Director
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Leading Actors/Actresses
George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson
Supporting Actors/Actresses
John Goodman, Chris Thomas King, Holly Hunter
Genre
Adventure, Comedy, Crime
Language
English
Awards
Nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography
Date of Release
2000
Producer
Ethan Coen
Setting and Context
Depression-era Mississippi
Narrator and Point of View
Point of view is that of Everett, an escaped inmate attempting to stop his ex-wife from getting married.
Tone and Mood
Dramatic, Comedic, Satirical, Ironic, Dark
Protagonist and Antagonist
Protagonists are Everett, Pete and Delmar. Antagonists are Big Dan Teague, Homer Stokes, the Sheriff
Major Conflict
Everett, Delmar, and Pete are escaped fugitives being hunted by the law for running away from a chain gang in order to find Everett's buried treasure.
Climax
There are two climaxes. The first is when Homer Stokes is dragged out of his own campaign dinner and Pappy O'Daniel pardons the Soggy Bottom Boys. The second is when the boys are almost hanged, but at the last moment are saved by a great flood.
Foreshadowing
The old blind man on the railroad handcar tells Everett, Pete and Delmar they will not find the treasure they seek. Also, the success of the Soggy Bottom Boys is foreshadowed by the man visiting the recording studio and wanting to sign the band.
Understatement
"Damn! We're in a tight spot!" says Everett at several moments when their lives are at risk.
Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques
The cinematography features digital color correction to make it appear in sepia tones.
Allusions
The film is an allusion to Homer's epic poem, "Odyssey."
Paradox
Parallelism
The old man on the railroad handcart takes Pete, Everett, and Delmar on his cart in the beginning of the film. We later see him heading down the tracks at the end of the film.
