Diggstown

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Diggstown
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Michael Ritchie
Produced by	Robert Schaffel Youssef Vahabzadeh
Written by	Steven McKay
Starring	James Woods Louis Gossett, Jr. Bruce Dern Oliver Platt
Music by	James Newton Howard
Cinematography	Gerry Fisher
Editing by	Don Zimmerman
Distributed by	Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date(s)	August 14, 1992
Running time	98 min
Country	USA
Language	English
IMDb profile

Diggstown (also known as Midnight Sting) is a movie directed by Michael Ritchie, and starring James Woods, Louis Gossett, Jr. and Bruce Dern. It also features Heather Graham, Oliver Platt and Randall "Tex" Cobb.

[edit] Synopsis

Gabriel Caine (James Woods), a con man, is released from prison in the South and immediately gets to work on his next con. Caine and his partner, Fitz (Oliver Platt), travel to a small town not far from the prison: Diggstown – a city obsessed with boxing. A mean-spirited man named John Gillon (Bruce Dern) owns almost all of Diggstown, but Gillon is well respected within the community because he was the former manager of Diggstown’s pride and joy: the once-famous boxer Charles Macom Diggs, the man after whom the small town is named.

After a town resident remarks that Diggs once knocked out five fighters in one day, Fitz “drunkenly” says he knows a fighter who can knock out any 10 fighters in one day: Honey Roy Palmer. Gillon tries to take advantage of the situation and bets Fitz $100,000 that no one fighter can best ten Diggstown boxers in one day. Caine finances Fitz for the bet and the con is on.

Caine seeks out an old confidant: Palmer (Louis Gossett Jr.), who is now a 48-year-old YMCA supervisor. After some initial reluctance, Palmer agrees to participate and starts to train for the fight. Caine and Gillon agree to the terms of the bet, with the “day” being 24 hours and “Diggstown fighters” also coming from surrounding areas in Olivair County. The aged Palmer looks hapless in the eyes of Gillon, and victory is all but assured.

Caine reveals that Gillon’s treachery (and his bank account) goes deeper than people know. As Diggs’ former manager, Gillon drugged Diggs during a fight so Diggs would lose and Gillon could collect on the opponent’s long odds. It’s also revealed that Gillon has more than $1.5 million in assets. Caine tricks Gillon in risking all of his money on the bet. Palmer, who deeply respected Diggs, is infuriated that Gillon was responsible for Diggs’ brain damage.

The ten fights happen throughout 24 hours as such:

Buck Holland puts up a good fight, but Palmer bests him.
Slim Busby, like his brother, Hambone, has been bribed by Caine to take a dive; however, a nervous Slim doesn’t fight at all before taking a dive, drawing the suspicions of Gillon.
Billy Hargrove (a young James Caviezel) is easily beat.
Sam Lester is secretly given a laxative before the fight and eventually runs out of the ring after defecating himself.
Hambone Busby, like his brother, has been bribed to take a dive; however, when the bribe is revealed, Gillon says he will kill Hambone’s brother, Slim, unless Hambone is victorious in the ring. Hambone (unexpectedly) fights a vicious fight, but ultimately loses. Slim is murdered as punishment.
Sonny Hawkins is easily dispatched of.
Robby Gillon, the son of John Gillon, approaches the ring but then backs out of fighting under instructions from his father. His cowardice appears to be a forfeit.
Frank Mangrum officially loses to disqualification after punching Palmer in the groin, then hitting the referee.
Tank Miller, a gargantuan fighter, puts up a good fight, but Palmer beats him.
Hammerhead Hagan, the only fighter ever to actually beat Palmer during their professional careers decades ago, is brought in as a surprise ringer. Because Gillon moved Hagan in as a county resident just before the bet rules were established, Hagan can legally fight. The bout is all one-sided early on, as Palmer looks done for. But Palmer gets motivation after seeing Diggs sitting courtside, then gets sufficiently angry after Caine throws him a towel, which he immediately throws back. Palmer comes from behind to knock out his opponent.

Palmer and Caine’s celebration of the miraculous feat is cut short by Gillon, who notes that his son never entered the ring – therefore, only nine fights have transpired. The true tenth fighter is introduced: Minoso Torres, a tough-as-nails boxer who ruled the boxing underground in the prison from which Caine was recently released. Gillon admonishes Caine with the message "Never try to hustle a hustler." An exhausted Palmer is no match for Torres, but Caine whistles at Torres, then straightens his tie and does a thumbs-up then down (copying a move Gillon did earlier). Torres complies and lets Palmer hit him, and he suddenly falls down. Caine says he expected such a trick from Gillon and bribed Torres long ago.

Caine admonishes Gillon with the message "Never con a con man". Gillon acknowledges defeat, but soon goes haywire after coming to grips with all he’s lost. He pulls a gun, but deaths are averted after his son, Robby, intervenes and chastises him. Gillon smacks Robby, then Palmer grabs him and asks Hambone to help him, claiming his hands hurt. Hambone gladly obliges and delivers Gillon a powerful knockout blow.

Caine and Palmer congratulate one another on the con.