THE GRIFTERS
US, 1990, 110 minutes, Colour.
Anjelica Huston, John Cusack, Annette Bening, Pat Hingle, J.T.Walsh.
Directed by Stephen Frears.
The Grifters is based on a novel by Jim Thompson, a novelist who died in 1976 but whose novels have increased in stature after his death. Other Thompson films include The Getaway, directed by Sam Peckinpah, Bertrand Tavernier's Coup de Torchon, The Kill - Off and After Dark My Sweet. His novel The Killer Inside Me was filmed in the '70s. Thompson himself worked on Stanley Kubrick's screenplays The Killing and Paths of Glory.
The verb `grift' is used in Rodgers and Hart's song `The Lady is a Tramp' from Pal Joey. It refers to con artists on the move throughout the United States, drifting but winning their con tricks.
The film focuses on a trio of grifters: John Cusack as Roy Dillon, his mother Lily played by Anjelica Huston (Oscar-nominated) and his girlfriend Myra, played by Annette Bening (also Oscar-nominated). The supporting cast includes cameos by Pat Hingle as a menacing gangster and Henry Jones as the manager of the hotel.
The film was directed by Stephen Frears, the British director noted for such films as Gumshoe, Bloody Kids, Saigon the Year of the Cat, My Beautiful Laundrette, Prick Up Your Ears and Sammy and Rosie Get Laid. His Dangerous Liaisons was nominated for seven Oscars. He was Oscar-nominated for director on The Grifters.
1. A piece of Americana? The American dream of success? The pessimistic vision of Jim Thompson?
2. The title, the excerpt from Rodgers and Hart, `The Lady is a Tramp'? The meaning of the word?
3. The British perspective of Stephen Frears, the thriller writer perspective of the screenplay by Oscar-nominated Donald Westlake? The strong cast? Elmer Bernstein's moody and rousing score?
4. The cinema tradition of cons and stings, audience fascination, the use of wits, trickery, magicians, winning? The consequences, good and bad?
5. The introduction to the three grifters: Lily, her glamorous style, the races and the betting? Roy and his folded notes, the dimes con? Myra and her artificial jewellery, trying to sell herself? The split screen as they came together?
6. The portrait of Roy, type, moody, the con tricks with the $20 notes? The hotel, his money hidden in the pictures of Christ? Friendship with Mr Simms? His memories of leaving home, the conman and the trick, being taken for $20? The genial conman? His relationship with Myra? Sexual relationship? The failed con with the note, his being punched, over the car and the police stopping him? Unwell, Lily's arrival, his welcoming her - and yet the hostility? His reaction to his mother, memories of growing up calling her his sister? Her taking him to hospital? Recovery, her claim to have given him life for the second time? His relationship with Myra and spurning Lily? Travelling to San Diego, the train, the con with the sailors and the dice? Myra's story, her trying to persuade him to become her partner, his reaction against it, the advice of working alone? The change of heart about being a grifter? Ringing Lily and wanting to talk with her? Myra and her anger, the taunt of incestuous feelings?
7. Lily and her style, her age, having a son at 14, not seeing him for eight years? Making contact? Her own work, the cache of money in her car, her ordered handbag? Seeing Roy, spurning Myra? Taking him to the hospital? Being caught in traffic and not able to bet on Troubadour? Bobo, his menace, pushing her around, burning her hand? The gift? The lies about stealing from him? Her various jobs, going to the races? The appointment with Roy, the clash with Myra? The information given to Bobo about her money in the car, her fleeing, the motel at the back in Phoenix, going to bed, Myra's attack, her survival, sex and glamour, style? Her story - the con with Cole, the setting up of Gloucester, the explanation of taking the money, the illegality, the pretence about the room full of machinery? The set-up with the FBI agents coming and Gloucester running, leaving the money? Cole's collapse? Her ability at acting? Sexy style with Roy? With Mr Simms? With the jewellery expert? And his answer about real jewellery and settings? Her plan, trying to persuade Roy? Failure, vindictive? Giving information about Lily after seeing the car and the money, following her, the room at the back of the motel, getting the ice, the attempted murder, her death?
9. The death - Roy going to Phoenix to identify the body, seeing the unburnt hand? His return, Lily's coming to him? His arguing against her? Her using all her wiles and threats? Packing the money, the incestuous advances, smashing his face - and killing him? Her cry of grief, yet gathering the money and going? A future? A car pursuing her?
10. The sketch of Bobo, his menace, cruelty, sadism? His vanity?
11. Cole and the con, clever, the victims, his going mad?
12. The world of cons, hotels and toughs, the man making advances on Lily in the diner and her hitting him? The victims?
13. The consequence of career and choices? Getting caught? In service to bosses? Greed and power, cruelty - and the heartlessness of the grifter? The final pessimism of the film?
