Two films by the Joel and Ethan Coen that share a similar theme are "Raising Arizona" (1987) and "Fargo" (1997). The action and plot in both of these films resolves around a "kidnapping," though the motive for the kidnapping is distinct in each film. In "Raising Arizona," smalltime ex-con H.I. "Hi" Cunningham and his former booking officer, Edwina "Ed" McDunnough, marry and start a family when Hi gets out of jail for hopefully the last time. The couple, especially Ed, is desperate to have children, but, as Hi tells us, "Biology and the prejudices of others conspired to keep us childless" (Coen 1987). Ed urges Hi to kidnap an infant from among quintuplets delivered to local business tycoon, Nathan Arizona. In "Fargo," Jerry Lundegaard is a financially troubled Minneapolis car salesman who hires two thugs to kidnap his wife, thinking he can pay off the thugs and get out of debt when his wealthy but disagreeable father-in-law pays the ransom. In both films, the kidnappings set off a chain of events that is unforeseen and drives the action and directs the outcome of the main characters. This analysis will compare and contrast each film from thematic and aesthetic perspectives, including a discussion of a number of social issues the films highlight. A conclusion will address which film is better crafted.
Thematically, "Raising Arizona" seems to offer a baby-kidnapping tale as a comment on a number of social issues, from the flaws in the criminal justice system to the weaknesses of the adoption process. The gap between rich and poor is also illustrated, especially in the wealthy Arizona's being able to afford fertility assistance and having five children compared to Ed's inability to have a child biologically or to adopt one. She cannot adopt one because of Hi's criminal record. When Ed discovers a local magnate's wife delivered quintuplets, she thinks no one will miss one infant out of five and demands Ed stea...