By just their third feature film, The Coen Brothers were already beginning to show the world what we would all come to accept as a basic fact: they are a master of all genres. In September of 1990, a little mob epic known as Goodfellas debuted to overwhelming critical acclaim and box office success before garnering a truckload of Oscar nominations. Yet, a mere three days later, another, different type of gangster film would also debut, only to get swallowed up in the riptide of the Scorsese classic. Miller’s Crossing does not have the flash and cocaine-fueled energy of its friendly competitor, but it has a quality that has made it ripe for discovery over the last three-plus decades.
Miller’s Crossing is a movie with patience, and through that patience we get beautifully layered and complex dialogue delivered ingeniously by an assortment of actors who are second to none. We get a nimbly constructed narrative that injects one surprise after another in a way that never feels cheap. We get a film that keeps you coming back again and again just to discover all of its hidden secrets which elevates it among the best from one of the greatest directing forces in modern cinema. While one can gain a lot from exploring how this feature is in conversation with hard-boiled noirs of the past, there is just as much to gain to see how it complements what the Coen’s would achieve in subsequent decades.
The story takes place during the Prohibition Era when any self-respecting U.S. city was run by enterprising criminals. The opening scene of the film is perfect table-setting for the film as it introduces nearly all of the main dynamics in one form or another while establishing the ease with which the film will maneuver between dark comedy and serious drama. Italian gangster Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito, The Big Lebowski) is waxing poetic about how screwed up the world is that criminals are in fear of not being able to fix a fight fairly and without complications. It’s a question of ethics. The recipient of this monologue is rival Irish mobster Leo O’Bannon (Albert Finney, Big Fish), the “big cheese” of the city who tells the police what to do. Johnny is here to get Leo’s blessing to take out the low-life fixer Bernie Bernbaum (John Turturro, Barton Fink), which Leo refuses on the grounds of being in a relationship with his sister, Verna (Marcia Gay Harden, The Mist).
Surveying this scene is Leo’s stoic right-hand man, Tom Reagen (Gabriel Byrne, Hereditary), a man who disagrees with his friend and boss on the grounds of what they can gain from approving this favor. This is coming from someone who, unbeknownst to Leo, is also having a tryst with Verna, but is nowhere near as considerate of the mortality of her brother. In a cast full of colorful characters, it is intriguing that we follow the bubbling enigma that is Tom Reagen. Byrne plays him with an effortless bit of bristling swagger as he makes his way throughout this narrative, rarely giving clues as to what his endgame might be. He is not driven by loyalty; he is seeing his friend’s girl behind his back and quickly defects to the opposing side when the going gets tough. Yet, he also does not seem to be striving for absolute dominance, as the twisted power struggle he weaves together pitting forces against one another never amounts to him being in the shot-calling position. The line that seems to most give insight into his psyche is a reflection on a dream: “Nothing more foolish than a man chasing his hat.”
The Coen Brothers themselves have said they were inspired greatly by the stories of Dashiell Hammett (The Glass Key, The Thin Man). From the contentious meeting between Tom and Bernie to the play to light a spark between rival gangs, much of the DNA can be found from this source material. Yet, there is something uniquely “Coen” about this whole situation which reinforces the belief that no other creative team could have made this version of the film. Tom feels of the same ilk as Llewelyn Moss of No Country For Old Men. They are both quiet men on the precipice of their own demise if they can not find a way to scrape by and survive their sticky predicament. Still, despite having moments of humanity, Tom is far less sentimental than his contemporary counterpart would be almost two decades later. The Coen’s do bring a startling sensitivity to the men in this story; both rival crime bosses have open-hearted moments with loved ones that call to mind what they would later achieve in work like Fargo and True Grit. Not even having these moments follow or precipitate violence can lessen their impact.
This narrative crescendos to a violent conclusion that feels somewhat less nasty once these filmmakers put their own stamp on things. Every moment where pain must be inflicted or a character must meet their demise is carried out with exactly the deft touch needed to make the scene sing. Sometimes a moment needs a bit of humor to keep the charm, while others are tragically serious to underscore the moral ramifications that we are witnessing. The combination of screenwriting and precision directing elevates this basic idea to something masterful in execution. Every performer takes the juicy material and makes a meal out of it, easily delivering some of the best work of their career. Taking note of the considered cinematography of Barry Sonnenfeld and the unbelievable score from Carter Burwell, Miller’s Crossing is the type of cinematic experience that guarantees people will take note of your career moving forward. As history has proven, the Coen Brothers were no flash-in-the-pan.
Video Quality
Miller’s Crossing comes to Blu-Ray via the Criterion Collection sporting a 2K scan of the original camera negative which provides a pretty fetching presentation in its original 1.85:1. Based on the wording and the fact that we know the older Fox disc came from a 2K scan, it is reasonable to assume these presentations are pretty similar in execution if not slightly different based on encoding prowess. The film grain present is beautifully natural and consistent while allowing fine details to shine through. Facial features are detailed with fine lines, grime and pores detectable alongside natural skin tones.
