Blood Simple (1984)

Few filmmaking duos have received as many accolades as Joel and Ethan Coen. The cinematic siblings scored Academy Award nominations for Barton Fink (1991), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), A Serious Man (2009), True Grit (2010) and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018). If that’s not impressive enough, they took home Oscars for Fargo (1996) and No Country for Old Men (2007). Yet before the Coen Brothers were a known entity in the film industry, they were just starting out with their first movie — Blood Simple (1984). Thanks to their writing and direction, this indie flick was a box office success and a critical hit. The neo-noir crime pic kicks into action when a Texas bar owner named Julian Marty (Dan Hedaya) hires private detective Loren Visser (M. Emmet Walsh) to keep tabs on his wife Abby (Joel Coen’s real life wife Frances McDormand). Mr. Marty believes his Mrs. is getting it on with bartender Ray (John Getz). Once exposed, the cheating couple is actually relieved since they can come clean about the affair and move on with their life together. But jilted Julian has other, more deadly, plans in mind. As you will find, there’s nothing simple about the twists and turns in Blood Simple. And while audiences enjoy this thrill ride, they’ll also get a thrill seeing Mr. Getz without a shirt on. The same can be said for his co-star. Suffice it to say, the hairy chest and bulging briefs on Mr. Hedaya will excite your head!