Miller's Crossing
Short description
Miller's Crossing takes place in an unnamed American city in 1929, during Prohibition, where organized crime has a grip on local politics and law enforcement. Tom Reagan works as the trusted adviser to Leo, an Irish gang boss who runs the city. Their partnership fractures when both men become involved with the same woman, Verna, and Leo refuses a demand from Johnny Caspar, an Italian-American rival who wants Verna's brother Bernie handed over. The refusal sets off a gang war in which Tom, caught between the competing factions, has to maneuver carefully to survive.
Joel and Ethan Coen wrote the screenplay, Ethan Coen produced, and Joel Coen directed. It was their third film together, following Raising Arizona and preceding Barton Fink. Gabriel Byrne plays Tom, with Marcia Gay Harden as Verna, Albert Finney as Leo, Jon Polito as Johnny Caspar, John Turturro as Bernie Bernbaum and J.E. Freeman as Eddie Dane. The production, backed by 20th Century Fox and Circle Films, had a budget of about 14 million dollars and returned roughly 5 million worldwide.
On IMDb the film holds 7.7 out of 10 from around 149,000 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 7.4 from a much smaller base of under 2,000 votes. A critics' rating of 8.5 out of 10 from 71 reviews places it above both audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- The moment when Tom lights a match on the police chief's token is an allusion to the film "Scarface" (1932).
- Niagara Falls, where Tom sarcastically suggests Verne and Bernie go, was a traditional honeymoon destination for Americans at the beginning of the 20th century.
- It is quite difficult to understand from watching – in which city the film's action is specifically set. The name of the newspaper, the club sign (Shenandoah club), etc., do little to clarify the situation. In fact, the filming took place in New Orleans, where Joel and Ethan Coen found entire blocks that preserved the architecture of 1929.
- “Miller’s Crossing” was a working title for the film, but despite the directors not being entirely satisfied with it, it became the final title because they couldn’t come up with another one.
- In the episode where Tom enters the women's restroom, all the ladies (except Verne) were played by men dressed in women's clothing, including Albert Finney (Leo).
- Filming took place from January 27th to April 28th, 1989.
- According to the Coens, "Miller's Crossing" is an attempt to make a film in the style of Dashiell Hammett, whose novels they are fans of.
- The role of Bernbaum was written specifically for John Turturro.
- The scene in which John Turturro's character kneels is discussed by the characters in "Ocean's Twelve": one of the characters says he was crying at that moment.
- In episode 20 of season 1 of the series "American Dad!", a scene from the film "Crossing Miller" is parodied (the scene in the woods where Bernie begs Tom to spare him, in the animated series – Roger begs Stan for mercy).
- In the scene where Tom throws a glass at Vern and it hits the mirror, the cracks in the mirror change location in different frames.
- The role of Leo was originally intended for Trey Wilson, with whom the Coens had worked on their previous film, “Raising Arizona,” but he passed away before auditions began.
- Well-known director Sam Raimi, a long-time friend of Joel and Ethan Coen, played a cameo role in the film. Joel Coen's wife, Frances McDormand, who has appeared in many Coen films, also played a cameo role as the mayor's secretary (uncredited).
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