You could argue that Nicolas Cage’s greatest movie is one of his earliest. Raising Arizona (1987) is also one of the Coen brothers’ best films. Critics file it under “screwball comedy,” a genre that usually fails, but the Coens turned it into a masterpiece.
The Main Characters
H.I. McDunnough (Nicolas Cage)
Cage plays H.I. “Hi” McDunnough, a hapless repeat offender who robbed convenience stores before he got married. Life tends to push Hi around more than he steers it. He also has a wonderful turn of phrase: his narration manages to sound wise and hopeless at the same time.
Edwina “Ed” McDunnough (Holly Hunter)
Holly Hunter plays Ed, a former police officer and the one who wears the trousers in the marriage. She keeps Hi in line, but she’s far from perfect herself.
What Is Raising Arizona About? (Mild Spoilers)
Hi and Ed find out they can’t have a baby of their own. Then they hear that local furniture tycoon Nathan Arizona has become the father of quintuplets, five babies at once. When the papers report that the Arizonas have more babies than they can handle, Ed and Hi decide to take one off their hands. That’s where the story begins.
Spoilers end here.
Why Is Raising Arizona So Good?
A Screwball Comedy That Keeps You Hooked
It’s a screwball comedy, but the plot pulls you in hard enough that you start taking it seriously. Hi’s dream sequences also hint at what’s coming later in the film.
A Brilliant Soundtrack
The music, with its banjos, yodelling and whistling, is perfectly chosen and always matches the mood of the scene that follows.
Nicolas Cage’s Monologues
Cage’s monologues are a highlight. His flowery language, his metaphors and the way he describes the danger ahead all set up where the story is going.
Leonard Smalls: Terrifying and Funny
Leonard Smalls, the “Lone Biker of the Apocalypse,” is just as frightening on screen as he is in Hi’s dream. He’s played by former boxer Randall “Tex” Cobb. He’s funny, but you know he’s going to cause Hi and Ed serious trouble. Getting comedy and fear out of the same scene is something the Coen brothers deserve real credit for.
An Ending That Stays With You
After the wild ride, the film ends on a hopeful note with another of Hi’s prophetic dreams. By then you’re rooting for the future the two of them want.
Raising Arizona Rating: 9/10
Raising Arizona is a must-watch for Coen brothers fans, Nicolas Cage fans and anyone who likes comedy with a bit of bite.
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