Raising Arizona (1987)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Joel Coen

Writers:

Ethan Coen (written by) &
Joel Coen (written by)

Release Date:

13 March 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Mystery

Tagline:

A comedy beyond belief.

Plot:

When a childless couple of an ex-con and an ex-cop decide to help themselves to one of another family's quintupelets, their lives get more complicated than they anticipated.

Plot Keywords:

Deadpan | Biblical Reference | Escape From Prison | Stick Up | Doberman

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Nicolas Cage	...	H.I. McDunnough
Holly Hunter	...	Edwina 'Ed' McDunnough
Trey Wilson	...	Nathan Arizona
John Goodman	...	Gale Snoats
William Forsythe	...	Evelle Snoats
Sam McMurray	...	Glen
Frances McDormand	...	Dot
Randall 'Tex' Cobb	...	Leonard Smalls
T.J. Kuhn	...	Nathan Arizona Jr. (as T.J. Kuhn Jr.)
Lynne Dumin Kitei	...	Florence Arizona
Peter Benedek	...	Prison Counselor
Charles 'Lew' Smith	...	Nice Old Grocery Man
Warren Keith	...	Younger FBI Agent
Henry Kendrick	...	Older FBI Agent
Sidney Dawson	...	Moses, Ear-Bending Cellmate

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | USA:PG-13 (Violence) | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (video rating: 2001) | UK:15 (original rating) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Camelback Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Company:

Circle Films

Trivia:

The $30,000 that Leonard Smalls talks about as "1954 dollars" would be equal to just over $120,000 in 1987.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: Shadow of camera operator and vehicle while Hell's Angel is cruising down the highway.

Quotes:

[first lines]
H.I.: [voiceover] My name is H.I. McDonnaugh. Call me Hi.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

Soundtrack:

Girls, Do Not Wink

I Had No Idea How to Rate This Movie

Comment #20

I can honestly say that Raising Arizona was a difficult movie to rate. The screwball comedy, written and directed by the Coen brothers (Joel and Ethan) is, just like their other movies, hilarious and eccentric. In Raising Arizona, convicted criminal H.I McDunnough (Nicolas Cage) marries the police department's photographer, Edwina (Holly Hunter). Everything is going well until it's discovered that Edwina can't get pregnant.

In desperation, the two decide to steal one of the town's celebrated quintuplets. The name of the abducted child is Nathan, Jr., which they hide from close friends. (Everyone knows what has happened.) H.I. and Edwina go on the run, hiding so no one discovers the Nathan, Jr.

Soon, everyone is looking for the child. The McDunnoughs encounter escaped-from-prison brothers Gale (John Goodman) and Evelle Snopes (William Forsythe). They have a bad run-in with demonic motorcycle rider Leonard Smalls (Randall "Tex" Cobb).

I won't give the ending away, but I will say that the ending is very satisfying. You will finish this movie with a happy feeling.

The Coen brothers have created another memorable movie with Raising Arizona. It is filled with humor, thrills, and weirdness. Any Coen fan will delight at this movie, I'm sure of it.

8/10