Fargo (1996)

Director:

Joel Coen
(more)

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

5 April 1996 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

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 the quite pregnant Marge Gunderson.

Plot Keywords:

Ransom | Money | Blood | Murder | Kidnapping

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 59 wins & 32 nominations

Cast

William H. Macy	...	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
Larry Brandenburg	...	Stan Grossman
James Gaulke	...	State Trooper
J. Todd Anderson	...	Victim in the Field
Michelle Suzanne LeDoux	...	Victim in Car
Frances McDormand	...	Marge Gunderson
John Carroll Lynch	...	Norm Gunderson
Bruce Bohne	...	Lou
Petra Boden	...	Cashier
Steve Park	...	Mike Yanagita
Wayne A. Evenson	...	Customer (as Wayne Evenson)
Cliff Rakerd	...	Officer Olson
Jessica Shepherd	...	Hotel Clerk
Peter Schmitz	...	Airport Lot Attendant
Steven I. Schafer	...	Mechanic (as Steve Schaefer)
Michelle Hutchison	...	Escort (as Michelle Hutchinson)
David S. Lomax	...	Man in Hallway (as David Lomax)
José Feliciano	...	Himself
Bix Skahill	...	Night Parking Attendant (as Don William Skahill)
Bain Boehlke	...	Mr. Mohra
Rose Stockton	...	Valerie (voice)
Robert Ozasky	...	Bismarck Cop #1
John Bandemer	...	Bismarck Cop #2
Don Wescott	...	Bark Beetle Narrator (voice)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bruce Campbell	...	Soap Opera Actor on TV (archive footage) (uncredited)
Clifford Nelson	...	Heavyset Man In Bar (uncredited)
Lori J. Ness	...	Women in the Bar (uncredited)

Directed by
Joel Coen
Ethan Coen		(uncredited)

Writing credits (WGA)
Ethan Coen		(written by) &
Joel Coen		(written by)

Produced by
Tim Bevan	....	executive producer
John Cameron	....	line producer
Ethan Coen	....	producer
Eric Fellner	....	executive producer
Joel Coen	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Carter Burwell

Cinematography by
Roger Deakins		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ethan Coen		(as Roderick Jaynes)
Joel Coen		(as Roderick Jaynes)

Casting by
John S. Lyons		(as John Lyons)

Production Design by
Rick Heinrichs

Art Direction by
Thomas P. Wilkins

Set Decoration by
Lauri Gaffin

Costume Design by
Mary Zophres

Makeup Department
John Blake	....	key makeup artist
Daniel Curet	....	key hair stylist
Bart Mixon	....	special makeup effects artist (uncredited)

Production Management
Margaret Hayes	....	post-production supervisor
Gilly Ruben	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Michelangelo Csaba Bolla	....	first assistant director
James Alan Hensz	....	second assistant director (as James Allen Hensz)
Donald Murphy	....	second second assistant director
Brian O'Kelley	....	second assistant director

