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According to the popular stories surrounding the Coen brothers in their 40 years of filmmaking, the duo consists of two brothers, Ethan and Joel, along with Joel’s wife, actress Frances McDormand. McDormand has been a recurring cast member since their debut film, Blood Simple, and won an Oscar for her iconic role as the pregnant policewoman in Fargo. Some diehard fans may recall that Ethan’s son, Buster, was credited as Matt Damon’s stand-in for his abs in True Grit, despite being a young teenager at the time and Damon never actually showing his abs.
Unknown to many, a fourth member of the Coen brothers’ team, Tricia Cooke, has been working behind the scenes on seven of their films until 2001’s The Man Who Wasn’t There. Cooke started as an assistant editor on Miller’s Crossing in New Orleans and eventually became their regular film editor. She admits that at the time, she was not familiar with Joel and Ethan or their previous films, but was drawn to the opportunity to work in New Orleans. Although she quickly bonded with Ethan, she declined his date offer with the revelation that she was a lesbian.
After some time, they maintained a positive friendship. They spent time together and enjoyed reading together. Years later, the person realized their feelings had changed and they loved their friend. They got married, had two kids and made their relationship work. They are both in other relationships, but still live together in different parts of their New York home and enjoy each other’s company in the kitchen.
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Although they have always been open about their family structure, a movie had to be made to bring it to the attention of the general public. Drive-Away Dolls, a film written by the couple, combines elements of a lesbian road trip with a crime plot. It is set in the 1990s and features Miley Cyrus in a trippy appearance during 60s flashbacks that showcase the escapades of Cynthia Plaster Caster, a real-life artist and former groupie known for casting the penises of celebrities.
This movie celebrates personal and sexual liberation while rejecting oppressive societal norms, especially prevalent during the current election season in conservative regions of the United States. Matt Damon portrays a duplicitous senator, with inspiration drawn from politicians such as Ron DeSantis and Marco Rubio. Cooke explains, “Their influence was at the forefront of our minds…how can we mock the attitudes of Florida politicians?”
When we first connect on Zoom, Coen and Cooke are both at their New York residence sitting alongside each other. Coen appears to be preoccupied with a pen and has positioned himself at a slightly awkward angle towards the screen, while Cooke is visibly engaged and facing forward as if trying to engage with the space behind me. As our conversation progresses, it is revealed that Cooke’s attention was drawn to a jigsaw puzzle on a nearby table and she inquires about what the image is.
The pair share a playful relationship that often leads to bursts of laughter, beginning with the initial inquiry: how did the movie originate?
Coen describes the scenario as the setup of a joke, with Trish being seated in a bar.
“Cooke jokes about a woman sitting in a bar.”
Coen says, “Let me know if you’re familiar with this joke.”
Cooke continues the conversation by saying that she and a dear friend were at a bar talking about their road trip experiences, including one where she drove across the country in a rental car. They were inspired by the idea and came up with the catchy title, Drive-Away Dykes. Cooke then shared the title with Ethan, and they both agreed it would make for a fantastic movie, prompting them to begin writing it.
According to Coen, Trish’s description was an understatement. When she returned home and mentioned the phrase “Drive-Away Dykes,” Coen was shocked and unable to speak. He had to take a break and put a cold cloth on his forehead because he was so captivated by the title. Coen immediately agreed to make a movie based on the phrase.
In the mid-2000s, they crafted a screenplay and shared it with their acquaintance Allison Anders, who had a hit film called Gas Food Lodging in the past. However, according to Coen, the concept of a lighthearted lesbian movie was perplexing to others. It simply did not make sense to them. Despite their efforts, they were unable to persuade anyone that it was a viable idea. As a result, they put it aside and continued with their daily routines.
Cooke suggests that the lightheartedness or lack of respect may have been unpopular at the time. We were aware that this would not simply be a light-hearted journey on the road. We aimed to incorporate some mystery and have two contrasting couples: a capable female couple and a bumbling male couple.
Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan deliver captivating performances as the charismatic women, Jamie and Marion. The film begins with Jamie’s partner, a police officer, discovering her having enthusiastic sex with another woman in their apartment. After being kicked out, Jamie impulsively joins Marion on a road trip from Philadelphia to Florida, insisting on stopping at every lesbian bar along the way. However, when their journey is interrupted by a flat tire many miles into their trip, they realize their rental car is carrying mysterious boxes in the spare tire compartment. Jamie immediately warns Marion not to open the boxes, recalling a terrible movie she had seen in the past.
