Raising Arizona
Tags: comedy, allegory, cult, good versus evil, psychedelic, humor, satire, plot twist

Plot synopsis:
Out in the Arizona suburbs, a young man named Herbert 'H.I.' McDunnough (Nicolas Cage) lives his life as a petty criminal with an apparent addiction to robbing convenience stores. He is constantly in and out of jail but is repeatedly paroled because he never uses live ammunition in his robberies. Each time he returns to prison, he is booked by young policewoman named Edwina 'Ed' (Holly Hunter). H.I. flirts with her during the booking process until one day when he comes upon her crying. She confesses she lost her fiancé (being lower class-like she mis-pronounces it fy-ance) who ran off with a cosmetologist student. H.I. angrily retorts, saying that the man made a bitter mistake and his valiance creates a spark in Ed. An unlikely romance blossoms and H.I. proposes to Ed once a free man again. They begin a new life in a trailer home.H.I. gets a legitimate job working in a factory while Ed continues her police work until they decide they want to have a child. However, Ed learns that she is infertile and their attempts to adopt are foiled by H.I.'s criminal history. Ed is devastated and H.I. feels helpless until a small ray of hope emerges: a story appears in the paper celebrating the birth of the 'Arizona Quints', quintuplet sons born to local furniture magnate Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson) and his wife Florence (Lynne Kitei). Figuring that the Arizonas have "more than they can handle", Ed and H.I. resolve to take one of the babies as their own.One evening, with Ed urging him on, H.I. takes a ladder and scales the Arizona house to the window of the nursery. Though the energetic babies prove troublesome for H.I. to handle, he manages to keep four in their crib and takes whom he believes is Nathan Jr. (T.J. Kuhn). Though Ed has some reservations about upsetting Nathan Jr.'s mother, she and H.I. are overjoyed to finally have a family. Upon taking a family picture, Ed makes H.I. swear that he will be a caring and supporting father. That night, H.I. suffers a nightmare about a demonic figure he fears he's brought upon himself as Florence discovers Nathan Jr. missing the next morning.Nathan Sr. enlists the local police to investigate his son's (Nathan Jr., he thinks) disappearance but the officers seem inept at conducting a proper inquiry. Frustrated by the poor functionality of the police, Nathan Sr. is approached by an intimidating man named Leonard Smalls (Randall 'Tex' Cobb), a bounty hunter armed with a shotgun and a pair of baby booties (the same biker from H.I.'s nightmare). He rides to the Arizona estate on his skull-laden motorcycle and offers to find the baby for twice what Arizona is offering as a reward, but Nathan Sr. refuses after Smalls demands a high price of $10,000. When Nathan Sr. accuses Smalls of kidnapping his son himself, Smalls leaves, intent on finding the baby anyway to sell on the black market.Meanwhile, H.I.'s prison buddies, brothers Gale (John Goodman) and Evelle (William Forsythe) Snoats, emerge screaming from the rain-soaked mud outside of prison, having just tunneled their way out. After cleaning themselves, and with much hair grease, they arrive at H.I.'s trailer for refuge. H.I. is excited to be reunited with his old buddies but Ed sees them as a bad influence and refuses to allow them to stay more than a day or two out of respect for H.I. The brothers are somewhat suspicious when they see the baby, leading a bumbling H.I. to struggle with a story to explain his spontaneous birth.H.I. and Ed attempt to ease into 'normal' married life and invite H.I.'s supervisor, Glen (Sam McMurray), and his family over for a picnic. The outing becomes more than H.I. can bear; Glen's children, most of them adopted and disheveled looking, are rude take pleasure in breaking things around the apartment or scribbling on the walls while Glen's wife, Dot (Frances McDormand), bombards Ed with all the things, some excessive, she needs to do to keep Jr. healthy. On a walk around the trailer, Glen, already an annoyance with a penchant for horrible jokes, reveals to H.I. that he and Dot are swingers and suggests a wife swap. Infuriated and stressed, H.I. punches Glen in the face and demands that he leave.H.I. keeps this from Ed, however, as they go out that night to run some errands. H.I. leaves Ed and Jr. in the car while he enters a large convenience store... and proceeds to don a legging on his head before he takes a bag of diapers off the shelf and a gun out of his pocket. The porn-obsessed, geek store owner, however, flips a silent alarm before Ed sees H.I. from outside. Enrage, she yells at him before driving off just as the cops arrive. H.I. flees the store and a hilarious chase throughout the neighborhood ensues as the trigger-happy geek store owner and a policeman chase H.I. Hearing gunshots, Ed resolves to drive back to fetch H.I. and picks him up, though a seed of doubt that H.I. could ever change his ways is planted in her mind.The following morning, and while Ed is out, Glen arrives