Diggs Town

So I had this one on my Netflix queue for a while. Quite surprised I have not seen it yet, but I think what spiked my interest is that it made a list of best boxing movies of all time. Not sure what list that is, but I’m sure that’s why it’s on the queue.

And if that’s the case, then I agree one of the best boxing movies of all time. Simply for the amazing performance of Louis Gossett Jr.

Diggs Town is about a con man played by James Woods pulling off a con game on a man who owns Diggs Town (Bruce Dern) with the help of Oliver Pratt and Gossett who plays a boxer challenged to fight 10 boxers in a round in one night.

It’s mostly a con movie with James Woods as great con man and Oliver Pratt being a perfect slapstick sideman. Plus, give credit to Bruce Dern, who once said he did not mind playing a villain cause someone had to and he does is so well. I don’t remember him ever playing anything else expect for in the Sci-Fi film Silent Running. It would be cool for him to play a good guy once.

But What I like most about the movie was how impressive Gosset was as a boxer. He plays a man named Roy Palmer whose in his late 40s but still in good shape and has the heart of a fighter, making him a formidable adversary. In real life, Gosset was around mid 50s or so at least when the movie came out, and at that age, this dude looked real good as a boxer. I can see why it made the list it deserves to.

I saw it because it was a great boxing film, and it was, but stay for a great con game. Bruce Dern plays one of those antagonist who just that rich old white bigots you just need to see get got and how it unfolds is spectacular.