Art Department
J. Todd Anderson	....	storyboard artist
Robb T. Anderson	....	carpenter (as Robb Anderson)
Maria L. Baker	....	art department assistant (as Maria Baker)
Gregory Banks	....	carpenter (as Greg Banks)
Curtis Baruth	....	construction coordinator (as Curtis W. Baruth)
Brian Bebler	....	carpenter
Dwight Benjamin-Creel	....	property master
Denise Boquist	....	painter
Thomas Christianson	....	painter
Joe Connolly	....	assistant property master
Jeffrey Daniels	....	set dresser
Beth Edelstein	....	painter
Beth Edelstein	....	sculptor
Kirk Erickson	....	carpenter
Joseph F. Ferraro	....	set dresser
Andrew Foster	....	carpenter
Paul Hankey	....	carpenter
Anne Hyvarinen	....	lead scenic
Kay Kropp	....	painter
Sydney Ann Lunn	....	property assistant
Jeff Murphy	....	sculptor
Patrick L. Owen	....	carpenter (as Patrick Owen)
Gene Palusky	....	carpenter
John David Paul	....	assistant art director
Stephen J. Readmond	....	on-set dresser (as Stephen Readmond)
Bradford Richardson	....	graphic artist
Tim Schwob	....	construction foreman (as Timothy Schwob)
Joseph Skala	....	carpenter
Steve Speers	....	set dresser
Jill Stevenson	....	set dressing buyer
Amy Thornberry	....	assistant lead scenic
Susan J. Tveit	....	art department coordinator
Gerald S. Upham	....	carpenter
Bob Wiesner	....	set dresser
Ben Woolverton	....	leadman
David K. Pederson	....	painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Michael Barry	....	sound re-recording mixer
Allan Byer	....	sound mixer
Benjamin Cheah	....	sound effects recordist (as Ben Cheah)
Marko A. Costanzo	....	foley artist (as Marko Costanzo)
Ezra Dweck	....	foley mixer
Dan Evans Farkas	....	assistant sound editor (as Dan Evans Farcus)
Eugene Gearty	....	sound effects editor
Lewis Goldstein	....	sound effects editor
Bradford L. Hohle	....	sound consultant: Dolby
Kenton Jakub	....	adr editor
Ken J. Johnson	....	sound effects recordist (as Ken Johnson)
Frank Kern	....	foley editor
Peter F. Kurland	....	boom operator
Skip Lievsay	....	sound re-recording mixer
Skip Lievsay	....	supervising sound editor
Kimberly R. McCord-Wilson	....	apprentice sound editor (as Kimberly R. McCord)
Todd Milner	....	assistant sound editor
Glenfield Payne	....	sound effects editor
Bruce Pross	....	foley editor
Fred Rosenberg	....	dialogue editor (as Frederick Rosenberg)
Steven Visscher	....	foley editor
Magdaline Volaitis	....	dialogue editor
Knox White	....	utility sound technician (as Knox Grantham White)
Keenan Wyatt	....	boom operator

Special Effects by
Bruce R. Anderson	....	special effects technician
Wilfred Caban	....	pyrotechnician
Joe Carroll	....	special effects technician
Michael Kranz	....	special effects technician
Paul Murphy	....	special effects coordinator
Dieter Sturm	....	snowmaker
Yvonne Sturm	....	snowmaker

Visual Effects by
John Alagna	....	opticals

Stunts
Danny Downey	....	stunt player
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt coordinator
Jery Hewitt	....	stunt player
Jennifer Lamb	....	stunt player
Eddie L. Watkins	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Bridges	....	still photographer (as James Bridges)
Robin Brown	....	camera operator
Peter Clemence	....	best boy grip
Tony Corapi	....	electrician
Ed Dally	....	film loader
Milo Durben	....	dolly grip
Tom Franchett	....	electrician
Adam Gilmore	....	second assistant camera
Andy Harris	....	first assistant camera
William H. Hobson	....	company grip (as William Hobson)
Jeremy Knaster	....	best boy electrician
Mitchell Andrew Lillian	....	key grip (as Mitch Lillian)
William Moore	....	rigging gaffer
Bill O'Leary	....	chief lighting technician
Timothy O'Toole	....	video playback
Joseph Slagerman	....	company grip
Michael Tackett	....	still photographer
Niel Williams	....	company grip (as Neil Williams)
Robin Brown	....	director of photography: second unit (uncredited)

Casting Department
Jane Brody	....	location casting
Kathleen Chopin	....	casting assistant
Sandra Dawes	....	extras casting (as Sandra D. Dawes)
Christine Sheaks	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Virginia Burton	....	costumer
Sister A. Daniels	....	costume supervisor (as Sister Daniels)