This scene exemplifies the Coen brothers’ signature playful references to other works. As always, our inept heroes are quickly in pursuit, resulting in comical moments with Joey Slotnick and CJ Wilson – two actors who have worked with Coen in his secondary career as a playwright – following closely behind as they navigate a series of encounters, one of which involves a group of enthusiastic female soccer players.
The planning references the exploitation films from the 1960s and 70s. Coen states, “The title suggests it all. It’s a mediocre title for a subpar film. We, as well as others, enjoy low-quality films.” The only revision requested by the production company was to switch “dykes” to “dolls”. Coen adds, “To be fair, they found the title amusing. However, a problem arose when it became clear that cinemas would not show a film with that name. It was simply not feasible.”
During a discussion about the word “trash”, Cooke clarifies that she means it in the context of being promiscuous. She notes that while promiscuity is often viewed negatively for women, they wanted to challenge this stereotype and showcase it in their film. She points out that there have been promiscuous characters, like Shane in The L Word, but that it’s not a common character type. They intentionally included fun and playful sex scenes in their film, with the intention of celebrating female sexuality and showing that women have libidos too.
Reworded: The film’s lesbian bars pay tribute to the ones that Cooke used to visit in New York and other locations that have since closed down. She reflects on her atypical living situation, saying, “It’s effortless for us. We have a strong bond and enjoy working together, brainstorming ideas together.” Coen adds, “It would be tedious to only hear that we have a good relationship, we love each other, we get along.”
At age 58, Cooke halted her involvement in Coen brothers productions in the early 2000s to focus on her young children. Despite this, she continued her editing work and dedicated herself to political activism, particularly for LGBTQ+ and transgender rights. She is a key organizer of the annual Queer Liberation March in New York and is also a member of the direct action group Gays Against Guns. According to Cooke, the current state of our country is deeply polarized, making it difficult for the two main political parties to work together effectively. She also stresses the importance of women’s bodily autonomy and the need to defend these rights against those who seek to restrict them.
What is the experience like for her personal life to be under so much scrutiny after remaining in the background for so long? “Being in the public eye is new and there is a lot of interest in knowing personal details, so it has been a bit strange,” she explains. “However, I have always been open about my sexuality and have been open about being a lesbian since I was 21. My family and friends know, but it has never been something discussed in a public manner. My mother recently passed away and I am sure she is happy not to have to go through this. However, in my private time, I work towards destigmatizing queer life, so I am happy to discuss it if it can help someone. If sharing my story can help someone, then I am more than happy to do so.”
Due to Cooke’s activism, she has been arrested multiple times. On one occasion, she and ten others staged a protest in the Capitol rotunda during the final hearing for Trump’s impeachment in the Senate. They sat in the center and chanted, resulting in being chained to the wall. Although it was a fun experience, Cooke admits it was also very intense. Typically, the next step is being physically escorted to the basement and then taken away in a wagon. However, someone usually covers the bail amount. Cooke mentions that she and others usually bring extra money and warm clothing since they know they’ll be spending time in a cold jail cell.
Coen, who is 66 years old, did not take part in the event and was not in the area at that time. He mentions, “However, I did have a photograph of Trish being escorted away in handcuffs.” He continues, “I shared it with a friend of ours who has conservative views, accompanied by the message ‘My wife. I believe I will hold onto her.'”
When I mention that Drive-Away Dolls has a significant political undertone, Coen responds cryptically: “Significant? It’s both yes and no. It’s a film that may seem aimless, yet it’s actually filled with deeper meanings. I won’t deny it. You can have both an empty and full mind.”
Generally, he acknowledges that he is more cautious than his counterpart when it comes to taking political risks. “Among the two of us in our small universe, I tend to be more traditional. I feel a sense of unease when discussing these topics as openly as Trish does. Partly, but not entirely, because as it pertains to this film, it’s better to leave some things unspoken. This movie intentionally leaves a lot unspoken: there is a love story, a romantic comedy between two women, and all the political commentary is implied without being directly stated. It’s almost like asking the audience, ‘Does anyone have an issue with this?’ It’s just accepted as a given. The political message is conveyed silently, and I appreciate that.”
