Gypsies in Hollywood

, Ok, so have you seen the previews for the horror film that came out Friday called Drag Me To Hell? Scary looking isn’t it? It stars Alison Lohman, who, by the way, played in a movie called Matchstick Men with Nicholas Cage, which was fantastic. She plays a loan officer at a bank that refuses an old woman, who just happens to be a Gypsy, a loan that will keep her in her house. Get ready for the cliché. The old Gypsy woman puts a curse on her. Didn’t see that one coming did ya? I guess after that all hell breaks loose and it must be pretty good because it’s getting rave reviews.

My real point, though, is that it got me to thinking about Gypsies in movies. For the most part they are portrayed as the antagonist, just as in the movie above. There are a few movies, however, that portray the much maligned Gypsies with a bit more civility and fairness. These are far and few in between, though.

The following are a selection of some of those rare, non-villainous Gypsy movies mixed in with some of the tried and true “evil Gypsy” portrayals.

Snatch (2000)

Starring Brad Pitt and Benicio Del Toro

 

That’s right ladies, Brad Pitt as a Gypsy. I’ll give you girls a minute while you try to stop your little hearts from pitter-pattering. Pitt plays an Irish Traveler or Pikey, as they are sometimes called. It is a crime thriller with a bit of comedy mixed in about bare knuckle fight fixing, diamond heists and various other nefarious goings on. Good luck trying to understand a single word Pitt says the entire movie, because he has the Pikey accent nailed down. Bonus for the ladies: Pitt with no shirt on fighting a lot, much like in Fight Club.

King of the Gypsies (1978)

Starring Eric Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields and Judd Hirsch

It’s been quite awhile since I seen this movie, but I’ve always thought this was the best fictional portrayals of everyday Gypsy life. Considering there isn’t very much to compare it with, that may not be saying much. This is Eric Robert's motion picture debut and he is great in it. The supporting cast is outstanding as well. The movie is about an abusive relationship between a father (Hirsch) and son (Roberts) and a power struggle within a clan of Gypsies. I can’t remember if they ever say what kind of Gypsies are portrayed here, but I do remember there being some English Gypsy and Romanian dialect spoken by some of the actors.

Traveller (1997)

Starring Bill Paxton, Mark Wahlberg and Julianna Margulies

Another film, like Snatch, portraying Irish Travelers. This movie had me hooked from the opening scene as Bill Paxton’s character is knocking doors looking for a driveway to seal. Finally, a movie about Gypsies I could really relate to. I was really feeling Paxton’s pain as he was hurriedly trying to beat the rain while spraying the driveway. Has many other true aspects of Gypsy life peppered throughout. Of course, it’s not entirely accurate, but you gotta take the bad with the good, I guess. Well worth viewing.

Chocolat (2000)

Starring Juliet Binoche, Johnny Depp, Judy Dench and Carrie Ann Moss

Guess who the Gypsy is in this one ladies. That’s right, good old Captain Jack himself, Johnny Depp. This is a drama romance with a bit of comedy mixed in. Binoche plays a mother who moves into a very proper town with her young daughter. Her arrival shakes things up in the town when she decides to keep her chocolate shop opened on Sundays. Eventually she begins to win them over with her personality and deliciously, mystical chocolates. Her chocolates seem to have an amorous affect on it’s consumers. Binoche, herself, finds romance with a drifting Gypsy played by Depp. Once again it’s eye candy for the ladies as Depp saunters around in loosely fitting, chest baring shirts. Enjoy girls.

Wuthering Heights (1939)

Starring Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon and David Niven

This is, by far, my favorite movie on this list. In my opinion, the greatest romance of all-time. Laurence Olivier, at his best, plays Heathcliff a ragged Gypsy boy saved from the streets by the owner of Wuthering Heights. The owner has a daughter named Cathy, played by Oberon, who becomes Heathcliff’s soul mate. They are inseparable. That is, until Cathy’s father dies and Wuthering Heights is left to her overbearing, evil brother, who can’t stand Heathcliff.

Heathcliff leaves Wuthering Heights only to come back to, a spoken for, Cathy. The heart-wrenching, spiraling descent into darkness, depression and revenge by Olivier as Heathcliff is one of the greatest acting jobs in film history. Another must-see for you ladies as Olivier is at his peak as the broodingly handsome Heathcliff.

A bit of trivia for you. Who remembers a song called No Myth by Michael Penn (Sean Penn’s brother) from the late 80’s’? Well if you do you may remember the following line: “What if I was Romeo in black jeans. What if I was HEATHCLIFF it’s no myth.” Olivier’s Heathcliff is who Penn was referring to.

Final note: If you watch this movie, make sure it is the 1939 version with Olivier. The others are good too, but not nearly.

Borat (2006)

Starring Sasha Baron Cohen

I couldn’t end this without mentioning this movie. There are no portrayals of Gypsies in this movie, but there are several references made. Borat hates Gypsies and some of the ways he likes to express that hatred is absolutely hilarious. For the love of God, the man bases his decision on what kind of vehicle to purchase on it’s ability to do damage as he plows over Gypsies. There are several other, just as funny, moments peppered throughout that will have tears running down your face.

You might say “How can you laugh at this? Aren’t you a Gypsy?” Yes I am and that’s precisely why I find it so funny. If you can’t laugh at yourself and you get offended that easily, then you’re probably better off to just go live in a closet somewhere. It’s comedic genius and I can appreciate a good joke whether it’s on me or anyone else.

By the way, don’t let the kiddies see this one. It’s a bit too risqué.

Here are some other movies that either are about Gypsies or they feature Gypsies within the plot:

Thinner - Horror movie about a Gypsy curse

Drag Me To Hell - Horror movie about a Gypsy curse

Lacho Drom - Documentary about Gypsies

The Raggedy Rawney - with Bob Hoskins (who happens to be a Gypsy)

Angelo, My Love - directed by Robert Duvall

Time of the Gypsies - Foreign film about Gypsies

Into the West - with Gabriel Byrne about Irish Travelers

Gadjo Dilo - Foreign film about Gypsies

Rom - Documentary about Greek Gypsies

The Bicycle Thief - Foreign film with scenes of Gypsy fortune teller essential to plot

When the Road Bends - Documentary about Gypsies with Johnny Depp

Golden Earrings - with Ray Milland and Marlene Dietrich

The Hunchback of Notre Dame - Esmerelda is a Gypsy

The Man Who Cried - Once again Depp plays a Gypsy

What are some other movies with Gypsy themes? What is your favorite? Leave answers in the comment section below this post.

I’ll be typing at ya later,

Bob the Blogger