at the trailer and tells H.I. that he's fired and blackmails his cooperation by threatening to go to the police; dull, though he is, he deduced the baby's true identity. Gale and Evelle overhear this from within the trailer and decide to take the baby to claim the reward themselves. They attack H.I. and leave him tied to a chair in the trailer before leaving. Gale and Evelle then decide to rob a convenience store. However, during their escape, they discover that they've accidentally left Nathan Jr. behind in his car seat outside in the parking lot.Ed returns to the trailer and she and H.I. immediately pursue the Snoats to rescue the baby. Clad in her police gear, Ed admits that it was irresponsible of her to take the baby in the first place but all that she cares about is getting him back. She doesn't care if she and H.I. even stay together, she just wants Nathan Jr. safe.Meanwhile, Leonard Smalls follows up on a lead of a recent prison break and tracks Gale and Evelle to Ed and H.I.s trailer. There, he finds clues of Nathan Jr.s presence and follows the trail into town.The pair decides to rob a bank while they're at it and take Nathan Jr. with them to a hayseed bank in town. Though their lack of coordination inspires some confusion from the bank patrons, the robbery goes successfully otherwise. Exept.... They've left Nathan Jr behind AGAIN in his car seat!As they speed back into town, a canister that was placed in Gale and Evelle's money bag explodes, covering them in blue dye and disorienting them. H.I. and Ed catch up to them and demand to know where Nathan Jr. is. Gale and Evelle confess and Ed and H.I. race into town. However, Smalls has beaten them to Nathan Jr. and he latches the baby's car seat to the front of his motorcycle. Ed manages to retrieve Nathan Jr. from his car seat while H.I. distracts Smalls, enduring a brutal beating in the process. However, just before Smalls can finish H.I. off by shooting him, H.I. manages to pull a pin from a grenade on Smalls vest. The resulting explosion obliterates him and Ed and H.I. return home.They decide to return Nathan Jr. to his real parents and sneak into the nursery where Nathan Sr. finds them. Thinking them a kind couple who have found Nathan Jr., he offers them the reward but Ed and H.I. want nothing of it and admit that they are leaving one another. As he watches them admire Nathan Jr., Nathan Sr. deduces that they are the ones who took the baby in the first place. However, he is sympathetic to their wishes to have a child of their own and advises them to stay together before giving up hope completely. He assures them that he won't call the police and allows them to leave.That night, back at their trailer, H.I. has another dream. He dreams that Gale and Evelle voluntarily return to prison. H.I. imagines that they weren't ready to come out into the world just yet. He dreams that Nathan Jr. receives a football as a Christmas present one year from a loving couple who wish to remain anonymous and is watched by said couple as he grows up, becoming a football star in high school (Todd Michael Bogers). An elderly couple is seen living happily together as their children and grandchildren come to visit them for a holiday meal. In a final voice-over, H.I. surmises that, if it wasn't Ed and himself he was dreaming about and if that isn't wishful thinking, then it must be of a couple who come from a land not too far away.... maybe Utah.

Review: Naturally, the father (Wilson) goes all out to find the culprits, even enlisting the aid of a "tracker" (Cobb), who is kind of an existential bounty hunter with a good nose.From this deceptively simple story line, the Coens create a dreamscape that is mesmerizing, serpentine, loaded with all matter of visual input, deft one-liners and characters that are so off-the-wall that it's hard to forget them and the situations they get into.Coen Brother stalwart John Goodman plays yet another flaky loon - this time an escaped con - who, along with his little brother (Forsythe) complain that the prison "had no more to offer them".Of course, the chases, fight scenes and getaway scenes are elaborate, well-choreographed and exciting, as well as funny.
If your sense of humor is a bit on the dry side and you love fancy camera work and Fellini-esque characters, it's your kind of movie.Trust me.Ten stars and a complimentary pack of Huggies for "Raising Arizona", the best Dadaist head trip film with kidnapped babies, exploding bunnies and Frances McDormand in the desert you'll ever find...that has a fight in a trailer..
"Raising Arizona" is one of what I consider to be the five instantly classic films by the team of Ethan and Joel Coen, the others being "Blood Simple", "Fargo", "Oh Brother Where Are Thou", and "The Big Lebowski".
What results is an ongoing, fast-paced, hilarious set of misadventures, complicated by the appearance of a ruthless, heartless outlaw named Leonard Smalls (Randall "Tex" Cobb) Nathan Arizona hires to find the missing baby, and two felon friends from H.I.'s past (John Goodman and William Forsythe), who make a childbirth-like escape from prison.
