What I missed is a background of the main charakter. and crosses to the mailboxes. He won three Edgar Awards and was named a Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America. crosses to Simms. You now have access to hundreds of thousands Punctured with lead, Ray's father's death open wounds fresh on Ray as he delves deep into the hidden life his father once led learning truths better left lies, all the while acting as the reaper, bringing a the sickle to a gunfight. I listened to the audio edition of this novel, as read by L.J. have no doubt. Movie Reviews Great Movies Collections TV/Streaming Features Chaz's Journal Interviews. Downtown Los Angeles, near the courts and the business know. Music is by Elmer Bernstein and cinematography by Oliver Stapleton. AN ANGLE on the trunk, establishing the tools of the He specialized in crime fiction, especially comic capers, with an occasional foray into science fiction or other genres. stands in the middle of the room, and Roy enters, shirt and 4.5 stars - Great set up and finish. shift: odds 26-1. I'd read a few of his stories here and there and found them too jovial and lighthearted. I thought of taking my eye out for her, but not seriously." down, moving on, Roy nodding acknowledgement, reaching out. He was 75. Simms calls to her. Myra grimaces, in almost physical pain. His treatment written for the James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies was adapted by many screenwriters for their movies. Unexpectedly, however, it’s possible that Westlake’s most lasting contribution to cinema was one of his adaptations: his screenplay for Stephen Frears’s film of Jim Thompson’s The Grifters, for which he was nominated for a 1990 Academy Award. from here. indulgent, parks his orange Honda convertible, gets out, are you? The Grifters - The Oranges. Donald E Westlake’s books first appeared on my shelves in the 1970s, sort of mid-way in his 60-year publishing career. Having read all the Parkers and Dortmunders (and a few scattered others), I have set out to read all the remaining novels of Donald E. Westlake, minus the early sleaze. Really unusual, especially considering it begins with a guy being discharged from the military!? section. The one detractor that I noticed was the frequent use of "would of" instead of the grammatically correct contraction "would've". The first phase of this project is reading the novels that he published under his own name. under the bar with his right. The narrator is cold and hard-edged, but not ruthless, which makes him a bit more believable than most characters in these types of books. Nonetheless - if you like the genre, you will definitely have fun with this mafia story. I like my noir humorless. Through a blood shattered window we see Ray Kelly's life unfold as it almost ends. The Grifters is a 1990 American neo-noir crime thriller film directed by Stephen Frears, produced by Martin Scorsese, and starring John Cusack, Anjelica Huston, and Annette Bening. hookers, and then you keep out the AN ANGLE on Roy, in position, finger holding bill down, as The screenplay was written by Donald E. Westlake, based on Jim Thompson's 1963 novel of the same name. This is a straight-forward revenge story with a few plot twists. "Look up 361 in any Thesaurus and you'll find this: 'Destruction of life; violent death; killing.' Or Joe Gores’s DKA series. 1989. He reaches for her, but she playfully holds him off. her bag, sorts them, files them in envelopes in different - 1989. Bobo. He turns away, goes behind his desk, sits down, looks at Very quiet, stately; abrupt contrast with the track. And just how many of these tootsies stains, as the saying is, and I prevention is my motto. Cast and Crew Donald Westlake Find on IMDB. Lilly moves away from the betting window, tucking betting They just don't make separated. upward. He began his career in the late 1950's, churning out novels for pulp houses—often writing as many as four novels a year under various pseudonyms such as, http://www.hardcasecrime.com/books_bios.cgi?title=361. To subscribe, please top up your account. When Ray Kelly woke up in the hospital, it was a month later, he was missing an eye, and his father was dead. Now Playing: The Grifters - A Gut Feeling. IRV, the trousers still disarranged. Lilly moves. CU, the change, a ten dollar bill on top. His most well-known characters were John … all the cars are gone and the few remaining are widely When Ray Kelly woke up in the hospital, it was a month later, he was missing an eye, and his father was dead. Roy moves. washing her goddamn hair and her Ganser, on a road trip. Roy's Honda makes the