Barton Fink (1991)

Browning Cinema Crime, Blood, and Laughs: The Coen Brothers Directed by Joel Coen With John Turturro, John Goodman, Judy Davis Rated R, 116 minutes, Blu-ray Debuting at the 1991 Cannes Film Festival, Barton Fink was the first film to ever net three awards (Palme d'Or, Best Director, Best Actor) , which remains astounding given the great efforts the festival has and still takes to allocate only one prize per film. While a box office disappointment, Barton Fink cemented the Coen Brothers as princes in the American arthouse scene. Set 50 years earlier, the film follows the titular Fink (John Tuturro) as he leaves his haughty New York playwriting scene for Los Angeles. Assigned to write B-films, he's soon engulfed by writer's block and a Hollywood that spirals away from normalcy. Sponsored by the Meg and John P. Brogan Endowment for Classic Cinema.