Diggstown

"Where the pros meet the cons."

1992 1h 38m EN

😐

6.3

MID

★6.3TMDB · 130

ComedyDrama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Gabriel Caine has just been released from prison when he sets up a bet with a business man who owns most of Diggstown, a boxing-mad town. The bet is that Gabe can find a boxer that will knock out 10 Diggstown men, in a boxing ring, within 24 hours. Roy 'Honey' Palmer is that man that, at 48, many say he is too old.

“Where the pros meet the cons.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

James Woods
Gabriel Caine
Louis Gossett Jr.
"Honey" Roy Palmer
Oliver Platt
Fitz
Heather Graham
Emily Forrester
Randall 'Tex' Cobb
Wolf Forrester
Thomas Wilson Brown
Robby Gillon
Bruce Dern
John Gillon
Marshall Bell
Warden Bates

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Michael Ritchie
Writers: Steven McKay
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Earned back only 28% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

34 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Michael Ritchie, shot by Gerry Fisher. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by James Newton Howard. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Don Zimmerman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

CAST

Did you know

James Woods and Louis Gossett Jr. and Oliver Platt carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Where the pros meet the cons.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0104107 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Michael Ritchie directs. Gerry Fisher behind the camera. James Newton Howard scores. Don Zimmerman cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. A commercial under-performer on release. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Earned back only 28% of its budget on initial theatrical — a commercial disappointment on release.
234 years old — old enough to be someone's favourite childhood film.
3Directed by Michael Ritchie, shot by Gerry Fisher. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
4Original score by James Newton Howard. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
5Editor Don Zimmerman shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6James Woods and Louis Gossett Jr. and Oliver Platt carry the top of the cast.
7Marketing tagline: "Where the pros meet the cons.".
8IMDB entry: tt0104107 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Gerry Fisher
Original score: James Newton Howard
Editing: Don Zimmerman
Production design: Stephen Hendrickson
Makeup / hair: Ken Chase
Sound: Donald O. Mitchell
Runtime: 98 min · 1h 38m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $17,000,000
Box office: $4,836,637
Return: 28% of budget
Original language: EN
Certification (US): R
IMDB: Diggstown (1992)

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Michael Ritchie

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Community reviews

What people are saying

John Chard2019-09-19
★ 10/10
Do you know the difference between a hustler and a good con-man? Diggstown (also known as Midnight Sting) is directed by Michael Ritchie and stars James Woods, Louis Gossett Junior, Bruce Dern, Heather Graham, Oliver Platt, a pre-fame James Caviezel and Randall "Tex" Cobb. The plot sees Woods as con-man Gabriel Caine, recently out of prison he and his cohort Fitz (Platt), set up a boxing "sting" in Diggstown, a hickville place out in Olivair County that is run by egomaniac John Gillon (Dern). The set-up entails Caine's old friend Honey Roy Palmer (Gossett Jr) having to fight, and beat, 10 Diggstown men in one day. As the money goes down and secrets come out, corruption and violence is never far away. Midnight Sting was one of those film's that came to my attention in the early hours of one morning. I couldn't sleep and turned the TV on out of pure frustration at a lack of sleep. What I didn't know at that time of irksome sleepy annoyance was that I would fall in love with a movie, a love that lasts to this very day. The TV announcer said the name of the movie and that it stars James Woods. Since Woods is always value for money I thought I would give it a go, for the next 98 minutes I laughed out loud, I cringed at some sad moments and I punched the air on more than one occasion. It quickly became one of my favourite movies of all time. On the surface it looks a very simple tale, but it has so much more to offer outside of the excellent fight sequences and some belting one liners. Based on Leonard Wise's novel "The Diggstown Ringers", the film deals in loyalties, friendships, greed, power, corruption and lies - not to mention small town mentality being under the microscope. It's impeccably acted as well, with the Woods and Gossett play off one of the most engaging duets of the 1990s. The twists within, and there are some corkers, really crown what was already a smart and witty script. It was a film that went largely unnoticed upon its release, and even now in this age of rampant internet usage it appears to still be under seen or sadly forgotten. It of course will not become a personal favourite of all newcomers to it, but just maybe one day if you can't sleep or you are stuck for a rental then you should give it a chance. Because it deserves a chance to at least try to welcome you into its fan club. I love it, you know that by now, and there's a chance that you will too. Punch the air brilliant. 10/10

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