Miller's Crossing (1990)

4.0

CRIME/DRAMA
U.S. Release Date: 09/22/1990
Running Length: 115 Minutes
MPAA Classification: R
Theatrical Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Cast: Gabriel Bryne, Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, John Turturro, Jon Polito, J.E. Freeman
Director: Joel Coen
Screenplay: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen (inspired by novels by Dashiell Hammett)
Cinematography: Barry Sonnenfeld           
Music: Carter Burwell           
U.S. Distributor: 20th Century Fox

Review by: Carter Moulton

03/10/09

"Nobody knows anybody—not that well."

Centered amidst the Great Depression, Miller’s Crossing is a work of neo-noir with a splash of the gangster genre—and a hint of that “Coen brother dark comedy” that most of us have come to love. It’s a film fluent in overcast skies, threads of cigar smoke, and sharp-shooting dialogue (and guns), and luckily, it’s one of the most engaging screenplays I can remember. The film’s dialogue flawlessly intertwines witty and genuine, realistic and artistic.

Tom Reagan (Gabriel Bryne) is an advisor to the town’s most powerful crime boss, Leo (Albert Finney). On the other side of the gang war is the up-and-coming Johnny Casper (Jon Polito in a wonderful performance), an “anti-shyster” shyster of sorts, citing ethics as his driving force numerous times throughout the film. Both Leo and Casper take turns essentially running the town, as the mayor and police force usually side with one gang temporarily—this is one of the more humorous aspects of the film, seeing these law and political establishments act the way they do.

Casper confronts Leo seeking a truce, if, and only if, Leo will give up Bernie, a twisted, possibly autistic, man who gave Casper the “high-hat." The only problem is that Leo plans to marry Verna (Marcia Gay Harden), Bernie’s sister. Verna is seducing Leo merely to save her brother’s life, and it’s successful, as Leo denies Casper. Things start to spin out of control when Leo is informed of Tom’s affair with Verna. Tom is basically thrown to the dogs, and he finds himself in the middle of a heated crime war.

John Turturro gives a spellbinding performance as the downright creepy Bernie, a man teetering on the edge of insanity and ruthlessness, doing so with a wide grin on his face. Bryne captures the chilling heart—what heart?—of Tom. He delivers dialogue smoothly with a shaky accent at times, but his character is never damaged by it. Finney, Polito, and Harden are all top-notch as well.

Photo © 20th Century Fox

Tom is a throwback to Humphrey Bogart in a way, reacting, using his head rather than his heart. He’s an anti-hero, a man who fools and plays everybody while not really giving a damn. Verna tells Tom early on, “You always take the long way around to get what you want, don't you Tom.” It’s a line that reestablishes itself at the end of the film, and when it hit me, I realized the power of Miller’s Crossing in terms of dialogue and storytelling.

The directing never overshadows the story; it’s often supplementary, which is the way it should be. The Coens’ sometimes inject a quick pulse of dark comedy into the story, and it’s really effective here. Subtleties like:

- What's he up to?
- Beats me.
- That's Bernie's sister, isn't it?
- Beats me.
- What's he seeing her for?
- Beats me, maybe he's--
- Shutup.  Get outta the car.

What I like about this film is that the Coens’ are here to tell a story. Not to comment on how stupid we are, not to flaunt their god-given talent in front of the screen, placing themselves on a pedestal. To tell a story. And the way they tell that story is with quick-hitting dialogue that demands complete attention. There are twists and back-stories aplenty, so additional viewings are probably required—and welcomed. The way they capture the secrets of noir in the contrasted shadows of hotel rooms and apartments and couple it with such a clean script is an achievement worth celebrating—whether you’re a fan of gangster flicks or not.

Miller’s Crossing is arguably Joel and Ethan Coen’s best film. It’s right up there with Fargo, and it’s presented, perhaps, in a more accessible way—it plays out as a no-joke narrative rather than a behind-the-scenes commentary on dumb people. I won’t say which one is better, but this film needs to be seen if you consider yourself a cinephile.