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{{short description|1990 film by the Coen brothers}}
{{about|the film|the TV episode|Miller's Crossing (Stargate Atlantis){{!}}Miller's Crossing (''Stargate Atlantis'')}}
{{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Miller's Crossing
| image = Millerscrossingposter.jpg
| caption = Theatrical release poster
| director = [[Joel Coen]]{{efn|The [[Coen brothers]] directed the film together, but [[Directors Guild of America]] rules only allowed for Joel to be credited}}
| writer = {{Plainlist|
* Joel Coen
* [[Ethan Coen]]
}}
| producer = Ethan Coen
| starring = {{Plainlist|
* [[Gabriel Byrne]]
* [[Marcia Gay Harden]]
* [[John Turturro]]
* [[Jon Polito]]
* [[J. E. Freeman]]
* [[Albert Finney]]
}}<!-- per poster -->
| cinematography = [[Barry Sonnenfeld]]
| editing = Michael R. Miller
| music = [[Carter Burwell]]
| distributor = [[20th Century Fox]]
| released = {{Film date|1990|9|21|[[New York Film Festival]]|1990|9|22|United States}}
| runtime = 115 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget = $10–14 million<ref name = AFI>{{cite web|url = https://catalog.afi.com/Film/58617-MILLERS-CROSSING|title = Miller's Crossing|website = AFI Catalog of Feature Films|publisher = [[American Film Institute]]|access-date = September 22, 2019}}</ref>
| gross = $5 million<ref name="BOM-CR"/>
}}
'''''Miller's Crossing''''' is a 1990 American [[neo-noir]]<ref>[[Alain Silver|Silver, Alain]]; Ward, Elizabeth; eds. (1992). ''Film Noir: An Encyclopedic Reference to the American Style'' (3rd ed.). Woodstock, New York: [[The Overlook Press]]. {{ISBN|0-87951-479-5}}</ref> [[gangster film]] written, directed and produced by [[Coen brothers|Joel and Ethan Coen]], and starring [[Gabriel Byrne]], [[Marcia Gay Harden]], [[John Turturro]], [[Jon Polito]], [[J. E. Freeman]], and [[Albert Finney]]. The plot concerns a power struggle between two rival gangs and how the protagonist, Tom Reagan (Byrne), plays both sides against each other.
In 2005, ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' chose ''Miller's Crossing'' as one of the 100 greatest films made since the inception of the periodical. ''Time'' critic [[Richard Corliss]] called it a "noir with a touch so light, the film seems to float on the breeze like the [[frisbee]] of a [[fedora (hat)|fedora]] sailing through the forest".<ref>{{cite magazine| title=ALL-TIME 100 Movies: ''Miller's Crossing''| author=[[Richard Corliss]]| magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]| url=https://entertainment.time.com/2005/02/12/all-time-100-movies/slide/all/}}</ref>
==Plot==
<!-- Plot summaries should be 400-700 words. Please see WP:FILMPLOT for more information. -->
In 1929, Tom Reagan is the right-hand man for [[Irish mob]]ster Leo O'Bannon, a [[political boss]] who runs an unnamed U.S. city during [[Prohibition in the United States|Prohibition]]. Leo sets off a mob war when he extends protection to his girlfriend Verna's brother, a bookie named Bernie Bernbaum, who is skimming off the [[match fixing]] scheme of Leo's rival, the [[Italian-American Mafia|Italian gangster]] Johnny Caspar. The situation is further complicated by the fact that behind Leo's back, Verna is also sleeping with Tom.
Despite his own relationship with Verna, Tom presses Leo to give up her brother to Caspar. When the war heats up, with an assassination attempt on Leo, Tom tries to persuade Leo that he is foolish to protect Bernie on Verna's behalf, making the point by revealing his affair with her. Leo publicly beats Tom and cuts ties with both him and Verna.
Cast out and needing work, Tom turns to Caspar. As a loyalty test, Caspar commands Tom to kill Bernie, an awkward request given Tom's relationship with Bernie's sister. With Caspar's henchmen in tow, Tom leads Bernie to his execution in the woods at a spot called Miller's Crossing. Bernie grovels for his life and desperately begs Tom not to kill him. Tom fakes the killing by firing his gun into the ground and orders Bernie to leave town. Caspar's henchmen, who are within earshot but cannot see the two men, are fooled and neglect to check for the body before leaving with Tom.
