MILLER'S CROSSING (1990)

I've seen a number of films based (sometimes uncredited) on the writings of Dashiell Hammett, but only MILLER'S CROSSING comes close to what I see in my head when reading one of his wonderful stories.

Set in the United States during the Prohibition-era, two rival gangsters run the unnamed city.  Albert Finney is the older, more established of the two, but the other, Jon Polito, is gaining power.  Theirs is an uneasy relationship, but when Polito requests permission to kill a protected bookie (Turturro), Finney says no...cause he's boinking Turturro's sister, Marsha Gay Harden.  Finney's right hand man, Gabriel Byrne, tries to convince Finney that he should give up Turturro because he knows he's gonna lead to an all out war, but Finney is defiant.  Things happen and Byrne finds himself on the receiving end of Finney's wrath, so he switches his loyalty over to Polito, but this is only a ruse to intensify the war and cause the two gangs to destroy each other.

If you look it up, MILLER'S CROSSING it didn't get shit for awards when it was released and actually bombed at the box office making back less than half of its budget.  Which is a real shame. I guess audiences back in 1990 weren't interested in an intricately written, superbly acted and expertly directed film about the Prohibition filled with awesome violence and murder.

Highly, highly recommended.  If you need me I'll be in my room reading "The Glass Key".

FARGO (1996)

"You're darn tootin'!"

How could anybody not like FARGO? This movie is awesome in it's quiet, unique little way. William H. Macy is in trouble. He works as a car salesman at a car dealership owned by his father-in-law and he's in some severe financial problems, so he, before the film, concocts this destination failure plan of hiring two criminals to kidnap his wife and using the ransom to pay off his debt. As the film opens, he promises the kidnappers $40,000, but in reality he's going to demand a million! Ballsy motherfucker. After the kidnapping, things gets out of control and local small town police chief (and seven months pregnant) Frances McDormand is called in to investigate. She's a little awkward and she doesn't appear to be in much of a hurry, but her brain is steady ticking and each step brings her closer to solving the crime.

It's probably best I don't give anymore away, but I love the pace of this movie. It might be considered slow, by some people, but I thought it was perfect. It's almost like reading a really good criminal thriller short story. Even better than the pacing and the script is the acting. It's phenomenal. Everybody involved all the way down to the bit part was great. Frances McDormand won Best Actress for her performance.

I'm sure it was planned, but I love Frances' expression when she stepped in that hole in the snow.