Diggstown represented a minor but still fairly sweet comeback for filmmaker Michael Ritchie, who had an impossibly amazing run of movies in the 1970’s, only to see his great fortune totally abandoned in the 1980’s with minor exceptions. Also known as Midnight Sting, this extremely funny and always clever little comedy bombed miserably at the box office when it was released in August of 1992, grossing less than $5 million, despite solid critical reaction. Seriously, just take note of these films that Ritchie dropped during his glory period in the 70’s: Downhill Racer, The Candidate, Prime Cut, Smile, The Bad News Bears, Semi-Tough, and An Almost Perfect Affair, which is the only one of that group that I’ve not seen (rectifying this fact very soon.) That’s a remarkable string of feature films, mixing genres and styles, with something new and fresh to say with each narrative. And then, I can only suspect drugs and liquor took their toll, because how does one go from those insane heights to these dastardly lows: The Island, Student Bodies, The Survivors, Wildcats, The Couch Trip, and The Golden Child?
If nothing else, Diggstown reminded audiences that Ritchie still “had it,” as he got great performances out of a surly and macho cast, with James Woods delivering a sly and extrenely entertaining performance as a slick criminal who seeks to concoct a boxing scam in a small pugilist-obsessed town down in Georgia. Louis Gossett Jr. was absolutely fantastic as Woods’ old friend who gets roped into the humorous and potentially dangerous scheme, while Bruce Dern provided menacing support as the local baddie who runs the town with an iron fist and who is feared by everyone. Oliver Platt, Heather Graham, Jim Caviezel, and Randall “Tex” Cobb rounded out the solid cast. Diggstown features a jaunty musical score by James Newton Howard, low-key cinematography by Gerry Fisher (The Exorcist III, Highlander), and snappy editing by Don Zimmerman (Cobra, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective); it’s a studo comedy with some personality. After Diggstown, things got even worse for Ritchie, with a career ending string of bombs including the woeful Cops and Robbersons, The Scout, The Fantasticks, and A Simple Wish. Similar in some respects to the artistic trajectory of Hal Ashby, Ritchie’s filmography will continue to fascinate for years to come, as it includes some of the most severe highs and lows that I can think of for a filmmaker.
Podcasting Them Softly 