This 35-Year-Old Coen Brothers Drama Was So Good That It Prompted Cannes to Change Its Rules

In 1991, an event occurred at the Cannes Film Festival that changed the festival's rules forever. The Coen brothers' Barton Fink won the Palme d'Or, as well as an award for Best Director, and its lead actor, John Turturro, won the award for Best Actor.

This was the first time in the festival's history that a single film won three top prizes. Afterwards, the festival organizers prohibited juries from awarding more than two top prizes to a single movie.

Today, Barton Fink remains one of the wittiest and most underrated satires of Hollywood. Sadly, it is not often remembered, especially compared to No Country for Old Men or The Big Lebowski.

What Is 'Barton Fink' About?

The action takes place in 1941. Following the success of his play, New York playwright Barton Fink receives an offer from a Hollywood studio to write screenplays. He hopes to create movies for the "common man," but he experiences writer's block.

The studio puts him up in a shabby hotel, where he attempts to write a screenplay for a wrestling movie starring a famous actor. However, he can only manage to write the opening lines – mosquitoes, peeling wallpaper, and noise from the next room plague him.

His neighbor turns out to be Charlie, a good-natured insurance agent who becomes his only friend. When Barton asks another writer's secretary for help, the night ends tragically when he finds her dead.

'Barton Fink' Was a Real Highlight of the Cannes Film Festival

The jury's decision, chaired by Roman Polanski, was controversial – some critics felt Barton Fink was too complex and obscure for such recognition. However, the movie's ambiguity was precisely the reason for its triumph.

Barton Fink is a film about writer's block, the clash between high art and commerce, and Hollywood's commodification of talent. The Coen brothers wrote the script for Barton Fink in just three weeks while working on Miller's Crossing, an experience largely reflected in the movie.

Barton Fink's success was so resounding that the Cannes Film Festival amended its rules: henceforth, a single film could not win more than two top prizes. This rule remains in effect today.

What Did Critics & Viewers Think of 'Barton Fink'?

• Barton Fink has 90% from critics and 89% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

• On IMDb, the movie has a score of 7.6/10.

• On Letterboxd, Barton Fink scored 4.1/5.0.

Where to Watch 'Barton Fink'?

Barton Fink is available to buy or rent on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV.