Joel Coen and
Ethan Coen concocted this stylish screwball comedic amalgam of
Frank Capra and
Howard Hawks.
Tim Robbins
stars as Norville Barnes, a dull-wit from Muncie, Indiana who wrangles a
job with the big Hudsucker Industries. He has a singular idea for a new
children's toy that he wants to present to corporate executive Sidney
J. Mussberger (
Paul Newman). As he makes his way up to Mussberger's office, the company president Waring Hudsucker (
Charles Durning)
is on his way down -- through the window of the forty-fourth floor
boardroom! Hudsucker's death sets off a panic that Mussberger sees as an
opportunity for taking over the company -- by installing a total
incompetent in Hudsucker's place and devaluing the stock. When Barnes
stumbles into Mussberger's office, Mussberger sees his pigeon and
appoints Barnes as the new company president. The only problem is that
the new product Barnes proposes for the company, the Hula Hoop, turns
out to be a tremendous success, and Mussberger has difficulty
manipulating his new corporate president.
