O Brother, Where Art Thou?
They have a plan, but not a clue.
![Video for the film O Brother, Where Art Thou? — O Brother, Where Art Thou? Trailer [35mm] Cropped](https://www.acmodasi.com/amdb/images/posters/t/5/o-brother-where-art-thou-2000-SzfQp.jpg)
Country
Production
Budget
$26 000 000
Box office
$71 868 327
Director
Actors
George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, Chris Thomas King, Charles Durning, Del Pentecost, Michael Badalucco, J.R. Horne
All actors and roles (10)
All actors and roles (10)
Scenario
Producer
Ethan Coen, Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner
Camera operator
Composer
Artist
Dennis Gassner, Marco Rubeo
Audition
Ellen Chenoweth
Editing
Short description
In the deep south during the 1930s, three escaped convicts search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman pursues them.
What's left behind the scenes
- The music in the film was originally conceived as a full-fledged element of the action, not just background accompaniment. That is why the unusual decision was made to record the soundtrack before filming began, and musician T-Bone Burnett was invited to the project to select music even before the script was finished.
- The film is set during the preparations for the Mississippi gubernatorial election, which is accompanied by campaigning by two main candidates. Menelaus “Pappy” O’Daniel, the incumbent governor running for a second term, has a real-life prototype in the history of the American South. This is Wilbert Lee “Pappy” O’Daniel, governor of Texas from 1939–1941 and later a senator from the same state. This politician was known for hosting a radio show and hiring a musical group to perform in his support (as does Menelaus O’Daniel in the film). However, the real O’Daniel, unlike the fictional O’Daniel from the film, promised reforms in his campaign (promises that are made by his opponent, Homer Stokes, in the film). The main song of Wilbert Lee O’Daniel’s campaign was “Please pass the biscuits, Pappy”; Menelaus O’Daniel uses “You Are My Sunshine” for this purpose in “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, which is actually associated with its author, Louisiana governor and musician Jimmy Davis.
- “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” was filmed over three summer months in 1999 (from June 7th to August 23rd) because the Coens and cinematographer Roger Deakins needed a specific color of grass and foliage. Location scenes were shot in Mississippi, where the film is set. Filming took place in places such as Canton, Jackson, Valley Park, Vicksburg, and Yazoo City.
- The Coen brothers personally came to Phoenix, where 'Three Kings' was being filmed at the time, to offer Clooney the role.
- An animal rights organization mistakenly believed a computer-generated cow was real and demanded proof to the contrary so the filmmakers could obtain permission to include the traditional phrase in the credits: "No animals were harmed in the making of this film." After learning about the technology used to create the computer-generated cow, the animal welfare association added another (then very rare) phrase: "Scenes depicting harm to animals are simulated."
- An animal rights organization mistakenly took a computer-generated cow for a real one and demanded proof to the contrary so that the filmmakers could be allowed to include the traditional disclaimer: 'No animals were harmed during the making of this film.' After reviewing the technology used to create the computer-generated cow, the animal protection association added another (at the time, very rare) phrase: 'Scenes depicting harm to animals are simulations.'
- George Clooney practiced vocal skills for several weeks, but in the end, another person sang for him in the film.
- George Nelson, played by Michael Badalucco, hates cows so much that he shoots them with a shotgun. In the film 'Mack' (1992), which also starred Badalucco, his character loves cows.
- The scene in which Ulysses, Pete, and Delmar find themselves at a Ku Klux Klan gathering mimics a similar episode from the film 'The Wizard of Oz,' where the Scarecrow, the Tin Man, and the Lion infiltrate the Wicked Witch's castle.
- Since the film’s characters are Southerners, it was necessary to convey the specific accent characteristic of residents of the southern states. George Clooney, originally from Lexington, Kentucky, sent the script to his uncle Jack, a farmer from the same state, so that he could read Everett’s lines onto a tape recorder. The actor used the resulting recording in his work on the film.
- The film's soundtrack was very successful. By early 2001, 5 million albums with the soundtrack recording had been sold. It topped the Billboard charts several times. A documentary film was made based on it, two concert tours were held, and three sequel albums were released. In addition, this soundtrack won two awards for achievements in country music (for best album and best single), as well as five Grammy Awards (including best soundtrack of the year).
- The film's soundtrack was a great success. By early 2001, 5 million copies of the soundtrack album had been sold. It topped the Billboard charts several times. A documentary was filmed based on it, two concert tours took place, and three follow-up albums were released. Additionally, the soundtrack won two country music achievement awards (for best album and best single), as well as five Grammys (including best soundtrack of the year).
- The scene where Ulysses, Pete, and Delmar find themselves at a Ku Klux Klan gathering mimics a similar episode from 'The Wizard of Oz,' where the Scarecrow, Tin Man, and Lion infiltrate the Wicked Witch's castle.
- The entire film was digitally processed on a computer. This process took several weeks. This technology was used for the first time in Hollywood.
- George Clooney agreed to the role without reading the script.
- George Clooney practiced his vocals for several weeks, but in the end, another person sang for him in the movie.
- George Nelson, played by Michael Badalucco, hates cows so much that he shoots them with a rifle. In the film 'Mac' (1992), in which Badalucco also starred, his character loves cows.
- The title is taken from Preston Sturges' film 'The Sullivan's Travels' (1941), in which a character wants to make a movie called 'Oh, Where Art Thou Brother?'
- Many of the actors featured in this film appeared in similar roles in other films by the Coen brothers: John Turturro also begged for mercy in the woods ("Miller's Crossing", 1990); John Goodman played the same kind of repulsive businessman ("Barton Fink", 1991); Charles Durning similarly lectured his subordinates ("The Hudsucker Proxy", 1994), Michael Badalucco previously appeared as a bank robber ("Miller's Crossing"), and Holly Hunter, who played the mother of seven children, played a barren woman in "Raising Arizona" (1987).
- The title is taken from Preston Sturges's film "Sullivan's Travels" (1941), whose character wants to make a film called "O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
- The entire film was digitally processed on a computer. This process took several weeks. It was the first time this technology had been used in Hollywood.
- Tommy Johnson was based on the famous blues guitarist Robert Leroy Johnson, who, according to popular legend, sold his soul to the devil to gain talent. A contemporary and namesake of his wrote a song based on this legend.
- A gangster named George Nelson actually existed. In "Oh, Where Have You Been, Brother?", the three main characters encounter a half-mad bank robber known by that name. The real Nelson (his real name was Lester Joseph Gillis) was indeed nicknamed “Baby Face” for his short stature and childlike features and was known for his volatile temper. By 1937, when the film takes place, he had been dead for three years.
- Since the characters in the film are Southerners, it was necessary to convey the specific accent characteristic of residents of the southern states. George Clooney, himself a native of Lexington, Kentucky, sent the script to his Uncle Jack, a farmer from the same state, so that he could record Everett's lines on a tape recorder. The actor used the resulting recording while working on the film.
- Many of the actors in this picture appeared in similar scenes in other Coen brothers' films: John Turturro also begged for mercy in the woods ('Miller's Crossing', 1990); John Goodman played an equally vile businessman ('Barton Fink', 1991); Charles Durning also lectured his subordinates ('Hudsucker Proxy', 1994); Michael Badalucco had already appeared as a bank robber ('Miller's Crossing'), and Holly Hunter, who played a mother of seven children, played a barren woman in 'Raising Arizona' (1987).
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