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King of the Gypsies

Play trailer Poster for King of the Gypsies R 1978 1h 52m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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67% Tomatometer 9 Reviews 63% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
The grandson (Eric Roberts) of a Gypsy king (Sterling Hayden) inherits the New York clan ahead of his father (Judd Hirsch), who tries to kill him.
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King of the Gypsies

Critics Reviews

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George Anderson Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Jul 8
B+
An offbeat and sometimes fascinating look at gypsy life in modern America. Go to Full Review
Grant Watson Fiction Machine 02/14/2024
5/10
Ultimately the film only works in fits and starts; a 1970s curiosity for sure, but not a classic in waiting. Go to Full Review
Marina Hirsch Berkeley Barb 12/28/2020
It's the kind of movie where the blood spatters out in big slowmotion gobs when the bad guy gets his. It's also a relief when the credits finally roll by. Go to Full Review
Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com 10/21/2020
3/5
A noteworthy scrapbook of the cinematic period. Go to Full Review
Larry Vitacco Philadelphia Gay News 05/27/2020
Eric Roberts' debut performance is impressive. Go to Full Review
Cole Smithey ColeSmithey.com 11/01/2005
4/5
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Audience Reviews

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Roxy W 07/22/2024 Perhaps 1978 was a re-release year. But, I saw this in the theatre in the early 1970s...1971 or '72. A favorite. See more Oliver M 12/31/2023 Godfather Lite. Sterling Hayden takes too long to die. Best scene Susan Sarandon fortune telling. See more 12/21/2023 He's the new king of the gypsies Eric Roberts' first film role co-starring with Annette O'Toole, Judd Hirsch, Susan Sarandon, Brooke Shields, and Annie Potts Directed by Frank Pierson and based on the book by Peter Maas Roberts plays the grandson of a gypsie who inherits the NYC clan in the 1960s But his father opts to take him out of the picture when he abandons all traditional values for the sake of modernity For thousands of years the community comes together against the world even if they fight amongst themselves, you don't need to have a million dollars to be a millionaire, in a democracy there are no kings But this movie shows a power struggle within among relatives It takes an hour and 15 min for the actual plot to kick in which I was baffled by But I'm surprised this is the most villainous character Hirsch has ever played and Roberts plays the rebellious young man very well He's pushed to the very breaking point wanting to distance himself from his roots And this works as a timeless portrayal of clashing generations of traditional cultural and familial values Good but could've been better See more Steve D 03/14/2023 Mostly notable for Roberts's strong debut. See more 02/19/2018 Not as violent as the The Godfather but surprisingly good. See more 05/13/2015 awesome pic and Eric Robert's film debut See more Read all reviews
King of the Gypsies

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Movie Info

Synopsis The grandson (Eric Roberts) of a Gypsy king (Sterling Hayden) inherits the New York clan ahead of his father (Judd Hirsch), who tries to kill him.
Director
Frank Pierson
Producer
Federico De Laurentiis
Screenwriter
Frank Pierson
Production Co
Dino De Laurentiis Company
Rating
R
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Dec 20, 1978, Limited
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 12, 2014
Runtime
1h 52m
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