How The Coen Brothers’ Remake of The Ladykillers Went Awry
The Coen brothers’ attempt to reimagine The Ladykillers was fraught with doubt and creative misgivings, leading to a film that even its makers struggled to champion.
It’s generally unwise for any director or performer to embark on a project they’re not wholeheartedly behind. This is especially true for filmmakers with a signature approach, such as Joel and Ethan Coen, who are known for shaping their works from the earliest concept to the final edit. After two decades spent crafting some of the most inventive and celebrated American films of the late twentieth century, the brothers seemed ready for a shift. Yet, in seeking to recharge their creative energies, they nearly depleted them entirely.
Creative Fatigue and Unusual Choices
The early years of the new millennium marked a peculiar phase for the pair. Their first film of the 2000s, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, was a lively reflection of their anarchic sense of humour, while The Man Who Wasn’t There showcased their trademark quirks and cinematic flourishes in abundance. However, their next steps drew criticism. With Intolerable Cruelty, a glossy romantic comedy starring George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones, the Coens found themselves in unfamiliar territory. They hadn’t originally intended to direct the film, but when others stepped aside, they took charge, resulting in a competent yet unremarkable outing.
Their subsequent project was even more of a departure. Once again, they hadn’t planned to direct, having written a new version of the British classic The Ladykillers for Barry Sonnenfeld. Despite the involvement of Tom Hanks, a two-time Academy Award winner, doubts lingered from the outset. Hanks himself confessed,
“I know that when it comes time to talk to English papers, they’ll just crucify us for doing it. But ultimately, it doesn’t matter. It’s not like we were gonna remake Jaws. But nor is it Scaramouche. It’s this other kind of thing.”
Reluctance and Reception
The scepticism wasn’t limited to the British press; the film struggled to win over audiences anywhere. It’s rarely a positive sign when those at the helm admit to a lack of inspiration. Joel Coen reflected,
“In the abstract, we never would have said, ‘Let’s remake The Ladykillers.’”
Ethan added that the project was never meant to be theirs:
“We wrote it for Barry Sonnenfeld, who was going to direct.”
Even Hanks was hesitant, save for the directors’ involvement:
“If someone had said to me, ‘Listen, I’m sending you a script that’s a remake of The Ladykillers that Disney is making’, there’s just no way. I never would have got to reading it.”
The Coens’ reputation was enough to sway him, but the collective uncertainty was evident in the finished product.
Although the film managed a modest return at the box office, it is widely regarded as the weakest entry in the Coens’ joint filmography. Even the most talented cast and crew can find it difficult to elevate a project that seems ill-fated from the beginning, and this was certainly the case here.
Aftermath and a Return to Form
On the bright side, the brothers’ next venture marked a significant turnaround. Their following film, No Country for Old Men, would go on to be hailed as a major achievement, signalling a proper return to the form that had made them so admired in the first place.