening, who never looked prettier or demonstrated her lack of morals better than she did here as the wicked "Myra Langtry." You can see all of Bening in this movie, and I mean all. Huston, on the other hand, tries to look sexy but is too hard-looking and certainly no competition for Bening, in age or looks. But Angelica is a terrific actress and I thought her character, was easily the most interesting of the three leads. Cusack, meanwhile, gives an underrated performance: one of the best in his career.

Three supporting guys in here are fantastic: Pat Hingle as "Bobo Justus," J.T. Walsh as "Cole," and Charles Napier as "Gloucester Hebbing." Overall, this is a wonderful cast that does full justice to this unusual crime story.

The story has a mean edge to it most of the way, but that's the style of writer Jim Thompson, who is a very good crime author who wrote the novel on which this movie is based. He has written several fascinating books. Donald Westlake, who wrote the screenplay, is a prolific crime story writer.

There is not a lot of action in this film but when it occurs, it is shocking and brutal. This movie always entertains me every time I view it.