Burt Lancaster, Gene Hackman, and Scott Wilson play skydiving acrobats in The Gypsy Moths. They travel from small town to small town, setting up a performance to make a few hundred dollars apiece. While they risk their lives, audiences eat popcorn, chew gum, and mutter about the "entertainment". It's terrible, and director John Frankenheimer doesn't shy away from the seedy side of the profession. With no guarantee of another week's salary, or even another week of life, it's no wonder the three men avoid attachments with other people and just seek quick thrills in their free time.
They return to Scott's hometown for the Fourth of July, and his aunt and uncle (Deborah Kerr and William Windom) house them for the weekend. What would a Deborah and Burt reunion be without a few sparks, right? It turns out to be a lot more than that; the skydiving stunts aren't the only memorable parts of the movie. The Gypsy Moths features Deborah Kerr's one and only nude scene in her career. It's completely gratuitous, and you can practically see the unwritten thoughts on her face. "Remember what you had fifteen years ago? I still look good, and I know it," she smirks to her costar and former paramour.
The film has a pretty cynical tone to it, and it's obvious from the very beginning that some heavy drama will descend on the gypsies. It's tense, depressing, and has a mixture of fast pacing with slow scenes. If you actually end up liking this movie, you can check out The Great Waldo Pepper, with a similarly themed story. There's no nudity in that one, but Robert Redford's smile makes up for it.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During the aerial sequences, there are some camera spins and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"
They return to Scott's hometown for the Fourth of July, and his aunt and uncle (Deborah Kerr and William Windom) house them for the weekend. What would a Deborah and Burt reunion be without a few sparks, right? It turns out to be a lot more than that; the skydiving stunts aren't the only memorable parts of the movie. The Gypsy Moths features Deborah Kerr's one and only nude scene in her career. It's completely gratuitous, and you can practically see the unwritten thoughts on her face. "Remember what you had fifteen years ago? I still look good, and I know it," she smirks to her costar and former paramour.
The film has a pretty cynical tone to it, and it's obvious from the very beginning that some heavy drama will descend on the gypsies. It's tense, depressing, and has a mixture of fast pacing with slow scenes. If you actually end up liking this movie, you can check out The Great Waldo Pepper, with a similarly themed story. There's no nudity in that one, but Robert Redford's smile makes up for it.
DLM Warning: If you suffer from vertigo or dizzy spells, like my mom does, this movie might not be your friend. During the aerial sequences, there are some camera spins and that will make you sick. In other words, "Don't Look, Mom!"