It's 1936 and small-time grifter Johnny Hooker (Robert Redford) scams a runner for the mob. He thinks it's just a particularly juicy score but when hitmen come knocking and kill his partner (Robert Earl Jones), Johnny decides to get the hell out of town. He heads to Chicago and a man named Henry Gondorff (Paul Newman), a big-time conman. The two decide to set up the mob boss (Robert Shaw) for vengeance and a whole lot of cash.
This is what I wanted The Grifters to be, I think. Fast, breezy, filled with cleverness, and trick after trick. Redford and Newman were the cool kids of New Hollywood and they play off each other well; Redford's hothead balanced by Newman's ice cold eyes. Robert Earl Jones is indeed related to the Earl Jones you're thinking of, being the latter's father, and you can hear and see the resemblance. Supporting players Eileen Brennan and Charles Durning are bulwarks, and Shaw is a fully captivating villain.
Unfortunately, it's only available to rent or buy but it's worth the rental if you're interested in con artist movies, Newman and Redford, or classic films of the 70s.
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