No one can deny the Coen brothers’ talent and influence as filmmakers, but 30 years ago, things could have gone a different way. Following their box-office bomb The Hudsucker Proxy, the third in a row following Miller’s Crossing and Barton Fink, they had two scripts ready to go: Fargo and The Big Lebowski. Jeff Bridges (the Dude) was busy with Wild Bill, so they filmed Fargo first. It ended up being one of the best films of the Nineties and let the world know that these guys knew what they were doing. What would we have missed if Lebowski’s poor showing at the box office had meant there was no Fargo? Fortunately, we’ll never have to find out. – Kat McNevins
