After the promise shown in the Coen brothers debut “Blood Simple”, “Miller’s Crossing” (1990) represents their second foray into the film noir genre, and what a foray it is! Even though it flew a bit under the radar of the contemporary audiences, it has grown a cult following over the years. Gabriel Byrne plays the part of Tom Reagan, the right man for Leo O’Bannon (Albert Finney), Irish-American mob boss who runs a city in the prohibition era. Leo has a new rival in town, Italian-American Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito), whose first target is Bernie Bernbaum (John Turturro), a local bookie. Bernie is the brother of Verna (Marcia Gay Harden), O‘Bannon’s lover who is also in a secret relationship with Tom. Against tom’s advice, O’Bannon takes Bernie under his protection, which leads to an open war with Caspar. Tom is alienated from O’Bannon when he comes clean about his affair with Verna, and he is quickly recruited by Caspar. However, Tom has an agenda of his own, and he is making steps towards destroying Caspar’s organization from the inside. Tom is ordered to execute Bernie. He takes him to a secluded forest, but fakes his murder and lets him walk. Things get further complicated when Caspar’s enforcer Eddie Dane (J.E. Freeman) begins to suspect that Tom Didn’t kill Bernie, and when Bernie makes a play of his own. Things are now fast on the collision course, and Tom is going to have to use all his skills and smarts in order to stay afloat in a raging mob war.
Jason Segel collects puppets
