The Hudsucker Proxy was written by Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country For Old Men), and Sam Raimi (Evil Dead Trilogy, Spider-Man, Drag Me to Hell) during the period 1981-1985, though the film wasn’t completed and released until 1994.
Sam Raimi’s involvement stemmed from his working relationship with Ethan Coen, when Ethan was assistant editor on Raimi’s original Evil Dead (1981).
The Story and Tone
Norville Barnes (Tim Robbins) is a country boy who has arrived in New York City, eager to make it big. His lack of experience finally lands him in the mailroom of the Hudsucker Industries building.
When the President of the company, Waring Hudsucker (Charles Durning), commits suicide, the board of directors panic, as their shares in stock will go to public buyers. Then comes the idea to install an idiot as President of the company, ‘a proxy’, who will sink the stock-margins so low, the board-members can buy it back cheap when nobody else will go near it. Enter Norville Barnes.
But Norville has some tricks up his sleeve...
Along his journey, Norville meets Amy Archer (Jennifer Jason Leigh), the ‘fast-talking career gal’, and newspaper reporter who has her own struggles and pains to deal with.
The Hudsucker Proxypays homage to films of the 1940s and 50s, in style and tone. Most noticeable is the pristine, whirlwind of exaggerated dialogue, apparently inspired largely by the filmHis Girl Friday (1940). Jennifer Jason-Leigh’s approach to old movie-speak and mannerism is most extraordinary.
Themes, Concepts, Symbolism
The concept of ‘circles’ is apparent on inspection of The Hudsucker Proxy - there is the hula-hoop, and the later invention of the Frisbee. The film begins with Norville Barnes standing on the edge of the Hudsucker Industries building, next to the huge clock – also round - as the clock is striking midnight – the ‘rounding’ up of the day. This is happening on new-year’s eve 1958, as the year ends full ‘circle’. Just as important is the first scene, which leads to a flash-back telling of the entire story, which then ends up where it started again – another circle. In one scene that possibly explains the film’s circle concept, Norville Barnes and Amy Archer discuss karma, and how ‘what goes around comes around’ – an idea that presents itself further in the film’s resolutions.
Moses, the Presence of God?
Moses is the man in charge of running the giant clock on the Hudsucker building. He seems to know, as he says, ‘just about anything if it concerns old Hudsucker.’ He narrates the story, points out lessons to learn, and quotes Amy Archer on something she said in his absence, further crediting his position of an all-knowing entity. His name – Moses – supports the theory that he was actually God, or at least a God-like being – a character that represented God, for the purpose of the story. Further still is Moses’ ability to control time, which he does by manipulating the clockwork of the giant clock.
Moses’ fight with the evil janitor, Aloysius, in the one of the final, fate-creating moments, is an example of two beings, one good and one evil, battling behind the scenes, literally determining the destinies of the other characters, who aren’t aware of the struggle high up…
Reception, Reaction, Conclusion
The Hudsucker Proxy had mixed reactions upon its release, and still does. Some have expressed it as their ‘favourite Coen brothers film’, and others are not so generous.
While it may not be in the same league as, say, Fargo, Raising Arizona, or No Country For Old Men, The Hudsucker Proxy is funny, and witty, and a big film, a spectacle – one aspect that may have repelled some, it having a large budget and clear intentions for being a ‘mainstream’ film.
Regardless, The Hudsucker Proxy is larger-than-life, with a remarkable script, brilliant acting, with important philosophical points. See it for yourself.
Ferdi Mehmet - I work in journalism, performing writer/research roles for newspapers in the London area. My real passion is for writing fiction - novels, ...
