written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen
. Sam Raimi
co-wrote the script and served as second unit
director.
The film stars Tim Robbins
as a naïve business-school graduate who is installed as president of a manufacturing company, Jennifer Jason Leigh
as a newspaper reporter, and Paul Newman
as a company director who hires the young man as part of a stock
scam.
The Coen brothers and Raimi finished the script in 1985, but production did not start until 1991, when Joel Silver
acquired the script for Silver Pictures
.
[repeated line] You know, for kids.
For instance, take a look at this sweet baby. (Shows a drawn circle on a piece of paper.) I developed it myself. Yessirie, this is my big ticket upstairs. You know, for kids.
Fight on! Fight on dear old Muncie! Fight on hoist the gold and blue! You'll be tattered, torn, and hurtin' once the Munc' is done with you! Gooooooooooooo Eagles!
I wasn't expecting all this hoopla. You can quote me on that.
Well look who it is. Amy Archer, Prizeter Pule winner.
[having just rammed a broom handle through a clock, thus freezing time. Line spoken to camera] Strictly speaking, I'm never supposed to do this. But you have any better ideas?
And so began 1959, the new year. When he learned that Norville owned the comp'ny, ol' Sidney was upset at first. It's a good thing Doc Bromfenbrenner was there because he was able to keep Sidney from harmin' his ol' self.
And Norville, he went on an' ruled with wisdom and compassion and started dreamin' up them excitin' new ideas again.
And that's the story of how Norville Barnes climbed waaay up to the forty-fourth floor of the Hudsucker Building, and then fell all the way down but didn't quite squish hisself. You know, they say there was a man who jumped from the forty-FIFTH floor? But that's another story.