The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

The Coen Brothers' "Hudsucker Proxy" is an obvious tribute to many of the 30's and 40's era comedy/noir films which inspired them as film makers, yet still manages to succeed in standing alone as an original work of art.

I'm sure if this film weren't so directly correlated with comedy, it would be much more highly respected, however, most film connoisseurs seem to unreasonably look down on comedy films. Hudsucker Proxy isn't just a comedy. To some it could be considered epic considering it's grand visual elements, and Greek form of storytelling. (That being of a lower class man finding his way into the royalty that all lower class men dream of).

The Hudsucker proxy also has a great theme surrounding on the topic of corporate corruption and the mindset of those who are responsible for such acts.

From Beginning to end, this film is flawless. It flows across the screen at a perfect beat. If you haven't see it, do so. It will raise your standard, and change how you look at films forever on.

Fmovies: Just hearing the title "The Hudsucker Proxy" confuses people. I told my mom the other day, "I got 'The Good, The Bad and The Ugly'; 'The Big Lebowski' and 'The Hudsucker Proxy' from the library today". You know what she said? "What was that last one?" Uh-huh. Not many people know what a 'proxy' is, and Hudsucker sounds a lot like 'sucker', so it really freaks people out sometimes.

That's a reason why it's so good! From the moment it starts - with a 'comedic' suicide scene no less - the audience is left saying, "Huh?" It stars Tim Robbins as a dimwitted mail room worker for a large company. On his first day, the president (Charles Durning) kills himself, leaving Sydney J. Mussburger (Paul Newman) with a plan to elect a moron for the new company president so that their stocks can go down and they can sell. Naturally, Robbins' character is picked. After that, he gets barraged by co-workers, stocks, the press, and undercover reporter Amy Archer (Jennifer Jason Leigh). Naturally, Robbins and Leigh fall in love.

Sounds rather normal doesn't it? Well, when you watch and meet characters like the immortal Clock Man Moses (Bill Cobbs) and the evil Aloysius (Harry Bugin), and even get a surprise visit from Durning's ghost, you'll change your mind.

Of course, it's still no "Godfather", but if you have nothing to do and feel like watching an interesting Coen comedy, pop in "The Hudsucker Proxy", 8/10.

Deftly mixing elements from Sturges, Capra, and yes, even De Palma, the Coens along with Sam Raimi have fashioned a modern masterpiece. As with all Coen films, they invite you into their jokes, and if you don't get them, they just don't seem to care-- and that's a good thing. A huge flop, film lovers with a sense of history and humor will be gushing about this one for a long..long..time. Bordering on a musical version of "Brazil" at points, it is as deliberately studied a critique of contemporary American capitalism as it is a searing stare at Hollywood. Paul Newman like all of the Coens' and Raimi's meticulously selected actors seem literally born for their parts. Using the most classical of Hollywood stylistic techniques in the most seamless manner, but with added auteur hyperbole they show us who we are through the comic lens of the camera, always reminding us that it is just a movie. Listen for the title of Amy Archer's Pulitzer prize winning article. Favorite line: "the people look..like..ants."

The Hudsucker Proxy fmovies. I have to admit, there aren't many movies that warrant a 10 rating from me, but this is absolutely one of them.

Something about the film just works. The Coens are geniuses when it comes to making movies that I really can enjoy. I admit, I first saw "O, Brother, Where Art Thou?" and loved it so much. I had no idea this was by them too, and had I not seen a "Making of" on a show on Discovery years ago that showed how the scene where they fall off the building was done, I probably wouldn't have ever decided to TiVo this fine film.

The direction technique, acting, jokes, everything just works. This is the kind of movie that stands out in the crowd, makes me want to buy it on DVD and show it to everyone I know just to make them see what people miss when they read reviews by people like Siskel and Ebert, who gave it two thumbs down, but don't give a reason on their site.

Other movies I would recommend are O, Brother (Also directed by the Coen's) and Army of Darkness, which, maybe coincidentally, stars Bruce Campbell who plays a reporter in this movie. Bruce is his same old self. he has a presence, and is great in the few scenes he's in.

Tim Robbins is wonderfully cast as the lead in this role.

The elevator operator lent a wonderful character to the movie.

The two Cab drivers in the Café who perform the "I got gas" Bromo commercial type bit, were great narrating Norville's encounter with Amy.

The guy in the News room creating the Crossword puzzle with a Scrabble set asking people questions for clues. "The guy's a real moron, as in a five-letter word for Imbecile."

The music, oh, the music is wonderfully suited to the film.

There isn't one part of this movie I didn't like, honestly. I could watch it quite a few times before I got sick of it, then take a break, then come back and watch it again.

Highly recommended.

The Coens do Capra, with their inimitable style and wit. More specifically, this is the innocent hick in the corrupt big city thing of Mr. Smith, Mr Deeds and Meet John Doe, complete with Tim Robbins as a suitably lanky substitute for Jimmy Stewart and Gary Cooper, and a wonderful fast-talking tomboy journo turn from Jennifer Jason Leigh. Paul Newman is similarly fantastic as the evil corporate bigwig, and the tale of a patsy turning the tables on his manipulators through his own naivety and innocence is perfectly packed with inspired moments, wonderfully fantastic set design, nutty dialogue, great music and that streak of brilliant lunacy running through all of the Coens' magical oeuvre. Makes my "top ten of the decade" for sure, this beauty can only mature and grow in stature over time.

This movie is the exception to the rule when they say, "They don't make 'em like they used to." Because the Coen Brothers and Sam Raimi sure did top them all with this one. Tim Robbins, along with the rest of the cast, is pitch perfect. From the first second of the movie to the last, my eyes are glazed over with utter fascination. Composer Carter Burwell is the next John Williams in my book. His score accents brilliantly every emotion witnessed. This movie is funny, romantic, perverse, and whimsical. It says a lot that after years of not making movies, Paul Newman chose to make this one.