Khachaturian's Adagio from Spartacus and Phrygia is put to effective use here by the musical director Carter Burwell, whom I'm beginning to think is pretty good, not just in constructing a mosaic of existing pieces but in composing as well. The adagio's sweeping chords neatly blend melancholy with something resembling hope. But who knows from Khachaturian? "The Sabre Dance" and that's it. Maybe he'd have gotten more play if he'd changed his name to something easier to spell and remember. Something like UScuzzbagUX.
Basically it's the story of Tim Robbins, a nonentity in the lower bowels of the giant Hudsucker organization in 1957. Robbins has an idea based on a simple circle but the president (or chairman or high panjandrum or whatever), Paul Newman, dismisses him despite the contrary advice of Jennifer Jason Leigh. Robbins' idea turns out to be the Hula Hoop. He rises to the top, displacing Newman, but then gets lazy and turns mean to subordinates. Full of himself, as they say.
The fad dies and Robbins is fired and turns into a suicidal drunk. In a hilarious scene, Steve Buscemi is the bartender at one of those Beatnik coffee houses popular in the late 50s. He impatiently explains to Robbins that no alcohol is sold here. "Okay, okay," mumbles the befuddled but resigned Robbins, "then just give me a martini." With the help of one or two angels, Robbins comes to his senses just before he offs himself. He inherits the majority of Hudsucker stock, Newman is sent off to Sunnyvale Farms, and Robbins then invents the Frisbee. Happy ending.
The fantasy is stretched so far by special effects and stylized situations that an extraordinary load is placed on the actors. They do their best and, for the most part, succeed. I guess it's intended to be an outrageous comedy with dramatic overtones (or undertones) along the lines of Frank Capra. Sometimes, though, the funny effects are sillier than they are amusing. The Coen brothers are best at comedy when they don't try so hard. "Fargo"'s laughs come from situations rooted in reality, not from a body taking five minutes to fall from the 45th floor of the Hudsucker Building while having an argument with itself.
Paul Newman has never been successful at comedy per se. He came closest to success with "The Prize." But here he excels as the growling, ruthless, cigar-chomping head of Hudsucker Enterprises -- hoarsely barking out orders in his gargling voice to fire somebody or cut someone's throat. Robbins, on the other hand, is often slightly comic, sometimes whether he wants to be or not. There's something slightly ludicrous in his over-sized and shapeless appearance. He gets the job done here. Jennifer Jason Leigh -- whoever told her to do her Katherine Hepburn impression? Her snappy lines and wisecracks are funny enough, but through the whole movie?
In any case, some misjudgments in the writing and direction aside, I enjoyed it. The Coen brothers have an ambitious imagination the size of Minnesota. They should keep it up for a long time.
Basically it's the story of Tim Robbins, a nonentity in the lower bowels of the giant Hudsucker organization in 1957. Robbins has an idea based on a simple circle but the president (or chairman or high panjandrum or whatever), Paul Newman, dismisses him despite the contrary advice of Jennifer Jason Leigh. Robbins' idea turns out to be the Hula Hoop. He rises to the top, displacing Newman, but then gets lazy and turns mean to subordinates. Full of himself, as they say.
The fad dies and Robbins is fired and turns into a suicidal drunk. In a hilarious scene, Steve Buscemi is the bartender at one of those Beatnik coffee houses popular in the late 50s. He impatiently explains to Robbins that no alcohol is sold here. "Okay, okay," mumbles the befuddled but resigned Robbins, "then just give me a martini." With the help of one or two angels, Robbins comes to his senses just before he offs himself. He inherits the majority of Hudsucker stock, Newman is sent off to Sunnyvale Farms, and Robbins then invents the Frisbee. Happy ending.
The fantasy is stretched so far by special effects and stylized situations that an extraordinary load is placed on the actors. They do their best and, for the most part, succeed. I guess it's intended to be an outrageous comedy with dramatic overtones (or undertones) along the lines of Frank Capra. Sometimes, though, the funny effects are sillier than they are amusing. The Coen brothers are best at comedy when they don't try so hard. "Fargo"'s laughs come from situations rooted in reality, not from a body taking five minutes to fall from the 45th floor of the Hudsucker Building while having an argument with itself.
Paul Newman has never been successful at comedy per se. He came closest to success with "The Prize." But here he excels as the growling, ruthless, cigar-chomping head of Hudsucker Enterprises -- hoarsely barking out orders in his gargling voice to fire somebody or cut someone's throat. Robbins, on the other hand, is often slightly comic, sometimes whether he wants to be or not. There's something slightly ludicrous in his over-sized and shapeless appearance. He gets the job done here. Jennifer Jason Leigh -- whoever told her to do her Katherine Hepburn impression? Her snappy lines and wisecracks are funny enough, but through the whole movie?
In any case, some misjudgments in the writing and direction aside, I enjoyed it. The Coen brothers have an ambitious imagination the size of Minnesota. They should keep it up for a long time.