Skin Game
| Skin Game | |
|---|---|
|
Theatrical poster | |
| Directed by |
Paul Bogart Gordon Douglas |
| Produced by | Harry Keller |
| Written by |
Richard Alan Simmons (story) Peter Stone (credited as 'Pierre Marton') |
| Starring |
James Garner Louis Gossett Jr. Susan Clark Brenda Sykes Edward Asner Andrew Duggan |
| Music by | David Shire |
| Cinematography | Fred J. Koenekamp |
| Edited by | Walter Thompson |
| Distributed by | Warner Bros. |
Release date |
|
Running time | 102 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Skin Game is a 1971 American independent comedy western starring James Garner and Louis Gossett, Jr. and directed by Paul Bogart and Gordon Douglas, The supporting cast features Susan Clark, Edward Asner, Andrew Duggan, Parley Baer and Royal Dano.
Plot
Quincy Drew (Garner) and Jason O'Rourke (Gossett) travel from town to town in the south of the United States during the slavery era. Both men first meet when O'Rourke sells Drew a horse- a stolen horse belonging to the local Sheriff. They meet again by chance in jail after pulling various con jobs. (In comic relief they both pull out an Ace of Spades as they play cards.) They develop a con together in which Drew claims to be a down-on-his-luck slave owner who is selling O'Rourke as a slave. Drew gets the bidding rolling, sells O'Rourke, and the two later meet up to split the profit. O'Rourke was born a free man in New Jersey and is very well educated. The twist comes when O'Rourke is sold to a slave trader who is very savvy and intent on taking him down south to make a profit.
Cast
- James Garner as Quincy Drew / Capt. Nathaniel Mountjoy
- Louis Gossett, Jr. as Jason O'Rourke (billed as Lou Gossett)
- Susan Clark as Ginger / Miss Abigail Blodgett
- Brenda Sykes as Naomi (slave)
- Edward Asner as Plunkett (runaway slave hunter)
- Andrew Duggan as Howard Calloway (plantation owner)
- Henry Jones as Sam Cutler (slave buyer in Fair Shake)
- Dort Clark as Pennypacker
- Neva Patterson as Mrs. Claggart
- Parley Baer as Mr. Claggart
- George Tyne as Henry P. Bonner (man who bought Jason in Dirty Shame)
- Royal Dano as John Brown (abolitionist)
- Pat O'Malley as William (slave buyer in Fair Shake)
- Joel Fluellen as Uncle Abram (head slave at Calloway Manor)
- Napoleon Whiting as Ned (Calloway cook)
- Juanita Moore as Viney (Calloway slave)
Remake
The film was remade three years later as a TV-movie called Sidekicks, with Larry Hagman playing Garner's role and Gossett reprising his part.
External links
- Skin Game on IMDb
- Skin Game at AllMovie
- James Garner Interview on the Charlie Rose Show
- James Garner interview at Archive of American Television - (c/o Google Video) - March 17, 1999