“Dear Derb—Like most Coen Brothers movies, TBL is indeed a fine film and a
thoughtful one. Not a waste of time, but an inquiry into the nature and/or
possibility of heroism in our time. With a backdrop of middle-east tensions
(the first Bush’s battle with Saddam–”This will not stand” we hear several
times, both from Bush in the background and from the Dude), a major hangup
with Vietnam (Walter, who–like Kerry–sees Vietnam in every situation and
declares the VC ‘a worthy adversary’ not like ’some **** in Iraq trying to
find reverse in a Soviet tank’), and a concern for justice and property
rights (‘they peed on your **** rug, dude’ also the Carpet saga ‘as it was
not his to give…’
“This movie is onto something big about our time… I just don’t know what.
“I think the key is to watch Donnie. He says little, but his reactions are
often telling. For instance,watch him squirm away from Walter’s gun in the
Bowling alley. And listen intently to his questions, which while often off
the mark, are intended to guide are reflections on many scenes. (‘I am the
Walrus’ and ‘What’s wrong with Walter’ come to mind).
“That said, the above may hold less intellectual water than ID;
nevertheless, this is a fine film.”
[Derb here] I must say, it has occurred to me that the scene with Donnie’s
ashes might have been inspired by the similar one at the end of one of
Samuel Beckett’s novels (“Murphy,” I think), where the lead character’s
ashes get wrapped up in newspaper and taken away by a friend.. who stops in
a pub for a drink on the way home.. leaving the ashes-bundle on the floor by
his feet… where in the course of the evening it eventually gets kicked
away, broken open, & the ashes at last swept up with all the sawdust &
betting slips & cigarette ends…
Wait a minute, I’m getting sucked into this thing! No-o-o-o-…