Miller's Crossing
A_Ron_Hubbard
Cincinnati, OH
in Fargo
I saw Miller's Crossing this weekend. I thought it was a fine movie, not my favorite (which I tend to put Raising Arizona or Big Lebowski, and not for any defensible reason), but one thing has me puzzled. What the hell is the point of the insane slapstick Tommy gun sequence when Leo's house get's assaulted. Everything else felt more or less deadly serious, and while I laughed out loud, and thoroughly enjoyed it, it really had me struggling with the movie's tone for the next 30-40 minutes.
Seriously, that bullet hose stuff might have been the funniest thing I've ever seen the brothers do. But WTF?
Anyway, open thread to discuss Miller's Crossing. Now, the only Coen movie I haven't seen is in "Inside Llewyn Davis."
Comments
I don't think it's deadly serious at all - I mean, it's a drama but there is a lot of comedy in it. Tom's hopelessness with gambling, the scene where the boy finds Rug Daniels, the scenes with Jon Polito and his kid, Steve Buscemi's motor-mouth way of speech, etc.
Anyway, I'm with @Dee in thinking that the film is not deadly serious throughout, even though it has deadly serious moments. The tommy gun scene has never really stood out to me as not belonging in the film. It's a standout moment for sure, but for whatever reason it never struck me as a dramatic tone shift, especially as I already find much of the film funny.
The one scene pops into mind immediately every time "Miller's Crossing" comes up is the amazing woods sequence that "Fargo" paid homage to last week.
As much as I like the film, though, it's not in my top five Coen films. But that's not a knock, as The Coens are my favorite filmmakers. I just happen to like several of their other films more.
So all week I've been thinking you guys are talking about Leo with the tommy gun shooting the guy in the bedroom window for what seemed like ever (and secretly thinking your feelings are ugly and wrong for saying that scene doesn't fit the aesthetic of the movie). But last night I was rewatching a bit and realised you're talking about when Sam Raimi comes out giggling and shooting during the club raid. DER. I'd totally forgotten that scene.
So yes, that is an odd little scene, but I'm sure Coens have put odd little scenes like that in their movies before (though I can't think of one right now), and they're BFFs with Sam Raimi so it seems to just be some kind of little in joke, I guess.
I'll go sit in the corner with a funny hat now.
I actually don't remember the Sam Raimi moment. I guess it's time for a re-watch. I've been meaning to recently anyway.