Flick of The Day: Miller's Crossing

We recently reviewed Joel & Ethan Coen's most recent film, the superlative True Grit, and today's film is another fine example of their varied career in Hollywood over the last 25 years from the edgy thriller Blood Simple, to the slacker comedy/ L.A Noir of The Big Lebowski, they have brought their own unique style and look to a wealth of different genre pictures. Today's film, Miller's Crossing,  is a homage to the classic gangster pictures and detective fiction of the 1930's particularly the work of Dashell Hammett.

Miller's Crossing

It is I think an indication of both the intelligence of the average American cinemagoer and the skill or lack thereof of the marketing teams in Hollywood studios that this film was a relative box office failure upon its release in 1990. Of its budget of $14m, it returned only $5m, a drop in ocean compared to some of the more famous failures over the years, but a shocking one for a film of this class combining excellent performances from its central characters with one of the best scripts the Coen's have produced. 

Leo O'Bannion: You hear about Rug? 

Tom Reagan: Yeah, RIP. 

Leo O'Bannion: They took his hair, Tommy. Jesus, that's strange, why would they do that? 

Tom Reagan: Maybe it was injuns.

Gabiel Byrne's career has been pockmarked with roles in some awful films since he first came onto the scene on Irish TV in the early '80s. For every The Usual Suspects, there has been an End of Days or The Man in the Iron Mask, which is unfortunate as he is a decent actor when given good material to work with such as his recent turn in HBO's In Treatment. He steals almost every scene in Miller's as Tom Reagan, a well connected advisor to local boss Leo O'Bannon, played with a subtle toughness by Albert Finney. The film opens with a rival gangster, Johnny Caspar, played by Coen repertory member Jon Polito asking permission to kill a local bookie who has crossed him, Bernie Bernbaum. Bernbaum is played with an irritating sliminess by John Turturro another Coen regular. Leo is of a mind to protect Bernie as his girlfriend is Bernie's sister Verna, ably played by Marcia Gay Harden. Against Tom's advice, he refuses Caspar leading to a gang war. Tom appears to switch sides before playing everyone against each other for his own ends leading to a fitting and satisfying denouement.

The script is packed full of dialogue that feels very much of the era, with lots of obscure slang such as "yegg" and "twist" which give the script an air of authenticity. That said, its not all hard boiled stuff and there is a great deal of humour scattered throughout the film.

Verna: What you doing? 

Tom Reagan: Walking... 

Verna: Don't let on any more than you have to. 

Tom Reagan: ...in the rain.

A special mention must also go to the cinematography of Barry Sonnenfeld, who would go on to achieve some renown as a director. All of the scenes in town where shot using Kodak film stock while those pivotal scenes played out in the woods were shot using Fuji film because this film had more muted green tones  and suited the ambience. One of the best scenes in the film is the perfectly choreographed shoot-out at Leo's house where a relaxing Leo turns the tables and a Tommy gun on a pair of assassins who come to rub him out, all set to a version of "Danny Boy" recorded for the film by legendary Irish tenor Frank Patterson.

As I said at the outset, it is a crying shame that more people didn't see this film upon its release though it has thankfully found a following on DVD and it was critically lauded at the time. I had the pleasure of seeing this on the big screen at a film festival a couple of years ago and it is fair to say that the cinematography deserves a big canvas. With a career best performance from Gabriel Byrne and fine turns from Albert Finney and John Turturro with a great script, this is a film you just have to see.