Miller’s Crossing

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Dirs. Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. 1990, 115 mins. DCP. With Gabriel Byrne, Albert Finney, Marcia Gay Harden, John Turturro, Jon Polito. The third feature from the Coen Brothers is a crackling, pitch-dark crime drama set in Prohibition-era America. Tom Reagan (Byrne) is in the privileged and precarious position of earning the trust of a menacing Irish mob boss (Finney). But when he starts a side hustle with a competing gang (which includes a reptilian Turturro), it sets off a chain reaction of double crossings, desperate dealings, and deadly reprisals. Though the Coens were far from unknown in 1990, their work on the southern fried neo-noir Blood Simple and skanky screwball Raising Arizona had them pegged as purveyors of critically acclaimed cult cinema, leaving Hollywood unprepared for a work of such ambition and accomplishment. Among Miller’s Crossing’s many pleasures are a star-making turn by Turturro; impeccable, disquietingly crisp cinematography by Barry Sonnenfeld; and an airtight script by the filmmakers (mastering their third genre in as many tries). It wasn’t until their fifth film, Barton Fink, that the Academy caught up, opening the door to major wins for Fargo and No Country for Old Men.  

Tickets: $15 / $11 senior and students / $9 youth (ages 3–17) / discounted for MoMI members ($7–$11). Please pick up tickets at the Museum’s admissions desk upon arrival. All seating is general admission. Review safety protocols before your visit.