She's a very talented actress, in both serious and comedic roles.Nicholas Cage and Holly Hunter made a great on screen couple, Cage with his hair standing out in every direction, looking like a hapless, browbeaten puppy half of the time, and Hunter as his diminutive firecracker of a wife who loves him and tries to keep him honest (oh yeah except for that little kidnapping excursion).
Another great Coen comedy is "The Big Lebowski" (1998), which also includes my favorite singer/songwriter Aimee Mann in a brief cameo, and boasts a cult following that has resulted in an annual "Lebowskifest" for fans of the film."Blood Simple" (1984) is probably my favorite film noir modern-day classic tale of lust and betrayal, and is my personal second-favorite Coen brothers film.
RAISING ARIZONA (1987) ***1/2Starring: Nicholas Cage, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, William Forsythe, and Frances McDormand Director: Joel Coen   Written by Ethan Coen &  Joel Coen    Rated PG-13 (for violence and language) By Blake French:	"Raising Arizona" is one of the best, most sunny and uplifting comedies I have ever seen.
The film stars Nicolas Cage as a criminal named H.I., who recently married a police officer named Ed (Holly Hunter), after meeting her in prison.
Despite my expectations before watching this early Coen brothers film, I was somewhat disappointed with this screwball comedy with strange characters.
It's definitely one-of-a-kind.The wacky characters and outrageous story, of course, are the attractions here but I also enjoyed the low camera angles employed here by the directors, the Coen brothers, and I've always enjoyed Nicholas Cage's strange dialog in the narration.Everyone in this film - everyone but the little babies - are totally insane, beginning with the lead people, the husband-and-wife team played by Cage and Holly Hunter.
I got most of my laughs, however, from the supporting cast of John Goodman and Bill Forysthe as escaped convicts, Trey Wilson as the father of the quints and Randall "Tex" Cobb as "Leonard Smalls." For a pro boxer, Cobb turned out to be a pretty good actor.If you're looking for something different, something really far out and funny, look no further..
Made in their formative years, Raising Arizona is the second Coen film, following up the largely decent Blood Simple.In and out of prison for armed robbery a number of times over a period of some years, repeat offender "Hi" McDunnough begins to gradually fall for police photographer "Ed".
Upon discovering the infertility of Ed, they opt to steal one of five babies born to local furniture salesman Nathan Arizona.Any film which numbers Nicolas Cage among its cast is a big risk for me.
Before the Coen brothers made Raising Arizona, they wrote and direct a very dark and violent neo-noir film, Blood Simple, which was released three earlier.
Not only the film's humor made me laugh, but toward the end of the movie, there's a bittersweet sense that ties the movie together with the characters trying hard to have a family.The writing by the brothers is very funny and even the performances by Cage, Hunter, Goodman and even Forsthye are excellent.
Ex-con H.I McDunnough (Nicolas Cage) and ex-cop Ed (Holly Hunter) end up married (as unlikely as that sounds), but when they learn that Ed is unable to conceive they make the bold and somewhat misguided decision to kidnap one of the 5 babies fathered by wealthy furniture tycoon Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson) on the basis that him and his wife have 'more children than they can handle.' However, when Nathan puts up a $25,000 dollar reward to anyone who can successfully return his missing child back to him this gains the interest of several rather different parties...I watched this film this evening based on its rating and on its write up, but other than that I knew very little about this film.
Despite this though Raising Arizona is still something of a weak offering...The tone is perhaps the biggest problem with this film; they take a serious subject matter (a couple being unable to conceive) and turn it into some kind of goofball chase picture which unfortunately generates few laughs.
Having said that, Raising Arizona does at least show that Cage could act a bit (and at this point in his career he probably still cared about what films he appeared in).
So yes Raising Arizona has the Coen Brothers distinctive style all over it, but sadly like a lot of their films I found this one disappointing, unfunny and over-rated.
film I read the comments and the rating for RAISING ARIZONA here when you listed the 10 films.I was very disappointed in this movie was mildly entertaining , but barely ..two louts screaming as loudly , did not strike me as funny , not funny ...Makes me wonder about what people thought was even good , not to mention "great" about this bomb.Makes me hesitate to see the other Coen movies,..
I like comedies, and I love Cage, Hunter and Goodman, but for some reason this movie didn't work for me.
This is the kind of movies I really like to watch from time to time, they won't overload your mind, won't demand lots of thinking, they are light on your heart, and will definitely make you chuckle and laugh, moreover they have a point, and Raising Arizona does just that.
