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The Unabashed Patriotism of “The Big Lebowski”
On Vince’s latest installment of Ricochet Movie Fight Club, this week’s question was posed by Brian Watt: “What is the worst movie ever made?” I passed this question along to my wife. This is not the first time that I’ve asked her opinion and instantly regretted it. She said, without pause for reflection, “The Big Lebowski.” Goodness. (Note: She corrects me now, that her first answer was “The Naked Gun.” But her second answer was “The Big Lebowski.” Hmph. Yeah, well, you know, that’s just like your opinion, man…)
The first time I watched The Big Lebowski, I instantly liked it, but I wasn’t sure why. When I showed it to my wife, I liked it even more on my second viewing, and she instantly disliked it. Now granted, she likes Monty Python, but still, her taste in movies is otherwise pretty good. She asked, “What was that even about?” I had come to suspect that it was about the author’s love for America. In fact, I was starting to view it as the most unabashedly patriotic movie I’d seen in a long time. She thought it was about drunks going bowling, I suppose. And I can understand that response.
It’s an odd movie to watch, because it’s based more on characters than on plot. The plot is almost a distraction, and is not the point of the movie. Sort of like how the music of JS Bach sounds odd to modern ears because it’s not based on melody, but instead on mathematical symmetry. But there were a few things in the movie that jumped out at me. I wonder if you noticed the same things.
First, let me qualify this by saying that my mother was an English teacher (and an extraordinary writer, and one of the most brilliant people I’ve ever met), and after years of watching movies with her, I tend to overanalyze the unspoken messages in everything, including things as random and disjointed as shopping lists and Beatles lyrics. And anything as random and disjointed as The Big Lebowski might simply be random and disjointed. Entirely possible.
But to me, if the movie is about anything, it’s about the relationship between Dude (Jeff Bridges) and Walter (John Goodman). Dude is a burned-out hippie who seems to have lost interest in everything in life except bowling and drinking White Russians. Walter is a big, strong (but aging) military vet with strong opinions on everything, and a short temper. They would seem to have little in common, but they obviously truly care about one another. The movie never explains where they met, or how they came to have such a close relationship. They just find themselves together, and they’re both ok with that.
I saw Walter as the personification of the United States. Or rather, as the personification of a leftist’s view of the United States. Forceful, opinionated, prone to violence, unpredictable, and sometimes dangerous.
I saw Dude as the personification of the American left. Or rather, as the personification of a leftist’s view of the American left. Passive, reflexively avoids confrontation, disdains aggression, and completely harmless.
I thought that the underlying symbolism behind these characters was so blatant and overdone as to detract somewhat from the characters themselves, which led me to believe that the entire movie was not intended to be taken literally at all. The hidden symbolism was so obvious that it was no longer hidden, and no longer really symbolism anymore. The entire movie struck me as a series of supposedly hidden messages with spotlights shining on them. It was almost distracting. Sort of like “The Matrix” or “Avatar.” Which is one reason, I think, that the entire movie seems so odd at first glance. But it’s also why people tend to enjoy watching it over and over again.
I found myself happy after I watched it, I think because despite their obvious differences, Dude and Walter clearly care about each other, without feeling the need to attempt to change one another. They see the world differently, and argue from time to time, but they invariably move past their disagreements and support each other unequivocally in the end.
I can’t think of a more patriotic, American message. We love each other. We don’t need to have anything in common, except that we’re Americans. Beautiful.
Again, because these characters are such obvious personifications of America (Walter) and leftists (Dude), I think this is clearly more than a typical buddy movie. The creators of this movie, I think, had something to say about America.
The most interesting character in the movie, to me, was Donny (Steve Buscemi). The first time I watched it, I kept waiting for him to be revealed as a ghost – perhaps a war buddy of Walter’s who didn’t make it home from Vietnam. That seemed obvious to me, because it appeared that Walter was the only person in the movie who could see or interact with Donny. The big reveal never happened, so maybe I over-read that. But I found his different interactions with Dude and Walter to be interesting. I think I’m missing something there.
But I like how Donny was always in the background, watching things. You could get a sense of what was happening in the scene not just by watching the characters, but by watching Donnie’s face. And his passive oversight seemed to really annoy Walter, while Dude never seemed to notice.
While I thought that Donny’s character in the movie was a ghost from Walter’s past, I thought that his character was written to represent the rest of the world. Watching America, judging, looking on with interest. And America (Walter) chafes under the scrutiny. I thought Walter responding to Donnie at the bowling alley and Nikki Haley responding to the Chinese at the UN had a lot in common. And when Donnie died (despite Walter’s efforts to protect him), Walter was extremely upset, even though Donnie drove him crazy while alive.
