Barton Fink (1991)

 Barton Fink (1991)

Upon initial viewing, I had no idea what to think about Barton Fink, yet another interesting film created by the dynamic duo known as the Coen Brothers. I thought it was weird, unsettling, and driven by its core performances from John Turturro and John Goodman. Yet the more I thought about the film, the more I began to understand the type of film it is. Like most films from the filmmaking brothers, this is not an “easy” watch. I would even dare call it inaccessible. The film is going to make you think. Even though the Coens openly admitted that they did not go into the film with allegorical thoughts in mind, it can be easy to suggest that they had some thoughts about fascism, or the bad side of Hollywood, or writing scripts for entertainment in general. The script is excellent. The characters are three-dimensional, and the actors breathe life into the words that were written for this film. I also really enjoyed the ending because that is what got me thinking more about the story. The directors left the film ambiguous for a reason. I know that frustrates people looking for a simple movie to watch on a rainy afternoon. Then again, this movie is not for you especially if you want to watch nothing but aimless blockbusters.

 

The script for this film actually came to be before Miller’s Crossing came out. That particular film seemed to be giving the Coens a hard time trying to finish the script. The result was writer’s block, which happens to be a main focus in this picture. This script was made with both Turturro and Goodman in mind and it served its purpose as a diversion allowing the 1990 gangster film to be completed. Both scripts are fantastic, by the way. It can be difficult to label the movie in terms of its genre as it is customary with the Coen’s filmography. I think it is a dark comedy that blends elements from film-noir and horror. There is also a bit of Hitchcockian thriller I noticed. This film is also an example of a postmodernist feature. It subverted the audience’s expectations by changing the narrative structure in a way to determine how far audiences are willing to suspend disbelief. Another goal of the genre, which works perfectly with this narrative, is to break down the division between high and low art. Barton Fink is a writer trying to write for “the common man,” yet his first foray into Hollywood is to write a mainstream picture for a huge movie star with the goal of profit in mind rather than art.

 

The Coens had some people in mind that they based their characters off. The main person is playwright Clifford Odets. Odets was a politically-charged playwright who found success under the Broadway lights before moving to California for a movie career. The directors took inspiration from various Odets plays to give Mr. Fink his character traits. Another person they had in mind was William Faulkner who was a famous author and alcoholic. The casting of John Mahoney as Faulkner may have been pure coincidence but their face likenesses are striking. The studio head, Jack Lipnick (played brilliantly by Michael Lerner), is a combination of studio heads of the time such as Jack Warner. The Coens always seemed to have that one loud, crass person of authority that loom large over the picture. Michael Lerner is that guy here and I loved his portrayal. One of the scenes, where he has an army suit made for him, is one brilliant scene.

 

Set in the early 1940’s as the Nazis were waging war in Europe, Barton Fink (John Turturro) is a successful yet idealistic playwright who moved to Hollywood to begin a career in the film industry. He is hired to write a script for the wrestling drama starring Wallace Beery for the eccentric Jack Lipnick (Michael Lerner), head of Capital Studios. He is unable to finish the screenplay because of a case of writer’s block. He locks himself inside the seedy Hotel Earle, whose only inhabitant is the traveling insurance salesman, Charlie Meadows (John Goodman), a larger-than-life fellow. Fink may have no choice but to take inspiration from Meadows and a secretary of fellow writer W.P Mayhew (John Mahoney) who goes by the name of Audrey (Judy Davis). Very quickly does Barton Fink learn that Hollywood is ready to eat him up alive.

 

I loved the performances. Actors tend to develop eccentric personalities in any film the Coen Brothers make and this one is no exception. Turturro comes into own as the writer who is a bit of an oddball but trying to make a name for himself. I knew there was more than what meets the eye when it comes to Goodman’s character. I liked where his character path went. Michael Lerner goes over-the-top as the studio head, a type of personality that you don’t see in today’s more corporate Hollywood. There are smaller performances so don’t miss the blink-or-miss performance from Steve Buscemi.

 

Like everyone else, I was weirded out by Barton Fink upon initial viewing. I was not truly sure what kind of film it wanted to be. As the fires raged in the dumpy Hotel Earle as the film came to a close, I began to understand. The production design is excellent and I loved the comparisons between Hotel Earle and Lipnick’s studio, a fair contrast of dark versus light. Carter Burwell’s score fits the mood and is a good one. Barton Fink is not for everyone. It is not straightforward and will make you think about the characters and what they stand for. It is ironic that the Coens say how well Hollywood treated them yet they made a dark comedy about something completely opposite of their experiences. This is a demanding, exhilarating film and no one would expect less from the Coens.

 

My Grade: A-