1.19.2012

the hudsucker proxy


the year: 1994

the genre: quirky Coen Brothers comedy


the cast: Tim Robbins (Norville Barnes); Paul Newman (Sidney J. Mussburger); Jennifer Jason Leigh (Amy Archer); Charles Durning (Waring Hudsucker)

the plot: When Waring Hudsucker, head of hugely successful Hudsucker Industries, commits suicide, his board of directors, led by Sidney Mussberger, comes up with a brilliant plan to make a lot of money. They decide to appoint a moron to run the company so that when the stock falls low enough they can buy it up for pennies on the dollar, take over the company and restore its fortunes. They choose idealistic Norville Barnes, who just started in the mail room and is wacky enough to drive any company to ruin. But soon, tough reporter Amy Archer smells a rat and begins an undercover investigation of Hudsucker Industries.



don't miss: this scene:




did you know: based on the time it took the secretary to read War and Peace and Anna Karenina (based on the calculation of 4 minutes per page, 8 hours a day) it took at least 18 days for those in the Creative Bullpen to come up with a name for Norville's invention.



extra bonus points: if you know they play on words in the movie title. (Hint: It has to do with another Paul Newman movie.)


listen for: "You know - for kids!"

3 comments:

Scott said...

Hudsucker sounds like Fudrucker which is a burger joint. Hamburger is made of beef which, as you know, is the main ingredient in cows. Now cows eat mostly grain, which rhymes with Spain where people wear large round hats, take afternoon naps and also speak Spanish, similar to folks in Bolivia where Paul Newman was gunned down with Robert Redford in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

Erika said...

Of course! It's so obvious now that Scott explained it.

Millie Motts said...

LOL! Okay. I like that MUCH better than the real answer...so we'll go with that. :)