Colors are presented with a grand amount of depth without being unnatural for the environment, such as certain costumes. The general aesthetic of the movie is handsome and subdued, but the transfer affords several opportunities for colors to pop off the screen at specific points. Black levels are deep with only a small amount of compression artifacts. Subtle details stand out with great clarity, especially in clothing or elements of the production design. While a new 4K scan or even a full 4K UHD Blu-Ray release would have been amazing, this transfer is pretty strong as is and serves the film well.
One big difference fans will take note of with this release compared to any previous release is the unadvertised “Director’s Cut” featured exclusively on the new release from The Criterion Collection. This release runs approximately one-and-a-half to two minutes shorter than the theatrical cut thanks to minor trims from the directors including an utterance of “Jesus, Tom” after Tom (Gabriel Byrne) hits Frankie (Mike Starr) with a chair in one scene. This is not the first time this has happened with the Coens, as this was also what happened with their release of Blood Simple. While this does not ruin the movie, the lack of advertising about the new cut will be somewhat frustrating for fans who come in blind.
Audio Quality
The Criterion Collection brings this new Blu-Ray to consumers with a new DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix created by supervising sound editor and recording mixer Skip Lievsay and composer Carter Burwell. The dialogue primarily stays within the center channel, but makes its way to the surround speakers when necessary, such as communication in the night club. There are various moments that utilize some notable environmental effects that give the track a bit of a kick, especially during explosions and moments of gunfire. The beating heart of the movie is the memorable score from Burwell which brings a melancholy and dynamic sound to the presentation. This is a well-balanced track that gets the job done in a most admirable manner. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are provided on this disc.
Special Features
The Criterion Blu-Ray of Miller’s Crossing includes a foldout booklet featuring the new essay “Marvelous Americans” by film critic and author Glenn Kenney in which he discusses the thematic thread that unites the careers of the Coen Brothers, the themes and plot of the film, the connections to noir and gangster tales of the past, the aesthetic of the film and much more. This provides a great amount of context and insight into the film that is so worthwhile. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Hard Boiled – The Coen Brothers and Megan Abbott: An excellent new 29-minute interview with the Coen Brothers conducted by author Megan Abbott in which they discuss their earliest experiences with film noir, the literary source material and how it is handled on screen, how Miller’s Crossing was inspired by Dashiell Hammett, the stories that do not translate as well on screen, the recurring motif of Tom losing his hat, the basic nature of the characters, the late casting of Albert Finney, shooting in New Orleans and much more that fans of the directors will want to listen to again and again.
- The Actors: A new nearly 33-minute interview with actors Gabriel Byrne and John Turturro, moderated by Abbott, in which they each discuss their relationship with the Coen Brothers, the morality given to the characters, the rhythm of the language, Turturro’s desire to create an impression in his limited screen time, fun anecdotes about Barry Sonnenfeld, their memories of the first time watching the film, the film’s legacy and more.
- The Music: A new 17-minute interview with composer Carter Burwell and music editor Todd Kasow in which they discuss becoming involved with Miller’s Crossing, Burwell collaborating with an orchestra for the first time, the symbiotic relationship between composer and music editor, the loose guidelines given to inspire the score, finding archival source tunes, the place it occupies in their career and more.
- The Look: A new 15-minute audio interview with director of photography Barry Sonnenfeld in which he discusses his early interest in filmmaking, first meeting Joel Coen, his love for the experience of shooting Miller’s Crossing, the intended look of the film, technical details about the cameras and film stock, location scouting in New Orleans, the use of storyboards, getting married at the wrap party of the film and more.
- The Design: A new ten-minute audio interview with production designer Dennis Gassner in which he discusses the influence of Lawrence of Arabia on his career, the place of columns in the film, exploring New Orleans, his distinct command of color and more.
- From The Archives: A 14-minute collection of archival interviews with actors John Turturro, Gabriel Byrne, Marcia Gay Harden, and Jon Polito, each of which offers great insights into the process of working with the Coen Brothers, the process of preparing for their performances and much more.
Final Thoughts
Miller’s Crossing is an unbelievable depiction of a power struggle where the lines are constantly being blurred and nothing is as black-and-white as it may seem. The Coen Brothers do a masterful job of crafting a screenplay that not only captures the spirit of the past, but also brings the distinct style of the creatives to the forefront. In terms of sheer command of the screen, this third effort is a definite leveling up on their part. The performers who grace the screen here are delivering some stellar work, especially the late, great Jon Polito. For as much as this film was overshadowed upon its initial release, it is heartening to know that the legion of fans will only continue to grow as more discover this gem. The Criterion Collection has released a new Blu-Ray featuring a decent A/V presentation and a truly terrific assortment of special features. The unadvertised director’s cut and lack of a fresh master are a bit disappointing, but those who appreciate special features will love what this release adds to the experience.
The Criterion Collection edition of Miller’s Crossing is available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
