Raising Arizona (1987)

Director:

Joel Coen
(more)

Writers:

Ethan Coen (written by) &
Joel Coen (written by)

Release Date:

13 March 1987 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy | Crime | Mystery

Tagline:

A comedy beyond belief.

Plot:

When a childless couple of an ex-con and an ex-cop decide to help themselves to one of another family's quintupelets, their lives get more complicated than they anticipated.

Plot Keywords:

Baby | Arizona | Quintuplets | Love | Police

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Nicolas Cage	...	H.I. McDunnough
Holly Hunter	...	Edwina 'Ed' McDunnough
Trey Wilson	...	Nathan Arizona
John Goodman	...	Gale Snoats
William Forsythe	...	Evelle Snoats
Sam McMurray	...	Glen
Frances McDormand	...	Dot
Randall 'Tex' Cobb	...	Leonard Smalls
T.J. Kuhn	...	Nathan Arizona Jr. (as T.J. Kuhn Jr.)
Lynne Kitei	...	Florence Arizona (as Lynne Dumin Kitei)
Peter Benedek	...	Prison Counselor
Charles 'Lew' Smith	...	Nice Old Grocery Man
Warren Keith	...	Younger FBI Agent
Henry Kendrick	...	Older FBI Agent
Sidney Dawson	...	Moses, Ear-Bending Cellmate
Richard Blake	...	Parole Board Chairman
Troy Nabors	...	Parole Board Member
Mary Seibel	...	Parole Board Member
John O'Donnal	...	Hayseed in Pickup
Keith Jandacek	...	Whitey
Warren Forsythe	...	Minister
Ruben Young	...	'Trapped' Convict
Dennis Sullivan	...	Policeman in Arizona House
Richard Alexander	...	Policeman in Arizona House (as Dick Alexander)
Rusty Lee	...	Feisty Hayseed
James Yeater	...	Fingerprint Technician
Bill Andres	...	Reporter
Carver Barns	...	Reporter
Margaret H. McCormack	...	Unpainted Arizona Secretary
Bill Rocz	...	Newscaster
Mary F. Glenn	...	Payroll Cashier
Jeremy Babendure	...	Scamp with Squirt Gun
Bill Dobbins	...	Adoption Agent
Ralph Norton	...	Gynecologist
Henry Tank	...	Mopping Convict
Frank Outlaw	...	Supermarket Manager
Todd Michael Bodgers	...	Varsity Nathan, Jr.
M. Emmet Walsh	...	Machine Shop Ear-Bender
Robert Gray	...	Glen and Dot's Kid
Katie Thrasher	...	Glen and Dot's Kid
Derek Russell	...	Glen and Dot's Kid
Nicole Russell	...	Glen and Dot's Kid
Zachary Sanders	...	Glen and Dot's Kid
Noell Sanders	...	Glen and Dot's Kid
Cody Ranger	...	Arizona Quint
Jeremy Arendt	...	Arizona Quint
Ashley Hammon	...	Arizona Quint
Crystal Hiller	...	Arizona Quint
Olivia Hughes	...	Arizona Quint
Emily Malin	...	Arizona Quint
Melanie Malin	...	Arizona Quint
Craig McLaughlin	...	Arizona Quint
Adam Savageau	...	Arizona Quint
Benjamin Savageau	...	Arizona Quint
David Schneider	...	Arizona Quint
Michael Stewart	...	Arizona Quint
William Preston Robertson	...	Amazing Voice (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Ron Francis Cobert	...	Reporter #1 (uncredited)

Directed by
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Ethan Coen		(written by) &
Joel Coen		(written by)

Produced by
Ethan Coen	....	producer
James Jacks	....	executive producer
Deborah Reinisch	....	associate producer
Mark Silverman	....	co-producer
Joel Coen	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Barry Sonnenfeld

Film Editing by
Michael R. Miller

Casting by
Donna Isaacson
John S. Lyons		(as John Lyons)

Production Design by
Jane Musky

Art Direction by
Harold Thrasher

Set Decoration by
Robert Kracik

Costume Design by
Richard Hornung

Makeup Department
Dan Frey	....	hair stylist
Camille Henderson	....	assistant hair stylist
Camille Henderson	....	assistant makeup artist
Katherine James	....	makeup artist (as Katherine James-Cosburn)