I thought the least interesting character in the movie was the title character – The Big Lebowski (David Huddleston). He seems to be the personification of capitalism. Or rather, the personification of a leftist’s view of capitalism. Thus, he is predictably the only major character in the movie with no positive attributes. He is arrogant, infatuated with money and power, and claims to have earned his riches through hard work, when in fact his money was given to him by his wealthy daughter. He cares nothing for people, and will hurt even those close to him to make a buck. Despite his appearance of power, he is actually impotent, and lives in a wheelchair – unable to care for himself. But yet he somehow inspires slavish devotion from the amoral Aryan character Brant (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Why oh why are those white people so infatuated with capitalism?
I think Mr. Huddleston’s character is valuable, though, as a reminder of how bad this movie could have been. The writers could have been just as derogatory about America, and everything else. And they weren’t. This was a positive, happy movie, unlike many of its cousins.
What makes “Groundhog Day” such a brilliant movie is that it stands alone as a movie very well. Even if you miss the underlying religious themes, it’s very entertaining. But many other “message” movies are oppressively preachy with the message they’re trying to shove down your throat. Think of a few of them, and what the creators of those movies were saying. Or rather, what the creators of those movies were screaming in your face:
Avatar: “I hate Western Civilization! And if you don’t hate Western Civilization as much as I do, then you’re a horrible person!“
Titanic: “I hate rich people! And if you don’t hate rich people as much as I do, then you’re a horrible person!“
The Green Mile: “I hate capital punishment! And if you don’t hate capital punishment as much as I do, then you’re a horrible person!“
But not “The Big Lebowski.” It emphasizes the different points of view of various types of people, but they all seem to get along. Pretty much. And that’s ok. What an American message.
Even the movie’s narrator was a cowboy (Sam Elliott) who I think was intended to represent a personification of the history of America itself. Or rather, the personification of a leftist’s view of American history. And he’s presented as old, out-of-date, and somewhat out of place in modern times. But he is not viewed negatively. In fact, at the end of the movie, Dude has a pleasant, friendly conversation with him. A leftist’s love for America. Beautiful.
So I think the reason that I reflexively liked the movie was due at least in part to the fact that I viewed the movie as a love song, written by leftists (the Coen brothers), from a leftist’s point of view, in tribute to their homeland – America – which they clearly love very much, despite all her perceived flaws.
Just like Dude and Walter.
It doesn’t matter how we found ourselves together. We don’t have to agree with one another about everything, and we don’t have to convince one another of anything. We just care about each other. No matter what crazy stuff happens (like the insane plot of this goofy movie), we’re in this together. It doesn’t have to make sense. We’re in this together. If something crazy happens, we’ll do the best we can with it. Things will work themselves out. And heck, maybe we’ll all go bowling afterward.
What an American message. What an unabashedly patriotic American message.
I thought it was beautiful.
Or maybe I’m reading too much into this. Maybe it was just about drunks going bowling. What do I know? Maybe you think I’m projecting my thoughts onto a Rorschach drawing of a movie. Those of you who think I’m way off base here can probably anticipate my response:
“Yeah, well, you know, that’s just like your opinion, man…”
Which is fine. I’ll acknowledge your opinion, and I’ll not try to shove mine down your throat.
But I thought “The Big Lebowski” was beautiful.
Published in General
I love Deadwood, especially season one, especially the pilot.
Speaking of cowboys, the American West is what makes American great and unique. Rugged individuals going out west into unknown and sometimes dangerous territories. Blazing saddles and blazing new trails. In pursuit of ‘gold’ and wealth. Greed, vice, guns, saloons, the American West had it all
“If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”
But I like us more than the regular punditocracy.
Similar to Andrew Klavan’s thoughts on overtly Christian movies. They present a very saccharine view of Christianity with everyone squeaky clean. There should be a realist portrayal of people with their flaws and don’t make it preachy.
I watched Lebowski when it first came out. I was probably attracted to it because I am a fan of both Jeff Bridges and John Goodman.
Still, as a character, I didn’t really like The Dude — the way he drank milk out of a container, and got it all over his beard, and how he never really got dressed.
I can be a slob, but I’ve never let myself go that badly.
I’m still surprised it became such a cult film.
The fact that he did it at the store was what got to me. Then again, if you’re planning on buying it anyway why not?
What’s the best movie about Christianity that isn’t explicitly Christian? What’s the best movie about religion in general?
Groundhog Day. Hands down.
But that’s another post.
(Couldn’t resist. This had to go in this thread somewhere.)
Reminds me, I wrote this review of another Coen Brothers movie, Hail Caesar!, as a Christian parable.
My mom would have mentioned Barton Fink.
I don’t think that was explicitly Christian from what I remember.
One of the few movies I actually own and still watch.
I watch Groundhog Day on Groundhog Day annually
The Coen brothers get me.
By the way, my wife also dislikes BL. I think many women do. It reminds them that there is a world out there inhabited by raw, flawed, unambitious men unwilling or unable to be socialized, men stuck in unmarried hedonism. That’s what the Dude, Walter and Donnie are; yet, they’ve found contentment; they abide. Until, of course, their world is disturbed, pulling them into another, parrallel and absurd dimension. An adventure.
