SYNOPSIS: The Man Who Wasn't There is the new film from Joel and Ethan Coen. Set in the summer of 1949, The Man Who Wasn't There has as its title character Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber in a small northern California town. Ed is dissatisfied with his life, but his wife Doris' (Frances McDormand) infidelity presents Ed with an opportunity for blackmail that he thinks will help him to change it. However, Ed's scheme unravels and lays bare even darker secrets before leading to murder.

The Man Who Wasn't There is a tale of passion, crime and punishment, all presented in glorious black-and-white. The film reunites the Coens with many of their frequent creative collaborators on both sides of the camera, including leading lady Frances McDormand (starring in her first Coen brothers movie since winning the Academy Award as Best Actress, for the Coens' "Fargo").

NOTES: The entire movie was inspired by a piece of art the Coen brothers saw while shooting The Hudsucker Proxy. It was basically an old 40's style poster with pictures of different haircuts. From that they decided they wanted to make this movie.

Another Cannes Film Festival first for the Coen brothers- The Man Who Wasn't There won the Best Director gong but shared it with David Lynch's Mulholland Drive.

The movie was shot in colour and then transfered to black and white film (read this interview with Roger Deakins the cinematographer for confirmation). USA Films wanted to be able to issue the movie in colour in some European countries. So it is true, after all, that a colour version exists. Indeed it is available in a fine 3 disc DVD edition in France. You can check out some comparison screen grabs between the original version and the colour version here and order the DVD for yourself from amazon.fr.

Billy Bob Thornton agreed to star in the movie without even reading the script.

Jon Polito's character, Cregiton Tolliver, the pansy, has an unusual forename, yet it is one shared by the friend with the two broken hands in the tale recounted by private detective, Loren Visser during his meeting with Marty to discuss the murder of Abby and Ray on the overlook in the Coen's debut movie, Blood Simple. A coincidence?

In an interview on the Observer's movie podcast in March 2008 with Roger Deakins discussing No Country For Old Men, he was asked which of the Coen brothers movies was his favourite. He said, without delay, The Man Who Wasn't There.

"THE MAN WHO WASN'T THERE" MICHAEL BADALUCCO RICHARD JENKINS SCARLETT JOHANSSON JON POLITO TONY SHALHOUB AND JAMES GANDOLFINI CASTING BY ELLEN CHENOWETH