With Leo weakened, Caspar takes his place as city boss, controlling the police and using them to destroy Leo's operations.
Within Caspar's gang, there is tension between Tom and Caspar's trusted enforcer, the brutal Eddie Dane ("the Dane"). Upon learning that his men did not actually see Tom kill Bernie, the Dane takes Tom back to Miller's Crossing to verify that Bernie's body is there. Tom expects to find no corpse and to be executed for it, but instead the group finds a decomposing body that had been shot in the face and disfigured beyond recognition by birds. The Dane and his men assume the body is that of Bernie, but it is actually that of the Dane's lover Mink, whom Bernie had secretly killed and placed as a decoy where his own body should have been. Tom is now vulnerable if the Dane or Caspar discovers the identity of the body, a fact that Bernie uses in an attempt to blackmail Tom into killing Caspar.
With Bernie supposedly dead, someone continues to cut into Caspar's match fix, and Tom and the Dane each try to convince Caspar that the other is behind it. Tom uses Mink's sudden disappearance to sow suspicion about the Dane by insinuating that Mink has gone into hiding after he and the Dane betrayed Caspar. Caspar must decide between Tom and the Dane, a dilemma he resolves by shooting the Dane in the head as Tom looks on.
Tom then thins out his rivals by engineering a surprise meeting between Bernie and Caspar, knowing that the first one to be seen by the other is likely to be killed. Shortly after the arranged time, Tom arrives to discover that Bernie has killed Caspar. Tom tricks Bernie into surrendering his gun and declares his intent to kill him in retribution for his blackmail. Bernie again begs for mercy, but Tom rejects his plea and shoots him dead.
With Caspar and the Dane dead, Leo resumes his post as the only boss in town. At Bernie's burial, Verna, now back in Leo's good graces, reacts coldly to Tom and walks back to her car. Leo notifies Tom that Verna has proposed to marry him. He offers Tom his job back but Tom turns him down and stays behind, watching Leo as he walks away.
==Cast==
{{cast listing|
* [[Gabriel Byrne]] as Tom Reagan
* [[Albert Finney]] as Liam "Leo" O'Bannon
* [[John Turturro]] as Bernie Bernbaum
* [[Marcia Gay Harden]] as Verna Bernbaum
* [[Jon Polito]] as Giovanni “Johnny Caspar” Gasparo
* [[J. E. Freeman]] as Eddie Dane
* [[Steve Buscemi]] as "Mink" Larouie
* [[Michael Jeter]] as Adolph
* [[Mike Starr (actor)|Mike Starr]] as Frankie
* [[Aleksander Krupa|Olek Krupa]] as Tad
* [[John McConnell (actor)|John McConnell]] as Officer Bryan
* [[Danny Aiello III]] as Officer Delahunty
* [[Al Mancini]] as "Tic-Tac"
* Richard Woods as Mayor Dale Levander
* [[Lanny Flaherty]] as Terry
* Tom Toner as O’Doole
* Mario Todisco as Clarence “Drop” Johnson
* [[Michael Badalucco]] as Sal, Caspar's driver
* [[Sam Raimi]] as Snickering Gunman
* [[Frances McDormand]] as The Mayor's Secretary {{small|(uncredited)}}
}}
==Production==
While writing the screenplay, the Coen brothers tentatively titled the film ''The Bighead''—their nickname for Tom Reagan. The first image they conceived was that of a black hat coming to rest in a forest clearing; then, a gust of wind lifts it into the air, sending it flying down an avenue of trees. This image closes the film's opening credit sequence.
Because of the intricate, dense plot, the Coens suffered from [[writer's block]] with the script. They stayed with a close friend of theirs at the time, William Preston Robertson in [[Saint Paul, Minnesota]], hoping that a change of scenery might help. After watching the romantic comedy ''[[Baby Boom (film)|Baby Boom]]'' one night, they returned to New York City and wrote ''[[Barton Fink]]'' (in three weeks) before resuming the ''Miller's Crossing'' screenplay.
