Synopsis

Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a laid-back Los Angeles bowler, is mistaken for a wealthy man with the same name and assaulted over a debt he does not owe. When his prized rug is ruined, The Dude seeks compensation and becomes entangled in a kidnapping scheme involving ransom money, eccentric criminals, family tensions, and a series of increasingly bizarre encounters.

Factoids & Trivia

• The Dude was partly inspired by Jeff Dowd, a film producer and political activist whom the Coen brothers knew. Dowd was nicknamed "The Dude" and was fond of White Russians.

• Another influence was Peter Exline, a friend of the Coens whose stories reportedly contributed details involving a stolen car, a Vietnam veteran, and a rug that "tied the room together."

• The Coens originally used softball rather than bowling in the story. They changed the activity because bowling provided a more social setting where characters could sit, drink, smoke, and talk.

• The Dude's wardrobe included several items belonging to Jeff Bridges, including his sandals. Bridges also helped create the character's glazed appearance by rubbing his knuckles in his eyes after asking whether The Dude had "burned one" before a scene.

• In the screenplay's early version, The Dude drove a Chrysler LeBaron, reflecting one of Dowd's former cars. The vehicle was changed to a Ford Torino because the smaller LeBaron could not comfortably accommodate John Goodman's character.

• The film's elaborate dream sequences combine practical production design, visual effects, choreography, and references to classic musical and noir imagery.

• Much of the dialogue was carefully scripted despite the film's casual, improvised feel. One notable exception was the phrase "human paraquat," which was added during filming.

• The film received mixed reactions on its initial 1998 release but gradually developed a large cult following through home video, repertory screenings, and fan events.