Production Management
Kevin Dowd	....	production manager
Alma Kuttruff	....	production supervisor
Andrew Sears	....	post-production manager
Andrew Sears	....	second unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Patricia Anne Doherty	....	second assistant director (as Patricia Doherty)
Jon Kilik	....	second assistant director
Chitra F. Mojtabai	....	second assistant director (as Chitra Mojtabai)
Deborah Reinisch	....	first assistant director
Kelly Van Horn	....	first assistant director

Art Department
John Anderson	....	art department assistant
J. Todd Anderson	....	storyboard artist
Roger Belk	....	set dresser
Marcia Calosio	....	key set dresser (as Marcia Calosio-Foeldi)
Pasco Di Carlo	....	carpenter
Mark Donnelly	....	scenic artist
Flint Esquerra	....	art department assistant
Jan Fead	....	assistant property master
Star Fields	....	carpenter
Todd Hatfield	....	scenic artist
Bill Holmquist	....	carpenter
Terry Kempf	....	lead carpenter
Robert Kracik	....	draftsperson
Roger Pancake	....	property master
Robb Roetman	....	art department assistant
Steve Roll	....	construction coordinator (as Stephen Roll)
Christian W. Russhon	....	set dresser (as Chris Russhon)
Bill Seifried	....	carpenter
Charles Seinfried	....	carpenter (as Chuck Seifried)
Linette Forbes Shorr	....	set dresser
Katie Tansley	....	art department assistant
Jerri Thrasher	....	art department assistant (as Gerry Thrasher)
Britt Torney	....	property man
Eduardo H. Esparza	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Bill Holmquist	....	propmaker (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	foley engineer
Ron Bochar	....	sound editor
Allan Byer	....	production sound mixer
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist
Michael DiCosimo	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Randy Gable	....	additional boom operator
Greg Horn	....	sound recordist
Peter F. Kurland	....	boom operator
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Marissa Littlefield	....	assistant sound editor
Carl Mandelbaum	....	special electronic sound effects
Jun Mizumachi	....	special electronic sound effects
Bruce Pross	....	assistant sound editor
Philip Stockton	....	sound editor
Frederick Szymanski	....	special electronic sound effects
Steven Visscher	....	assistant sound editor
Magdaline Volaitis	....	sound editor
Christopher Weir	....	assistant sound editor
Mel Zelniker	....	sound re-recording mixer

Special Effects by
Peter Chesney	....	special effects coordinator
Guy J. Louthan	....	special effects lead (as Guy Louthan)
David J. Barker	....	special effects welder (uncredited)
Tom Chesney	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	stunts
Curt Bortel	....	stunts
Shane Dixon	....	stunts
Allan Graf	....	stunts
Gene Hartline	....	stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Jery Hewitt	....	stunts
Jeff Jensen	....	stunts
Edgard Mourino	....	stunts
Ron Nix	....	stunts
Spanky Spangler	....	stunts
Cindy Wills	....	stunts (as Cindy Wills Hartline)
Stuart Brent	....	car stunts coordinator (uncredited)
Gene Hartline	....	stunt double: Randall 'Tex' Cobb (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Mitchell Amundsen	....	assistant camera (as C. Mitchell Amundsen)
George Ball	....	electrician
Michael Burke	....	first electrician
Ken Connors	....	best boy (as Kenneth R. Conners)
Richard Crudo	....	assistant camera (as Richard P. Crudo)
Tom Dreesen	....	grip
David M. Dunlap	....	camera operator
Russell Engels	....	gaffer
Bob Field	....	electrician
Brian Fitzsimons	....	best boy grip (as Brian Fitzsimmons)
Dennis Gamiello	....	dolly grip
Dennis Gamiello	....	key grip
Melinda Sue Gordon	....	still photographer: production stills
Michael Hall	....	electrician
Cindy Lagerstrom	....	grip
John Lowry	....	rigging grip (as John 'Earl' Lowry)
Danny McCallum	....	electrician (as Dan MacCallum)
Marty Miller	....	grip
Brad S. Mudgett	....	camera department assistant
Robert A. Preston	....	grip (as Bob Preston)
Stephen St. John	....	Steadicam operator
Craig Woodruff	....	electrician
Kyle T. MacDowell	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Becca Korby-Sullivan	....	extras casting
Sunny Seibel	....	casting: Arizona
Yvonne Van Orden	....	baby casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mary Ann Ahern	....	costume constructor
Ada Akaji	....	wardrobe assistant
Stephen M. Chudej	....	wardrobe supervisor
Wendy Cracchiolo	....	wardrobe assistant
Brian Kirk	....	wardrobe assistant
Ellen Ryba	....	assistant to costume designer (as Ellen M. Ryba)