Just before the pandemic, Coen stated that he would no longer continue making movies with his brother due to the immense stress it caused. He clarifies that he didn’t necessarily stop working with his brother, but rather stopped working altogether because he couldn’t handle it anymore. The recent films they had worked on were challenging, as the production process was scattered and involved large-scale productions. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs was particularly demanding, as it consisted of six separate westerns with different casts every week, creating the feeling of making a new film each time in a new location. Dealing with unpredictable weather and the challenge of working with horses was also a major headache.
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The movie Hail, Caesar!, which came before it, presented similar challenges for the brothers. They were constantly faced with starting a new set piece each week. While it wasn’t entirely unenjoyable, it wasn’t as much fun as it used to be. Upon discussing it, they realized that the last time they had truly enjoyed going to work every day was when they were working on Inside Llewyn Davis in 2013. After completing those two movies, they both needed a break. However, as expected, they ended up getting bored.
Instead of succumbing to boredom, he wrote a series of five one-act plays titled A Play is a Poem. These plays were first shown at Los Angeles’s Mark Taper Forum in 2019 and were set to move to New York until the pandemic hit. During the pandemic, he stayed occupied by creating a cleverly crafted documentary about Jerry Lee Lewis through a process of cutting and pasting, with assistance from Cooke. Later, they returned to a script they had tucked away. Although Coen is listed as the director for technical purposes, he stresses that they worked together on every aspect of the project, as he and Joel typically do on their films. He explains, “It’s a very equal collaboration. We discuss every stage of the movie, from writing to filming and editing. We truly make the movie together.”
Both feel a sense of nostalgia for the golden age of B-movies, such as Kiss Me Deadly, where the risks seemed lower but the onscreen tension was heightened. Cooke explains, “I believe the daring nature of those films contributed to their energy, and we aimed to recreate that carefree vibe, with a touch of messiness and imperfection. We did our best to capture that essence.”
“If we consider our own strictness,” Coen interrupts, “we are aware that we have reached our boundaries. I was thinking, are you out of your mind?”
Cooke responds, “I had never worked on a movie of this magnitude before, so I was inexperienced. Everything seemed to come easily to me and I didn’t have the same level of stress as Ethan or our producer. I would say that Ethan is the more anxious one.”
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Oen and Cooke have completed the screenplay for their next movie, a “lesbian B-movie” entitled Honey Don’t. The film will feature Qualley once again, this time in the role of femme fatale private detective Honey O’Donoghue. Cooke is also working on other projects, including an adaptation with their 24-year-old daughter, Dusty. Their son, Buster, who is now 28, previously appeared in True Grit and is now employed as a history and English teacher, having jokingly suggested the role.
Cooke stated that her initial goal was never to become a writer or director, rather she aspired to become a film editor. She does not feel capable of directing on her own, as it would be a significant responsibility. However, she is open to writing and enjoys collaborative projects. If she finds good partners to work with, she is happy to take on multiple roles. She is grateful for the unexpected opportunity and is determined to work her hardest. After this experience, she may even take up gardening, as she is unsure of what the future holds.
Ethan enjoys writing and has authored two books of poetry, a collection of short stories, and several plays. He is also collaborating with the Coen brothers once again. They recently wrote a project together that they hope to produce. They used to work together in person, but now that they both have second homes, it is becoming more difficult to be in the same location.
Cooke states, “We own a small residence in Provincetown, a vibrant and diverse community of artists at the end of Cape Cod in Massachusetts.” He continues, “We edited parts of the Jerry Lee Lewis documentary while staying there. However, Ethan primarily resides in New York while Joel travels between northern California and New York.”
Coen dramatically exhales and expresses, “Life is rather melancholic. As you age and become established, you acquire a second home. This unfortunate occurrence has happened to both myself and Joel. It’s akin to those long saga films where the character’s rise to success is captivating, but once they’re a big shot, the movie loses its charm. We have become part of the establishment and it’s dreadful.”
I apologize for disagreeing, Ethan, however, it seems as though…
Source: theguardian.com
