The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

Director:

Joel Coen
(more)

Writers:

Ethan Coen (written by) &
Joel Coen (written by) ...
(more)

Release Date:

11 March 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy | Romance

Tagline:

A Comedy of Invention.

Plot:

A naive business graduate is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.

Plot Keywords:

Stock | Suicide | Business | Reporter | Hanging From Clock

Awards:

2 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Tim Robbins	...	Norville Barnes
Jennifer Jason Leigh	...	Amy Archer
Paul Newman	...	Sidney J. Mussburger
Charles Durning	...	Waring Hudsucker
John Mahoney	...	Chief
Jim True-Frost	...	Buzz (as Jim True)
Bill Cobbs	...	Moses
Bruce Campbell	...	Smitty
Harry Bugin	...	Aloysius
John Seitz	...	Benny
Joe Grifasi	...	Lou
Roy Brocksmith	...	Board Member
John Wylie	...	Board Member
I.M. Hobson	...	Board Member
Gary Allen	...	Board Member
John Scanlan	...	Board Member
Richard Woods	...	Board Member
Jerome Dempsey	...	Board Member (as Jerome Dempsy)
Peter McPherson	...	Board Member
David Byrd	...	Dr. Hugo Bronfenbrenner
Christopher Darga	...	Mail Room Orienter
Patrick Cranshaw	...	Ancient Sorter (as Pat Cranshaw)
Robert Weil	...	Mail Room Boss
Mary Lou Rosato	...	Mussburger's Secretary
Ernest Sarracino	...	Luigi the Tailor (as Ernie Sarracino)
Eleanor Glockner	...	Mrs. Mussburger
Kathleen Perkins	...	Mrs. Braithwaite
Joseph Marcus	...	Sears Braithwaite of Bullard
Peter Gallagher	...	Vic Tenetta
Noble Willingham	...	Zebulon Cardoza
Barbara Ann Grimes	...	Mrs. Cardoza
Thom Noble	...	Thorstenson Finlandson
Steve Buscemi	...	Beatnik Barman
William Duff-Griffin	...	Newsreel Scientist
Anna Nicole Smith	...	Za-Za
Pamela Everett	...	Dream Dancer
Arthur Bridgers	...	The Hula-Hoop Kid (as Arthur Bridges)
Sam Raimi	...	Hudsucker Brainstormer
John Cameron	...	Hudsucker Brainstormer
Skipper Duke	...	Mr. Grier
Jay Kapner	...	Mr. Levin
Jon Polito	...	Mr. Bumstead
Richard Whiting	...	Ancient Puzzler
Linda McCoy	...	Coffee Shop Waitress
Stan Adams	...	Emcee
John Goodman	...	Newsreel Announcer (as Karl Mundt)
Joanne Pankow	...	Newsreel Secretary
Mario Todisco	...	Norville's Goon
Colin Fickes	...	Newsboy
Dick Sasso	...	Drunk in Alley
Jesse Brewer	...	Mailroom Screamer
Philip Loch	...	Mailroom Screamer (as Phil Loch)
Stan Lichtenstein	...	Mailroom Screamer
Todd Alcott	...	Mailroom Screamer
Ace O'Connell	...	Mailroom Screamer
Richard Schiff	...	Mailroom Screamer
Frank Jeffreys	...	Mailroom Screamer (as Frank Jeffries)
Lou Criscuolo	...	Mailroom Screamer
Michael Earl Reid	...	Mailroom Screamer
Mike Starr	...	Newsroom Reporter
David Hagar	...	Newsroom Reporter (as Dave Hagar)
Willie Reale	...	Newsroom Reporter
Harvey Meyer	...	Newsroom Reporter
Tom Toner	...	Newsroom Reporter
David Fawcett	...	Newsroom Reporter
Jeff Still	...	Newsreel Reporter
David Gould	...	Newsreel Reporter
Gil Pearson	...	Newsreel Reporter
Marc Garber	...	Newsreel Reporter
David Massie	...	Newsreel Reporter
Mark Jeffrey Miller	...	Newsreel Reporter (as Mark Miller)
Peter Siragusa	...	Newsreel Reporter
Nelson George	...	Newsreel Reporter
Michael Houlihan	...	Newsreel Reporter
Ed Lillard	...	Newsreel Reporter
Wantland Sandel	...	New Year's Mob
James Deuter	...	New Year's Mob
Roderick Peeples	...	New Year's Mob (as Rick Peeples)
Cynthia Baker	...	New Year's Mob
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Head	...	Security Guard (uncredited)
Jack Rooney	...	Man at Merchandise Mart (uncredited)
Keith Schrader	...	Businessman (uncredited)