Editorial Department
Tricia Cooke	....	associate editor
Nick Dibeneditto	....	negative cutter: N&D Films and Video
David Diliberto	....	first assistant editor (as Big Dave Diliberto)
Daniel J. Geiger	....	location assistant editor (as Daniel Geiger)
Alma Kuttruff	....	apprentice editor
John Dowdell	....	telecine colorist (uncredited)

Music Department
Carter Burwell	....	conductor
Carter Burwell	....	orchestrator
Emile Charlap	....	music contractor
Edmund Choi	....	assistant to composer
Michael Farrow	....	music scoring mixer
Shari Johanson	....	associate music editor (as Shari Schwartz)
Todd Kasow	....	music editor (as Todd Kassow)
John Moses	....	musician: clarinet (uncredited)
Paul Peabody	....	musician: violin (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Dave Amberik	....	driver
Michael Arnold	....	picture car coordinator
Keith Carlson	....	driver
Dave Drentlaw	....	driver (as David Drentlaw)
Wade P. Ehlen	....	driver
David F. Evans	....	driver
Scott Michael Johnson	....	driver (as Scott Johnson)
Michael Kennedy	....	transportation coordinator (as Michael J. Kennedy)
Frank Ketchum	....	transportation captain
Eugene Kirsch	....	driver (as Gene Kisch)
Peter L. Mullin	....	picture car assistant
Ivy Poulliot	....	driver
John Rehborg	....	driver
Marti Smith	....	driver (as Marty E. Smith)
Tommy Ray Smith	....	driver

Other crew
John Albrecht	....	payroll accountant
Clement Baque	....	caterer: Entertainment Motion Picture Catering
Cheryl Broussard	....	assistant production coordinator (as Cheryl M. Broussard)
Mark Demarais	....	set production assistant
Daniel J. Dustin	....	set medic: Rescue Resources, Inc. (as Dan Dustin)
Joe Everett	....	unit publicist
Jane Frazer	....	head of production: Working Title
Kurt W. Gensmer	....	set medic: Rescue Resources, Inc.
Karen Ruth Getchell	....	production coordinator
Robert Graf	....	location manager (as Robert J. Graf)
Senor Greazer	....	meat dinner mc (as Señor Greazer)
Dave Halls	....	set production assistant
Elizabeth Himelstein	....	dialect coach
Carlos José Ibarra	....	mechanic (as Jose Ibarra)
Dana Kelley	....	assistant accountant
Donald J. Koshiol	....	location assistant
T. Kukovinski	....	script supervisor
Michelle Suzanne LeDoux	....	craft service (as Michelle LeDoux)
Rachel Lynn	....	assistant location manager (as Rachel L.T. Kapel)
Angela Morrison	....	head of business affairs: Working Title
William Preston Robertson	....	meat dinner mc (as Bill Robertson)
Albert G. Ruben	....	insurance provider
Dan Runyon	....	craft service
Bill Schwab	....	location projectionist
Mindy Sheldon	....	production accountant
Jessica Shepherd	....	set production assistant
Bix Skahill	....	office production assistant (as Don 'Bix' Skahill)
Stuart Skrien	....	location assistant
Jose Solorzano	....	caterer: Entertainment Motion Picture Catering
Eric Vignando	....	caterer: Entertainment Motion Picture Catering
Charlie Vogel	....	post-production accountant (as Charles Vogel)
Jeffrey Abramson	....	pre-production intern (uncredited)
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer (uncredited)
Mimi Everett	....	title designer (uncredited)
Christopher P. Jacobs	....	location projectionist: Grand Forks (uncredited)
Kelly Nathe	....	photo double: Jean Lundegaard (uncredited)
William Preston Robertson	....	field interviewer/archivist for Minnesota accents (uncredited)

