Fletch's Favored Five: Wordless Lebowski Gags

You could say that it's easy to come up with a list of quotes from The Big Lebowski, given that there are so many to choose from. You could also say that it's damn near impossible to narrow such a list of quotes to your favorite five or ten, given that there are so many to choose from. I have wisely skipped over that task altogether, instead coming up with my favorite sight gags and other non-verbal jokes from the Coen brothers' epic stoner comedy.


5. Ranked the lowest because it really has little to do with the film outside of being a great example of awesome set design; the Coens had nothing to do with this image and, aside from the bowling aspect, it has nothing to do with the events of the film. But, c'mon, that's just a funny shot.


4. Works so great because, the first time you saw the flick, this was a sick-yet-funny image. But then, some 30 minutes into the film, you were given the background of one Jesus Quintana...and it immediately got a whole lot sicker. Ewww.


3. "Are you employed, sir?!?"



2. I love Jackie Treehorn's pervy drawing not so much for the content of it (which is admittedly funny), but for the fact that the audience gets to situate themselves in the exact frame of mind as The Dude upon first seeing it. Total bewilderment. Treehorn's look of intensity as he's creating it ain't half-bad, either.


1. You can't altogether see it from this image, but this is from one of the opening shots of the film, as we settle in on The Dude at his favorite grocery store - Ralph's - purchasing a half-gallon of milk (for the Caucasians, of course!). And that's all he buys. Naturally, he writes a check...for 69 cents. (Also notable is the fact that the date on the check is 9/11, but that's not particularly funny, just kind of a "huh" moment after the fact.)