The budget was reported by film industry magazines as around $14 million, but the Coens have said that the film cost "substantially less" than that.<ref name = AFI/> According to Paul Coughlin, "The casting of Byrne allows for the psychological assurance, self-confidence and icy demeanour to be physically reproduced in the sturdy and unruffled presence of the tall and lean actor. Tom is 'a man who walks behind a man, whispers in his ear', he is the brains behind Leo's operation, and he is the heartless centre of ''Miller's Crossing''."<ref name=sensesofcinema/> Although Byrne was a native Irishman playing a lieutenant to an Irish mobster, the Coens did not originally want him to use his own accent in the film. Byrne argued that his dialogue was structured in such a way that it was a good fit for his accent, and after he tried it the Coens agreed.<ref name=Jackson>[http://mentalfloss.com/article/69719/13-fascinating-facts-about-millers-crossing Jackson, Matthew. "13 Fascinating Facts About ''Miller's Crossing''", Mental Floss, October 10, 2015]</ref>
During casting they had envisioned [[Trey Wilson]] (who played Nathan Arizona in their previous film ''[[Raising Arizona]]'') as gangster boss Leo O'Bannon, but two days before principal photography began, Wilson died from a brain hemorrhage and Finney was cast. Roger Westcombe calls Finney's portrayal of Leo "perfectly nuanced in a brilliant performance".<ref name=Westcombe/> Finney also appears in a cameo, as an elderly female ladies' room attendant.<ref name=Jackson/>
The Coens cast family and friends in minor roles. Director [[Sam Raimi]] – a friend of the Coens – appears as the snickering gunman at the siege of the Sons of Erin social club, while [[Frances McDormand]] – Joel's wife – appears as the mayor's secretary. The role of The Swede was written for [[Peter Stormare]], but he was busy playing [[Prince Hamlet|Hamlet]] (a role often referred to as "The Dane"). [[J. E. Freeman]] was cast and the name of the character was changed to The Dane, while Stormare went on to be featured in ''[[Fargo (1996 film)|Fargo]]'' and ''[[The Big Lebowski]]''.
The city in which the story takes place is unidentified but the film was shot in [[New Orleans]], as the Coen Brothers were attracted to its look. Ethan Coen commented in an interview, "There are whole neighborhoods here of nothing but 1929 architecture. New Orleans is sort of a depressed city; it hasn't been gentrified. There's a lot of architecture that hasn't been touched, store-front windows that haven't been replaced in the last sixty years."<ref>{{cite news | last = Levy | first = Steven | title = "Shot By Shot," ''Joel and Ethan Coen: Blood Siblings'' | page = 75 | publisher = Plexus | year = 2000}}</ref> Principal photography ran from January 27 to April 28, 1989.<ref name = AFI/>
==Influences==
[[Christopher Orr (film critic)|Christopher Orr]] sees the opening scene, in which Johnny Caspar (Jon Polito) confronts Leo O'Bannon (Albert Finney) and Tom Reagan (Gabriel Byrne) as "an obvious nod to the opening of ''[[The Godfather]]''".<ref name=Orr>{{cite news| author=[[Christopher Orr (film critic)|Christopher Orr]]| title=30 Years of Coens: ''Miller's Crossing''| date=September 10, 2024| work=[[The Atlantic]]|url=https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/09/30-years-of-coens-millers-crossing/379895/}}</ref>
Roger Westcombe finds the title sequence of a fedora being blown off its bed of fallen leaves in the forest to be a subtle homage to [[Jean-Pierre Melville]]'s crime film ''[[Le Doulos]]'' (1962), which ends with the gangster protagonist's fate underlined wistfully by the shot of his fedora coming to rest, alone in the frame, in the soil of the forest floor.<ref name=Westcombe/>
