King of the Gypsies (1978)

Director:

Frank Pierson

Writers:

Peter Maas (book), Frank Pierson (written for the screen by)

Stars:

Sterling Hayden, Susan Sarandon, Judd Hirsch

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sterling Hayden	...	King Zharko Stepanowicz
Shelley Winters	...	Queen Rachel
Susan Sarandon	...	Rose
Judd Hirsch	...	Groffo
Eric Roberts	...	Dave
Brooke Shields	...	Tita
Annette O'Toole	...	Sharon
Annie Potts	...	Persa
Michael V. Gazzo	...	Spiro Giorgio
Antonia Rey	...	Danitza Giorgio
Stephen Mendillo	...	Adolf
Daniel Spira	...	Zio Miller
Joe Zaloom	...	Rui Ilanovitch
Lou Cevetillo	...	Pete Stepanowicz
Zvee Scooler	...	Phuro (as Svee Scooler)

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

grandson | heritage | psychological drama | father son relationship | generation gap | 

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Taglines:

HIS time is here and he must carry on the tradition of ruling with vengeance!

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 February 1979 (France)

Also Known As:

A cigányok királya

Filming Locations:

Hillside, New Jersey, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dino De Laurentiis Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Movie Debut of Eric Roberts.

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Soundtracks

"Ridin'"
By Pegasus and Rick Galaher
Performed by Pegasus

User Reviews

An overlooked gem

Peter Maas's book is a non-fiction look at the Gypsy culture, particularly how it has translated into 20th century America. This movie is mostly fiction, although it draws on some of the material in the book.

It's basically a family drama, with a rebellious youth (Eric Roberts) squaring off against his abusive father (Judd Hirsch). I'm not sure if a case can be made for Eric Roberts as a terrific actor, but he doesn't embarrass himself here, and the rest of the cast, Hirsch, Shelley Winters, Susan Sarandon, and Sterling Hayden, is superb. A fascinating look at a culture that may be dissolving into modern life, and a well-paced and acted film that is consistently entertaining.

There's a special treat for jazz fans, as violin giant Stephane Grappelli appears in the movie, along with mandolin player David Grisman, performing a medley composed by Grisman and performed with Grappelli on a live album that has always been one of my favorites. This is the only footage I've seen of Grappelli performing, and while it's limited to a few shots, it's still worth the price of admission.

A DVD release has finally been announced for June 3, 2008.