I know this blog is not a confession box, but I find myself involuntarily telling more about myself that I would probably ever tell in face to face conversation. My apologies, but it cannot be helped. My confession is that I have never taken any sort of film analysis class and I haven’t thought about movies beyond whether or not I like them. I love movies but have never paid attention to the details such as we have been doing in class. Hopefully I will get better at this analysis thing as the semester progresses, but until then I shall have to start where I can. The following is my attempt to delve into the mysterious and crafty minds of our friends The Coen Brothers:
Miller’s Crossing—a movie I had not even heard of nonetheless seen before this class. Previously, the only Coen Brothers films I have seen are Fargo and Barton Fink. Indeed, Fargo was enjoyable; however, I must say that after seeing Barton Fink I was concerned with the prospect of watching another Coen Brothers film. I’m sure this goes back to my lack of ability in analyzing movies, but Barton Fink is so strange I cannot say I liked it at all. Perhaps if I studied it versus just watching it I would feel differently. Alas, it might be some time before I gather the courage to watch Barton Fink again. But I digress, as far as Miller’s Crossing is concerned, I liked the film very much. It was quirky and dark all at the same time (much like Yojimbo). I loved the little things the Coen brothers seemed to be doing to tip their hat (literally and figuratively) to Hammett’s Glass Key. Besides “The Hat” being a simile to the dream, in the book the importance of Taylor’s hat was found throughout. Ned used Opal and the hat to get money owed to him from gambling and Taylor’s hat (or the lack thereof) was instrumental in Ned’s discovery of Taylor’s killer. In addition, there was subtle dialog in Miller’s Crossing such as the Mayor’s secretary saying, “lo, Tom” and after Leo learns of Tom and Verna he tells Tom, “This is the Kiss-off”. Maybe I have just never noticed it before, but I had never seen the phrase “lo” before reading The Glass Key, and it was throughout the entire book. In regards to “the Kiss-off” that is the title to chapter 8 in the book where Ned and Paul have there falling out. Either that is a major coincidence or the Coen Brothers know their stuff (my vote is for the latter).
