Happy Birthday Ethan Coen (b.1957) and thank you for making films that expand consciousness. You and your brother Joel continue to illustrate, to paint upon your screen canvas, a portrait of the authentically eccentric, true nature of human beings. We are all of us really as truly strange as you depict us. Objectively speaking, of course. When I saw BLOOD SIMPLE, it appeared to be an unusual and delightful curiousity. I missed RAISING ARIZONA at the time it was released, but now find it to be one of Nicholas Cage's best comic films (although VAMPIRES KISS is awesome) and a testament to the idea that the ignorant can be a danger to civilization. MILLER'S CROSSING felt like a story from my own family's past generations in Providence. But BARTON FINK, I believe is their masterpiece.
BARTON FINK synthesizes the Hollywood of the past that we imagine existed along with the present day Hollywood the Coen brothers live/lived in. Like Harold Pinter, the Coen brothers take the time, within the pressure from plot, to focus on the individual character. While the entire story serves to develop the main character, BARTON FINK, and his journey through Hollywood, the other characters are presented in all their eccentricity objectively, without rationale or apology. We see these "strange people" from the outsider's position, thus accentuating the normal nuance of everyday life one is used to. Barton's from NYC, he writes about fish mongers and the disenfranchised. What does he know about pedagogical bellboys, manic-depressive studio bosses, and beleaguered cops? He related easily to the drunken southerner because they're both writers, but couldn't manipulate the traveling salesman to stop talking and listen to his philosophy. BARTON FINK turns out to be not so much a cartoon, but a mirror held up to reality.
Along the way, the screenplay for THE HUDSUCKER PROXY came to my desk. I read it and loved it. Yes, I knew about the Coen brothers and this influenced my perspective as well as my opinion, but I'd also seen HIS GIRL FRIDAY and the films of Frank Capra and Preston Sturges, so I knew what they were doing. However, the film was not well received and is considered one of their failures.
SPOILER ALERT! The following synopsis is from a pre-production draft of the screenplay. Plots and characters often change during the development process, as well as during production, so the story represented here will just as often not match the finished product. But that's part of the fun.
June 14, 1992
THE HUDSUCKER PROXY
Screenplay by Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Sam Raimi
Synopsis by Brian Aldrich
In 1958, NORVILLE BARNES, 20's, has just arrived in New York City fresh out of a Munchie, Indiana business school, looking to make his fortune. After screwing up a bunch of menial jobs, he gets a position in the mail room at Hudsucker Industries. Meanwhile, WARING HUDSUCKER, President of the company, commits suicide, jumping out the window of the company skyscraper. His V.P., SID MUSSBURGER, and the other BOARD MEMBERS come up with a plan to save the company from getting into the hands of others: They decide to promote some company idiot to be the new President, thus causing the stock to drop until it reaches a low price that they can afford to buy and then take over the company. Meanwhile, an important letter has been left from Waring to Sid. Norville is ordered to deliver it. After Sid sees what an idiot Norville appears to be, he promotes Norville to be the new President. Norville is dressed and groomed and placed behind the oak desk. The letter is never delivered.
Down at the local newspaper, Pulitzer-winning journalist AMY ARCHER thinks something is fishy with this bizarre promotion of a nobody at Hudsucker. At a diner, she introduces herself to Norville, acting like a lost lass, fresh off the bus from Munche, giving a false name. Norville takes the bait and gives her a job as his secretary. Behind his back, she publishes a story telling the world that he is an idiot. Meanwhile, Sid's plan is going well. The stock is dropping and everyone Norville meets realizes the company is in big trouble. Meanwhile, after a discussion with the omnipresent and omnipotent janitor MOSES (a god-like narrator of the screenplay), she figures out that Sid is using Norville. Also, she has fallen for Norville.
Eventually, Norville shows Sid his new invention. Sid considers the invention worthless and in an effort to further sink the company, develops and retails the product. The new toy turns out to be the HULA HOOP and becomes a giant success, soaring the company stock sky high. Norville is praised by everyone, includent President Eisenhower. Norville gets arrogant. He and Amy fight. Sid reacts by leaking a press story that Norville stole his idea from BUZZ, the elevator boy. Further, Sid gets a shrink to declare Norville insane. Norville is ruined. He considers suicide, but before he can change his mind, he falls off the skyscraper. Moses stops the company clock and thus, STOPS TIME. Hanging in mid-air, Hudsucker (now an angel) appears and tells Norville to read the letter which turns out to be a will that leaves the entire company to the newest employee--Norville. Hussucker tells Norville to deliver the letter. After time is restarted, Norville survives the rest of the fall and delivers the letter. Sid almost commits suicide. Norville reconciles with Amy and takes over the company. He invents the frisbee.
SUMMARY CRITICISM:
Hysterical and charming, this screenplay is like HIS GIRL FRIDAY and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, as if it were starring Harold Lloyd and directed by Billy Wilder.
Ethan Coen - imdb
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