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According to the popular beliefs surrounding the Coen brothers in the last four decades, there are two brothers, Ethan and Joel, and Joel’s spouse, actress Frances McDormand, who has been a consistent presence since their debut movie, Blood Simple. She even won an Academy Award for her iconic role as a pregnant police officer in Fargo. Fans may also recall that Ethan’s son, Buster, was listed as Matt Damon’s body double for his abs in True Grit, but at the time Buster was still a teenager and Damon never showed off his abs on screen.
However, without most people knowing, there was a fourth member of the Coen family working behind the scenes on seven of their films, including The Man Who Wasn’t There in 2001. Tricia Cooke joined the team as an assistant editor on Miller’s Crossing, which was filmed in New Orleans. Over time, she became their regular film editor. Cooke admits that at the time she was not familiar with Joel and Ethan Coen or their previous films, Blood Simple and Raising Arizona, but she eagerly joined the team because she wanted to visit New Orleans. She quickly became friends with Ethan, but encountered one issue – he asked her out on a date, to which she responded by telling him she was a lesbian.
Initially, they maintained a strong friendship. They spent time together, often reading, until one day the realization hit that they were more than just friends. They then got married and had two kids, and have continued to make their relationship flourish. Even though they each have romantic relationships with other people and reside in separate areas within the same home in New York, they still come together in the kitchen.
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Though they have never been secretive about their family setup, it has taken a film to introduce it to the wider public. Drive-Away Dolls, written by the couple, is a lesbian road movie crossed with a crime caper, set in the 1990s, with a trippy cameo for Miley Cyrus in kaleidoscopic 60s flashbacks depicting the adventures of Cynthia Plaster Caster (a real-life artist and “recovering groupie” who specialised in casting celebrity penises).
The movie celebrates individual and sexual liberation and boldly opposes restrictive societal norms. In the midst of this election season, these norms are often promoted on billboards in the Republican American South. Matt Damon portrays a deceitful senator, for which the team drew inspiration from politicians such as Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio. Cooke adds, “Their influence was definitely apparent… we wanted to mock all of those Florida politicians.”
As we connect via Zoom, I notice Coen and Cooke sitting together in their New York residence. Coen seems to be fidgeting with a pen and sitting in an uneasy position towards the screen, while Cooke appears more welcoming and engaged, attempting to establish a connection with the space behind me. Later on, I discover her intent was to inquire about the jigsaw puzzle on the table and its image.
The couple shares a playful relationship that often results in laughter, beginning with the initial inquiry: what inspired the creation of the film?
“It feels like the setup of a joke. The story began with Trish sitting in a bar,” Coen states.
Cooke jokingly remarks, “A woman who is attracted to other women is sitting at a bar.”
“Let me know if you’ve already heard this,” Coen jokes.
Cooke picks up the thread, explaining that she was in the bar with a close friend discussing their experience of road trips, including one she had made as a student, travelling across the country in a rental – or drive-away – car. “And we just thought that sounds like a fun movie, so we came up with the title, Drive-Away Dykes. And then I came home and mentioned the title to Ethan. And we thought: ‘Yeah, that’s a great title. Let’s write that movie.’”
According to Coen, Trish’s account is slightly understated. When she returned home and mentioned “Drive-Away Dykes” in just three words, he was absolutely shocked. He couldn’t even speak and had to lay down with a cold compress on his forehead. He was completely captivated by the title and enthusiastically agreed to make the movie.
In the mid-2000s, the Coen brothers wrote a screenplay and shared it with their friend Allison Anders, who had previously made the popular road movie, Gas Food Lodging (1992). However, when the idea of a comedic lesbian film was presented, it confused many people and did not receive support. As a result, the Coen brothers decided to put the project on hold and focus on other things.
Cooke believes that the lightheartedness and lack of respect in the film may not have been appreciated at that time. The intention was not just to create a light, enjoyable road trip movie, but also to incorporate elements of mystery and contrast two couples – a capable, charismatic female couple and a clumsy, incompetent male duo.
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The film features Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan as the charming and captivating characters of Jamie and Marion. It begins with Jamie’s partner, a police officer, returning home to find her engaged in passionate sexual activity with another woman. After being forced to leave their apartment, Jamie joins Marion on a road trip from Philadelphia to Florida, insisting on stopping at all the lesbian bars along the way. However, neither of them anticipate the discovery of mysterious boxes in their rental car’s spare tyre compartment, which only becomes apparent when they encounter a flat tire. Jamie urges Marion not to open the boxes, recalling a negative experience from a movie she watched.
