King of the Gypsies

A great small movie, with a not unusual plot, some nice and some OK acting, very nice direction and photography and most of all, a fantastic soundtrack -- Stephane Grappelli (a gypsy jazz violinist who played with Django Rinehardt) does incredibly fine gypsy style music - worth it for this alone! Also fun to see a young, dishy Susan Sarandon and a very young Eric Roberts in this movie. Judd Hirsh is great playing a counter to his usual sweet image (or gruff old guy a la "I'm not Rappaport"). In this movie, Hirsh is positively evil. A great peek into a unique culture of traveling people who have been vilified and chased all over the world.

Released in 1978, "King of the Gypsies" chronicles the life of an American gypsy (Eric Roberts in his debut) who resists being made the king of his clan by his grandfather (Sterling Hayden). Meanwhile his villainous father (Judd Hirsch) resents that he was passed up and hostilities mount. Susan Sarandon plays the mother, Shelley Winters the grandmother, Brooke Shields the young sister and Annette O'Toole & Annie Potts the potential girlfriends.

The movie plays like a less-epic and lower-budgeted version of 1972's "The Godfather," albeit about Gypsies rather than a Mafia family. The cast and acting are superlative and the tone is gritty realistic. The screenplay was based on Peter Maas' true-life book. The story covers three generations of a Gypsy family from the 40s into the 70s and is narrated by Robert's character, which provides an interesting continuity. It's not great, but it's good enough and provides a window into this unconventional culture, their traveling lifestyle, interactions, work (including "fortune telling"), schemes, music, dancing and misadventures.

The film runs 112 minutes and was shot in New York/New Jersey area.

GRADE: B

This movie was panned by critics, but it seems to have gained cult status among those who like 70s films.

I liked it simply for its fascinating subject--Gypsies in modern day urban America.

This is certainly not a definitive study of the culture, but it is exciting and most of the acting is solid. Roberts and Shields are incredibly beautiful, and the cinematography has that ripe, but overcast look you see in so many films released during the era. Stephane Grapelli's violin in the background adds weight to the glorious score.

The biggest downside is Sterling Hayden's performance. His voice tends to rupture and bark in its heaviness; it lacks nuance. Also, I sometimes felt embarrassed for Sarandon. Though she was perfectly cast, she seems embarrassed herself at times; there is a brief scene where she has to dance, and her body language suggests she's thinking "Do I still have time to reconsider?" Another problem is the continuity. Where was the script supervisor? Shield's character was supposedly born in the 1940s, but when we see her again as a young teenager, it is clearly the late 1970s. You hear Disco in the background, see the long leather coats, and wait for John Travolta to make a grand entrance.

But enough of my nit-picking. Maybe this is not the finest film, but it is indeed a *fun* film. The subject is intriguing, and the plot itself is good. What it lacks in directorial perfection, it makes up for in soul.

Strong performances by a stellar cast highlight this unforgettable film about a largely misunderstood population known as the Gypsies. They sing, dance, wear jewelry, and party together. On the other hand, they steal, deceive and con non-Gypsies out of their money with fortune telling. For most viewers, this film shows complex depiction of them. Eric Roberts give a top notch first rate powerful performance as the Gypsy son who sees the error of his people's ways like no schooling. The other cast members are legendary such as a young Brooke Shields playing his baby sister. Susan Sarandon and Judd Hirsch as his parents. Shelley Winters is great as Queen Rachel and Sterling Hayden as the King. This film is a must see.

I first saw this film at a theatre in 1978 and have only seen it on television once. I can't remember what attracted me to seeing it, but it was a surprisingly good movie. Eric Roberts showed the industry that he can act and be very convincing. The central actors must have studied gypsy life because they pulled it off very well. The film is mostly about the tension of the next successor to the throne (Judd Hirsch) and his son (Eric Roberts) whom the present King (Sterling Hayden) favors as his actual successor. Hirsch plays a cold, scheming character who finally does one of the most despicable acts a person can do, and shows no remorse for it. This, in turn, sparks retaliation from his son. If I ever find it on DVD, it will become part of my collection. I give this film an 8 out of 10.