King of the Gypsies Reviews

Although this film suffered from some miscasting--especially the choice of Shields, whose performance is more than mildly distressing--KING OF THE GYPSIES offers an often fascinating look at gypsy culture in America. Roberts is impressive in his screen debut as the unwilling heir to the gypsy throne. He tries to break away from a culture he considers archaic, yet is always drawn back to his roots. The sequences involving gypsy scams are fascinating and often humorous in their simplicity. Despite the film's sometimes trashy veneer and the variable accents of the actors, it's not that bad a flick. Sarandon really enjoys being this noisy, and Winters is clearly getting into her degradation. Real-life gypsies who served as extras were often caught trying to scam the producers out of more money for themselves. And why not? The movie industry is full of scamming. Life imitates art... or is it the other way around?