After Waring Hudsucker, the head of Hudsucker Industries unexpectedly and inexplicably commits suicide. The scheming head of his board of directors, Sidney Musberger plots to cash in on his former boss's demise by appointing a moron to run the company. When the stock falls low enough, Musberger and his equally conniving board members can then buy the stock and restore the company's profits. The unprincipled head executive chooses Norvile Barnes who has only just been employed in the mail room. Clumsy and credulous, he appears to be the likely choice. However, feisty reporter Amy Archer is suspicious of the board's choice of the new head of Hudsucker Industries and strives to uncover their nefarious motives.
Revisiting the same kind of off-the-wall comedy that they collaborated on with Sam Raimi in Crimewave, The Hudsucker Proxy, with which Raimi would share a screenwriting credit, with both, owed much to the 1950s Hollywood screwball comedies of Howard Hawks and Frank Capra. With a further dose of inspiration coming from the animated shorts of Tex Avery. It's a simple premise that sees Tim Robbin's wide-eyed, naive Norvile Barnes arriving in New York to seek his fortune. Taking a job in the mailroom before coming to the attention of Paul Newman's slimy Sidney Musberger who seeks to exploit Barne's oblivious nature. Smelling a Rat of course is the dedicated news reporter, with Jennifer Janson Leigh's Amy Archer going undercover, and becoming the unsuspecting Noville's secretary. Yes, you are pretty much on somewhat familiar ground here, with the inevitable romantic subplot on the cards. Predictable though it may be the Coen's compensate for this with some superb stylistic touches.
From the cavernous, depths of the Mailroom, to the gleaming, marbled interiors of the executive offices, The Brother's Coen seemingly creates a world in of itself. Taking their cues from Terry Gilliam's Brazil. It's as grand and elaborate as its goofy, off-the-wall set pieces. From Charles Durning's suicidal Waring Hudsucker (the late Charles Durning) taking a swan-dive from the top floor of his overly towering skyscraper to neatly pastiching the treacly 1950s newsreels of yesteryear. They also brilliantly in a matter of minutes chronicle the growing hula-hoop craze.
The entire cast clearly seemed to be enjoying themselves here, with Robbins throwing himself into his role with considerable enthusiasm. As does Leigh who sublimely channels Katherine Hepburn, while Newman is suitably conniving and aloof, as Musbrger who is nothing more than a figurative snake-oil salesman and huckster. The movie is also well served by its wacky, offbeat characters from a fast-talking elevator operator named Buzz to Amy's crusty Editor and Chief, played by the late John Mahoney of Frasier fame. Not forgetting Sam Raimi regular, and B-movie icon Bruce Campbell as a sleazy, slick fellow journalist, Smitty. Topping them off is Moses, the time-keeper who maintains Hudsucker Industries clock tower, and not only serves as the movie's narrator but who offers some pearls of wisdom and seems to know more than a man in his lowly menial position should. And who in one of the movie's more surreal flights of fantasy freezes time, and partially plays a part in influencing the outcome of the plot.
Indeed, the Coens do let the frenetic pacing get ahead of itself at times, and its kookiness on occasion doesn't quite hit the mark, but there's still some inspired inventiveness. As well as visual and comical panache that offsets it. For whatever shortcomings it has, The Hudsucker Proxy is a charming, goofball comedy bolstered by top performances from a first-rate cast and, rights the wrongs that the filmmaking siblings made with Crimewave.
Revisiting the same kind of off-the-wall comedy that they collaborated on with Sam Raimi in Crimewave, The Hudsucker Proxy, with which Raimi would share a screenwriting credit, with both, owed much to the 1950s Hollywood screwball comedies of Howard Hawks and Frank Capra. With a further dose of inspiration coming from the animated shorts of Tex Avery. It's a simple premise that sees Tim Robbin's wide-eyed, naive Norvile Barnes arriving in New York to seek his fortune. Taking a job in the mailroom before coming to the attention of Paul Newman's slimy Sidney Musberger who seeks to exploit Barne's oblivious nature. Smelling a Rat of course is the dedicated news reporter, with Jennifer Janson Leigh's Amy Archer going undercover, and becoming the unsuspecting Noville's secretary. Yes, you are pretty much on somewhat familiar ground here, with the inevitable romantic subplot on the cards. Predictable though it may be the Coen's compensate for this with some superb stylistic touches.
From the cavernous, depths of the Mailroom, to the gleaming, marbled interiors of the executive offices, The Brother's Coen seemingly creates a world in of itself. Taking their cues from Terry Gilliam's Brazil. It's as grand and elaborate as its goofy, off-the-wall set pieces. From Charles Durning's suicidal Waring Hudsucker (the late Charles Durning) taking a swan-dive from the top floor of his overly towering skyscraper to neatly pastiching the treacly 1950s newsreels of yesteryear. They also brilliantly in a matter of minutes chronicle the growing hula-hoop craze.
The entire cast clearly seemed to be enjoying themselves here, with Robbins throwing himself into his role with considerable enthusiasm. As does Leigh who sublimely channels Katherine Hepburn, while Newman is suitably conniving and aloof, as Musbrger who is nothing more than a figurative snake-oil salesman and huckster. The movie is also well served by its wacky, offbeat characters from a fast-talking elevator operator named Buzz to Amy's crusty Editor and Chief, played by the late John Mahoney of Frasier fame. Not forgetting Sam Raimi regular, and B-movie icon Bruce Campbell as a sleazy, slick fellow journalist, Smitty. Topping them off is Moses, the time-keeper who maintains Hudsucker Industries clock tower, and not only serves as the movie's narrator but who offers some pearls of wisdom and seems to know more than a man in his lowly menial position should. And who in one of the movie's more surreal flights of fantasy freezes time, and partially plays a part in influencing the outcome of the plot.
Indeed, the Coens do let the frenetic pacing get ahead of itself at times, and its kookiness on occasion doesn't quite hit the mark, but there's still some inspired inventiveness. As well as visual and comical panache that offsets it. For whatever shortcomings it has, The Hudsucker Proxy is a charming, goofball comedy bolstered by top performances from a first-rate cast and, rights the wrongs that the filmmaking siblings made with Crimewave.