''Miller's Crossing'' quotes many gangster films and [[film noir|films noir]]. Many situations, characters and dialogue are derived from the work of [[Dashiell Hammett]], particularly his 1931 novel ''[[The Glass Key]]''. There are some parallels between the two stories and many scenes and lines are lifted from this novel. The relationship between Tom and Leo in the film mirrors the relationship between Ned Beaumont and Paul Madvig, the principal characters of the Hammett novel.<ref name=franklycurious>Moraes, Francis. (March 17, 2010). [http://www.franklycurious.com/index.php?itemid=128 Miller's Crossing].</ref><ref name=sensesofcinema>{{cite web|last=Coughlin |first=Paul |url=http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2002/cteq/millers |title=Senses of Cinema – Miller's Crossing, The Glass Key and Dashiell Hammett |date=February 8, 2005 |publisher=Sensesofcinema.com |access-date=October 20, 2013}}</ref><ref name=Westcombe>{{cite web |url=http://www.crimeculture.com/Contents/FilmReviews/MillersCrossing.htm |title=Millerscrossing |publisher=Crimeculture.com |access-date=October 20, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022162938/http://www.crimeculture.com/Contents/FilmReviews/MillersCrossing.htm |archive-date=October 22, 2013 }}</ref> Another important Hammett source was his 1929 novel ''[[Red Harvest]]'', which details the story of a gang war in a corrupt Prohibition-era American city, a war initiated by the machinations of the main character. While ''Miller's Crossing'' follows the plot and main characters of ''The Glass Key'' fairly closely, the film has no direct scenes, characters, or dialogue from ''Red Harvest'' except for using a fixed boxing fight as a plot device.<ref name=franklycurious /><ref name=sensesofcinema />
Orr also notes, "The ending of ''Miller's Crossing'' makes even clearer reference to the immaculate final scene of ''[[The Third Man]]'': a funeral, a protagonist abandoned by his car, who watches as the last person he cares for in the world walks away down a dirt road hemmed by trees".<ref name=Orr/>
==Reception and legacy==
''Miller's Crossing'' opened in limited release in New York City on September 22, 1990, after premiering at the [[New York Film Festival]] the day before.<ref name="AFI" /> It was a box-office failure at the time, making slightly more than $5 million, out of its $10–$14 million budget.<ref name="BOM-CR">{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=millerscrossing.htm |title=Miller's Crossing box office |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=June 16, 2008}}</ref> On [[review aggregator]] [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film has an approval rating of 93% based on 71 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critical consensus reads, "Though possibly more notable for its distinctive style than an airtight story, this Coen brothers' take on the classic gangster flick features sharp dialogue, impressive cinematography, and a typically quirky cast of characters."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/millers_crossing |title=Miller's Crossing (1990) |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media]] |access-date=July 23, 2025}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 76 out of 100, indicating "generally favorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/millers-crossing |title=Miller's Crossing Reviews |work=[[Metacritic]] |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |access-date=March 9, 2018}}</ref> Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of “C-“ on an A+ to F scale.
Film critic [[David Thomson (film critic)|David Thomson]] calls the film "a superb, languid fantasia on the theme of the gangster film that repays endless viewing".<ref>Thomson, David (2008), ''"Have You Seen...?"'', New York City: [[Alfred A. Knopf|Knopf]], p. 554.</ref> Of Turturro's performance he says "This could be the finest work of one of our best supporting actors". [[Roger Ebert]] gave it 3/4 stars, stating "It is likely to be most appreciated by movie lovers who will enjoy its resonance with films of the past".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/millers-crossing-1990|title=Miller's Crossing}}</ref> ''Miller's Crossing'' won the Critic's Award at the 2nd [[Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival]] in February 1991.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://yubarifanta.com/index_pc.php?ct=archive.php&langue=21002 |title=YUBARI INTERNATIONAL FANTASTIC ADVENTURE FILM FESTIVAL'91 |access-date=September 19, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040407040236/http://yubarifanta.com/index_pc.php?ct=archive.php&langue=21002 |archive-date=April 7, 2004 }}</ref> It was nominated for the [[Grand Prix (Belgian Syndicate of Cinema Critics)|Grand Prix]] of the [[Belgian Syndicate of Cinema Critics]].
