Set in 1929, a political boss and his advisor have a parting of the ways when they both fall for the same woman.
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Credits: TheMovieDb.
Film Cast:
- Tom Reagan: Gabriel Byrne
- Liam ‘Leo’ O’Bannon: Albert Finney
- Johnny Caspar: Jon Polito
- Verna Bernbaum: Marcia Gay Harden
- Eddie Dane: J.E. Freeman
- Bernie Bernbaum: John Turturro
- Mink Larouie: Steve Buscemi
- Frankie: Mike Starr
- Tic-Tac: Al Mancini
- Mayor Dale Levander: Richard Woods
- O’Doole: Thomas Toner
- Clarence ‘Drop’ Johnson: Mario Todisco
- Tad: Olek Krupa
- Adolph: Michael Jeter
- Terry: Lanny Flaherty
- Mrs. Caspar: Jeanette Kontomitras
- Johnny Caspar, Jr.: Louis Charles Mounicou III
- Brian: John McConnell
- Delahanty: Danny Aiello III
- Screaming Lady: Helen Jolly
- Landlady: Hilda McLean
- Gunman in Leo’s House: Monte Starr
- Gunman in Leo’s House: Don Picard
- Rug Daniels: Salvatore H. Tornabene
- Street Urchin: Kevin Dearie
- Caspar’s Driver: Michael Badalucco
- Caspar’s Butler: Charles Ferrara
- Caspar’s Cousin: Esteban Fernández
- Caspar’s Cousin: George Fernandez
- Hitman at Verna’s: Charles Gunning
- Hitman #2: Dave Drinkx
- Lazarre’s Messenger: David Darlow
- Lazarre’s Tough: Robert LaBrosse
- Lazarre’s Tough: Carl Rooney
- Man with Pipe Bomb: Jack Harris
- Son of Erin: Jery Hewitt
- Snickering Gunman: Sam Raimi
- Cop with Bullhorn: John Schnauder Jr.
- Rabbi: Zolly Levin
- Boxer: Joey Ancona
- Boxer: Bill Raye
- Voice (voice): William Preston Robertson
- Casino Patron (uncredited): MIchael P. Cahill
- Hitman #3 (uncredited): Sean Collins
- Mayor’s Secretary: Frances McDormand
Film Crew:
- Set Decoration: Nancy Haigh
- Director: Joel Coen
- Producer: Ethan Coen
- Original Music Composer: Carter Burwell
- Casting: John S. Lyons
- Production Design: Dennis Gassner
- Casting: Donna Isaacson
- Director of Photography: Barry Sonnenfeld
- Editor: Michael R. Miller
- First Assistant Editor: Michael Berenbaum
- Makeup Artist: Katherine James
- Supervising Sound Editor: Skip Lievsay
- Special Effects Coordinator: Peter Chesney
- Music Editor: Todd Kasow
- Line Producer: Graham Place
- Art Direction: Leslie McDonald
- Sound Re-Recording Mixer: Lee Dichter
- Dialogue Editor: Marissa Littlefield
- Assistant Director: Gregory Jacobs
- Additional Soundtrack: Sonny Burke
- Script Supervisor: Thomas Johnston
- Executive Producer: Ben Barenholtz
- Costume Design: Richard Hornung
- Steadicam Operator: Larry McConkey
- Assistant Editor: Tony Grocki
- Stunt Coordinator: Jery Hewitt
- ADR Editor: Nic Ratner
- Transportation Captain: Earl R. Hurst Sr.
- Still Photographer: Patti Perret
- Gaffer: Russell Engels
- Property Master: Douglas Fox
- Transportation Coordinator: William ‘Fleet’ Eakland
- Casting: Jane Brody
- Hairstylist: Cydney Cornell
- Production Manager: Alma Kuttruff
- Production Sound Mixer: Allan Byer
- Co-Producer: Mark Silverman
- Rigging Gaffer: Michael F. Burke
- First Assistant Camera: Angelo Di Giacomo
- Production Coordinator: Terri Clemens
- ADR Editor: Gail Showalter
Movie Reviews:
- John Chard: The answer my friend is a hat blowing in the wind.
The Coen brothers craft a loving homage to gangster pictures of yore with splendid results. Essentially the plot has Gabriel Byrne as a good – bad guy caught between two rival gangster factions. It’s a standard story line that is still providing cinematic water for many a film maker these days, but shot through the Coen prism, with literary astuteness holding court, it’s a genre piece of considerable class. A picture in fact that gets better and better with further viewings.
When the Coen’s are on form they have the skills to make a grade “A” thriller and blend it with a sort of dry irony. It’s like they bite the hand that feeds whilst praising said genre influences to the rafters, but it works as damn fine entertainment. On a narrative level Miller’s Crossing molds the byzantine with the labyrinthine, keeping the complexities just on the right side of the street from that of art for arts sake.
Visually the film is superb, the hard working sweat of the city dovetails impudently with the mother nature beauty of Miller’s Crossing the place, a place home to misery, a witness to the dark side of man. All the while Byrne, Albert Finney, John Turturro and Jon Polito bring an array of characterisations to the party, each one his own man but each craftily proving the folly of man. Marcia Gay Harden, in one of her first mainstream roles, slinks about making the two main boys sweaty, and wonderful she is as well. While Carter Burwell provides a musical score that has a smug (in a good way) self awareness about it.
Style over substance? Yes, on formative viewings it is. But go back, look again, see and sample what is not being said. Pulpers and noirers will I’m sure get the gist. 8/10