“Fargo” (1996) written & directed by The Cohen Brothers, starring William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi & Peter Stormare / Z-View

Posted on by

Fargo (1996)

Director: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Screenplay: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Stars: William H. Macy, Frances McDormand, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Kristin Rudrüd, Harve Presnell, Steve Reevis, Larry Brandenburg, Bruce Campbell and Melissa Peterman.

Tagline: Small town. Big crime. Dead cold.

The Plot…

Jerry Lundegaard (Macy) has screwed up badly.  Jerry embezzled money from the car dealership that he works for and his father-in-law owns.  In an effort to raise the money quickly, Jerry decides to have his wife kidnapped.  His rich father-in-law will pay to get her back.  Jerry will use the ransom money to return the embezzled cash.  Problem solved.

Unfortunately, the lunkheads that Jerry hires to do the job are well, lunkheads.  The kidnapping goes sideways in more ways than three.  People are killed.  Jerry’s dad has some stipulations before he’ll cough up the cash to get his daughter back.

Police Chief Marge Gunderson (McDormand) is on the case.  Most folks underestimate Marge’s abilities.  They look at her and see a small, quiet, pregnant woman… not the intelligent, determined investigator that can see connections in crimes that appear random.

Thoughts (beware of spoilers)…

Fargo was nominated for seven Academy Awards, winning one…

  • Best Picture (Nominee)
  • Best Actress in a Leading Role (Winner – Frances McDormand)
  • Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Nominee – William H. Macy)
  • Best Director (Nominees – Joel Coen, Ethan Cohen)
  • Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Nominee – Ethan Coen, Joel Coen)
  • Best Cinematography (Nominee – Roger Deakins)
  • Best Film Editing (Nominees – Ethan Coen <as Roderick Jaynes>, Joel Coen <as Roderick Jaynes>)

When Steve Buscemi’s character says, “In thirty minutes, we will wrap this up” if you time until the end of the movie, it will show thirty minutes have passed.

Although the film is titled, Fargo, most of the movie takes place in Brainerd, Minnesota.  The Cohens thought Fargo made a better title than Brainerd.

Frances McDormand and Joel Cohen are married.

Bruce Campbell appears (uncredited) in the background of a scene on a television screen.

Fargo was selected for inclusion in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2006.

Although the title card at the start of the film indicates it is based on a true case, it’s not.

Fargo has everything you’d expect in a Cohen film: great writing, directing and acting with memorable characters.

Fargo (1996) rates 4 of 5 stars.