Directed by
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen		(uncredited)

Writing credits
Ethan Coen		(written by) &
Joel Coen		(written by) &
Sam Raimi		(written by)

Produced by
Tim Bevan	....	executive producer
Ethan Coen	....	producer
Eric Fellner	....	executive producer
Graham Place	....	co-producer
Joel Coen	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Roger Deakins		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Thom Noble

Casting by
Donna Isaacson
John S. Lyons		(as John Lyons)

Production Design by
Dennis Gassner

Art Direction by
Leslie McDonald

Set Decoration by
Nancy Haigh

Costume Design by
Richard Hornung

Makeup Department
Jean Ann Black	....	key makeup artist (as Jean A. Black)
Susan Buffington	....	additional hair stylist
Cydney Cornell	....	hair designer
Gilliane McAlister	....	additional makeup artist
Lydia Milars	....	makeup artist
Alyson Murphy	....	additional hair stylist (as Alison Murphy)
Rita Troy	....	additional hair stylist
Monty Westmore	....	makeup artist: Mr. Newman
Melissa A. Yonkey	....	second hair stylist (as Melissa Yonkey)
Lun Yé Hodges	....	additional hair stylist (uncredited)
James Lacey	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)
Sandra S. Orsolyak	....	additional makeup artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Terri Clemens	....	unit manager: Chicago
Alma Kuttruff	....	production manager
Gilly Ruben	....	production manager: second unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sarah Addington	....	second assistant director
John Cameron	....	first assistant director (as Victor Malone)
Vincent Palmo Jr.	....	second second assistant director
Sam Raimi	....	second unit director

