Blood Simple
Blood Simple is a 1984 American independent neo-noir crime film written, edited, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, and starring John Getz, Frances McDormand, Dan Hedaya, and M. Emmet Walsh. Its plot follows a Texas bartender who is having a love affair with his boss’s wife. When his boss discovers the affair, he hires a private investigator to kill the couple. It was the directorial debut of the Coens and the first major film of cinematographer Barry Sonnenfeld, who later became a director, as well as the feature-film debut of McDormand.
Plot
Texas bartender Ray and housewife Abby drive through a downpour at night, discussing Abby's bad marriage to Ray's boss Julian Marty. They have sex at a motel. Private detective Loren Visser takes photos of the tryst and delivers them to Marty. When a caller informs the couple they are being watched, Abby grabs some belongings, including a pistol Marty gave her. Ray goes to the bar to demand his back pay from Marty, who tells Ray that Abby will betray him as she did Marty, and when confronted will say, "I haven't done anything funny."
Awards
More details
author | Ethan Coen Joel Coen |
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award | National Board of Review: Top Ten Films Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize Award |
contentLocation | Texas |
director | Ethan Coen Joel Coen |
editor | Roderick Jaynes Roderick Jaynes is the shared pseudonym used by the Coen brothers for their editing. |
genre | crime thriller |
keywords | belong break in burn bury fall fish murder private detective shallow grave sleep warn wound |
musicBy | Carter Burwell |
producer | Ethan Coen |
productionCompany | Foxton Entertainment River Road Productions |
publisher | Ben Barenholtz |
theme | dance independent neo-noir |