BL is not “The Big Sleep” (a movie I love but will never really understand). BL is Alice in Wonderland.
AND, it’s a buddy movie, which makes it better. Most of the Coen bros movies are buddy movies.
And all the Coen Bros movies are American movies; they lovingly display our habits, our flaws, our proclivities, our idiosyncrasies, our history. I’m not sure that BL is patriotic per se, but it isn’t snarky, ironic or anti-American. Even our flawed slackers will defend our way against nihilism, even die in that defense.
There is a lesson in that for the BLM crowd.
The scattering of the ashes scene really tied the movie together.
The movie was inspired by Chandler’s The Big Sleep. I’d actually call it a Christian movie – the Coens have made some of the best spiritual movies in decades (The Lady Killers, No Country For Old Men, True Grit) despite being seemingly secular Jews. The Dude’s countenance is brilliantly hidden by the F-word.
Everybody who hates it spend too much time invested in their farcical plot (I mean, it’s a Coen Brother’s movie – they think everyone is stupid). It’s certainly one of my favorites.
I thought of that scene last week. A coworker lost his adult daughter at the end of June and had her cremated in mid July. Last week he visited a cemetery and was quoted $3500 for a 18 inch cube on the second row off the ground. Eye level is a couple grand extra. He said he understands why people spread ashes.
I view the film as a commentary on the nihilism of our contemporary culture.
The Sam Elliott character, unnamed, breaks the fourth wall as a narrator who both speaks to The Dude and to the audience. As a classic cowboy, he represents traditional virtue and masculinity. The fact he is not really in the movie as a character, but drops in occasionally to comment, is a clue that the traditional virtue and moral view he represents has no place in the world of the film.
Absent the coherent philosophical and religious framework supplied by tradition, which distinguishes the truly good from the only apparently good, the characters lock on to various arbitrary goods as the center of their lives. For The Dude and his pals, it is bowling, the importance of the league championship being the one thing on which they all agree. When Donnie suffers a heart attack in the parking lot battle with the gang of nihilists, and Walter makes a travesty of the distribution of his ashes, Walter mollifies The Dude with “F**K it Dude, let’s go bowling.”
For Maude Lebowski, it is odd flying painting and other eccentric diversions. Money, of course, is a significant motivator for many of the characters, from the eponymous Big Lebowski to the nihilist gang. For money, after all, grants one the opportunity of indulging whatever it is that happens to grab your fancy.
There are remnants of traditional morality in the film, but only in degenerate form. The Malibu Police Chief, in the pocket of the local porn king, is justly condemned by The Dude as a fascist after he hits The Dude in the head with a coffee mug. Walter Sobchak, The Dude’s best friend, is a parody of military virtue, constantly viewing every situation through the filter of Vietnam. Like our involvement in Vietnam itself, Walter means well but typically misunderstands situations and makes things worse by his heavy-handed involvement.
The cowboy Sam Elliott takes comfort in the fact that “The Dude abides.” I think he does so because, in a world no longer fit for cowboys, The Dude represents the best that is left to us. He doesn’t take things too seriously like Walter does, his indulgences like pot are relatively harmless, and he is not driven by dangerous desires (like greed) that lead to tragic outcomes. Like the burned out hippie he is, he surfs through the adventure of the film without letting anything get to him too much. He is what is left of stoic virtue in a world that no longer fits the cowboy stoicism of Sam Elliott.
The Big Sleep is a great book. It is a hot mess. It can be both.
“They call Los Angeles, ‘The City of Angels.’ I didn’t find it to be that exactly…. But after seeing Los Angeles, and this a’ story I’m about to unfold… well, I guess I’ve seen something every bit as stupefying as you can see in any of those other places. And in English, too….”
I only mention it, because sometimes there’s a man – I don’t want to say a hero, cause what’s a hero? But sometimes there’s a man…”
I like the way Sam Elliot says Los Angeles with a hard “g”.
If you want an example of a plot hole in The Big Sleep, google ‘who killed the chauffeur’. Click on any entry that mentions Chandler or The Big Sleep. The answer is essentially unknown. When Hawks and the screenwriters sent Chandler a telegram during production asking him, he wired back damned if I know.
Yeah, let’s not include that one:
I don’t know if #2 was why, but it seemed a bit more rushed than their other films. The characters were also pretty one-dimensional. I did like the typical Coen touches, like the raven.
I felt the same way, and then COVID-19 happened.
I recommend a rewatch. It’s one of their best. (Alongside The Big Lebowski, The Man Who Wasn’t There, and A Serious Man.) But I agree, the opening scenes were odd.
I hadn’t heard that they were brought in after the fact. Even if that’s true, it was their movie.
People living in downtown Portland or Seattle might disagree.
I’ve never seen it. Maybe I should correct that.
Yes, you should.
It was perfect. I just had to – clumbsily as it turned out – work in the brevity thing reference.
No no no, it was perfect! Just trying to make a joke!