Synopsis for
Raising Arizona (1987) More at IMDbPro »

Raising Arizona follows the exploits of H.I. "Hi" McDunnough (Nicholas Cage), a white-trash loser and convenience store robber who is constantly in and out of jail. We learn that Hi isn't a bad person though, since he never actually uses live ammunition in his gun. During the long opening sequence we learn some of his history, and notice that each time he is booked, the pretty Edwina (Holly Hunter) takes his photo. Hi uses their short time together to flirt with her, and eventually comes back (a free man) to propose marriage. The Policewoman and ex-con begin a new life together in a remote trailer in the Arizona desert.

Hi gets a degrading job drilling holes in sheet metal, while Edwina continues her police work at first. But after repeated attempts to conceive a child, it is determined that Ed is unable to do so. They soon hatch a scheme to kidnap one of the "Arizona Quints," the miracle babies of unpainted furniture store magnate Nathan Arizona (Trey Wilson). The Arizonas joked on TV that they had "more than they could handle" so Ed feels that it is somehow justified that she and Hi take one to raise as their own. After a comical series of events, Hi finally grabs one, possibly Nathan Jr., and they drive off.

Meanwhile Gale and Evelle Snoats (John Goodman and William Forsythe), jailbird pals of Hi, have finally tunneled out of prison. They head straight for Hi's place, and Ed is not amused. The two felons are suspicious about Nathan Jr., but are allowed to stay for a few days as they are friends of Hi.

Nathan Arizona wants his Son back, of course. After the inept local police fail to discover much, he gets a visit from biker Leonard Smalls (Tex Cobb). Smalls, a rather disturbing figure (like something from the Road Warrior), wants twice the posted $25,000 reward, but guarantees he will find the baby. Nathan Arizona refuses, threatening to call the cops on Smalls. The biker disappears, determined to grab the baby and sell him on the black market.

Hi and Ed try to have a nice day together with Glen, Hi's supervisor and his wife Dot. Unfortunately, Glen and Dot are swingers, and Glen proposes a wife-swap to Hi, who is not game. After assaulting Glen, he winds up being fired. Later that night, he robs a convenience store and is chased through the surrounding neighborhood.

The next morning, Gale and Evelle figure out Nathan Jr's true identity and decide to claim the $25,000 reward for themselves. They fight with Hi, wrecking the trailer's interior in the process. They make off with the baby on their way to rob a "hayseed bank." Hi is soon found by Ed, and they go after the Snoats Brothers.

Leonard Smalls has also been busy, tracking the Snoats' to Hi's place and then heading for the bank. The Snoats' do successfully rob the place, but accidentally leave the baby behind. Hi and Ed confront the evil Smalls, and after a bruising confrontation, he is killed. But the whole experience has left them with mixed feelings about keeping Nathan Jr. and they end up returning him. They can only dream of a day when medical science will catch up with them as it did for the Arizonas "with a vengeance."