Raising Arizona is a 1987 American crime comedy film directed, written, and produced by the Coen brothers, in which a childless couple of an ex-con and an ex-cop decide to help themselves to one of another family’s quintuplets and their lives become more complicated than they anticipated. It stars Nicolas Cage, Holly Hunter, William Forsythe, John Goodman, Frances McDormand, and Randall “Tex” Cobb. Not a blockbuster at the time of its release, it has since achieved cult status. In a manner typical of Coen Brothers fare, the movie is replete with symbolism, visual gags, unconventional characters, flamboyant camera work, biblical references, pathos, and idiosyncratic dialogue. Raising Arizona was shot in ten weeks. The relationship between actor Nicolas Cage and the Coens was respectful, but turbulent. When he arrived on-set, and at various other points during production, Cage offered suggestions to the Coen brothers, which they ignored. Cage said that “Joel and Ethan have a very strong vision and I’ve learned how difficult it is to accept another artist’s vision. They have an autocratic nature.” The film was screened out of competition at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.
