“Somehow everything coheres, thanks to the Coens’ superb writing and assured direction, and a roster of marvellous performances. The result works on numerous levels, thrilling the mind, ears and eyes, and racking the nerves. ”
In 1941, up-and-coming New York intellectual playwright Barton Fink (John Turturro) is enticed to Hollywood to write wrestling pictures for Wallace Beery. Staying at the run-down Hotel Earle, Barton develops severe writer's block - not helped by his neighbour, jovial insurance salesman Charlie Meadows (a brilliant John Goodman) - and gradually descends into paranoia and self-doubt. But as great as the rest of the cast are (Steve Buscemi, Judy Davis, Michael Lerner) the show is all-but-stolen by John Mahoney's fabulously irreverent cameo as alcoholic writer, W.P. Mayhew - a thinly-disguised William Faulkner - making this an ideal film to screen in tribute to the actor.
Barton Fink swept the board at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival winning the Palme d'Or as well as awards for Best Director and Best Actor for Joel Coen and John Turturro respectively. It is one of the Coen's greatest films.
Screened in tribute to John Mahoney (1940-2018)
