The Grifters (1964)
The Grifters is my favorite of the Thompson's that I've read so far, though I've liked them all. His pared down, muscular prose and gritty plots make for some of the better noir reading of all time. I haven't read the book in awhile, but the movie remains a fresh memory and summons forth a warning to my readers. My wife and I saw it on one of our earliest dates and I would encourage you single men out there to make a Mental Note: don't take a date to see a movie that features both Annette Benning in the altogether and a mother frenchkissing and then killing her son; dating is complicated enough without these added hurdles.
NEIL GOLDSTEIN REVIEWS:
Watch the
movie and read the
book.
Both were equally enjoyable, perhaps the book was more introspective, while the movie was more entertaining. And, of course, while the ending is twisted and shocking, it is also completely plausible.
A young man of 25 has been on his own since the age of seventeen. Because his father is out of the picture, and his mother is only 15 years his senior, an obvious lack of coherent and responsible parenting occurs. In addition, the mother is a professional grifter working for a medium level race-track gate fixer. So the son leaves home at an early age and works as a salesman. Having a knack for conversing and being both impressionable and sharp as a tack he meets strangers in the big cities and learns their trades, and favors one, which just so happens to be the short con.
As the story develops the mother and son have a reconciliation, of sorts. It is at this point where Thompson develops his case study of the psychopathology between mother and son and divided selfish interests.
Take the time (about two hours) to read this book, if for no other reason
than to enjoy the pleasures of a completely unabsorbed fictional romp through
the minds of grifters.
(Reviewed:06-Sep-99)
Grade: (A)
