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The Ladykillers (2004)
Starring Tom Hanks, Marlon Wayans, J.K. Simmons, and George Wallace. Cinematography by Roger Deakins. Edited by Roderick Jaynes. Produced by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Tom Jacobson, Barry Josephson, and Barry Sonnenfeld. Written and Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen.
Since the death of her beloved husband, Mrs. Marva Munson (played by Irma P. Hall) has lived in her Mississippi house all alone for the last twenty years. One day she is approached by Professor Goldthwait Higginson Dorr, Ph.D. (played by Tom Hanks) who inquires about the room she has to let. She informs Professor Dorr that the room is fifteen dollars a week and that she will not stand for any noise; least of all that “hippity-hop” music that the kids are all listening to these days.
The Professor assures her that his musical interests are far more sophisticated. In fact, he and his colleges (played by Marlon Waynes, J.K. Simmons, Tzi Ma, and Ryan Hurst) have formed a classical quintet and would appreciate if she would allow them to use her root cellar as a rehearsal chamber. But Professor Dorr’s true motivation to get into the cellar is not for its acoustics, but for its direct underground path into the bank vault of the local casino.
He and his makeshift band of criminals have devised a scheme to tunnel into the vault, steal its money, and leave without a trace. But Mrs. Munson is ever-watching and isn’t letting them get away with anything suspicious.
Growing up in Minnesota meant many long winter months cooped up inside the house. It was during these indoor stints that Joel and Ethan Coen would see many of the films that would influence their future filmmaking careers. One such film was the quirky comedy The Ladykillers starring Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers from 1955. The black and offbeat humor of the movie helped serve as a template for the unique filmmaking style they practice today.
They even subtly referenced the film in their debut project, Blood Simple. Nearly twenty years later they would pay what would appear to be the ultimate homage to The Ladykillers by remaking their own version of it. They started off with the idea of setting the story deep in America’s south, and expanded from there. Using the original film simply as a guideline, the Coen brothers redeveloped the characters, settings, and dialog to suite their needs.
When the Coen brother’s version of The Ladykillers was all said and done, the overall reaction was one of mild disappointment. The film definitely finds humor where the attempts are made, and Tom Hanks return to comedy after a ten year hiatus is certainly memorable, but beyond Hank’s character there really isn’t much more to get excited about. Needless to say the film did not reach the critical success of its predecessor, nor that of what could be considered as the Coen brother standard.
But like O Brother Where Art Thou?, the film does offer an incredible soundtrack; this one filled with beautiful gospel music and southern based hip-hop. So watch the film, enjoy the Professor, listen to the soundtrack, and move on. Nothing else to see here.
Budget: $35,000,000
Total US Gross: $39,692,139
Genre: Black Comedy
Runtime: 104 Minutes
US Release Date: 3/26/04
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Awards:
Cannes Film Festival:
Won the Jury Prize for Irma P. Hall’s acting.
Nominated for the Golden Palm.
Tagline: The Greatest Criminal Minds Of All Time Have Finally Met Their Match.
Quote: “Madam, we must have waffles! We must all have waffles forthwith! We must think, and we must all have waffles, and think; each and every one of us to the best of his ability!”
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