The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

Retro Cool DVD Cover

Sure sure it’s just a movie but it’s a ‘Coen’. The brothers Joel and Ethan Coen are just getting their groove on in 1994. On the back of Barton Fink and Millers Crossing they give us this retro stylised comedic look at ruthless corporate life in the late 50’s that truly is larger than life complete with a demon sign writer and angel maintenance worker… Don’t let that dissuade you from watching this film though since it really isn’t about anything as heavy as angels and demons. I’m doing my best to refrain from full fan boy mode here but I’m warning you if the Coen’s should ever cross my path I will enter shrieking-teen-girl mode and I will get my scream on. Ever since the 90’s they have had hit after hit. They followed Hudsucker with two of the greats in the 90’s being Fargo and the mediocre release but arguably first internet cult classic, The Big Lebowski.

It’s 1958 and Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins) is a good natured but dim-witted graduate from small town America. He comes to overwhelming New York with a big idea in his pocket – you know, for kids – but he struggles to find work until he happens upon an advert from Hudsucker Industries. Paul Newman plays Sidney Mussburger who is so stone cold he puffs on his ex CEO’s cigar moments after he took the short trip to the pavement via the 44th floor window – 45 floors counting the Mezzanine. The Hudsucker board led by Sidney devise a plan to maintain majority control of the company by replacing the CEO with an unsuspecting puppet, a proxy if you will. Their choice grabs the attention of the press and in particular one fast talking Amy Archer played obnoxiously by Jennifer Jason Leigh. … read the rest, see our rating and a video!