coen
On “IN BRUGES” or: How I Learned To Stop Procrastinating and Discuss Black Comedies
Callaghan
Ah, ““black comedies“…how your un-tabbing of otherwise taboo subject matter does appeal to us so! What memorable scenes your morbid morbidezza style have generated for generations of movie-goers. Down through the cinematic years, you have continued to make us (however uncomfortably) laugh out loud in all of the right (wrong) places.
Black comedy itself is nothing new. Charlie Chaplin dipped a toe into the darker comedic waters with The Great Dictator; only to full-on cannonball into that same pool with Monsieur Verdoux. Helmed by everyone from Capra to Coen(s), the list of true classics to be found in this subgenre is disproportionately long. But which titles are absolute must-sees for any self-respecting movie buff? Where, oh where do you begin? No worries, soon all of your questions will be answered. I have put together for you the definitive list. But first, let us delve a bit into the latest inductee to that club. I speak, of course, of In Bruges.
If I can, I’d like to get a few things out of the way right up front. First, let me just say that I have made no bones about my grave disappointment in both the current state of film comedies and the comedy genre at large. Let’s be honest, for the last ten some odd years, the vast majority of humorous features we have been presented with have been pretty piss poor in the classic comedy department. (Of course, the same could be said of the horror genre, but that is a discussion for a different day…and, more importantly, for a different article: CHA-CHING!) That being said; I did something I hadn’t done in many a screening during In Bruges…I laughed my balls off.
Set in the once-upon-a-town of Bruges, Belgium, we are immediately introduced to hitmen Ray and Ken (portrayed by Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson respectively.) They are laying low after completing a big job for bastardly boss Harry (Ralph Fiennes) back in Britain. Right off, Ray makes no attempt to hide his utter and complete misery at being stuck awaiting orders in this storybook hamlet. He himself says it best, “If I grew up on a farm…and was retarded, Bruges might impress me. But I didn’t, so it doesn’t.” Ken, on the other hand, makes the most of their quaint surroundings, and is given to “sightseeing and that”. Eventually boss Fiennes does make contact…and, well because Captain Callaghan has turned on the “no spoiler light”, not much more can really be said plot wise. Just know that midgets, cocaine, treachery, guns, Belgian filmmakers, a beautiful Flemish girl and midgets all play a roll. Did I say midgets already? Trust me, its worth mentioning twice.
Although the film plays out entirely in Bruges, it could have just as easily been entitled “In Brogue”…seeing as both Farrell and Gleeson playfully used their native Dubliner dialect. Colin Farrell as Ray, who would make Archie Bunker oh so proud, is quite the acting achievement. He plays the P.C.-be-damned character with the unforgiving directness and the take-me-as-I-am charm that first made me love him as an actor. He is back in a major way. Hell, I all but forgot about the debacle that was Alexander (which, to be fair, wasn’t his fault…I blame Oliver!) Which brings us to Brendan Gleeson. Wow, just…wow! All I can say is that if Academy voters are intellectually honest (and don’t vote with a quasi-RIP sentiment for Heath Ledger) then they will recognize the subtle genius in Gleeson’s performance. Fair is fair, and the Best Supporting Oscar is rightfully his for the Year of Our Lord 2008. Can you say “career defining role”? It should come as no surprise that the always great Fiennes doesn’t disappoint as the cliché-busting crime don Harry. Clearly though, this is Farrell and Gleeson’s show all the way.
I also would like to raise my glass high in the air to the film’s director and scribe Martin McDonagh. The beautifully crafted In Bruges is the former playwright’s FIRST FEATURE FILM! Are you kidding me?! For a rookie turn at bat, he has done what few auteurs since Orson Welles have been able to accomplish…he knocked one right outta the damn park. But wait, he did make that short film Six Shooters a few years back…and…oh, that’s right, it won him an Oscar! He has set the bar pretty high for himself, but I’m betting his knack for seamless dialogue will propel him to clear it again and again. Although I don’t see him taking home the illusive Best Director prize this year, I do predict right here and right now that he should clear a space on his mantle for the Best Original Screenplay statue he’ll be receiving come March.
I can only hope that there will be many exponentially more classic comedies in the next decade then we saw in the last. As for the black comedies subgenre, I for one am ecstatic to see that it isn’t quite dead after all. We need these dark gems now more than ever before. The political correctness police may try to tell me where I can or cannot smoke my Opus X…but it would seem that they may not have as much sway over which subjects are off limits or taboo.
But now without any further ado, here’s that list to add to your rental queue…
The Essential Ten
Black Comedies
#1 Dr. Strangelove or: How I Loved To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
Without question the black comedy to nuke all black comedies. Just the thought of being able to go back and watch this classic during its Cold War premier makes me shutter…with laughter.
#2 Arsenic and Old Lace
Frank Capra, the Epstein brothers AND Cary Grant?! You had me at Mortimer Brewster.
#3 The Life of Brian
Just remember to “always look on the bright side of life”.
#4 Harold and Maude
This film’s screenplay is a model on how to write great comedies of the blacker persuasion.
#5 Raising Arizona
“Yah“, Fargo is good…but what it has plenty of in the black, it lacks in comedy. Yessir, I’ll take H.I. McDunnough any day.
#6 The Trouble With Harry
Hitchcock sandwiched this (his only comedy) right between some of his greatest suspense classics just to catch his audience off guard.
#7 Tie: The Ladykillers -and- Kind Hearts and Coronets
Shame on you if you only know Alec Guinness as Old Ben Kenobi!
#8 In Bruges
I wasn’t just whistlin’ Dixie in the write-up above.
#9 M*A*S*H
Robert Altman’s greatest still hasn’t lost a thing after nearly forty years.
#10 The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek
Writer/Director Preston Sturges had big brass ones to even attempt to get this film past Hayes’ boys at the Production Code Office.
Cheers,
Callaghan
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