Art Department
J. Todd Anderson	....	storyboard artist
Steve Arnold	....	assistant art director
Paige Augustine	....	set dresser
Kip Bartlett	....	set dresser
Troy Borisy	....	lead man: Chicago
Thomas E. Brown	....	paint supervisor (as Thomas Brown)
Linda Cathey	....	set dresser
Lauren Coccia	....	art department assistant
Kirk Corwin	....	property master
Gina B. Cranham	....	set designer (as Gina Cranham)
James M. Davis	....	construction foreman (as Jim Davis)
Tony Fanning	....	set designer
Brian Fong	....	property assistant
Claire Gaul	....	set dresser
Robert Greenfield	....	lead man
Todd Hatfield	....	stand-by painter
Tammy High	....	construction accountant (as Tammy B. High)
Thomas M. Jones	....	assistant props: Chicago (as Tom Jones)
Leslie 'Tinker' Linville	....	set dresser (as Tinker Linville)
Bill Luckey	....	assistant property master
John Mikels	....	stand-by painter: Chicago
Jeff Passanante	....	construction coordinator
Eric Rosenberg	....	graphic designer
James Sims	....	signwriter
Matthew Sullivan	....	on-set dresser
Richard Toyon	....	set designer (as Richard Yanez)
Richard Waldrop	....	property master: second unit (as Richard 'Petie' Waldrop)
K. Drew Fuller	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Michael J. Hall	....	carpenter (uncredited)
Lillian Heyward	....	signwriter (uncredited)
George Lee	....	painter (uncredited)
John W. Morgan	....	scenic painter (uncredited)
James Passanante	....	paint foreman (uncredited)
Michael A. Wells	....	construction gang boss (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-recording engineer
Allan Byer	....	production sound mixer
Jean Marie Carroll	....	sound recordist
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley walker (as Marko Costanzo)
Lee Dichter	....	sound re-recording engineer
Chris Fielder	....	sound assistant
Eugene Gearty	....	sound effects editor
Robert Hein	....	dialogue editor (as Bob Hein)
Bradford L. Hohle	....	stereo sound consultant: Dolby
Kenton Jakub	....	adr assistant (as Kenton Jacob)
Frank Kern	....	foley editor
Peter F. Kurland	....	boom operator
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Sylvia Menno	....	sound assistant
Eliza Paley	....	foley editor
Glenfield Payne	....	apprentice sound editor
Bruce Pross	....	foley supervisor
Daniel Richter	....	sound recordist: Chicago (as Dan Richter)
Gail Showalter	....	adr editor (as Gail Stockton)
Philip Stockton	....	dialogue supervisor
Steven Visscher	....	foley editor (as Steve Visscher)
Fred Rosenberg	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Joseph B. Alexander	....	fabricator: mechanical effects
Heather Barton	....	production assistant: mechanical effects
Peter Chesney	....	mechanical effects (as Peter M. Chesney)
Tom Chesney	....	technician: mechanical effects (as Thomas C. Chesney)
Glenn E. Doell	....	technician: mechanical effects
Bruce Allan Donnellan	....	fabricator: mechanical effects (as Bruce Donellan)
Roderic 'Mick' Duff	....	leadman: mechanical effects (as Roderic E. Duff)
Joe Heffernan	....	technician: mechanical effects
Emmet Kane	....	gang boss: mechanical effects
Ralph Kerr	....	lead fabricator: mechanical effects
Ralph Kerr	....	rigger: mechanical effects
Jennifer Lamb	....	technician: mechanical effects
Jennifer McManus	....	fabricator: mechanical effects
Phil Notaro	....	fabricator: mechanical effects
David C. Ryan	....	technician: mechanical effects
Derek Smith	....	assistant technician: mechanical effects (as Derek J. Smith)
Kate Steinberg	....	effects liaison: mechanical effects
Thomas Zell	....	technician: mechanical effects
Thomas Quinn	....	mechanical effects (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Larry Albright	....	miniature neon: miniature effects
Eric Bartsch	....	best boy grip: blue screen unit (as Eric G. Bartsch)
Ryan Bartsch	....	best boy grip: visual effects unit (as Ryan "Richie" Bartsch)
Logan R. Berkshire	....	key grip: visual effects unit
Richard Brooks Burton	....	gyrosphere technician: blue screen unit
Steve Cainas	....	production assistant: blue screen unit (as Steve Caines)
Sean M. Casey	....	digital matte painter: ILM (as Sean Casey)
Richard L. Cohen	....	matte painter (as Rich Cohen)
Luis Colina	....	visual effects editor
Mary Corcoran	....	stand-by modelmaker: miniature effects
Chris Cowan	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Joe D'Alessandro	....	camera assistant: visual effects unit (as Joseph C. D'Alessandro)
Louis F. DiFelice	....	production coordinator: blue screen unit
Kat Dillon	....	co-producer: visual effects unit
Bob Finley III	....	gaffer: blue screen unit (as Robert Finley III)