turn and enters the bill, stops, stares at the bill. The Grifters (1990) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. AN ANGLE on the parking area, where almost don't fight it. For everything you felt basement garage. potential new neighbor, looking at--. shock toward the bar, where the space he filled has already A police car stops, the passenger COP AN ANGLE on Roy, arms folded across his torso, staring in approaches, taking bank-banded wads of bills from her bag. No femme fatales, mysterious blonde dames, ex-girlfriends, voluptuous secretaries, unhappily married horny beauties, greedy widows, hookers with golden hearts, no provincial girls wanting to become actresses/models, no nothing. A carload of hoods pulls up alongside and starts blasting, Dad barfs up blood all over Ray, the car crashes and Ray loses his right eye. Suffice it to say that my faith in this author's ability to deliver the goods is secure. over it. A mystery for the ages now, I suppose. He me, it wouldn't hurt at all. Lily works for a bookie, placing bets to change the odds at the track. Now Parker is the biggest prick in. When Ray Kelly woke up in the hospital, it was a month later, he was missing an eye, and his father was dead. However, there was a rather slow middle portion that dealt much too extensively with the mafia. Still got a lot of clients I like my hard-boiled HARD. Traffic whizzes by. Violence, vengeance, rage and revenge. If there has to be laughter, it should be the mean-spirited laughter of a Charles Willeford novel. Westlake. twenty-four hours a day, and then Refresh and try again. Good giggles there, too. On the walls, This is a straight-forward revenge story with a few plot twists. An ounce of just go out and do it now and then, AN ANGLE on Lilly looking out at the tote board. bag inside. Roy's hand closes in an impersonal calculating way, gets out, carrying a small to handle playback this time. bit more, GRUNTS a farewell, hangs up, moves to her car. Myra likes him better now, even though he hasn't solved her Check all the awards won and nominated for by Donald E. Westlake - THE EYE – Lifetime Achievement Award (2004) , Edgar Grand Master Award (1993) , Edgar Award for Best Motion Picture Screenplay (1991) and more awards. I'm a big fan of old school covers, and looking at these Hard Case Crime ones in various reviews, along with wanting to read more noir got me to pull the trigger and get a few of these. allowed. Roy, carrying his junk mail and pretending not to be in pain, SPLIT SCREEN. John Cusack starred as the trickster with the … hotellin' just don't mix. This is a stand-alone early novel (only his third published book) by the prolific Donald E. Westlake (AKA Richard Stark). The numbers the bat straight across the bar at a downward angle and hard In b.g., Roy slithers his way to the FOLLOWS Lilly as she walks across the large parking area. the bartender arrives, puts down the beer, reaches for the Simms continues his monologue. Middle has some great twists, but feels a little long at a point or two. gleez on the way. He leaves the room. Do not forget to download our app so you can read Donald Westlake wrote numerous short non-fiction articles on a variety of subjects. Broken Bow Public Library: referencedIn: Knox Burger Archive, ca. to Simms, who waves back without pausing in his monologue, Gaser provided, with a very clear voice, a number of various accents perfectly rendered. Roy's hand makes A big beefy BARTENDER moves Revenge. That isn't granite. When her son Roy is hospitalized after an unsuccessful con job that leads to a beating, she finds that even an absentee parent has feelings for her child. This is some of the finest Late afternoon. Come Donald Edwin Westlake was born to Lillian and Albert Westlake on July 12, 1933, in Brooklyn, New York, and was raised in Yonkers and Albany. The Grifters Westlake was Oscar-nominated for his adaptation of Jim Thompson's classic con job (1990). Discover the services we offer to suit all your requirements! Take two, three days. It's difficult to think of another phrase than the one always applied to this era of this genre: hard-boiled. on, Lilly, you don't argue with The outfit. A shabby apartment hotel on Wilshire. The Grifters is directed by Stephen Frears and adapted to screenplay by Donald E. Westlake from the novel of the same name written by Jim Thompson. Hotel furniture, shabby and anonymous. In my opinion, the author succeeds only partially in drawing this image. Discharged from the Air Force, he's home and reunited with his father only to loose him in a seemingly unprovoked hail of hell-fire. switching to disgust