O is for Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?

Fandango

For this year’s A-To-Z Challenge, my theme is MOVIES. I will be working my way through the alphabet during the month of April with movie titles and short blurbs about each movie. Today’s movie is “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

“O Brother, Where Art Thou?” was a 2000 crime comedy-drama musical film written, produced, co-edited and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It starred George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson, with Chris Thomas King, John Goodman, Holly Hunter, and Charles Durning in supporting roles.

I didn’t think I was going to like this movie, but oh brother, was I wrong. It was a hoot. The film was loosely based on Homer’s “Odyssey.” It deals with the twisted adventures of Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) and his “companions” Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) and Pete (John Turturro) in 1930s Mississipi.

McGill scams his way off of a hard-labor chain gang, and still shackled to his own chain-mates from the chain gang, he, Delmar, and Pete set out to pursue freedom and the promise of a fortune in buried treasure. With nothing to lose, their hasty run takes them on an incredible journey of awesome experiences and colorful characters in this hilarious, offbeat road picture. It’s an odyssey filled with chases, close calls, near misses, and betrayal that left me laughing out loud at every outrageous twist and turn.

The movie was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Cinematography.

Music plays a key role in the film when the trio of convicts record a bluegrass song called “Man of Constant Sorrow” that becomes a hit. In the film and on the soundtrack, they’re billed as the Soggy Bottom Boys. The voices were actually those of Alison Krauss and Union Station member Dan Tyminski, Nashville Bluegrass Band member Pat Enright, and Music City songwriter Harley Allen.

The song was a hit in the real world, too. “Man of Constant Sorrow” charted in the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, and earned three major awards: Best Country Collaboration With Vocals at the Grammys, Song of the Year at the International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, and Single of the Year at the CMA Awards.

I’d love to share more with you about this hugely entertaining movie, but I’m afraid I’d be spoiling it for you should you ever choose to watch it, which I seriously recommend that you do.

Previous A2Z 2022 posts: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

40 thoughts on “O is for Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?”

  4. sandyjwhite April 18, 2022 / 7:48 am

    I’ve enjoyed watching this movie several times. So entertaining on so many levels!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  5. rugby843 April 18, 2022 / 8:15 am

    Another great one. Do you like Cohen Bris movies??

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Fandango April 18, 2022 / 9:51 am

      Yes, I enjoyed “Fargo,” “No Country for Old Men,” and “The Big Lewkowski.” Their movies are offbeat and out of the ordinary, that’s for sure.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      • rugby843 April 18, 2022 / 2:00 pm

        I was thinking of Fargo the other day. It was the first time I ever saw anything grisly like the wood chopper😱

        Liked by 1 person

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        • Fandango April 18, 2022 / 11:03 pm

          That was grizzly, but the movie was great. A true comedy of errors.

          Liked by 1 person

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          • rugby843 April 20, 2022 / 8:44 am

            You never know how far they’re going to push the envelope 😂

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply
  6. Marilyn Armstrong April 18, 2022 / 10:06 am

    I love this movie. You keep picking our favorites. This is not only one of OUR favorites, but my granddaughter could sing all the songs before she turned 5. We have the movie on DVD. We also have the concert from which they got the songs and if you don’t have it, it’s a really great recording. I’m sure Amazon has it for download.

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Marleen April 18, 2022 / 12:26 pm

      “The concert from which they got the songs;” that’s intriguing.

      Liked by 1 person

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    • Fandango April 18, 2022 / 10:51 pm

      You and Garry clearly have great tastes in movies! 😉

      Like

      Reply
  7. eschudel April 18, 2022 / 10:53 am

    I also didn’t think I would like this movie, but I loved it and watch it again whenever it’s on!!

    Liked by 1 person

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    • Fandango April 18, 2022 / 10:55 pm

      It certainly exceeded my expectations!

      Like

      Reply
  8. Em April 18, 2022 / 12:19 pm

    The Coens do movies well. I’m happy to sit with the “Man of Constant Sorrow” earworm as I remember 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  9. Marleen April 18, 2022 / 12:26 pm

    This is one of those movies you come away from with catch phrases full of fun meaning.

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. JT Twissel April 18, 2022 / 3:08 pm

    I can’t believe I missed that one – I’m a huge Coen brothers fan. Thanks!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  13. annieasksyou April 18, 2022 / 6:54 pm

    A super movie—truly memorable. Loved the music; saw and heard Allison Krause in concert after I’d seen the film, which made that evening even more delightful.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
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  26. leigha66 June 13, 2022 / 10:56 pm

    This one is a favorite of mine, and I have stopped many times to watch it when it airs again.

    Liked by 1 person

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