The Hudsucker Proxy
A Comedy of Invention
That's the subtitle of this one-of-a-kind movie. It never caught on because it has a goofy title and, possibly, because of the male lead's reputation as an actor.
Overlook those things - trust me. You'll agree that this is one of the best movies ever made because of it's relentless celebration of the inventive drive that created America as we know it.
In 1958, Norville Barnes comes to New York from Muncie, Indiana and finds that the only job he can get with his Muncie BBA is in the mail room of Hudsucker Industries, a huge manufacturing giant. He does not know that, due to the recent suicide of Mr. Hudsucker himself, the board seeks a proxy - an empty suit to front for the company and convince investors that the company has no future. With the stock depressed after the board dumps its holdings, the company can be repurchased on the cheap, and the proxy can be dismissed.
If you have trouble following this, check out what is happening to Bill Frist and HCA/Humana - it's just like that.
The inspirational story, though, really rises around a few strongly-presented premises.
1. Business organization, while not long on empathy, is a brilliant invention itself.
2. Original ideas will ultimately somehow incubate in this country - and that's what makes us so great.
3. Nothing can take the place of persistence.
4. How these ideas "catch on" is fairly mysterious but incredibly powerful - see Malcolm Gladwell's great book, "The Tipping Point," for more info.
5. Nurturing creative, original people is essential to success.
I used this film's amazing visual imagery in teaching business strategy and Human Resources classes. The sequence in the middle of the movie, showing how a new toy goes from conception to manufacture and marketing, and then "tips" into raging success, is one of the most musically integrated, brilliant sequences ever put on film. Maybe the Coens should rename it...
That's the subtitle of this one-of-a-kind movie. It never caught on because it has a goofy title and, possibly, because of the male lead's reputation as an actor.
Overlook those things - trust me. You'll agree that this is one of the best movies ever made because of it's relentless celebration of the inventive drive that created America as we know it.
In 1958, Norville Barnes comes to New York from Muncie, Indiana and finds that the only job he can get with his Muncie BBA is in the mail room of Hudsucker Industries, a huge manufacturing giant. He does not know that, due to the recent suicide of Mr. Hudsucker himself, the board seeks a proxy - an empty suit to front for the company and convince investors that the company has no future. With the stock depressed after the board dumps its holdings, the company can be repurchased on the cheap, and the proxy can be dismissed.
If you have trouble following this, check out what is happening to Bill Frist and HCA/Humana - it's just like that.
The inspirational story, though, really rises around a few strongly-presented premises.
1. Business organization, while not long on empathy, is a brilliant invention itself.
2. Original ideas will ultimately somehow incubate in this country - and that's what makes us so great.
3. Nothing can take the place of persistence.
4. How these ideas "catch on" is fairly mysterious but incredibly powerful - see Malcolm Gladwell's great book, "The Tipping Point," for more info.
5. Nurturing creative, original people is essential to success.
I used this film's amazing visual imagery in teaching business strategy and Human Resources classes. The sequence in the middle of the movie, showing how a new toy goes from conception to manufacture and marketing, and then "tips" into raging success, is one of the most musically integrated, brilliant sequences ever put on film. Maybe the Coens should rename it...
posted by John Bernat @ 7:35 PM
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