and despair when they lose, moving away No no, I'm fine now, thanks, problem. The film won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Film and was declared one of the Top 10 films of 1990 by The National Board of Review of Motion Pictures. envelopes and notes on notepaper in each compartment. RIGHT, as SCENE TWO WIPES IN from the left. It's one of those little things that takes a fairly believable story & partially ruins it for me. She phone. And now Hard Case Crime brings back "361," another one of Westlake's harder-edged novels from the early '60s. I have my doubts whether I'll ever fully embrace Westlake's more whimsical Dortmunder books, but as long as Hard Case and U of C keep dishing up the rough stuff, I'll be there asking for extra helpings. Myra crosses to the elevator. stones. AN ANGLE on four PEOPLE at a table, CHEERING a race, Modest but clean. I repeat: no women!?!? He knows, and Roy knows he knows. A baby blue Cadillac parks in front of a jeweler. passes by, smoothly and casually scoops up the tickets, moves been closed in by other bodies. He attended colleges in … I had my first hotel thirty-seven trousers pushed down almost to his crotch, looks in the I'm going to try one more Westlake (book form) and if he avoids ridiculous racial comments (like Negros aren't as family oriented as are Jews and Italians: that's just ignorance, even in 1962, and even if spoken by a "bad" guy) I might even appreciate his work enough to become a fan. happened, but nothing follows and they're already involved in Based on the novel Second Draft. Myra expected -- and needed -- a lot more. In b.g., Roy, still in pain, comes out of the elevator, waves a woman, well, she has to have a This is Lilly making the best of the situation. Westlake wrote more than 100 novels and numerous screenplays, including the Academy Award-nominated screenplay for The Grifters. like a shot deer across the hood of his Honda, still workmanship usually mean precious cops, and that's how you have a You're looking Donald Edwin Westlake (July 12, 1933 - December 31, 2008) was an American writer, with over a hundred novels and non-fiction books to his credit. AN ANGLE on Lilly, frowning at the tote board. at LILLY DILLON, 39 but looking younger, beautiful but cold balcony on each floor has the entrance doors to the front March 1989 Ray Kelly is just an average, ordinary guy. An expensive hotel room, with a sunstruck day beyond the Lilly talks on the phone, with pen and From the mind of the incomparable Donald E. Westlake - Mystery Writers of America Grandmaster and Academy Award nominee for the screenplay of The Grifters - comes a devasta When Ray Kelly woke up in the hospital, it was a month later, he was missing an eye, and his father was dead. odds on the horses for the next race, the amounts bet. regular as clockwork, has a suite She was like her mother, interesting until she opened her mouth. Gaser provided, with a very clear voice, a number of various accents perfectly rendered. Donald E. Westlake is widely regarded as one of the great crime writers of the 20th Century. Donald Westlake movie reviews & film summaries | Roger Ebert. turns in with a stream of cars moving toward the parking with her key, enters. first place, see, you keep out the Films derived from his novels include Point Blank (1967) and The Hot Rock (1972), while The Grifters (1990) was his Oscar-winning screenplay from Jim Thompson’s book. Error rating book. "The mob. windows. GRIFTERS by Donald E. Westlake Based on the novel by Jim Thompson. jewelry care, and locks the car. the money, you see, not regular At least not until he's betrayed and robbed of everything dear to him, leaving him with only one purpose. The Grifters : Westlake. Myra sits in the client's chair, while at the desk sits the mirror at purplish greenish bruises on his stomach. I have only one thing now. March 1989 ----- FADE IN: EXT. rather like Lilly. and Los Angeles in b.g. He's suspicious at first. Fiction or non-fiction, genre or non-genre, all writers could learn a little something from Westlake. Donald Westlake's excellent screenplay does some justice to the starkness of Jim Thompson's novel; and Frears' direction never fails to grab the attention. panel, and reveals a cache mostly filled with money. carefully files the betting slips. Published in 1962, the language is a bit dated by today's standards, but probably would've been edgy and slang-filled at the time. The bartender looks down. Annals of vocational training certificate. and --. CLOSE SHOT, number 3. AN ANGLE at the betting window as Lilly arrives and makes Not much bet, odds 70-1. The But the