In keeping with the February theme 1960-69, The Grifters by
Jim Thompson was written in 63. Some of you may remember last
spring I posted about my re-reading of Thompson's novels to
try to determine for myself which was his
"best". At the time I came up with Getaway. Since then after
much mulling over and chewing on this question I revised
Thompson's best picking his "The Grifters" as best.
Grifters is a more introspective work by Thompson and
the characters are more finely and fully drawn. The scenes
and atmosphere are painted with a gritty realistic brush.
Thompson's first person narratives are well done, it's just
that the first person vehicle for story telling is limited
and for me all things else being equal a good third person
narrative will just about always carry the day over a good
first person.
[Grift is money made dishonestly as in a swindle or a
confidence game. The grifters in this novel by Thompson are
Lilly and Roy Dillon and Moira Langtry. Lilly and Roy are
mother and son and haven't seen each other for seven years as
the book opens. Moira is Roy's girlfriend, a prostitute, and
a former grifter. Roy has a steady sales job and he makes the
grift on the side. Lilly does her grifting for the mob,
betting down the odds on long shots at the horse races so her
boss won't take too big of a fall should one of those long
shots come in. This novel has beautiful description, great
characterization, and even some subtle jabs at consumerism
and the corrupting aspects of the modern world. Moira and her
former grifter partner Cole laugh at and make fun of
advertisements. Moira in a bar after ordering a sidecar feels
"that the times were out of joint with themselves, and that
the most emphasis was put on the least worthwhile pursuits".
"She can no longer hear it. It was lost, the music which each
person had inside himself, and which put him in step with
things as they should be". Dillon is the name Thompson used
on his Communist party Identification card. Many artists at
the time were interested in Communism because of their
concern for social justice for the poor and didn't know much
about the larger Communist world. There is an Oedipal
atmosphere that develops in Roy's love hate relationship with
Lilly. This novel builds at a slow crescendo pace and the
ending is a shocker. This is Thompson's true magnum
opus.]
The film adaption by Frears is one of my favorite movies and
stands as one of the best noir book adaptions ever.
Does the 60-69 theme indicate books with events taking place
then or books that were written then?
Paul Miller
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