The Hudsucker Proxy Reviews

[Highly rated reviewer]

Misses the mark

This flim tries hard to make likable characters and have quirky scissorhandesque scenes, but just doesn't quite get there.

The characters are not endearing enough or particularly interesting and there are some scenes which try to be humourously over the top arty, where I just found myself fast-forwarding out of irritation (such as the lift operator dragging himself across the carpet after being fired, and the angel desdending as time is stood still).

Part of the problem is Tim Robbins I think, I just don't feel he makes contact with an audience. Jennifer Jason leigh adopts an irritating and unconvincing accent also.

It just does not reach any depth of feeling.

Under rated gem.

Of all the Coens films this one is often mysteriously overlooked as nothing more than a whimsical curiosity.

Both a tribute to Howard Hawks's comedies and the feel goodness of Capra, this is a charming illustration of the strange logic of the Coensian universe.

Featuring great comic performances from all the leads, wonderful set design and great dialogue this deserves to be up there with the Coen Bros best.

'You know? For kids!'

Intolerable Cruelty, though, there's a film more deserving of being overlooked.

A Classic, Much Overlooked

Back in the day, the Coens didn't bother so much with edging towards box office acceptability, they concerned themselves with stylish, interesting and usually quirky stories. This time both style and quirk are turned up high as they dish up a simple tale, told and acted superbly. Both Tim Robbins and Paul Newman are excellent but it is the Coen's flair for telling a story that really shines.

The production design also shines out, a splendid recreation of a bygone age.

I love this film, not my favourite Coen's film ( reserved for the sublime Mr. Lebowski ), but this is still a gem.

Rent it, enjoy it.

Beautiful!

What can I say about this wonderful gem of movie... From it's dreamy opening sequence through to it's sublime finale. A lot of care has gone into this film, from a perfect cast, evocative music and absolutely stunning production design - it's sort of old-fasioned Hollywood at it's best meets the dark surrealism of Terry Gilliam.

got bored.....and didn't finish it...pants !!!

boring and irritating.how can the guys responsible for fantastic movies like Fargo and The Big Lebowski make such a totally crap movie.bad performances,especially Paul Newman...just awfull!!!!

Possibly my favourite Coen Brothers film

This is an extremely entertaining film. Primarily because it is a sort of romantic comedy (which I would not normally admit to liking), but one that is intelligent and hilarious. Tim Robbins is good as a bit of a dope. I love the style created with the insane acting, the set and the costumes.

What went wrong?

A very silly little film, though I wish I could drop the 'little'. I hate to think how much money was spent on this, on salaries, effects and an awful lot of vintage cars. I saw 'His Girl Friday' (I think that is what it was called) about a year ago and was distinctly unimpressed. My impression of screwball comedies, from that film and this one, is that they just seem to consist of people talking very fast. The lead actress in this film does a decent but pointless Katherine Hepburn (voice only) impression whilst Tim Robbins and Paul Newman are 1-dimensional. If you thought 'His Girl Friday' was good you may like this. However, I cannot see the point. If you want screwball comedy, watch one of the original ones.

[Highly rated reviewer]

The Hudsucker Proxy

When Waring Hudsucker (Charles Durning) throws himself to his death his controlling interest in the company he founded becomes due to be sold. Wanting to retain control his number two Sidney Mussburger (Newman) suggests that the board appoint an idiot President of the company. That idiot is Norville Barnes (Robbins) a young mail room clerk.

On hearing of Barnes promotion fast talkin, pulitzer winning reporter Amy Archer (Leigh) smells a rat, and a big story.

The screwball comedy died years ago but Joel and Ethan Coen have long tried to keep its spirit alive. They did it in Raising Arizona and Intolerable Cruelty as well but never as effectively as in The Hudsucker Proxy.

This hugely witty throwback to Hollywood's golden age grows ever more entertaining each time I see it.

As ever the Coen's populate the film with an eclectic cast. Robbins is just perfect as Norville Barnes, who is perdictably not as stupid as he looks. Robbins does have the gormless thing down but he's also got such infectious enthusiasm and charm in his performance that, even at his most ridiculous 'Y'know, for kids' you believe in Norville.

Jennifer Jason Leigh makes an exceedingly rare foray into comedy here and shows a great aptitude for it. As Amy Archer she channels Rosalind Russel in His Girl Friday, with the voice of Katahrine Hepburn. Her dialogue flies at a mile a minute but her crisp delivery lets us hear and savour every joke. She's, without a doubt, the funniest thing in the picture but she also manages to find emotion in Amy making the romance between her and Robbins play.

The rest of the cast is similarly stellar. Paul Newman chomps both his cigar and the scenery as Mussburger, Jim True is funny as Buzz the lift operator and Bruce Campbell (who has said that working with Leigh was the best, and scariest, time he's had as an actor) has fun as a rival reporter at Amy's paper.

Visually it's a knockout. The set design is intricate, vast in scale and absolutely beautiful and Joel Coen makes the movie look like it cost a lot more than it probably did. It's the brothers witty script that's the real star though. Surreal but believeable, verbose but pointed and, most importantly, bust a gut funny. The Hudsucker Proxy is ideal family viewing and well worth 100 minutes of anyone's time.

Pretty dull

Kind of found this hard to get into. I usually like the Coens' films but justed kept honing out of this one. Bruce Campbell's cameo was about all I found noteworthy.

Unwatchable

Over the top stylized nonsense, avoid.