This is one of the many classic scenes from the Coen brothers filled with clever references. And as expected, the inept pair are closely following and becoming the butt of a running joke. Joey Slotnick and CJ Wilson, both of whom have worked with Coen in his career as a playwright, play the roles of their pursuers as they chase them through a string of hookups, including one memorable encounter with a team of seductive female football players.
The arrangement alludes to the exploitation films of the 1960s and 70s. “It’s implied in the title. It’s a crude title for a crude movie. We, and others, enjoy crude movies,” Coen explains. The only change requested by their production company was to replace “dykes” with “dolls”. “To their credit, they found the title amusing,” Coen adds. “However, the reality emerged that movie theaters were not willing to show a film with that title. It was not feasible.”
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Cooke introduces a caveat to the use of the word “trash”, clarifying that it refers to promiscuity, which is not necessarily a negative thing. Women are often not allowed to be promiscuous in society, and Cooke notes that this is particularly evident in lesbian films. She acknowledges that there was a promiscuous character in the lesbian comedy series The L Word at the time they were writing the script, but she wanted to show a different side of promiscuity. The desire was to depict fun and playful sex, with the intention of celebrating the fact that women have libidos and that should be embraced. The goal was not to be vulgar, but rather to make the point that female sexuality is valid and should be recognized.
The bars that are depicted in the film as lesbian establishments are a tribute to the ones that Cooke used to go to in New York and other places, many of which are no longer around. When asked about her unique living situation, Cooke states: “It’s simple for us. We have a strong bond and enjoy each other’s company. We have fun working together, brainstorming ideas.” Coen adds, “I believe it would be dull to just say we like each other and get along.”
At the age of 58, Cooke stepped away from her work on Coen brothers films in the early 2000s to focus on raising her children. However, she continued to pursue editing work and also leads a second life as a political activist, advocating for LGBTQ+ rights, transgender rights, and the impeachment of former US President Trump. She is heavily involved in organizing the annual Queer Liberation March in New York and is a part of the direct action group Gays Against Guns. Cooke speaks of the current division and lack of compromise in US politics, emphasizing the importance of women having control over their own bodies and choices, as there are many in the country who wish to take away these rights.
After spending a significant amount of time in the background, what is her personal experience like now that it is under such intense scrutiny? She expresses, “Being in the public eye is a new experience and there is a curiosity to know more about me, which feels strange.” She goes on to say, “However, I have always been open about my identity as a lesbian. I came out at the age of 21, so my loved ones are aware, but it was not a public announcement.” Recently, her mother has passed away and while she may be pleased to not have to face the spotlight now, the individual continues to actively work towards destigmatizing queer life. They are happy to discuss their personal journey if it can serve as a source of support to others.
Cooke’s involvement in activism has resulted in multiple apprehensions. During the final hearing in the Senate for Trump’s impeachment, she and nine others staged a protest by sitting in the Capitol rotunda and chanting. This experience was challenging, as they were chained to a wall. However, Cooke also mentions that it was enjoyable, despite being the most intense protest she has participated in. She explains that the typical outcome is being physically removed from the premises and taken to the basement, before being loaded onto a wagon. In most cases, a supporter pays their bail, but Cooke and others always bring extra money with them, along with warm clothing in preparation for the chilly conditions in jail.
Coen, who is 66 years old, did not take part and was not present in the city during that event. However, he did have a photo of Trish being escorted in handcuffs. He shared the photo with a conservative friend of theirs along with the comment, “My wife. I believe I will hold onto her.”
Coen responds in a cryptic manner when I propose that Drive-Away Dolls conveys a powerful political statement: “Powerful? Yes and no. It’s a film that seems to have no particular focus, yet also has a lot on its mind. Alright then, I won’t deny it. One can have both emptiness and abundance on the mind.”
He acknowledges that he is more cautious when it comes to expressing his political views. Within their small circle, he tends to be more hesitant than Trish in discussing these matters openly. This may partly be due to the fact that, as demonstrated in our film, it can be beneficial to leave certain things unspoken. Specifically, the film does not explicitly address the love story and romantic comedy between two women, or offer any direct political commentary. This is simply accepted without question. The political message is implied, and I appreciate that approach.