Editorial Department
Michael Berenbaum	....	first assistant editor
Arnold Glassman	....	associate editor
Brian Johnson	....	apprentice editor
Kathie Weaver	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Dan Conte	....	digital score assistant
Ben Freed	....	musician: banjo
Mieczyslaw Litwinski	....	musician: Jews harp, guitar
Sebastian Niessen	....	music engineer
D. Stanton Miranda	....	musician (uncredited)

Other crew
Julie Adams	....	dialect coach
Julie Asch	....	baby wrangler
Rick Ashman	....	location production assistant
Elizabeth Boyd	....	craft service
Valerie Susan Brown	....	production secretary
Christopher Buchanan	....	production office coordinator
Matt Cartsonis	....	location production assistant
Bob Childers	....	craft service
John R. Crowder	....	yodeler
Adam Grad	....	location assistant
Blake Hocevar	....	office assistant
Maureen Hymers	....	production assistant
Thomas Johnston	....	script supervisor
L.R. Kelly	....	location production assistant
Karl Lewis Miller	....	animal action
Dan Perri	....	title designer
David Pomier	....	location manager
Sharon Roesler	....	production office coordinator
Kim Seeger	....	location production assistant
Barbara-Ann Stein	....	production auditor
Erin Stewart	....	production assistant
Eric Tignini	....	production assistant
Rob Harris	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Constance L. Hoy	....	location production assistant (uncredited)
James M. McEwen	....	consultant (uncredited)
Andrew Sears	....	second assistant accountant (uncredited)

Thanks
Kurt Woolner	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Circle Films

Distributors

• Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation (1987) (USA) (theatrical)
• Finnkino (1987) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Fox Films (1987) (Finland) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox (????) (France) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (????) (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (1999) (USA) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (????) (Brazil) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox Video (1988) (Belgium) (VHS)
• CBS/Fox (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• FS Film Oy (2001) (Finland) (DVD)
• Fox Network (1990) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Fox Video (????) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1996) (Finland) (TV)
• Oy Europa Vision AB (1988) (Finland) (VHS)
• SubTV (2005) (Finland) (TV)
• TV3 (1990) (Finland) (TV)

Special Effects

• Image Engineering

Other Companies

• J.G. Films  negative cutting
• Optical House, The  opticals
• Phoenix Film Office  special thanks
• Sound One Corporation  post-production services
• Spera Corporation  post-production services
• Temptu  tattoo design

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Australia:M | USA:PG-13 (Violence) | Brazil:12 | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-14 | France:U | Sweden:15 | UK:12 (video rating: 2001) | UK:15 (original rating) | USA:PG-13 | West Germany:12 | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Camelback Mountain, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Company:

Circle Films

Trivia:

The line, "Life is hard on the little things," used repeatedly in the film was originally spoken by Lillian Gish in The Night of the Hunter (1955) as she protects her children. In the accompanying scene an owl takes a young rabbit.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: When the brothers are escaping form prison, Gale pulls his brother out of he hole by his feet. As he pulls him up past his hips, you can see a section of mud holding foam on the edge of the hole.

Quotes:

[first lines]
H.I.: [voiceover] My name is H.I. McDonnaugh. Call me Hi.

Movie Connections:

Featured in AFI's 100 Years... 100 Laughs: America's Funniest Movies (2000) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Goofing-Off Suite

Okay, then...

This is one of those surreal experiences that make you wonder whether or not you laughed at what you saw or what you THOUGHT you had seen. Of course, being concocted by Joel and Ethan Coen makes it even more surreal.

As "repeat offender" H. I. McDonnough, Nicolas Cage creates yet another strange, offbeat character that gets under your skin for days after. After returning to the same prison time after time under the eye of Officer Ed (Holly Hunter), he goes straight and they get married, planning to have a big family. It is only then, he finds that Ed is a "barren, rocky place".

So, what's a couple to do?

This is where the "Arizona" of the title comes in, when they steal one of the quintuplets of the Arizona family. 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. How could they not be? This whole movie is one huge snowball rolling down the side of a mountain, growing larger and rolling faster as it reaches the end of its trip.

But to try and explain this movie is an exercise in futility; you'd be better off explaining Kierkegaard to a room full of second-graders. You just have to see it yourself. 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.