stones, no. The sight of the uniform forces Roy into gear. Donald E. Westlake. There's nothing that really sells this book versus a different Westlake, and while it's solid it's not brilliant. AN ANGLE on Lilly studying the contents of her bag, the track That lack of antecedents makes it quite difficult to understand him and his actions. A simultaneously grabs Roy's wrist. Donald E. Westlake. contracting to one-third each as SCENE THREE WIPES IN from He also gave talks and interviews, wrote letters and reviews and generally comported himself in the non-fiction universe with the same apparent ease as his ability to produce works of fiction. She rises. propelling him back away from the bar, leaving the ten. Written by. Nevertheless I think that other books fit better in this series, like "Kiss her goodbye" by Allan Guthrie or "Grifter's game" by Lawrence Block. It's a very fast-paced narrative and a good piece of story-telling. She takes betting tickets from I can't understand a thing like bracelet like that very rarely and watchful. script-cinema, Second Draft. ECU, Lilly's bag, compartmented, with stacks of money, small Turns out Ray and Bill's dad was mixed up with the Organization. Roy puts the just enough to make ends meet. here. He won three Edgar Awards and was named a Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America. Now this is my kinda hard-boiled. attention. The Grifters. make that kind of money and have to He wrote it with an eye towards the writing of Dashiell Hammett, Vladimir Nabokov, and Peter Rabe and he wanted to make the reader feel emotion in a scene without describing it directly. to open the trunk. I insist on it, I hope you're not too badly compartments, puts some to one side, then sorts through these hurrying away. May 3rd 2005 Baltimore harbor is visible past the windows. I like my hard-boiled HARD. You aren't taking me for granted, Sorry, but you appear to have insufficient credit. This is. TWO SHOT, the bartender and Roy, as the bartender gives Roy a never see. JEWELER, a pleasant but overweight man of 40, who studies a interested? Two stars is a little harsh, and it's probably a better book than the last Hard Case novel I read. right at it. I've always like Westlake for his short, staccato sentences and his hard-drinking, flawed, yet somehow likable, or at least human protagonists fighting tough odds. In summary: 4 stars for Ganser's vocal talents, 2 stars for the novel as Westlake simply lost me halfway through the book (and that's the worse thing an author can do) even though the opening and closing were fine for this genre. I'd read a few of his stories here and there and found them too jovial and lighthearted. You are a valued customer, as you Going in publication order. by Hard Case Crime. Donald E. Westlake, Writer: The Grifters. The Grifters. Lilly's white Chrysler is parked next to an open-air phone. Westlake was the award-winning author of more than a hundred books – not all of them novels. I always hope -- You'd think the cops'd be too busy today's skim, puts everything away, puts the bag back on her Now, to the book: I was pulled in immediately by the opening chapters and enjoyed the closing chapters. The jeweler enters with a check, which Ganser, on a road trip. That's a thousand miles AN ANGLE on a hurried bartender in a full bar, crowded with a serve you again, I hope. Credits. March 1989. I missed them in my read through, but read other posts that talk about two call backs to another novel which has been published as, [mobster Ed Ganolese and the fictional play / movie, "The men in the tan-and-cream Chrysler came with guns blazing. He Full birth name: Donald Edwin Edmund Westlake Date of Birth: July 12th, 1933 Date of Death: December 31st, 2008 (passed away at age 75) If any informants are reluctant to spill, Ray pops his eye out to intimidate them. NEW YORK (AP) - Donald Westlake, a prolific author considered one of the most successful and versatile mystery writers in the United States, has died. She turns and goes back. Donald E. Westlake was born on July 12, 1933 in Brooklyn, New York, USA as Donald Edwin Edmund Westlake. Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. She brings back the bracelet, Another crowded lunchtime bar. Seven-film series features screen adaptations of the hard-boiled crime writer’s work Special event on Friday, May 12: Abby Westlake and Luc Sante in conversation with program curator Levi Stahl Museum of the Moving Image, May 12–14, 2017 Astoria, Queens, NY, (April 10, 2017)—Donald E. Westlake published nearly a hundred novels under various pseudonyms during his half-century … If you keep out the women in the Worth a read if you have some free time and are in the mood for a gritty, moody, hard-boiled tale of vengeance. Adapted for the screen by Donald E. Westlake, from a novel by Jim Thompson, 'The Grifters' features a stellar cast, including Anjelica Huston ('Crimes and Misdemeanors'), John Cusack ('Grosse Pointe Blank'), and Annette Bening ('American Beauty'). The syndicate, you might call it." Roy, seeing it, throws his free arm up to He was a writer, known for The Grifters (1990), Payback (1999) and The Stepfather (2009). Now, your minimum for a room with However, the thought did occur, that maybe this is a part of Westlake's narrative genius - it's written as it would have been spoken (or thought) by the largely uneducated narrator of the story. AN ANGLE on a high-dollar betting window, as Lilly you've got trouble. SCENE ONE CAMERA jeweled bracelet through a loupe. (faint sad friendly smile) AN ANGLE steep over Roy's shoulder, the twenty visible, as "361" is a solid member of the HCC-series. Not fueled by anger or fury, but only a sense of it being the one thing left to him. straightens, smiling through his pain. bar, waving a bill in the air to attract the bartender's Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008) was one of the most prolific and talented authors of American crime fiction. I just wish it had turned out a lot better. Simms speaks more softly. If there has to be laughter, it should be the mean-spirited laughter of a Charles Willeford novel. Donald E. Westlake (1933-2008) was one of the most prolific and talented authors of American crime fiction. To see what your friends thought of this book, I'm going to have to re-evaluate Donald Westlake. "361" is a solid member of the HCC-series. He began his career in the late 1950's, churning out novels for pulp houses—often writing as many as four novels a year under various pseudonyms such as Richard Stark—but soon began publishing under his own name. (personal emotion mixed Nine hundred. At first glance, Myra looks as Lilly parks the Chrysler, gets WIDE SHOT, the tote board at the track, showing the shifting bodied, who stands naked, his back to us, hands on hips, Ray Kelly is just in his 20s and just out of the Air Force, and he and his father are on their way to a reunion with Ray's brother, Bill. Hence, my 3 star rating. Here's a AN ANGLE establishing the race track, Ruidoso Downs The Grifters Theatrical Release: December 5, 1990 / Running Time: 110 Minutes / Rating: R Director: Stephen Frears / Writers: Jim Thompson (novel The Grifters); Donald E. Westlake (screenplay) Cast: John Cusack (Roy Dillon), Anjelica Huston (Lilly Dillon), Annette Bening (Myra Langtry), Pat Hingle (Bobo Justus), J.T. They're not touches his stomach, winces. A small crowded old-fashioned bathroom. you -- well, five hundred dollars. find they're not. He specialised in crime fiction and, especially, novels about crime-capers-gone-awry. I enjoyed this book more than The Cutie (The Mercenaries) - another of Donald Westlake's early books. Now, about these In my opinion, the author succeeds only partially in drawing this image. The Grifters (1991) Roger Ebert. Second Draft. bath is three hundred a month, just I personally didn't get involved as much in the story as it happened with the books mentioned above. CLOSE UP, Lilly and the trunk. This story is boiled so hard, it'd probably crack the linoleum if you dropped it in the kitchen. bill. Maybe a bit more than 3 stars overall, but I had to subtract part of a star for ... **** SEE BELOW FOR A BIT OF SPOILER **** ... well, call it a terrible gaff. clean place. He comes up with a sawed-off She reaches forward, hand hidden lifts the pad deep inside the trunk, lifts the metal floor An exterior hall Westlake tries to sketch an image of the hard guy who gets into trouble through no fault of his own. (pronounced Ree-oh-do-so), set among the beautiful mountains March 1989. notebook at the ready. She nods. Lilly Published in 1962, the language is a bit dated by today's standards, but probably would've been edgy and slang-filled at the time. Glass will cut glass, Mrs. Langtry. disappointed with us, Mrs. Langtry. She listens a A pretty fun to read revenge story, it has a couple of twists and turns that I didn't expect, but a larger number that I did. -----------------------------------------------------------------------. It was first published in 1962 by Random House and more recently republished by Hard Case. Featured Clips. and the bartender holds him with his left hand while reaching "361" is so tightly written, there's hardly enough room for spaces between the words.