''[[The Sopranos]]'' pays homage to ''Miller's Crossing'', particularly in the [[Pine Barrens (The Sopranos)|"Pine Barrens"]] episode.<ref>{{cite magazine| author=Bruce Fetts| date=May 9, 2001| title=''The Sopranos'' pays homage to several classic films| magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]]|url= https://ew.com/article/2001/05/09/sopranos-pays-homage-several-classic-films/}}</ref> Frank Moraes says, "Gabriel Byrne does an excellent job in this film, ... this film lives and dies on his performance".<ref name=franklycurious/> Taking particular note of the work of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld and production designer Dennis Gassner, Christopher Orr observed, "Miller's Crossing is an aesthetic pleasure of the highest order on nearly every level".<ref name=Orr/> ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' and ''Total Film'' placed it in their top 100 list.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2013-12-22|title=100 Greatest Movies Of All Time {{!}} TotalFilm.com|url=http://www.totalfilm.com/features/100-greatest-movies-of-all-time|access-date=2020-11-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131222200551/http://www.totalfilm.com/features/100-greatest-movies-of-all-time|archive-date=December 22, 2013}}</ref> In 2010, ''The Guardian'' called it the 24th best crime movie of all time.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2010-10-17|title=Miller's Crossing: No 24 best crime film of all time|url=http://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/oct/17/millers-crossing-crime|access-date=2020-11-18|website=The Guardian|language=en}}</ref>
==Soundtrack==
{{Infobox album
| name = Original Motion Picture Soundtrack: Miller's Crossing
| type = soundtrack
| artist = [[Carter Burwell]]
| cover =
| alt =
| released = October 17, 1990
| recorded =
| venue =
| studio =
| genre = [[Film score]]
| length = 28:03
| label = [[Varèse Sarabande]]
| producer =
| chronology = [[Coen brothers]] film soundtracks
| prev_title = [[Raising Arizona#Soundtrack|Raising Arizona]]
| prev_year = 1987
| next_title = [[Barton Fink#Soundtrack|Barton Fink]]
| next_year = 1991
}}
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r116462|label=''Miller's Crossing'' soundtrack album}}</ref>
}}
The score was written by [[Carter Burwell]],<ref>[https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/10-best-musical-moments-coen-brothers-bob-dylan-jefferson-airplane/ The 10 best musical moments from Coen brothers films|Far Out Magazine]</ref> his third collaboration with the Coen brothers. The main theme is based on the Irish folk ballad "Lament for Limerick". Burwell takes a traditional piece of music with some culturally relevant connection and uses it as the central motif of the broader arrangement. The main theme has been utilized in trailers for a number of other films, including ''[[The Shawshank Redemption]]'', as well as in an ad for Caffrey's Irish Ale.<ref name=Orr/>
The soundtrack includes jazz tunes, such as "[[King Porter Stomp]]", reflective of the era in which the film is set. Other songs include "[[Danny Boy]]", sung by [[Frank Patterson]], an [[Music of Ireland|Irish tenor]], which is heard in Leo's house.<ref>[https://uproxx.com/movies/coen-brother-musical-moments/ The Coen Brothers: 8 Unforgettable Music Moments - UPROXX]</ref> Patterson can also be heard singing Jimmy Campbell's "[[Goodnight Sweetheart (1931 song)|Goodnight Sweetheart]]" in a scene in the Shenandoah Club.
===Track listing===
# "Opening Titles" – 1:53
# "Caspar Laid Out" – 1:57
# "A Man and His Hat" – 0:56
# "King Porter Stomp" (performed by [[Jelly Roll Morton]]) – 2:09
# "The Long Way Around" – 1:39
# "Miller's Crossing" – 2:35
# "After Miller's Crossing" – 0:42
# "Runnin' Wild" (performed by Joe Grey) – 3:06
# "Rage of the Dane" – 0:05
# "All a You Whores" – 0:24
# "Nightmare in the Trophy Room" – 1:37
# "He Didn't Like His Friends" – 0:24
# "Danny Boy" (performed by Frank Patterson) – 4:05
# "What Heart?" – 0:49
# "End Titles" – 4:44
# "Goodnight Sweetheart" (performed by Frank Patterson) – 0:54
==See also==
Two other gangster films released in the same year as ''Miller's Crossing'':
*''[[Goodfellas]]''
*''[[The Godfather Part III]]''
==Notes==
{{notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}
==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|0100150}}
* {{Rotten-tomatoes|millers_crossing}}
{{Coen brothers}}
[[Category:1990 crime drama films]]
[[Category:1990 LGBTQ-related films]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:American crime drama films]]
[[Category:American gangster films]]
[[Category:American LGBTQ-related films]]
[[Category:American neo-noir films]]
[[Category:Films about Irish-American culture]]
[[Category:Films about the Irish Mob]]
[[Category:Films directed by the Coen brothers]]
[[Category:Films scored by Carter Burwell]]
[[Category:Films set in the 1920s]]
[[Category:Films shot in New Orleans]]
[[Category:Mafia films]]
[[Category:1990s English-language films]]
[[Category:1990s American films]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by the Coen brothers]]
[[Category:English-language crime drama films]]
[[Category:LGBTQ-related crime drama films]]
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