Shortly before the pandemic, Coen was quoted as declaring that he would no longer collaborate with his brother due to the excessive stress it brought. He clarifies, “It’s not entirely accurate to say I stopped working with Joel. Rather, I stopped working altogether because I no longer found it worthwhile.” The latest few projects they worked on were particularly taxing, as they involved challenging and scattered productions, with frequent changes in location and cast. For instance, The Ballad of Buster Scruggs consisted of six separate western tales, each with a different set of actors every week. The unpredictable weather added to the difficulties, and the horses were a constant source of trouble.
The prequel to this movie, Hail, Caesar!, was just as demanding: “We were facing a new set piece every week. It wasn’t that we didn’t have fun on certain days – it was always somewhat enjoyable, but not as much as before.” After discussing it, the brothers came to the realization that the last time they both truly loved going to work every day was during the making of Inside Llewyn Davis in 2013. “So, after those two films, I decided to take a break, which I did, and then – it’s not surprising – I got bored.”
He dealt with boredom by composing a series of five brief dramas titled A Play is a Poem, which debuted at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles in 2019. The production was poised to move to New York before the pandemic halted its plans. During the following months, he kept busy by creating a clever documentary about Jerry Lee Lewis using cut-and-paste techniques, which was edited by Cooke. Afterward, they returned to a project they had set aside. While Coen is officially listed as the director due to technical reasons, he takes care to emphasize that they worked on every aspect of the film collaboratively, much like he and Joel do on all their projects. “It’s an equal partnership. We constantly bounce ideas back and forth during the writing process, on set, and during editing. It’s all about bringing the movie to life.”
Both are wistful about the long-ago days of B-movies, with names like Kiss Me Deadly, when the stakes were lower while creating the onscreen illusion that they were sky high. “I feel like the recklessness that existed back then gives those movies energy, and we were trying to duplicate that kind of carefree effect, a little sloppy, a little messy. We did it as much as we could,” says Cooke.
Coen interjects, acknowledging our strictness, and notes that we have reached our boundaries. He exclaims, “I couldn’t believe it!”
Cooke responds, “I had never worked on such a large-scale film before, so I was quite inexperienced. Everything seemed to fall into place easily for me, without much concern. However, Ethan and our producer were much more anxious and uptight.”
Coen and Cooke have the script for another “lesbian B-movie” ready for production: it’s called Honey Don’t, and will again star Qualley, this time as femme fatale private detective Honey O’Donoghue. Cooke, meanwhile has a couple of other collaborations on the go, including an adaptation she’s working on with their 24-year-old daughter, Dusty (their son, Buster, now 28, banked his abs credit on True Grit, which was a joke of his own suggestion, and is now working as a history and English teacher).
Cooke stated that her goal was never to become a writer or director. She aspired to be a film editor. She does not envision directing on her own due to the immense responsibility, but she is interested in writing and collaborating with others. She is open to taking on these roles if she finds good partners to work with. Her current position as a writer and director has been a unexpected but pleasant surprise. She plans to give her all to the job and may relax by gardening afterwards, but is uncertain about her future plans.
“Ethan,” she adds, “just loves to write.” He’s the author of two poetry collections and one of short stories, as well as the plays. The Coen brothers partnership is also cranking up again. “A few months ago we wrote something that hopefully we will do,” he says. Do they work in person or remotely? It’s getting harder always to be in the same place, he admits, now that both are second homeowners.
Cooke mentions that they own a small residence in Provincetown, a vibrant and unconventional artist hub located at the tip of Cape Cod in the state of Massachusetts. They edited parts of the Jerry Lee Lewis documentary there, but Ethan primarily resides in New York while Joel frequently travels between northern California and Provincetown.
Coen lets out a dramatic sigh and expresses, “Life can be rather melancholic.” He continues, “As we grow older and settled, we acquire a second home. It’s a disheartening reality that has happened to both Joel and us. It’s almost like one of those epic films where the protagonist’s journey towards success is captivating, but once they’ve achieved it, the rest of the movie becomes mundane. We’ve become the established figures and it’s not a pleasant position to be in.”
I apologize for disagreeing with you, Ethan, but it seems as though…
Source: theguardian.com
