Summary
An “against-the-odds” couple kidnap one of the Arizona Quintet babies when they learn they are unable to conceive a child themselves.
My Thoughts:
I’ll admit, “Raising Arizona” was one of those movies that I had heard of, in passing, every so often. Whenever the name came up I was convinced that I had seen the film, or at least bits and pieces enough to put it all together, chalking it up to a possible constant airing on a television station such as TBS or TNT. However, when I decided I would delve more into the works of the Coen Brothers and added “Raising Arizona” to my watch list, I realized that perhaps I was wrong in my assumptions. So, as I settled in to give another hour and a half of my life to that great glowy screen what plays the moving picture shows and a couple minutes had rolled by, I realized that I was right in thinking I was wrong. Understanding the gravity of my situation, I sat up a little bit, put my phone down, and was ready to go from “repeat viewing, phone in hand” mode into “complete and full attention (yes I even put my phone in silence)” mode.
Spoilees Below
The film starts as most films do, introducing us to what writers refer to as “the protagonist”. The splendor that is mid-80’s Nicolas Cage fills the field of vision, as he graces us once again with his unearthly talents. We learn of “Hi” McDunnough, a guy who can’t seem to stop sticking up business establishments. In an unlikely event, he marries the woman (Edwina) who has been taking his mugshot over the course of however many years, and wishes to denounce his wayward behavior. Together they settle into a comfy cozy trailer home and immediately set off makin’ the babies. Or trying to, at least, because after a few failed attempts it’s learned that poor Edwina is unable to have children.
This revelation leads us into the crux of the film, which is kidnapping the newborn Arizona quintets. These are the children of the local “celebrity” Nathan Arizona, owner of the largest furniture company around, and it’s here that our story really gets going. Hi and Ed concoct a plan worthy of a “Florida man” headline, and set out to kidnap one of these babes, because really, who needs four children? That’s just American excess personified! It’s amazing how we have the ability to justify just the worst ideas. Anyway, after a bit of a hubbub they snag themselves a little angel and head home.
I really sensed the joy these two characters felt when they finally had a child of their own. I felt for them even though they committed a terrible felony, which is quite an amazing feat of writing and credit goes to the Coen brothers for penning these characters. It would have been the easier road, I think, to make them the “easy to hate” type of characters, but no! Hi and Ed are just so darn charming. However, the couple did not account for how difficult it would be to explain to people how they suddenly have a kid now, and so comedy ensues!
Around this time one of the most over-the-top and fantastical characters, Leonard Smalls, is introduced, a bounty hunter that offers to track down the missing youngin’ and bring ‘em home, for a fee of course. This was a sort of turning point for me, where the pacing started to pick up and I felt like things were really getting rolling. Oh sure, there were some funny scenes before this, but all in all I think this was the scene that made me sit up and take notice. I’m certainly a sucker for an exaggerated universe and the world of Raising Arizona is certainly that. Like some sort of Real Life Plus, where it’s possible the devil or some demon is personified by a man riding a motorcycle through the desert and shooting the cute wild animals he comes across, not even slowing down to aim. I love it!
In the end the stress of everything they have done threatens to rip the relationship apart. Lessons are learned and the couple decide they need to right the wrong they have commited and return the child to it’s parents. Mr. Arizona catches them in the act this time, but believes them to have rescued his kid and offers them a reward. However, Hi and Ed don’t take the reward because they aren’t really bad people! They just wanted a child of their own so badly they were willing to do almost anything to have one. Raising Arizona ends on somewhat of a positive note, which I think helps cement the feeling that something happened. Sometimes I watch a movie and think “well, that happened” and shrug my shoulders. But if there’s some kind of take away, then I don’t feel like I wasted my time.
Raising Arizona is a lightly fantastical world in which two of the unlikeliest people come together in holy matrimony only to face a situation that most couples would think a nightmare. Their scheme may be hair-brained, but the Coen brothers have written Ed and Hi as couple for which they are hard not to root. That speaks volumes of credit to the Coen brothers ability to not only write an endearing script filled with charming characters, but also to follow that vision from page to screen with a cemented vision of the end product that guided them through every part of the process. I imagine it’s difficult for a film not to get watered down or filtered through other people and their contributions, but the Coens pull it off again and again.
Verdict
Often overshadowed by other Coen brothers movies, Raising Arizona is still very much worth a watch. The quirkiness and charm are on full display, even this early in their career, and you can’t miss all the amazing performances by Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, and all the rest of the cast. Give it 20 minutes and Ed and Hi will not only kidnap that baby, they’ll kidnap your heart too!
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