Perhaps the least restrained movie the Coen Brothers have ever made, this is brimming with OTT performances and memorable sequences such as John Goodman being born from the Earth, the two leads falling in love over a police camera, and of course the baby in the road.
This classic piece of comedy has as many memorable moments as the other greats: Planes, Trains and Automobiles and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation -- and they are truly better when watched again.The story telling and acting of Nicolas Cage is highly entertaining and perfectly in character.
He's still got that renegade actor quality to him, that over-the-topness that's not quite honed enough, but it fits the material perfectly.The film is in the tradition of their goofball charmers like "The Big Lebowski" and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" -- not as hilarious as the first, and not as episodically plotted (or clever) as the second.The pleasures here are in the innocent sight gags and dialogue -- Cage's grungy, just-about-mullet and mustache, Goodman's sideburns, Frances McDormand's quick appearance as a white trash wife to Cage's boss.
This is the first step onto the slippery slope for Hi, who quickly finds himself back in a life of crime, but this doesn't compare to the problems that could face him if the bounty hunter employed by the baby's real father should ever catch them up.Having watched a few recent Coen Brother films where they do seem to be very aware of what is commercially acceptable it is nice to come to a film that is good fun but also seems to be off the wall in the way that the Coens can easily be.
Goodman and Forsythe are good fun in simple roles but Wilson, McDormand, McMurray and the great Tex Cobb (as well as a few others) that all had me amused and interested.Overall this is not a perfect film and people coming looking for a straight comedy will likely not be won over by a film that relies more on exaggeration that actual jokes but it is still quite good fun.
Raising Arizona has been hailed as a classic comedy film by the Coen Brothers, for in part of their comedic deliver and tone.
Normally,I have a problem with any film or TV series that depicts child endangerment,but Raising Arizona is the exception to this.At it's core,the story is a fairly serious one,but there is so much wall to wall silliness permeating the film that it is impossible to take seriously,so all is forgotten there fairly quickly.Each character has his or her own unique quirkiness which adds to the humor.It was perfectly casted with very well known actors and actresses willing to take a chance on these newcomers,the Cohen Brothers,who were still fairly new to Hollywood at the time.The gamble paid off.We have a winner here..
Raising Arizona has a lot of great and funny performances, the highlight being Nicolas Cage.
When 'Raising Arizona' starts, even if you don't know what is it about, you realize in the same minute it's a Coen Brothers' film.
Ethan and Joel Coen write an unpredictable and crazy script, with even more better characters appearing on screen.When 'Raising Arizona' came out, its two leads, Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter weren't famous at all, he had only been in his uncle's (Francis Ford Coppola) pictures, and she did inexpressive films.
The supporting cast has names like John Goodman and Frances McDormand, two actors that would become regulars on the Coen Brothers' films, both doing a nice job.
William Forsythe is also brilliant, so is Randall 'Tex' Cobb, in one of the most funny character I've ever seen in a Coen Brothers' movie.Joel Coen does an excellent job directing this picture.
Unable to conceive, police officer Ed McDunnough (Hunter) and her ex-con husband H.I (Cage) steal a baby from a wealthy businessman, only to encounter numerous problems.After the successful Blood Simple in 1984, The Coen brothers maintained their rise into the cinematic universe with this sharp and tactically astounding piece of film-making with a well scripted plot and some sharp direction to make a wonderful watch.Starting off with a surprising and diverse approach to the prison world, H.I is in and out of prison more than The Dude is out of the bowling alley.
Whenever you watch a movie by the Coen brothers one thing is sure; you never know what will come next.This film with Nickolas Cage (The Weather Man, Lord of War) and Holly Hunter (Thirteen, The Piano) was a laugh-a-minute riot of fun and excitement.With colorful characters like John Goodman, who played a character reminiscent of his role in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, and William Forsythe (The Devil's Rejects), and Frances McDormand (Laurel Canyon, Fargo), who had a too small role, the film was funny from start to finish.Ant Coen brothers film is worth watching for pure fun, but when you put a cute baby in it, it just soars..
Plus, there is a wildly lavish amount of chemistry between both Cage and Hunter.Raising Arizona is an innocent film from The Coen Brothers, which remains something that almost anyone is bound to fall in love with.
The fact that it is going to be a comedy is apparent as soon as we see Nick Cage, who as Hi, sports hilarious 'bad hair'; he is great in the role and Holly Hunter is equally good as Ed. These are two likeable lead characters despite the fact that they have stolen a baby.
