Scene Selection: The Coen brothers strike again

Geoff Carter

Friday, May 3, 2002 | 10:01 a.m.

Why Billy Bob Thornton chose to work with Joel and Ethan Coen on the solid film noir "The Man Who Wasn't There": "Because (the Coens) consistently do not suck."

Considering what's been playing in theaters so far this year -- "Rollerball," "Resident Evil," "Slackers" and "Sorority Boys," in case you've blocked it out -- Thornton's judgment of the Coens is right on the money. "The Man Who Wasn't There" is about as far from suck as you can get.

That said, it's odd that the Coens would choose this dark, ghostlike comedy for their first-ever loaded DVD (PolyGram USA Video, $26.98). It's not the most adventurous of their films, aside from being shot in black and white by the Oscar-nominated Roger Deakins and telling the story of a stone-faced barber who wants to become a dry-cleaner. ("The major studios threw money at us when they heard that," Ethan says dryly.) Surely a loaded version of "Raising Arizona," "O Brother Where Art Thou" or "Miller's Crossing" should take precedence.

But none of those would have what makes the DVD of "The Man Who Wasn't There" a must-have: a feature-length commentary track featuring the Coens and Thornton. Within five minutes, the three men have you in stitches. The brothers talk about the day that Thornton's wife, Angelina Jolie, visited the set and the actor begged the Coens for his mostly silent character to speak just one line. "You'd told your wife you were the star of the movie," Ethan says, "and you were afraid she wouldn't believe you."

The commentary also discusses, in non-technical depth, the specifics of making a 1949-vintage film noir in 2001. Thornton is an unabashed fan of the film, and more than once he trails off, entranced by what's on screen. The Coens, in turn, prove to be a humble and earthy pair, not at all to their reputation as high-falutin' intellectuals. When they mention a vomiting scene that was (wisely) omitted, they even manage to invoke a similar scene from "Monty Python's Meaning of Life," which is about as lowbrow as you can get.

And Joel gets the assist: " 'I have trodden in monsieur's bucket,' " he quotes. The three men break into laughter; it takes them almost 10 seconds to get composed.

The film itself is a genuine throwback. Thornton's performance as Ed Crane is a marvel; he expresses much with just a silent nod. ("The Ed Nod," the Coens call it, and suggest that Crane should be given his own talk show.) The supporting cast includes Frances McDormand, James Gandolfini and Scarlett Johanasson. Roger Deakins' photography is indeed Oscar-worthy, as is Carter Burwell's emotional score. And needless to say, the Coens add another worthy film to what is already an impressive filmography.

Hopefully, the Coens' recent embrace of the DVD medium means they'll someday record similar commentaries for their other films -- information for future filmmakers to use and adapt. Thornton talks about leaving the Coens' set for Barry Levinson's "Bandits" and showing the crew a gym bag: "This is full of the Coen brothers' secret (stuff). On "The Man Who Wasn't There," they let the surprises out of the bag. It's about time.