Barton+Fink

Barton Fink - Coen Brothers.

What does the character want: Barton wants to write out a script for the What does the character need: Barton needs to realize that only when he stays true to his own style, he can succeed.

The theme of this movie can be considered as a stretch from **redemption**. Barton has to go through all the hardships before he actually realizes that the LA screenwriting life is not for him. Like many other Coen Brother films, the main character, Barton, from this film is not exactly a typical, and dashing main character. Barton is not an anti-hero, but he isn't a hero either —we can call him a common man. In this movie, Barton rediscovers himself, and realizes that he cannot force himself to write out a good piece of work, but the idea and inspiration will come eventually and willingly.


 * 1) The first scene of the movie the scene of Barton's successful play in New York. The camera tracks a rope down to a backstage crew member, to Barton's face and then to the actors on stage. This scene informs the audiences that Barton is 1) a playwright, 2) feels emotionally attached to his pieces and 3) is not a very talkative person.
 * 2) The inciting incident (crossing the threshold) is when Barton finally accepts the offer to go to Los Angeles and work for Capital Pictures. Arriving and going to Los Angeles is the actions that kick starts the rest of Barton's journey and movie.
 * 3) The first act is pretty much just Barton's journey from New York to Los Angeles, and settling in the hotel. Although nothing much occurs, this act is when we get to know about the character Barton. We learn that he gets emotionally unstable and carried away during conversations, and we also get a glimpse of what might be following. Barton checks into an old and dusty motel and act one is also when the first shot of the sea and the rock appears. The features and characteristics of the room is also developed, for example, the picture of the girl on the beach, the falling wallpaper and the annoying mosquito.
 * 4) For the first of Act 2, Barton meets his new boss, and gets a "taste" of what Hollywood is like. The Hollywood executive, although treats Barton like a celebrity, is merciless. After meeting his new boss, Barton immediately goes back to the hotel to get started on his script, but realizes that he cannot focus because of the noise next door. Barton meets Charlie when he comes to his room to apologize for the noise. Through the conversations between them, we learn a lot about both characters, and that in Barton's works, the common roots are very important, and that he is very attached to his own works. At the start of the act 2 we become aware that Barton is actually very bothered by the fact that he was forced to write something for the Capital Pictures.
 * 5) I am going to argue that the threshold guardian is Charlie because he is the one that keeps Barton reminded of the other culture (the other one that he came from). Other than the fact that Barton seems somewhat desperate to fit in to the cultures of LA and the motion pictures world, he also feels really compelled by the idea of entering this more superficial world. And Charlie, the man next door and Barton's only friend in LA, makes him feel comfortable (as opposed to all the other hollywood executives who Barton dislikes).
 * 6) After a nights of attempting to write out a script, Barton feels frustrated and decides to consult one of the hollywood executives for guidance. Then he meets the alcoholic writer Bill, but grows fond of Audrey (his secretary/lover). As Barton tries to come up script he is faced with more conflicts. He will not make it in LA if he doesn't finish his script by the deadlines, and his boss from Capital Pictures begins to push him more. He also increasingly becomes attracted to Audrey, whom is in a very complicated relationship with Bill. If he doesn't work out an impressive script by the deadlines, he will lose is chance to work for the motion pictures in LA, and "fail" to transform from a common man to one of those "higher" man (like Bill for example, who wears nice and white dress shoes even when he was purging in the bathroom).
 * 7) After their picnic, Bill wonders off drunk and hits Audrey. Back in the hotel Barton continues to write his script, but still fails to, therefore he decides to visit the hollywood executive once more for advice. Instead, he was given an "example," which horrifies Barton. The film segments were violent, unartistic and superficial. That is when Barton finally sees what it means to write for Capital Motion.
 * 8) Barton's adventure really collapsed when he discovers that Audrey was dead next to him. Since his script was due the next day, he called Audrey up to ask her over to help out, but discovers that Audrey is actually the one who actually writes Bill's stories. When Barton wakes up after sleeping, he finds her dead next to him and was on the verge of breaking down emotionally.
 * 9) I think act three is when Charlie leaves LA to go to NY, because this is the time when Barton needs Charlie the most, but without anyone else he knows, Barton has to face his problems on his own. He forces himself to write out a script again, and his inspiration was the parcel Charlie left him.
 * 10) The rising action of act three would just be from when Barton lacks inspiration and content to write for his script to the point where he starts typing and doesn't stop until he was finished. The party that turned into a fight was also the part of the raising action. This foreshadows that even though Barton thought his work was amazing, the "others" were disturbed by his arrogance as a writer.
 * 11) The climax of the film is when Charlie kills the polices and marches down the flaming hallway to have his final talk with Barton. I think that Charlie represents the "old Barton" while Bill represents the "new Barton." The old Barton loves and cares about the work he writes, and his works are all extremely powerful and thoughtful because he was not forced to write it. The new Barton is more arrogant and indulgent, his works are forced to meet deadlines, and forced to "please" the audiences, like the wrestling movie clips he was shown. The cops were already waiting for him in the hotel when he came back; Barton sees that the writer Bill has gone missing (the new Barton metaphorically is gone), and "Charlie (old Barton) is back."
 * 12) The falling action would be when Barton shows his boss his script that he wrote, but his boss dislikes it and kicks him out of the business.
 * 13) Denouement? To be honest, I think this movie's denouement is very vague. The last scene of the movie is him seeing the "familiar image" of the girl on the beach. This could represent (according to Elizabeth  Barton's artistic freedom. Therefore, in the end when he finally sees the real girl on the beach, is when he actually achieved the artistic freedom, which is away from Capital Pictures.

I find it very interesting that the main character looks like the Coen Brothers, with the glasses and all. And Barton is coincidentally Jewish, like the Coen Brothers, and they are all screen writers, or just normal writers.