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Ladykillers script review
Boy, do I love a good heist film. You know, the films where one dynamic character or an assortment of 'interesting', diverse characters with their own specialty come together to perform 'one last score' and flurries of twists, turns, and double crosses ensue. Some of these heist films work and some don't. The original Ocean's 11, Ladykillers, The Sting, Dog Day Afternoon, Reservoir Dogs, and The Usual Suspects are arguably some of the best of the genre while The Sting II, Reindeer Games, Hudson Hawke, and Sugar and Spice are arguably some of the worst. The heist films of the early to mid-90's were rather forgettable but a real resurgence began as the '90's ended. Guy Ritchie released the stylish Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels in 1999 to good reviews and good box office numbers while creating a name for himself along the way. The Thomas Crown Affair was also in '99 released to fair reviews and surprising box office numbers. In 2000, Small Time Crooks, the vastly under watched Croupier, and Gone in Sixty Seconds were released. In 2001, The Heist, Guy Ritchie's Snatch, the incendiary Sexy Beast, ultra-cool remake of Ocean's 11, and The Score were released to, at the very least decent, decent box office numbers. In 2002, the hilarious Welcome to Collinwood came out. 2003 has begun with a bang with the release of The Good Thief with one of the best performances of Nick Nolte's career. 2004 has promise. You see, a remake of Ladykillers (the 1955 British Ealing comedy starring Peter Sellers and Alec Guinness.) is being made with the Coen brothers behind the typewriter and camera and Tom Hanks and Marlon Wayans in front of it. Not excited yet? Read what it's about.
Mrs. Marva Munson is an elderly, African-American lady who attends church religiously (Ahhhh, thank you) and still worships and talks to her dead husband via his portrait. She lives in the small town of Saucier, Mississippi and owns a boarding house. She's one mean old lady. Enter Professor Goldthwait Higginson Dorr, Ph. D. Goldthwait is a former professor of Greek and Latin out on a sabbatical to indulge his real passion, music. He rents the room in Mrs. Munson's house in order to play music with his band. Well, that's what he tells Marva, anyway. Actually, his real passion is crime. He's basically 'Big' Dan Teague from O Brother, Where Art Thou? (an earlier film made by the brothers) with a gift for gab and car salesman-like persuasiveness but with two eyes. You know you should not trust him, but you just can not help yourself. He's the mastermind behind a plan to rob the Lady Luck Casino via an underground tunnel built from Marva's basement.
Like any crime caper, there's an eclectic bunch of thieves who all bring something different to the table (including great names). Firstly, we've got Gawain McSam (To be played by Marlon Wayans), the "inside man." Gawain is a young, hot tempered guy posing as a janitor at the Lady Luck Casino in order to get the lay of the land. Clark Pancake is a man in his late fifties with a full blonde-grey Grizzly Adams beard, florid beer-belly, and penchant for multi-pocketed, Hemingway-esque ensembles. Clark is the demolition expert and usually works in low-budget films and commercials. Clark could easily be played by John Goodman. Goodman has great comedic timing and amazing versatility as an actor. Besides, the Coen Brothers love to cast him. Lump Hudson is a big, dense blonde football player whose Achilles heel is football. He's the football player stereotype in action. Naturally, he's the muscle. "The General" is a middle-aged Chinese chap in a finely pressed khaki leisure suit with a knotted ascot and aviator glasses. He smokes a filter-less cigarette in literally every scene he's in. The General is the expert tunnel digger. Although he is not exactly middle-aged, James Hong (David Lo Pan in Big Trouble in Little China and Hannibal Chew in Blade Runner) is perfect for this role. Hong has the amazing presence and look of intimidation needed to play the General. You'd think these men would be able to get the job done briskly and successfully, but Marva is one tough senior citizen. Will they get the money and get out of town? (Mock-creepy voice from that crappy film Don't Say a Word) I'll never tell. Sorry. It's basically a cross between Welcome to Collinwood, Ocean's 11, and the future release, Duplex starring Ben Stiller.
The characters are very well written. Out of everyone, Goldthwait is especially well written. He initially seems like this nice, Southern gentleman with charm and a supreme intellect, but it's a façade. He's actually conniving and calculating. He'll do whatever must be done to complete the objective, and he's greedy beyond belief. You do not want him to get the money, but, at the same time, you do because you've grown attached to Goldthwait's charm even if he's greedy and double-handed. Tom Hanks is an interesting choice for the role because it's his second foray into an 'anti-hero' role in as many years, and film goers are generally used to seeing him as the 'All-American' man.
The only minor gripe I have with this script is the ending. I obviously can not talk at great length about the ending so as not to give anything away, but I will say it's rather implausible that such a thing would happen in the real world, so it took away from the overall enjoyment of the script.
What a great script. The Coens have done it again. With Hanks and Wayans already signed and the inevitable use of the usual Coen brothers suspects, this script ought to be deftly translated to the big screen with raves by the critics and possibly even some end of the year awards. It all depends on the competition. With Hanks on board, Ladykillers could be the brother's second $100 million grossing film in a row. (Intolerable Cruelty is a lock on making big money when it comes out October 10th, 2003 because of the star studded cast and great source material) Again, the gripe was minor and the draft was dated May 8, 2001, so major changes have no doubt been made. Principal photography is currently underway, so Ladykillers will be in a theater near you sometime in 2004.
(Review submitted by Verbal)
Jean-François Allaire (aka DeadPool)
Questions, comments, praise etc. Email me at deadpool@tnmc.org
Jean-François Allaire is TNMC's first columnist. At only 24 years old he has become a respected entertainment journalist, with his columns appearing in Corona's Coming Attractions and Scr(i)pt magazine. He also writes a monthly column in Screenwriters Monthly entitled 'The Last Word.' Hailing from Montreal this young writer is determined to dig up all the details on the movies before they hit your local theater. If you're part of a movie production then you really need to be talking to him.
