In one of Hail, Caesar!’s most quietly brilliant scenes, the Coens strip the sacred of its certainty. An assistant director, clipboard in hand, walks down a soundstage lined with crucified extras, actors meant to evoke biblical tragedy, pausing to interrogate a man hanging on a cross. We only see his feet. “Do you get a hot breakfast or a box breakfast?” the A.D. asks, checking his list. “Are you a principal or an extra?” The man hesitates. “I think I’m a principal.” The line is funny, absurd, but also quietly existential. This actor, playing Jesus, isn’t even sure if he matters.
One could argue that it is their worldview in miniature. No one’s sure who’s in charge, who’s pretending, or whether God’s even part of the production.
