ANJELICA HOUSTON as Lilly Dillon in THE GRIFTERS (1990)

ANJELICA HUSTON

ANJELICA HUSTON as Lilly Dillon in THE GRIFTERS.

Lilly Dillon (Anjelica Huston) gives the impression of being as hard as nails. It's the platinum blond hair, which doesn't match the rest of her. The platinum hair is just a disguise that has become permanent. Angelica, like the rest of the departments involved in making THE GRIFTERS – are all performing with all cylinders on high-octane fuel!

Lilly (Anjelica Huston) is an ultra-experienced pro that specializes in racetrack odds altering. Her son, Roy (John Cusack), is basically small-time, hustling sailors and bartenders with loaded dice and sleight-of-hand tricks. Lilly had Roy when she was but a girl herself, and the two have mostly gone their separate ways. They meet up again in California, where Lilly takes an immediate dislike to Myra (Annette Benning – a signature role for her as well). Her ill feeling is met and matched by Roy, who has never resolved his filial feelings for her, as well as by Myra, who, having been wholly rebuffed by Lilly, resolves to take her down. The climax, involving Lilly and Roy, is swift, ugly, cathartic, and ultimately elegiac all at once.

Anjelica as Lilly Dillon is one of the Best Female performances in the last thirty years. Dangerous, taught, unsettled, still, desperate and filled with regret and ultimately tragic. A rebellious character torn between her personal greed and her compromised relationship with her son. It's a very complex character study. And a film, neo noir that has become a classic since it’s opening. How does an actor embrace cinema style? – It’s very difficult to ingrain this kind of noir material into your character. Most actors wouldn’t dare. Or would but it would come off surface or over the top. You just have to play it for real and hope the costume and lighting people do their jobs as well to support your internal angst. Every department is top notch in this film and so is Anjelica Houston – doing something beyond just going for her objective full force. Angelica played the style of the picture better than any other actress could have. Her bird, a white McCall, like hairdo and physicality to match. The way she dropped the keys in front of Annette Benning’s Myra in the parking lot of the hospital and struts out in front of her and boop (The way she stands up and sticks out her ass!) Genius! Such a well-crafted, multi-layered, under appreciated performance. Stephan Frears asked his actors early on in the process to find an animal for their character. Watching Anjelica – you can see she really did her homework.

If I had to pinpoint the signature scene, I would probably want to to talk about the restaurant scene when she just wants to be left alone. She doesn’t play to the camera at all. She makes you search for her. And then in a flash she changes gears and socks the guy in the neck. She just wants to be left alone. She’s intensely plagued by her own guilt and need to improve her future. Does she seek sympathy? Is everyone a mark, including her son? She seems to be fighting the numbers to change her past choices. Conflicted, both ‘On the run’ but also wanting to find a place to root her. Angelica is able to finds a perfect balance and play both a runner and a person who secretly wishes for domesticity. Polar opposites are usually sorrow / laughter, tears of joy/ jealousy, Hate you / but love you. This is a side tangent polar opposite of runner/ lonely hunter craving domesticity is so specific in her performance – we never break from her conflicted need to get out clean and with the money, regardless of the ties.
Everyone always talks about the ending but I think the other scenes are brilliant too. Yes, I thought the ending was perfect, that incredible wailing (again like a wounded animal – taking it’s last breathe) from Anjelica is high art. Any other actress would have just given you selfish weeping. Anjelica gave some something we've never seen before. A wrenched dry heave body roll that is disturbing to watch and keeps the audience asking – Does she feel for him or just herself? Did she mean to kill him? Was it premeditated? How deep was her love? It’s such a huge risk. Big payoff - great acting! Then back to old patterns. Lilly cold as ice down the elevator shaft – in her car and out of the building with her son’s stash. Richly textured like the film itself, off into her quiet, loveless future, running once again.

Every time I watch it I see something new. Something small detail that is so unique and personal that illuminates her mission and the overall film. I can’t remember who won the OSCAR that year – I think Kathy Bates in Misery but it should have been Anjelica Houston.