R.C. David Freund	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects (as David Freund)
David Fuhrer	....	digital artist: CFC
Leila Gilbert	....	model shop controller: miniature effects
Peter Girolami	....	best boy electric: visual effects unit (as Peter R. Girolami)
Henry Gonzales	....	crew chief: miniature effects
Roy Goode	....	lead model mechanics: miniature effects
Chris Gorak	....	designer: miniature effects
Rufus Granger Jr.	....	dolly grip: blue screen unit
Rufus Granger Jr.	....	key grip: blue screen unit
Ron Gress	....	lead model painter: miniature effects
Tom Griep	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Pete Hanson	....	digital compositor: CFC (as Peter Hanson)
Sarkis Hardy	....	model shop foreman: miniature effects
Gerald D. Hatchell	....	grip: blue screen unit (as Gerald Dwayne Hatchell)
Peter Hawkins	....	rigger: visual effects unit
Adam Hill	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Tom Hinson Sr.	....	key rigging grip: blue screen unit
Edward Hirsh	....	project manager: blue screen unit (as Edward T. Hirsch)
Diane Holland	....	digital matte painter: ILM
Ian Hunter	....	chief modelmaker: miniature effects
Paul Huston	....	digital matte painter: ILM
Parker Jason Jarvis	....	production assistant: visual effects unit
Karen Williams Kane	....	camera assistant: blue screen unit
Charles Laughon	....	video playback: blue screen unit
Jeff Leake	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Jennifer Luther	....	assistant coordinator: visual effects unit
Kim Marks	....	director of photography: blue screen unit (as Kim Foster Marks)
Gary Marvis	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Jeff Matakovich	....	additional opticals: Optical Illusions, Inc.
Michael J. McAlister	....	visual effects producer
Michael J. McAlister	....	visual effects supervisor
Patrick McAllister	....	electrician: blue screen unit
Roni McKinley	....	digital matte painter: ILM
Heather Eloise McLellan	....	production assistant: blue screen unit
Robert T. Morales	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects (as Robert Morales)
Michelle Morgan	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Mark Nelmes	....	digital compositor: CFC
Kerry Nordquist	....	digital matte painter: ILM
Michael O'Brien	....	motion control rigger: visual effects unit (as Michael "Dukester" O'Brien)
Gail Oda	....	production coordinator: miniature effects
David Owen	....	digital matte painter: ILM
Chris Panton	....	digital compositor: CFC
Arnold Peterson	....	assistant camera: visual effects unit (as Arnold E. Peterson)
Arnold Peterson	....	motion control technician: visual effects unit (as Arnold E. Peterson)
Alan Pickelsimer	....	electrician: blue screen unit
Janos Pilenyi	....	additional opticals: Reel Effects (as Janos O. Pilenyi)
Josh Pines	....	digital matte painter: ILM
Jeff Pyle	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Renee Rabache	....	model painter: miniature effects
Martin Rosenberg	....	motion control supervisor: visual effects unit
Daniel Samppala	....	stand-by modelmaker: miniature effects (as Daniel "DBoy" Samppala)
Joan Schneider	....	model shop purchaser: miniature effects
Paula Schneider	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Scott Schneider	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Dennis Schultz	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
David Schwarz	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Jerry Siegel	....	additional opticals: Eastern Optical EFX
Kyle Silver	....	intern: visual effects unit
Russ Simpson	....	miniature window manufacturer: miniature effects
Janek Sirrs	....	digital compositor: CFC (as Janek Sims)
Robert Spurlock	....	miniature effects
Rachael Steegar	....	intern: visual effects unit
Mark Stetson	....	miniature effects
Erik Stohl	....	lead model electronics: miniature effects
Mark Sullivan	....	matte painter
Tommy Ray Sullivan	....	gaffer: visual effects unit
Stephen Thompson	....	best boy electric: blue screen unit
Pat Turner	....	director of photography: visual effects unit (as Patrick Turner)
Yusei Uesugi	....	digital matte painter: ILM
Dick Van Newkirk	....	grip: blue screen unit
Mark Vogel	....	electrician: blue screen unit (as Mark Scott Vogel)
Bruce Walters	....	digital matte painter: ILM
Chris Watts	....	coordinator: visual effects unit
Alan Williams	....	rigger: visual effects unit
George Willis	....	key modelmaker: miniature effects
Janet Yale	....	digital compositor: CFC
Dana Yuricich	....	crew chief: miniature effects
Michael Arias	....	computer graphics: title and newsreel sequences (uncredited)
