Taglines: A Comedy of Invention.
The Hudsucker Proxy movie storyline. 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: appoint a moron to run the company.
When the stock falls low enough, Sidney and friends 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. Norville is whacky enough to drive any company to ruin, but soon, tough reporter Amy Archer smells a rat and begins an undercover investigation of Hudsucker Industries.
The Hudsucker Proxy is a 1994 comedy film co-written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. Sam Raimi co-wrote the script and served as second unit director. The film stars Tim Robbins as a naïve business-school graduate who is installed as president of a manufacturing company, Jennifer Jason Leigh as a newspaper reporter, and Paul Newman as a company director who hires the young man as part of a stock scam.
th Carolina lasted from November 1992 to March 1993. The New York City scale model set was designed by Micheal J. McAlister and Mark Stetson, with further effects provided by The Computer Film Company. Upon its release in March 1994, The Hudsucker Proxy received mixed reviews from critics.
The score to The Hudsucker Proxy was written by Carter Burwell, the fifth of his collaborations with the Coen Brothers. “Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia” from the ballet Spartacus by Khachaturian is the basis of the main theme and additional music from the ballet runs under the Hula-Hoop sequence. The popular music of the time is also reflected in the character of Vic Tenetta, played by Peter Gallagher and modeled after Dean Martin, who sings “Memories Are Made of This.”
Additional inspiration comes from Aram Khachaturian’s Gayane suite. A section from the ballet is used by Burwell for the scene in which Norville and Amy meet for the first time. The composer’s “Sabre Dance” (from Gayane) is also used when the boy is the first to try the hula hoop.
The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)
Directed by: Joel Coen
Starring: Tim Robbins, Paul Newman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Charles Durning, John Mahoney, Jim True-Frost, Bill Cobbs, Bruce Campbell, Roy Brocksmith, John Wylie
Screenplay by: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen, Sam Raimi
Production Design by:
Cinematography by: Roger Deakins
Film Editing by: Thom Noble
Costume Design by: Richard Hornung
Set Decoration by: Nancy Haigh
Art Direction by: Leslie McDonald
Music by: Carter Burwell
MPAA Rating: PG for mild language and thematic elements.
Distributed by: Warner Bros. Pictures (United States), Universal Pictures (International)
Release Date: March 11, 1994
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