The HUDSUCKER PROXY

This Coen Bros. production is something of an homage to those zany-patter fests of the 1930's & 40's. Released after BARTON FINK and before FARGO, it flopped at the box office and was panned by critics ( "two thumbs down" by S & E), it seems to be one of the (unfairly) forgotten works of the Coen oeuvre. I think it gets better every time you see it.

After Waring Hudsucker takes a 44 story dive (45 with mezzanine) out the window of the Hudsucker building, boardmember J.T. Mussburger (Paul Newman) decides that the board "...can't let John Q. Public waltz in here and by our company." and hatches a plot to hire a doofus as president who will inspire panic with the stockholders, thus allowing the board members to buy up controlling interest in the company cheap. They have "... one month to make a blue chip investment look like a round trip ticket on the Titanic."

Enter Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins) newly hired mailroom troll fresh from Muncie Indiana.





Through series of mishaps, the board finds the man they're looking for.














































The Argus managing editor wants the low-down on Norville; "How tall is he? What's his shoe size? What does he eat for Breakfast?"















Ace newshound Amy Archer (Jennifer Jason Leigh) decides pose as a secretary at Hudsucker to get the scoop on the wonderboy from Chumpsville




And from there things continue on their wacky way -- hilarious snappy dialog, wacky bit players, amazing cinematography. The flick's quite a gem, I'd say!