Miller's Crossing (1990)

Tom Regan, an advisor to a Prohibition-era crime boss, tries to keep the peace between warring mobs but gets caught in divided loyalties.

Director:

Joel Coen

Writers:

Joel Coen, Ethan Coen,

Stars:

Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, John Turturro

5 wins & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Gabriel Byrne	...	Tom Reagan
Marcia Gay Harden	...	Verna
John Turturro	...	Bernie Bernbaum
Jon Polito	...	Johnny Caspar
J.E. Freeman	...	Eddie Dane
Albert Finney	...	Leo
Mike Starr	...	Frankie
Al Mancini	...	Tic-Tac
Richard Woods	...	Mayor Dale Levander
Thomas Toner	...	O'Doole
Steve Buscemi	...	Mink
Mario Todisco	...	Clarence "Drop" Johnson
Olek Krupa	...	Tad
Michael Jeter	...	Adolph
Lanny Flaherty	...	Terry

Storyline

A highly styled 'genre' film which can perhaps be seen as a pastiche of all gangster movies. Tom Reagan is the laconic anti-hero of this amoral tale which is also, paradoxically, a look at morals within the criminal underworld of the 1930s. Two rival gangs vie for control of a city where the police are pawns, and the periodic busts of illicit drinking establishments are no more than a way for one gang to get back at the other. Black humour and shocking violence compete for screen time as we question whether or not Tom, right-hand man of the Irish mob leader, really has a heart.

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Plot Keywords:

power | police | pastiche | gangster | violence | 

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Taglines:

Up is down, black is white, and nothing is what it seems.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Italian Irish Yiddish

Release Date:

October 1990 (USA)

Also Known As:

De paseo a la muerte

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$14,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$5,080,409 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Circle Films, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The character Eddie Dane was originally written for Peter Stormare and was to be named The Swede. Stormare had to decline as he was appearing as Hamlet in the Broadway production. The part was then re-written and re-cast, and became The Dane.

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Goofs

The robe that Verna wears when Tom visits her the morning after he loses his hat keeps changing positions between shots, alternately revealing and concealing her bra.

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Quotes

Johnny Caspar: One thing I always try to teach my boys: always put one in the brain!

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Connections

Referenced in Parker Lewis Can't Lose: Jerry's First Date (1991)

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Soundtracks

"King Porter Stomp"
By Ferdinand 'Jelly Roll' Morton, Sonny Burke and Sid Robin
Edwin H. Morris & Co., a division of MPL Communications, Inc.

User Reviews

A Must-See For Any Lover of The Cinema

There are very few films that engulf the viewer and demand them to give their full attention. This is one of those rarities. While viewing this film one finds themselves sharing the same space and breathing the same air that the characters do. It's beautiful. It's the stuff of great story-telling.

I must admit, I am a great fan of Gabriel Byrne in anything, no matter what it is, so maybe I'm jaded. And as I have seen practically everything with him in it, I must say it is refreshing to see him work with an amazing cast and script to back up his talent.

And the music is terrific. How ironic to have "Danny Boy"-a sentimental grandparents' favorite- playing while machine guns are ripping apart mens' flesh. The cinematography is superb also. Not only do the characters speak in a language rich with visuals, they live in a moving painting.

This was one of those films where I watched all the way through the credits slack-jawed and was sad to see the film end. It's that good. I'm not especially a fan of gangster films but I am willing to make exceptions and Miller's Crossing is one of them.