This is the second movie of Coen brothers,and i thought gonna get action and twisted drama but this story just so warming and get me a good laugh.A story about parents relationship with a baby and a parents are.Nic cage give some of the best acting he got,and that lady Ed sure know her way as well,to bad France mcdormand didnt had much amount of screen time..
Raising Arizona follows HI McDunnough (Nicolas Cage) and Ed McDunnough (Holly Hunter) a married couple of an ex-con and ex-cop who can't have or adopt a child.
The Coen brothers are great with dark comedy and it really shows in this film.
This film also has a wacky Nicolas Cage performance, an early performance that offers a shadow on what is to come.This early Coen Brothers film is a heist movie within the deserts of Arizona.
If you are fan of the Coen's work you will see a lot of familiar faces (John Goodman and Frances McDermond in supporting roles), but it was the lead roles from Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter that truly surprised me.
I felt the comedy does lack slightly in the sense of big chuckles but the film is more of a good crime movie too with well I won't ruin it but two incidents of crime which make the story thrilling as well as quite funny.Nicolas Cage in this is possibly his best acting role, a string of bad performances from the man seem to vanish in this where he actually seems to fit in with the crazy going's on and plot.
We get a great prologue at the beginning of the film as we find out about Hi and Ed's past and how they came to their solution with funny jokes on the way.As well as the direction, Raising Arizona is blessed with a top cast who give both comic and sincere performances.
Cage worked well with his supporting cast as they assemble a top cast: John Goodman being a particular highlight as one of the escaped prisoners.The Coens Brothers' direction is frantic through the film, using fast paced editing, hand-held cameras and tracking shots, amplifying the comedy, showing this maniac universe and gives Raising Arizona a distinctive visual style.
The Coen's regular composer Carter Burwell also supplies a great score for the film, particular the use of a country/folk like guitar score which was a perfect fit for the film.Raising Arizona is a very entertaining, funny and heartfelt comedy that can stand along some of the best works the Coen Brothers have had to offer.
This one definitely is worth watching because the seriousness with which Cohen brothers make frivolous movies is best and this time.Busy throughout the film to make the foreground absurd or to the characters or to the situations in which they fall in, the two filmmakers get us into the world of attracting of opposites.
Filled with great direction,an amazing cast,a wonderful screenplay,truly beautiful cinematography and an unforgettable score,Raising Arizona is The Coen Brothers at their best and greatest.Raising Arizona tells the story of H.I. McDunnough(Nicholas Cage),a criminal and repeat offender and police officer 'Ed' Edwina(Holly Hunter)who fall in love and after falling in love decide to get married and have kids.
When H.I and Ed take Nathan J.r and want to raise him as their own wild and hilarious things happen in their lives.Raising Arizona is one of the all-time great classic Comedies from The Coen Brothers that came after their amazing film debut Blood Simple.
One of the reasons Raising Arizona is excellent and truly hilarious is because The Coen Brothers have given us a flawless film that combines great laughs with style and substance where everything in the film is over the top and exaggerated to the point of going over the top beyond belief.
Wonderful score by Burwell.In final word,if you love The Coen Brothers,Comedies or films in general,I highly suggest you check out Raising Arizona,a truly hilarious,funny and unforgettable Comedy and film classic that you can watch again and again.
I also love Holly Hunter in everything but who was also real great in this movie was big man John Goodman, who always seems to be at his best, from a comedy perspective, in a Coen brothers movie.
Even Nicolas Cage, in his only exceptional performance, adds a lot to the movie.Much like other Coen comedies, Big Lebowski/O Brother, this also has a very interesting and complex plot.
I think "Raising Arizona" is more a comedy in that you are in awe of the complete stupidity of every one of the Coen brothers' characters.
The Coen brothers first successful comedic film is pretty much a stranger version of their later comedies, taking a small time crook story and expanding it in terms of weird.
Most criminals aren't smart or clever and the Coen brothers let you know that for sure.In the film, Nicholas Cage plays a repeat convict named H.I. McDunnough who convinces a cop named Ed (Holly Hunter) to marry him somehow.
In retrospect, the offer doesn't sound so ridiculous: Burton's take on the Dark Knight is as much a freak show as Raising Arizona, though it is more about the sombre mood than surreal humor, which is the Coens' most notable strength.The absolute lunacy in this film comes in the form of H.I. McDunnough (Nicolas Cage), a convict who is absolutely incapable of doing any good whatsoever, and his wife Edwina, nicknamed "Ed" (Holly Hunter), a prison worker who married him after his latest stay in jail.