Coen Brothers Movie Quotes

The Coen brothers, who in 2009 made the movie A Serious Man, a retelling of the story of Job in modern dress,

Goodman, a friend of the Coens since he worked with them on their second movie, Raising Arizona, laughed about the scene where William Macy tried to escape out of a motel window, only to be dragged back inside by the cops. “Macy in his underwear,” Goodman said, giggling. “That’s our answer to everything,” Ethan said. “You need a dramatic fall, put a character in his undies.

You seek a great fortune, ye who are now in chains. You will find a fortune, though it will not be the one you seek. But first...first you must travel a long and difficult road, a road fraught with peril. Mm-hmm. You shall see thangs, wonderful to tell. You shall see a...a cow...on the roof of a cotton house, ha. And, oh, so many startlements. I cannot tell you how long this road shall be, but fear not the obstackles in your path, for fate has vouchsafed your reward. Though the road may wind, yea, your hearts grow weary, still shall ye follow them, even unto your salvation. As spoken by the Blind Seer in the Coen Brothers Movie, O Brother Where Art Thou?

Michael Gambon, the British actor best known in the States for Dennis Potter’s The Singing Detective (and later for playing professor Albus Dumbledore in the final six Harry Potter movies), was a contender for the role of the Big Lebowski. Joel had met him in New York, Ethan said, “Yeah, he’s … a good actor and we have a mutual friend and he’s supposed to be perfectly pleasant to work with …” “But?” “But …” Gambon was British. The idea didn’t seem … right, not for a real Pasadena guy.

With every movie that they do, they’ll come up with a few films they really like and we’ll talk about them. Way back when we did Barton Fink, Joel and Ethan would say, ’Think Kubrick!

What’s your favorite movie?” “Anything by the Coen brothers. My favorite is Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?” He looks at me like maybe he has no clue what movie I’m talking about. But then he says, “We thought . . . you was . . . a toad.” I laugh. “Damn! We’re in a tight spot!” “Jesus Saves, George Nelson withdraws!” We’re both laughing now.