"Miller's Crossing" A story of unrequited love hidden behind the film noir

"Miller's Crossing" synopsis

Set in 1929, a town in eastern America during the prohibition era. Irish and Italian bosses are fiercely competing for power in the underworld. Leo is the big Irish boss who runs the city. Tom is a tough guy who has a strong male bond with Leo. Verna is a strong prostitute who is loved by two people. Barney is a thug who is protected by his older sister Verna and betrays him over and over again. A bloody gang war filled with betrayal, intrigue, and greed begins!

Index

• Film noir born from “gangsters in the woods”
• A man who had feelings for the gang boss that were more than friendship.
• “Chasing hats is stupid.” What is the feeling behind that line?
• Murder in the Woods...The genealogy of homosexual films connected to Bertolucci

Film noir born from “gangsters in the woods”

The Coen brothers have written many original screenplays, but many of their films are inspired by existing literary works. " The Big Lebowski " (1998) is based on Raymond Chandler's " The Big Sleep ," " Barber " (2001) is based on James M. Cain's " Murder Insurance ," and " O Brother! " (2000) is based on the classic epic " Odyssey. " ”.

``Miller's Crossing'' (1990) was also heavily influenced by Dashiell Hammett's 1931 hard-boiled novel ``The Glass Key.'' The relationship between the town's powerful Madvig and Ned, who swears absolute loyalty to him, can be directly applied to the relationship between Leo (Albert Finney) and Tom (Gabriel Byrne). However, the Coen brothers did not inductively weave a plot out of this story. Rather, they expanded the film from a vague image.

"Miller's Crossing" preview

There are big gangsters wearing overcoats in the forest. An unbalanced scene with a city gangster set against a forest scene... The idea for this film was developed from that one image. (Excerpt from theater program)

However, creating a scenario based on the visual image of ``gangsters in the forest'' is extremely difficult. The Coen brothers put their work on hold for two months, during which time they finished writing the screenplay for Barton Fink (1991). After many hardships, the story of ``Miller's Crossing '' was completed, but the resulting work was a unique film noir, far removed from Hollywood entertainment. Miller's Crossing was made because the success of his previous film, The Raising Arizona (1987), gave him the opportunity to make a bigger budget and more ambitious film.

A man who had feelings for the gang boss that were more than friendship.