Favorite Director

Thanks Equanimus, I saw the video in Ebert-Roeper site!

Also, the yeah-yeah barrage typifies the general air of simplicity in such a town! More than naivety per se, Kannannn is right about the small town where crime is so low, and people in general aren't aware much, or in other words, don't come across different kinds of people. Be it the alienated or the possessed! There is also the superb catch phrase which is much appropriate, the girls say 'the little guy is kinda like funny looking', which is a misappropriate (instinctive) assertion of the dangerous Buscemi, and nods McDormand, followed by yeah-yeahs! :lol: None of 'em possess better judgment!

Then there is the undercurrent theme of fidelity, which is a trademark Coen here, as they are to varying extremes!

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Originally Posted by thilak4life

Thanks Equanimus, I saw the video in Ebert-Roeper site!

Also, the yeah-yeah barrage typifies the general air of simplicity in such a town! More than naivety per se, Kannannn is right about the small town where crime is so low

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Oh, most definitely. I couldn't agree more...

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Originally Posted by kannannn

An interpretation I had was that Margie was after all a small town police officer where crime is so low that a homicide of this nature is perhaps the first and she is surprised at that.

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The small town setting and the characters that inhabit them also serve as an acute contrast to the kind of police officers we usually see in Hollywood. The all-too-smart macho men who would take no more than a second to place the pieces of the puzzle together. But, Margie on the other hand is earthy, but also strikingly intelligent. Her intuitions are often right on the money. Which is why I think it's somewhat inappropriate to say that she tends to believe most people the first time.

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But, Margie on the other hand is earthy, but also strikingly intelligent. Her intuitions are often right on the money. Which is why I think it's somewhat inappropriate to say that she tends to believe most people the first time.

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To add to it, pregnant. Why I refuse to buy that she's strikingly intelligent is because she doesn't make full use of her investigations, she could have pinned on Macy for all his claustrophobic tendencies. Moreover, Coens often have characters who aren't smart in the truest sense. Instead, they have shrewd characters. Why! Mcdormand's role in "A blood simple" also acts by her instincts, and doesn't get the whole plot. (The ending is pure class) And much like "A Blood simple", there is a husband plotting something against his wife, there again its infidelity, but here it's monetary on outside, but it's MAcy's lack of trust which is the catalyst. While there the Mcdormand's line of money-cant-be-the-catalyst is a give-in. As it's more the lack of trust on people that drives. "Infidelity" between characters is the catalyst. Not just Macy and his wife, but his father in law and Macy, Macy and the kidnappers, between the kidnappers (probably the best to buy, for it's uttered after she witnesses the brutal disposal of Buscemi's body.) In fact, Mcdormand trusts Macy, only to be proved wrong. Hence, I think she realizes this in the end, and thus the line...

Thilak,
I mean the same shrewdness you're talking about. She's not sophisticated at all, but has a keen perception. Her intuition more often than not helps her. This earthy shrewdness of hers is even shown to be in contrast with her associate Lou. ("I'm not sure I agree with you a hunnert percent on your police work there, Lou.")

Yes, it's the alienation of Macy (from his wife, from his son) that drives him to such extremes. Macy's demeanor betrays a lot of desperation even during McDormand's interview with him even the first time. She sees as much even then, but doesn't get it. My two cents.

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Originally Posted by equanimus

It is this "spiritual" alienation in both these men that strikes Margie. In a way, she actually connects to Jerry after she comes to know that she learnt no truth about her old boyfriend when she met him.

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Agree. Also, she doesn't suspect Macy during the second interview too. It is only when he bolts from the place that she suspects something is wrong.

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Originally Posted by thilak4life

Mcdormand's role in "A blood simple" also acts by her instincts, and doesn't get the whole plot. (The ending is pure class) And much like "A Blood simple", there is a husband plotting something against his wife, there again its infidelity, but here it's monetary on outside, but it's MAcy's lack of trust which is the catalyst.

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I am not a big fan of Blood Simple, but I like the climax (pure Hitchcockian).

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Originally Posted by equanimus

She's not sophisticated at all, but has a keen perception. Her intuition more often than not helps her. This earthy shrewdness of hers is even shown to be in contrast with her associate Lou. ("I'm not sure I agree with you a hunnert percent on your police work there, Lou.")

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When she arrives at the scene of crime, she quickly works out the sequence of events and this establishes her character to be quite intelligent. And of course there is that line you have quoted. I suspect she is more at home in the small town than in a big city.

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Originally Posted by equanimus

Yes, it's the alienation of Macy (from his wife, from his son) that drives him to such extremes.

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I think Macy is inherently awkward with money. He is just inempt in whatever he does. And that's what drives his FiL to distrust him. Macy's desperation is beautifully portrayed in the scene where he takes out his anger on his windshield when his FiL cuts him out of his pet project.

Overall, I think she's much better in collecting evidences, than judging people. Maybe I'm reading too much into it.

BTW, "Raising Arizona" is an equaly interesting film, but hardly a people's favorite. It also has Coen's trope, and various thematic elements. But was a 'Enna kodumai sir idhu' in the first watch, gets better in subsequent views. Over the years, it's evident that Coens have matured as a filmmaker..

The Coens' NCFOM is on par with strangelove now (imdb) !! i can't believe that it has become a normal movie watcher's favorite. There are 100s of theories in imdb regarding the *ending* which is a big big victory for the Coens. On another note I have been trying to watch OBWAT but without much success. I could not get past the first 30 mins for some reason.. The movie doesn't evoke interest at all :oops:

MY FAV.DIRECTOR [ALAGENTRO GONZALIZ INNARUTU]
DIRECTOR OF AMORESS PEROSS,21GRAMS,BABEL.

I'm glad for one of my favorite actors of all time, Daniel day lewis, for his There will be blood. Once again, he keeps proving his worth. Also, I'm a fan of P.T.Anderson's Magnolia.