History YMMV / TheGrifters

* OneSceneWonder: Three of them; Creator/PatHingle (as Lily's boss), Creator/HenryJones (as the grifter who teaches Roy), and Creator/JTWalsh (as Myra's old partner).

* OneSceneWonder: Three of them; Creator/PatHingle (as Lily's boss), Eddie Jones (as the grifter who teaches Roy), and Creator/JTWalsh (as Myra's old partner).

* PenName: Averted. Stephen Frears ''wanted'' Creator/Donald Westlake to write the screenplay using his pseudonym of "Richard Stark", which Westlake had used on a series of noir crime novels in the 1960s and 1970s. Initially, Westlake wasn't interested in the assignment at all, but he came around after further discussion -- but insisted that he be credited under his own name. "Stark", however, sill makes an appearance, of sorts. A key scene is set at the firm of "Stark, Coe & Fellows"; Westlake explains the in-joke on the commentary track, noting he wrote books using the pen names of "Richard Stark, Tucker Coe and some other fellows."

* PenName: Averted. Stephen Frears ''wanted'' [[Donald Westlake]] to write the screenplay using his pseudonym of "Richard Stark", which Westlake had used on a series of noir crime novels in the 1960s and 1970s. Initially, Westlake wasn't interested in the assignment at all, but he came around after further discussion -- but insisted that he be credited under his own name. "Stark", however, sill makes an appearance, of sorts. A key scene is set at the firm of "Stark, Coe & Fellows"; Westlake explains the in-joke on the commentary track, noting he wrote books using the pen names of "Richard Stark, Tucker Coe and some other fellows."

* HilariousInHindsight: In interviews, Frears stated he always thought Myra was a Creator/GloriaGrahame figure. Creator/AnnetteBening would later play Grahame in the movie ''Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool''.

** On the DVDCommentary, Frears said he never intended the ending to be interpreted this way. [[spoiler: He didn't think Roy would be capable of doing something so cruel to Lilly.]] However, he considered it an interesting interpretation nonetheless.

* OneSceneWonder: Three of them; Pat Hingle (as Lily's boss), Eddie Jones (as the grifter who teaches Roy), and Creator/JTWalsh (as Myra's old partner).

** On the DVD commentary, Frears said he never intended the ending to be interpreted this way. [[spoiler: He didn't think Roy would be capable of doing something so cruel to Lilly.]] However, he considered it an interesting interpretation nonetheless.

* OneSceneWonder: Three of them; Pat Hingle (as Lily's boss), Eddie Jones (as the grifter who teaches Roy), and J.T. Walsh (as Myra's old partner).

* OneSceneWonder: Two of them; Pat Hingle (as Lily's boss) and J.T. Walsh (as Myra's old partner).

* FreudWasRight: The entire plot builds up to the end when [[spoiler: Lilly addresses the underlying sexual tension between herself and her son. She comes on to Roy and kisses him.]]

* OneSceneWonder: Two of them; Pat Hingle (as Lily's boss) and J.T. Walsh (as Myra's old partner).

** On the DVD commentary, Frears said he never intended the ending to be interpreted this way. [[spoiler: He didn't think Roy would be capable of doing something so cruel to Lily.]] However, he considered it an interesting interpretation nonetheless.

* HesJustHiding: There is a [[WildMassGuessing popular theory]] that a man seen running across the street in the final shot of the movie is Roy. [[spoiler: He supposedly faked his death to get back at Lilly for the past.]]