Ed Blakely	....	visual effects video assist operator (uncredited)
Susan Adele Colletta	....	digital matte production manager: ILM (uncredited)
Tom Gleason	....	special effects model maker (uncredited)
W.D. Hill	....	rigging grip: visual effects unit (uncredited)
Andy Hudson	....	visual effects (uncredited)
Kim Libreri	....	senior software engineer (uncredited)
Chris Watts	....	visual effects editor (uncredited)
Edson Williams	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
John Copeman	....	stunts
Don Hewitt	....	stunts
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Jery Hewitt	....	stunts
Dean Mumford	....	stunts
Bill Anagnos	....	stunt driver (uncredited)
Tracey Cuesta	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
William Allen Jr.	....	grip: Chicago
Bruce Atwater	....	rigging grip
Michael Bonsignore	....	company grip
Jim Bridges	....	special photographer
Jim Bridges	....	unit photographer
Stephen Brock	....	electrician
Robin Brown	....	first assistant camera
Kristina Byrd	....	second assistant camera: second unit
Scott Canfield	....	rigging electrician
Kurt Chatfield	....	rigger
Steve Cohagan	....	best boy electric: second unit
Tricia Cooke	....	second second assistant camera
Thomas C. Cook	....	company grip
Kelly Curry	....	electrician (as Kelly Dale Curry)
Louis DiCesare	....	gaffer: second unit
Lynn Dodson	....	rigging electrician (as Lynn [L.D.] Dodson)
Richard Eliano	....	first assistant camera: second unit
Paul Elliott	....	director of photography: second unit
Brian Fitzsimons	....	best boy grip (as Brian Fitzsimmons)
Richie Ford	....	rigging gaffer
Dennis Gamiello	....	key grip
Mark Graves	....	rigging electrician (as Mark D. Graves)
Bruce Hamme	....	dolly grip
Russell Hardee	....	rigging grip (as Russell W. Hardee)
Billy Hendricks	....	rigging electrician (as Billy Bob Hendricks)
Marc Hirschfeld	....	Steadicam assistant
Robert Hoelen	....	company grip
Thomas A. Holland	....	generator operator: second unit
Derek Jensen	....	grip: second unit
Jeremy Knaster	....	electrician
Ron Leahy	....	grip: Chicago (as Ronald Leahy)
Mark R. Lindberg	....	electrician: Chicago (as Mark Lindberg)
John Lowry	....	head rigging grip
Robin Melhuish	....	second assistant camera
William Moore	....	assistant chief lighting technician
Mike Moyer	....	electrician: Chicago (as Michael Moyer)
Thomas C. Nisbet	....	electrician
Robert Noe	....	rigger
Bill O'Leary	....	chief lighting technician
Steven Pehl	....	best boy grip: second unit (as Steve Pehl)
Michael Pizzuto	....	key grip: second unit
Rick Raphael	....	Steadicam operator (as Frederick Raphael)
Allan 'Pepe' Richardson	....	rigger (as Allan [Pepe] Richardson)
Peyton Skelton	....	grip: second unit
Bill Summers	....	grip: second unit
Fleather D. Thomas III	....	rigger
Jack Vollers	....	electrician: second unit
Adam Hinson	....	rigging grip (uncredited)
Cristiano Palermi	....	rigging set lighting technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Matthew Barry	....	casting assistant
Sandra Dawes	....	casting: North Carolina (as Sandra D. Dawes)
Tracy Kilpatrick	....	casting assistant
Arnold Mungioli	....	casting assistant
Christine Sheaks	....	casting assistant
Sally Tannenbaum	....	casting assistant
Mark A. Ridge	....	extras casting (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Tammy Adams	....	extras set costumer
Mark Bridges	....	additional costume designer
Eden Clark Coblenz	....	additional assistant costume designer (as Eden Clark)
Patrick Dorman	....	additional assistant costume designer
Lisa A. Doyle	....	extras set costumer (as Lisa Doyle)
Joie Hutchinson	....	extras costume supervisor
Karen Naser	....	costume draper (as Karen Nasser)
Elizabeth Passman	....	assistant set costumer: Chicago
Ellen Ryba	....	costume supervisor
Keith Taylor	....	wardrobe supervisor: second unit
Anna M. Welcome	....	assistant costume supervisor (as Anna Welcome)
Dale Wibben	....	costume cutter: Ms. Leigh
Dale Wibben	....	costume draper: Ms. Leigh
Mary Zophres	....	assistant costume designer (as Aroli Mary Zophres)
Catherine Bayley	....	wardrobe production assistant (uncredited)
Susan J. Bonno-Buckner	....	wardrobe assistant (uncredited)
Deborah Pollard Matthews	....	costumer (uncredited)
Alice Powell	....	seamstress (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Tricia Cooke	....	assistant editor
Nick Dibeneditto	....	negative cutter: N&D Film & Video (as Nick DiBeneditto)
David Diliberto	....	apprentice editor (as Big Dave)
Carol A. Ellison Fleming	....	assistant editor
John Finklea	....	assistant editor (uncredited)

