Fargo (1996)

Director:

Joel Coen

Writers (WGA):

Joel Coen (written by) &
Ethan Coen (written by)

Release Date:

8 March 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Thriller

Tagline:

A homespun murder story.

Plot:

Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of pregnant Marge Gunderson.

Plot Keywords:

Ransom | Blood | Murder | Pregnant | Kidnapping

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 52 wins & 30 nominations

Cast

William H. Macy	...	Jerome 'Jerry' Lundegaard
Steve Buscemi	...	Carl Showalter
Peter Stormare	...	Gaear Grimsrud
Kristin Rudrüd	...	Jean Lundegaard
Harve Presnell	...	Wade Gustafson
Tony Denman	...	Scotty Lundegaard
Gary Houston	...	Irate Customer
Sally Wingert	...	Irate Customer's Wife
Kurt Schweickhardt	...	Car Salesman
Larissa Kokernot	...	Hooker #1
Melissa Peterman	...	Hooker #2
Steve Reevis	...	Shep Proudfoot (as Steven Reevis)
Warren Keith	...	Reilly Diefenbach (voice)
Steve Edelman	...	Morning Show Host
Sharon Anderson	...	Morning Show Hostess

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, language and sexuality.

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | New Zealand:R18 | USA:R (certificate #34206) | Denmark:15 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:18 | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KT | Chile:18 | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (bw) | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18

Filming Locations:

Bathgate, North Dakota, USA

Company:

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Trivia:

About thirty minutes into the film when Peter Stormare's character Gaear Grimsrud chases after the eyewitnesses in the car, he says, "Jävla fitta!" which in Swedish means 'f**ing c**t!'

Goofs:

Continuity: During the interview, the pencil on the clipboard in the office is pointing down. When Jerry flees, it's pointing up.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Jerry Lundegaard: I'm, uh, Jerry Lundegaard.
Carl Showalter: You're Jerry Lundegaard?
Jerry Lundegaard: Ya. Shep Proudfoot said...
Carl Showalter: Shep said you'd be here at 7:30. What gives, man?
Jerry Lundegaard: Shep said 8:30.
Carl Showalter: We've been sitting here an hour. He's
[motioning to Gaer]
Carl Showalter: peed three times already.
Jerry Lundegaard: I'm sure sorry. Shep told me 8:30. It was a mix-up, I guess.

Movie Connections:

Featured in This Is a True Story (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Do You Know the Way to San José

Nobody seems to know that Fargo is

Nobody seems to know that Fargo is first and foremost a beautiful and very simple love story about two ordinary rural small town American people and secondly a superbly acted crime murder mayhem movie, probably the best that has ever been filmed. Every character is genuine, believable, and Home, not Hollywood, spun. The suspense rolls in and out like a San Francisco fog. The side shows that are built in are amazing (sheriff's conversation at a bar with old acquaintance - stamp conversations - breakfast makings). The whole film is an American Shakesphere. I actually know frequent moviegoers who have not seen Fargo (and Sling Blade and Shine). I feel a special sorrow for them. Back to Fargo, every time I watch it I don't want it to ever end. I even sometimes find myself wishfully thinking I could move up there, it's a Lake Wobegone, and then the movie would never end. Fargo is as close to capturing and portraying real life as a director and bunch of actors can get. I wish IMDb had a just one time eleven so I could crown it emperor above all.