Miller's Crossing (1990)

Director:

Joel Coen

Writers:

Joel Coen (written by) &
Ethan Coen (written by)

Release Date:

octubre 1990 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Frase comercial:

Up is down, black is white, and nothing is what it seems.

Plot:

Tom Regan, an advisor to a Prohibition-era crime boss, tries to keep the peace between warring mobs but gets caught in divided loyalties.

Plot Keywords:

Vomit Scene | Police Chief | Family | Police Raid | Crime Epic

Awards:

2 wins & 2 nominations

Comentarios de los usuarios:

"Ain't it the life, though...."

Cast

Gabriel Byrne	...	Tom Reagan
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Verna Bernbaum
John Turturro	...	Bernie Bernbaum
Jon Polito	...	Johnny Caspar
J.E. Freeman	...	Eddie Dane
Albert Finney	...	Liam 'Leo' O'Bannon
Mike Starr	...	Frankie
Al Mancini	...	Tic-Tac
Richard Woods	...	Mayor Dale Levander
Thomas Toner	...	O'Doole
Steve Buscemi	...	Mink
Mario Todisco	...	Clarence "Drop" Johnson
Olek Krupa	...	Tad
Michael Jeter	...	Adolph
Lanny Flaherty	...	Terry

También conocida como:

De paseo a la muerte (Argentina) (Uruguay) [es]
Muerte entre las flores (Spain) [es]

Duración:

115 min

País:

USA

Idioma:

English | Italian | Irish Gaelic | Yiddish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sonido:

Dolby SR

Clasificación:

Iceland:16 | Singapore:NC-16 | Brazil:16 | France:-12 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:18 (video rating) | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Portugal:M/16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (re-rating) | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #30173) | Canada:R (DVD rating)

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Company:

Circle Films

Trivialidades:

When Tom pays a visit to Drop Johnson, a boxing poster is visible to the right of the front doorway with the name "Lars Thorwald" printed very clearly on it. Lars Thorwald is the name of Raymond Burr's character in Rear Window (1954)

Goofs:

Continuity: The position of the police chief's arms while talking to Tom during the attack on Leo's club.

Quotes:

Verna: Maybe that's why I like you, Tom. I've never met anyone who made being a son of a bitch such a point of pride.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Murphy Brown: Miller's Crossing (#8.6)" (1995)

Soundtrack:

Decatur Street Tutti

"Ain't it the life, though...."

I know of many very respectable, very articulate people who claim Miller's Crossing to be one of the great masterpieces in all of American cinema, yet I'm also aware of a large amount of seemingly informed people who consider it one of the Coen's weaker efforts, as well. There are, of course, different variations in between, but the fact that the two opinions I cited are so rampant is evidence of how wildly this film seems to divide audiences.

I belong firmly in the first category. I think Miller's Crossing is the definitive Coen film. It's even better than their other incomparable classic, Barton Fink, and their 3 other unquestionable masterpieces, The Man Who Wasn't There, Fargo, and O Brother Where Art Thou (and perhaps even The Big Lebowski). It's absolutely my favorite film of the 90's, and if I were to be frank, it has very few peers as my favorite film of all-time. This comes from an individual who likes to think he's seen a good deal of films encompassing many different genres and countries. I'm weary of labeling it, or any other picture, as the "greatest" of all, for reasons no doubt obvious to most people. I'm in the camp that believes appreciation of art is subjective (even when striving for objectivity, it's inherently imbued by subjectivity), so I usually refrain from using such a superlative for anything. But I must admit to having lofted on such praise to this picture when prodded in the past, hypocrisy be damned.

If I were to cite reasons as to why this film has endeared itself to me so much, then I'd begin by describing the craft with which the Coen's wrote the script. Here we have dialogue that snaps and crackles like kindling in a fireplace. I think there are two different forms of dialogue that filmmakers should strive for; either reality-based dialogue that emulates actual day-to-day lingo, or a purely cinematic language that only exists within the realm of film. The Coen's are masters of the latter, and this is their purest and most pristine example. They create a syntax that is at once recognizable with the hardboiled noirs of the 40's, yet stands out amongst it's predecessors. It's like listening to a best-of featurette. The Coen's have invented an entire system of language, paradoxically both familiar and completely unique, for a single film.

There's a marriage in this film between affectionate homage and original drama, and unlike some, I believe it works beautifully. It's an amalgamation of dialog and images that somehow seem both recycled and fresh at the same time. At first glance this relationship may seem contrived or superfluous, and in fact it would be had it been executed with less care or planned with less thought. It's more self-reflexive than ironic or tongue-in-cheek. I don't think they're trying to create a hipster throwback or that they're winking at the audience, but that they imbedded the picture in long-forgotten genre conventions to enhance it's distance from our universe, and it's evidence of the Coen's remarkable skill that the drama remains so powerful and the characters feel so organic despite the handicap of existing to such an obviously fabricated genre. It's a celebration of cinema (a certain type of cinema), and I think that this is one of the unique facets of Miller's Crossing that helps elevate it to transcendent levels of greatness.

The plot itself is beyond comparison. There are obvious inspirations from The Glass Key and Red Harvest, among other reference points, but this is one of the most intricately designed, perfectly executed plots in recent motion picture history. You can't get a firm grip on it on first viewing (which I think may be one reason it's unpopular among a large amount of people), because it's so densely packed and detailed. It contains a complex story and an intensely fascinating character study, both of which combine to pontificate several quintessential themes (loyalty, loneliness, pride, ethics, etc.) in enormously satisfying fashion. It's just fabulous to behold.

Sonnenfeld's photography is absolutely splendid. It's hard to describe, but it's almost as if the cinematography is simultaneously desaturated and extravagant. He really lights the sets beautifully and creates an atmospheric, noirish setting. You couple his fantastic contributions behind the camera with the Coen's penchant for meticulous compositions, as well as them being at their most experimental stylistically here, and the result is breathtaking.

The acting all-around is top notch. Finney's at the top of his game; Polito and Turturro have never been better; J.E. Freeman gives us one of the most electrifying villains the silver screen has ever been graced with; Marcia Gay Harden gives a delectable performance, particularly with her body language. And then we have Gabriel Byrne as Tom Reagan. The phenomenal skill with which his character was written, and how perfectly he exemplifies said character's persona, collaborate to create one of the great characters of the 90's. He's the tragic, despondent, contemporary equivalent to Bogart. A perfect performance and an unforgettable character.

For any of you reading that are on the fence about renting this, please give it a shot. If left cold on first viewing, I urge you to let it marinate for a while and then give it a second chance before passing final judgment (I know it may be hard to believe considering how much I've been gushing over the film in this faux-review, but after my first viewing I was only mildly impressed).

I truly feel Miller's Crossing is one of the absolute gems of the cinematic medium. It's a true work of art that deserves to be seen. Thankfully it's relatively recent DVD release has apparently garnered it more viewers, hopefully this will be a continuing trend. Regardless, if you have a passing interest in film, you owe it to yourself to at least give this classic a shot.