Music Department
Emile Charlap	....	music contractor
Edmund Choi	....	assistant to composer
Michael Farrow	....	music scoring mixer
Todd Kasow	....	music adaptor
Todd Kasow	....	music editor
Sonny Kompanek	....	orchestrator
Shari Schwartz	....	music assistant
Edgar De Lange	....	composer: song "Flying Home" (uncredited)
John Moses	....	musician: clarinetist (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Michael Brockman	....	driver: Mr. Newman
Calvin Chin	....	transportation captain: Chicago
Richard Deangelo	....	transportation coordinator: Chicago (as Dick DeAngelo)
Lynda Dedmon	....	driver
Cathie Hegler Godwin	....	driver
Jeff Long	....	transportation captain
David Outlaw	....	driver
Bill Pitts	....	transportation coordinator
Greg Stancil	....	driver (as Gregory Stancil)
Robert Wallace	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Raymond Bulinski	....	craft service: Chicago (as Ray Bulinski)
Susan Carpenter	....	key set production assistant: second unit
Dan Cracchiolo	....	executive: Silver Pictures
George Davis	....	set medic
Wesley Fata	....	choreographer
Holly Gent Palmo	....	production coordinator
Karen Ruth Getchell	....	assistant production coordinator
Chris Gilmer	....	production coordinator: second unit (as Christy N.Gilmer)
Rob Goldman	....	office production assistant
Robert Grindrod	....	production accountant (as Robert J. Grindrod)
Margaret Hayes	....	large Marge
James Alan Hensz	....	set production assistant (as Jim Hensz)
Therese Honeycutt	....	craft service (as Theresa Honeycutt)
Art Hoover	....	caterer
Thomas Johnston	....	script supervisor
Larry Kaplan	....	unit publicist
Margaret Ann Mccourt	....	accountant: Chicago (as Margaret McCourt)
Peter McManus	....	first assistant accountant
Heidi Mehltretter	....	location coordinator
Mary Weisgerber Meyer	....	production associate (as Mary Weisgerber)
Kimberly K. Miller	....	location coordinator: Chicago (as Kim Miller)
Donald Murphy	....	set production assistant
Stephanie P. O'Brien	....	set production assistant (as Stephanie O'Brien)
Darice O'Mara	....	assistant: Mr. Newman
Barry J. Phillips	....	third assistant accountant
Macall B. Polay	....	second assistant accountant
Wendy Richardson	....	production secretary (as Wendy E. Richardson)
Karol Siegel	....	assistant: Joel and Ethan Coen
Sharon Smith	....	assistant craft service
O'Brian Tomalin	....	assistant: Mr. Robbins (as O'Brien Tomalin)
George Whitley	....	office production assistant (as George "Moon" Whitley)
Ken Young	....	caterer
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer (uncredited)
James J. Burke	....	stand-in: Tim Robbins (uncredited)
Alexander Johnston	....	location coordinator: Wilmington, NC (uncredited)
Steve Kraus	....	dailies projectionist (uncredited)
Gerald F. Nichols	....	production assistant (uncredited)

