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Skin Game

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Wikipedia article




'Skin Game' is a 1971 American independent comedy western directed by Paul Bogart and Gordon Douglas, and starring James Garner and Lou Gossett. 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. A flashback in the movie shows both men first met when Quincy sold Jason a horse that turned out to have been stolen from the local sheriff. They meet again in jail after pulling various con jobs and develop a con together in which Quincy claims to be a down-on-his-luck slave owner who is selling his only slave, who is Jason. Quincy gets the bidding rolling, selling Jason, and the two later meet up to split the profit. Jason was born a free man in New Jersey and is very well educated. The con is complicated by Jason being 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 / Captain Nathaniel Mountjoy

* Lou Gossett as Jason O'Rourke

* 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

* 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

* Robert Foulk as Sheriff

Production



In January 1966 Harry Keller, a producer at Universal, announced he was developing the project based on a story by Richard Alan Simmons.Duo Slated for 5 Pictures

Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 21 Jan 1966: c6.


In March 1968 Peter Stone signed to write the script.MOVIE CALL SHEET: Plummer Gets Musical Lead

Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 2 Mar 1968: 19.
In October 1968 Universal announced the film for the following year.Universal Lists Films for 1969

Los Angeles Times 9 Oct 1968: c24.


In April 1969 Universal put the film on its slate for the following year. Keller would produce with Peter Stone, who wrote the script.Universal Schedule Announced for 1970

Los Angeles Times 2 Apr 1969: h14


The film did not go ahead. By September 1970 Keller announced the film would be made by James Garner's Cherokee Productions, releasing through Warner Bros with Burt Kennedy to direct. By December Kennedy had dropped out and was replaced by Paul Bogart.MOVIE CALL SHEET: Culp, Raquel 'Caulder' Stars

Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 21 Dec 1970: i19.


In January 1971 Lou Gosset signed to co star.MOVIE CALL SHEET: Geller Given Cinema Post

Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 23 Jan 1971: b6.


In March Bogart fell ill with hepatitis and Gordon Douglas took over directing for a period of filming.Heflin Set for 'Revengers'

Martin, Betty. Los Angeles Times 19 Mar 1971: e15.


Stone later claimed Garner radically changed the last third of the film to give him more screentime. These changes annoyed Stone who used a pseudonym on the film.At the Movies: After 'Carrie' Amy Irving gets the E.S.P. in 'The Fury.'

Buckley, Tom. New York Times 24 Feb 1978: C8.


Garner called it "a funny movie if you don't mind jokes about slavery. Paul Bogart did a masterly job."

Sequel



A sequel was made three years later as a television film called 'Sidekicks', with Larry Hagman playing Garner's role and Gossett reprising his part.

References




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