‘The Big Lebowski’ Abides at 25

The sixth of March marks the 25th anniversary of “The Big Lebowski.” Expect fans of the film noir parody to respond with a collective “Far out” — one of the flick’s numerous catchphrases — celebrating a rare cult classic that is as beloved by the actors who brought it to life as it is to audiences. The kicker; it rolled a gutter ball at the box office.Filmmaking brothers Joel and Ethan Coen based “Lebowski” on “The Big Sleep,” from 1946. Both productions are layered with shadows. No one and nothing quite are what they seem, but only “Lebowski” can claim credit for a resurgence in America’s love affair with bowling.The plot is propelled by a case of mistaken identity between two unrelated men in Los Angeles, both named Jeffrey Lebowski. Jeff Bridges brings the younger and less successful one to life with the charm and skill you’d expect from someone who has been acting since the cradle.Thanks to a voiceover by Sam Elliot, we learn that while this lazy Mr. Lebowski is our protagonist, he is not a hero, a role that would require too much effort. “The other Jeffrey Lebowski,” a wheelchair-bound Korean War veteran, presents as a philanthropist and the benefactor of “the Little Lebowski Urban Achievers.”Although the film is set on the eve of the 1991 Gulf War, Mr. Lebowski is stuck in the 1960s counterculture. “I am not Mr. Lebowski,” he tells the man whose name he shares, played by the late character actor David Huddleston. “You’re Mr. Lebowski. I’m ‘the Dude.’ So that’s what you call me. You know, that or ‘His Dudeness,’ or ‘Duder,’ or ‘El Duderino’ if you’re not into the whole brevity thing.”Each character in the film has multiple dimensions. John Goodman’s Walter Sobchak, based on “Apocalypse Now” screenwriter John Milius, is a Polish-Catholic convert to Judaism who boasts of Vietnam war service and bullies the Dude deeper into trouble.While the Dude is a confirmed bachelor, Mr. Sobchak is divorced, yet he still looks after his ex-wife’s dog. Even here, there’s duality. “I think it’s a Pomeranian,” Mr. Sobchak says after the Dude objects to bringing it along to a bowling alley, but he’s wrong; it’s actually a Yorkshire Terrier.Mining tidbits like these and teasing out their significance has the power to change how one interprets the film, giving rise to events like Lebowski Fest, an annual festival at Louisville that dates back to 2002 where “Achievers” can swap insights and share their passion.“Lebowski” hits all the senses, with a memorable soundtrack to the nine White Russians that the Dude drinks throughout the film. Its script offers more memorable quotations than even “The Godfather.” The actors of “Lebowski” are captivated by the film’s charms rather than frustrated by the risk of being typecast. John Turturro, who portrays rival bowler Jesus Quintana, worked for two decades to bring his character back until he delivered “The Jesus Rolls” in 2022. The film also features Julianne Moore, estranged daughter of “the other Jefferey Lebowski,” and Philip Seymour Hoffman as the elder man’s assistant, Brandt, a role for which the actor — who passed away in 2014 — is better remembered than “Capote,” which earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor.The enduring fame of “Lebowski” has bestowed immortality even on minor characters. Jack Kehler had 172 film credits on his ledger, but when he passed away last year, he was eulogized as the Dude’s landlord, Monty, who performed an interpretive dance cycle. Huddleston’s obituaries headlined “Lebowski” even over his role in the Mel Brooks classic “Blazing Saddles.”It’s true that, as Sam Elliot’s stranger remarks, the Dude uses a lot of “cuss words,” but that doesn’t obscure its genius. The 25th anniversary invites fans to rewatch it for the 100th time or the uninitiated to lace up their bowling shoes for the first time — and whether they’re new Achievers or old, “proud we are of all of them.”

‘The Big Lebowski’ Abides at 25

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