Miller's Crossing (1990)

Miller’s Crossing (1990) was chosen by supporter Justin, and it stands as one of the most stylish entries in the Coen Brothers’ early catalogue. After the breakout success of Blood Simple and the quirky charm of Raising Arizona, the Coens set their sights on the gangster genre, crafting a film inspired by classic Dashiell Hammett novels such as The Glass Key and Red Harvest. Their vision was to make a thoughtful, atmospheric crime drama that combined sharp, layered dialogue with the kind of morally tangled storytelling that would become their trademark.

The journey to get there wasn’t exactly smooth. Midway through writing, the brothers hit a creative wall so severe they shelved the script and instead made Barton Fink before returning to finish Miller’s Crossing. Filming in New Orleans gave the movie its richly authentic period feel, with Barry Sonnenfeld’s moody cinematography and Carter Burwell’s haunting score elevating the production. While the film didn’t set the box office on fire, its craftsmanship and style have since earned it a devoted following and cemented its reputation as one of the Coens’ most accomplished works.

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Trailer Guy Plot Summary

In a city of power, deception, and danger… One man navigates the shadows of loyalty and betrayal.

From the visionary Coen Brothers comes Miller’s Crossing — a stylish, tension-packed journey through the underworld, where every word is a weapon, every glance a threat, and nothing is as it seems. With danger lurking around every corner, alliances are tested, and the rules of the game are rewritten in blood and cunning.

Miller’s Crossing - loyalty has a price… and betrayal has consequences.

Fun Facts

1. Miller’s Crossing (1990) was directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, following their cult hit Raising Arizona (1987).

2. The film is considered one of the greatest gangster movies of the 1990s, heavily inspired by Dashiell Hammett’s novels The Glass Key and Red Harvest.

3. During production, the Coen Brothers experienced writer’s block and paused to create Barton Fink (1991) before returning to finish Miller’s Crossing.

4. The title Miller’s Crossing refers to the forested setting where some of the movie’s most pivotal scenes take place.

5. Cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld gave the movie its iconic noir-inspired look, marking his last collaboration with the Coens before moving on to direct The Addams Family.

6. The haunting score by Carter Burwell is infused with Irish folk influences, including themes based on the traditional piece Lament for Limerick.

7. Despite a production budget of around $10–14 million, the movie only grossed about $5 million at the box office.

8. Over the years, Miller’s Crossing has been critically reappraised and is now celebrated as one of the Coen Brothers’ finest works.

9. The film is often ranked alongside Coen classics such as Fargo (1996) and No Country for Old Men (2007).

10. Today, it’s seen as a masterclass in neo-noir storytelling and has influenced a new generation of filmmakers in the gangster genre.

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