Thanks
Senor Greazer	....	special thanks (as Señor Greaser)

Production Companies

• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
• PolyGram Filmproduktion
• Silver Pictures
• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Working Title Films

Distributors

• Asmik Ace Entertainment (1995) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Cine Saison (1995) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Pan Européenne Distribution (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video
• Europa Carat (Brazil) (VHS)
• Laurenfilm (Spain)
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
• Rank Film Organization
• Transeuropa Video Entertainment (TVE) (Argentina) (video)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Warner Bros. Pictures
• Warner Home Video (video)

Special Effects

• Design FX Company (special mechanical effects)
• Stetson Visual Services Inc. (miniature effects)
• Computer Film Company, The (CFC) (digital compositing)
• Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (digital matte images by) (as Industrial Light & Magic, A Division of LucasArts Entertainment Company, Marin County, California)
• Chandler Group, The (motion control equipment)
• Hunter/Gratzner Industries

Other Companies

• Balsmeyer and Everett  main title sequence designed and produced by (as Balsmeyer & Everett, Inc.)
• C-5  sound services by
• Chicago Board of Trade, The  special thanks
• Chicago Film Office, The  special thanks
• Du Art Film Laboratories  dailies by
• Early Halloween  special thanks (as Early Halloween, Vintage Clothing, NY)
• Eastern Optical EFX  additional opticals
• Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, The  special thanks
• Helmsley-Spear  special thanks (as Helmsley-Spear of Illinois, Inc.)
• Illinois Film Office, The  special thanks (as Illinois Film Office)
• International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE)  acknowledgment (as I.A.T.S.E.)
• International Film Guarantors  completion guaranty provided through
• Joe Dunton & Company  special thanks
• Ken and Art's Catering  catering (as Ken & Art's Catering)
• N&D Film and Video  negative cutting (as N&D Film & Video)
• North Carolina Film Office  special thanks
• Optical Illusions  additional opticals
• Otto Nemenz International  Arriflex cameras supplied by
• Owners and Management of The Merchandise Mart, Chicago, Illinois  special thanks
• Raleigh News and Observer  special thanks
• Reel Effects  additional opticals
• Sound One Corporation  sound services by (as Sound One Corp.)
• Syzygy Digital Cinema  "Tidbits of Time" logo by
• Syzygy Digital Cinema  computer graphics for main title sequence
• Wilmington, N.C. City Manager's Office  special thanks

Also Known As:

Hudsucker - Der große Sprung (Germany)
El gran salto (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
A nagy ugrás (Hungary) [hu]
Coenin veljesten Valtapeli (Finland) [fi]
Hadsakerov covek (Serbia) [sr]
Hudsucker - Der große Sprung (Austria) [de]
Hudsucker Proxy (Poland) [pl]
Hulahop (Slovenia) [sl]
Le grand saut (France) [fr]
Mister Hula Hoop (Italy) [it]
Na Roda da Fortuna (Brazil) [pt]
O Grande Salto (Portugal) [pt]
O kyrios Hula Hoop (Greece) [el]
Opération Hudsucker (Canada: French title) (TV title) [fr]
Strebern (Sweden) [sv]
Valtapeli (Finland) (short title) [fi]

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild language and thematic elements.

Runtime:

111 min

Country:

UK | Germany | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:L | Portugal:M/12 | France:U | South Korea:15 | Brazil:12 | USA:PG (No. 32848) | Argentina:Atp | Australia:PG | Chile:TE | Finland:K-10 | Germany:6 | Italy:T | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | UK:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Trivia:

Both products made by Norville Barnes (the Hula-Hoop, and the Frisbee) are products of the Wham-o company.

Goofs:

Audio/visual unsynchronized: When Norville puts Amy on the couch in his office she keeps speaking, but her mouth doesn't move.

Quotes:

[Norville is running around the room with his foot stuck in a trash can, which is on fire]
Sidney J. Mussburger: Get out!
[Norville opens a window and tries to throw out burning items from the trash can]
Sidney J. Mussburger: Not that way! The door!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Southland Tales (2006)

Soundtrack:

Carmen

You do need "double stitch" if you don't want to fall down!

Like several of the Coen brother's movies this one pays tribute to an era of cinematic achievement long past. And as always it is more than just a plot or an idea but an inspiring search for the meaning of life. In this case the story is maybe a bit too much like a Cartoon, and somehow I feel the Coens fell into a kind of a "nostalgia trap" here. My suspicion is they just had a little too much money at their disposal and fell in love with the wonderful equipment, the real and virtual set design and the wardrobe (technically and aesthetically the movie is as masterful as any of Coens‘s movies). So maybe someone should tell the Coens‘s investors: Give them less money and they will turn any idea into a timeless feature that will bring in profits for decades.

Movie buffs might enjoy comparing Hudsucker Proxy with Capra movies or John Farrow's The Big Clock. It seems the makers of Hudsucker wanted to charge every scene with symbolic meaning. It is too much: the overall story is simplistic and rests on spindly legs. The heavy set design and the opulent epic style bring it to its knees. I felt a little sorry for Jennifer Jason Leigh. Her performance is terrific, but the script gives her only few good moments. She talks like a machine gun in the manner of the most sophisticated Screwball comedies.

What makes this movie worth watching are small episodes that contain grains of wisdom. Best of all is the unforgettable "double stitch" incident (I will not give it away), a kind of a filmic parable that proves the Coens's brilliance. The use of a conference room table as a jumping board is an equally beautiful and very well directed scene, the repetition of it with an alternative ending really had me in (double) stitches.