When “O Brother” meets Tolkien

Have I ever mentioned how much I love O Brother, Where Art Thou?

I didn’t see it in the theater but caught it on a movie channel late one night around 2003ish. I spent most of the time with a pillow jammed in my face so as not to awaken Big Boss with my laughter.

The brilliant screenplay made me laugh.

The actors made me laugh.

The music thrilled me.

The flashback to the ’30s in the Deep South was like a time machine.

The parallels to The Odyssey were spot on. And written into the story brilliantly.

Oh heck, I loved all of it…and…it made me laugh. For the 56th time. Or thereabouts.

And Big Boss sat down to eat his bowl of chili the other night, he glanced my way, then at the TV and said,(for the 56th time) “How many times have you watched this thing?!”. Or thereabouts.

Within 5 seconds, he was into it too…”Where did they film that? Who is that guy?”. Thank goodness for IMDB. I could tell him who the guy was… but the filming location, not a chance. And guess what IMDB said…Vicksburg, Mississippi. Cool. We stayed at a wonderful B&B there back in the ’90s. On a feedlot tour. You heard me right.

Anyway, the standout actor…IMHO…is Charles Durning. Love love love this guy!! I can’t say that it’s my favorite Durning role because he’s been in so many roles that I haven’t seen. But he WAS in The Grass Harp, another favorite of mine.

When he does that little “dance” during the Soggy Bottom Boys’ “A Man of Constant Sorrow”, I totally lose it.

Random favorite quotes: (Thanks IMDb)

Pappy O’Daniel: Well, I’m with you folks. I’m a forgive-and-forgettin’ Christian, and I say, if their rambunctiousness, and misdemeanoring, is behind them…

Ulysses Everett McGill: The treasure is still there boys, believe me.
Delmar O’Donnell: But how’d he know about the treasure?
Ulysses Everett McGill: I don’t know Delmar. The blind are reputed to possess sensitivities compensating for their lack of sight, even to the point of developing paranormal psychic powers. Now, clearly seeing into the future would fall into neatly into that category; its not so surprising then that an organism deprived of its earthly vision…
Pete: He said we wouldn’t get get it. He said we wouldn’t get the treasure we seek on account of our ob-stac-les.
Ulysses Everett McGill: Well what the hell does he know, he’s just an ignorant old man?

Pappy O’Daniel: Holey moley! These boys are a hit!
Junior O’Daniel: But Pappy, they’s integrated!

Every time Clooney opens his mouth in the movie, out comes such a patchwork of mismatched and made-up words that the term Crazy Quilt comes to mind.  Like someone just hit you with crazybricks!  A boatload of them…

And of course, you cannNOT miss the obvious, in-your-face parallel to The Hobbit (see, I can tie anything to Tolkien!!  😀 ). All for the quest of a ring…a gold ring not Aunt Vernell’s. You doubt me?  I’m telling you, Everett=Thorin…Pete and Delmar=12 dwarves…Tommy Johnson, the guitar player=Bilbo (ok that’s a stretch)…Pappy O’Daniel=the mayor…the Sheriff=Sauron…not sure who equals Gandalf.  As soon as I figure that out, I’ll let you know…

And then there’s the soundtrack….