King of the Gypsies

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King of the Gypsies

R

Released Dec 20, 1978

1h 52m

Drama

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Popcornmeter

67%

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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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George Anderson

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

An offbeat and sometimes fascinating look at gypsy life in modern America.

Rated: B+

Jul 8, 2025

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Grant Watson

Fiction Machine

Ultimately the film only works in fits and starts; a 1970s curiosity for sure, but not a classic in waiting.

Rated: 5/10

Feb 14, 2024

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Marina Hirsch

Berkeley Barb

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.

Dec 28, 2020

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Nicholas Bell

IONCINEMA.com

A noteworthy scrapbook of the cinematic period.

Rated: 3/5

Oct 21, 2020

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Larry Vitacco

Philadelphia Gay News

Eric Roberts' debut performance is impressive.

May 27, 2020

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Cole Smithey

ColeSmithey.com

Rated: 4/5

Nov 1, 2005

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Roxy W

Perhaps 1978 was a re-release year. But, I saw this in the theatre in the early 1970s...1971 or '72. A favorite.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

07/22/24

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Oliver M

Godfather Lite. Sterling Hayden takes too long to die. Best scene Susan Sarandon fortune telling.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/31/23

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Audience Member

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

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

12/21/23

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Steve D

Mostly notable for Roberts's strong debut.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

03/14/23

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Audience Member

Not as violent as the The Godfather but surprisingly good.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/25/23

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Audience Member

awesome pic and Eric Robert's film debut

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/21/23

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Frank Pierson

Director

Eric Roberts

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Judd Hirsch

Groffo

Sterling Hayden

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Susan Sarandon

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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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