Mountain FogRETROSPECT: RAISING ARIZONA (1987)
August 18th 2009 03:05
Holly Hunter and Nicholas Cage kickstarted their film careers in Raising Arizona.
As if to prove their versatility, the Coens decided to follow their compact little film with a ridiculous, chocks-away comedy. Where Blood Simple was lean and efficient, Raising Arizona turned out to be rambling and elastic, going out of its way to sew up a prank or riff on a visual gag. Made by anybody else it would have turned into a scrambled disaster, but in the able hands of the Coen brothers, Raising Arizona rides roughshod over its faults, charming its audience into giddy submission.
Not only did the film secure the reputations of the Coens, but it also kick-started the careers of its stars, Nick Cage and Holly Hunter. Cage and Hunter play the dim newlyweds, petty crim H.I. “Hi” McDonnough and police officer Edwina. After continually meeting in the mug shot booth at the local police station, Hi proposes to Ed, promising he’ll end his serial convenience store-robbing ways if she’ll take his hand in marriage.
A contented trailer-shack romance ensues, but things go pear-shaped when it’s revealed that Edwina can’t conceive. Desperate for a child, the two decide to relieve unpainted furniture baron, Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson), of one of his recently born quintuplets, figuring they’re easing the burden on the blowhard storeowner and creating a win-win situation.
What follows is a frenetic screwball comedy, one that becomes all the more demented as Hi and Ed’s new acquisition comes under the close scrutiny of all manner of oddjobs, whether it be Hi’s buddies and recently escaped jailbirds, Gale (John Goodman) and Evelle (William Forsythe), family friends and avid swingers, Glen (Sam McMurray) and Dot (Frances McDormand), or fearsome bounty hunter, Leonard Smalls (Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb).
It may sound like lunar slingshot of a plot, and Raising Arizona has some narrative deficiencies that would fall over under close inspection, but the audience never has time to take account of such aspects, the humour running at them so stupidly fast. The Coens may go out of their way to make a joke, but once there they never milk it, and the result is one of the most gag-ridden films of the past couple of decades.
William Forsythe and John Goodman feature as recently escaped convicts, Evelle and Gale.
Their visual comedy is exceptionally well written, but so is director Joel Coen’s work with the actors to bring the verbal material to crackling life. A Coen brothers film has the knack of eliciting the best out of its actors and Raising Arizona was no different, with the verbal ticks and gags given swiss precision delivery by a talented cast. Trey Wilson is particularly brilliant as the unstoppable salesman, Nathan Arizona, the character applying his advertising cliché, “…Or my name’s not Nathan Arizona!” to some hilariously inappropriate situations.
The other true standout of the film is Barry Sonnenfeld’s delirious cinematography. Equally at ease with static widescreen compositions, naturalistic POV shots, or frenetic steady cam foot chases, the skilled DOP’s style still remains remarkably coalescent from scene to scene. And lacing it all together is Michael R. Miller’s remarkable editing job. Indeed, put together, Sonnenfield and Miller’s work sometimes threatens to hijack the film completely.
But then this is a Coen brothers film, and while there are many fine elements contributing to Raising Arizona, they never dare compete with one other. Rather, they work in brilliant harmony, each providing another carefully crafted piece to apply to the whole. Everything is precisely outrageous, designed to split the sides of its willing audience. The final result is a fantastic film that kisses away its own weaknesses, with Raising Arizona remaining one of the Coens’ best in an exceptionally strong oeuvre.
Check out the trailer for Raising Arizona below:
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Comment by David O'Connell
Screen Fanatic
I have to be honest and say that it took a couple of viewings for me to warm to it though.
When I first saw it years ago I thought it was just too wacky to work but was a little more tuned into it the second time around.
Can't say Holly is one of my favourite actresses - she may have been the wall of resistance I was butting up against initially!
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight
I think that when you watch this you know they're cheating in a way, but the funny stuff is just too good to mind too much.
Don't like Holly Hunter? How could you, Dave?! I tend to think she's pretty cool and actually a little underrated, but could understand how some folks may not warm to her.
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Nic cage was right on in this part and the dazzling cinematography meshed with sound design still impresses. the film has a flair.
Comment by Matt Shea
20/20 Filmsight