Thanks
Mark Cady	....	special thanks
David Daugherty	....	special thanks
Deana Elwell	....	special thanks
Rick Finkelstein	....	special thanks
Peter D. Graves	....	special thanks (as Peter Graves)
Julie Hartley	....	special thanks
James Hautman	....	special thanks
Robert Hautman	....	special thanks
Michael Kuhn	....	special thanks
Aline Perry	....	special thanks
Malcolm Ritchie	....	special thanks
Russell Schwartz	....	special thanks
Stewart Till	....	special thanks
Mark Wolfe	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (presents)
• Working Title Films (in association with)

Distributors

• Gramercy Pictures (I) (1996) (USA) (theatrical)
• Concorde-Castle Rock/Turner (1996) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (1996) (Switzerland) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (1997) (Australia) (theatrical)
• Elliniki Kinimatografiki Enosi (ELKE) (1997) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Líder Films (1997) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment Distribution (1996) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• PolyGram Filmed Entertainment (1996) (UK) (theatrical)
• Sogepaq Distribución (1996) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Svensk Filmindustri (SF) (1996) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Vitória Filmes (1996) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (Brazil) (DVD)
• 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (UK) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Channel Four (1999) (UK) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (Australia) (VHS)
• Concorde Home Entertainment (1998) (Germany) (DVD)
• Concorde Video (1997) (Germany) (VHS)
• De Volkskrant (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Complete Coen Brother Collection)
• FS Film Oy (2008) (Finland) (DVD)
• Film1 (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Finnkino (1996) (Finland) (all media)
• Gativideo (1997) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Home Video Hellas (HVH) (1998) (Greece) (VHS)
• MGM Home Entertainment (USA) (video)
• MGM/UA Home Entertainment (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Nelonen (1999) (Finland) (TV)
• PolyGram Video (199?) (Netherlands) (VHS) (rental)
• Polygram Filmed Entertainment (video)
• REP Distribution (Australia)
• Rizzoli Corriere della Sera Home Video (RCS) (Italy) (VHS)
• Top Tape (Brazil) (VHS)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS) (retail)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (special edition)
• Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Computer Film Company, The (CFC) (paint shot) (uncredited)
• Sturm's Special Effects International (snow making) (uncredited)

Other Companies

• Albinsons  special thanks
• Balsmeyer and Everett  titles
• C-5  post-production sound
• City of Edina  special thanks
• City of St. Paul  special thanks
• Computer Film Company, The (CFC)  special thanks
• Costumes and Creatures  special thanks
• Effects House, The  opticals (uncredited)
• Entertainment Motion Picture Catering  catering
• Helly-Hansen  special thanks
• Insurance Services Inc.  insurance
• International Film Guarantors  completion bond services
• Juniper Post  ADR recording (uncredited)
• Minnesota Department of Transportation  special thanks
• Minnesota Film Board  special thanks
• Municipal Parking Inc.  special thanks
• N&D Film and Video  negative cutting (as N & D Films and Video)
• North Dakota Film Commission  special thanks
• Otto Nemenz International  Arriflex cameras (as Otto Nemenz)
• Paskal Lighting  lighting equipment
• Pembina County, North Dakota  special thanks
• Polaris Industries  special thanks
• RHH/Albert G. Ruben Insurance Services  insurance (as RHH/Albert G. Ruben)
• Rescue Resources  set medics (as Rescue Resources, Inc.)
• Rollins Hudig Hall  insurance (uncredited)
• Sapex Scripts  post-production script services (uncredited)
• Sound One Corporation  post-production sound (as Sound One Corp.)
• Sureway Air Express  special thanks
• The City of Minneapolis  special thanks (as City of Minneapolis)
• Wow & Flutter  ADR recording (uncredited)

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated R for strong violence, language and sexuality

Runtime:

98 min

Country:

USA | UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Belgium:KT | Finland:K-16 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (f) (bw) | Hong Kong:III | Iceland:16 | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/16 (Qualidade) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) (original rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | 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 | Chile:14

Filming Locations:

Chanhassen Dinner Theatre, Chanhassen, Minnesota, 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 'fucking c*nt!'

Goofs:

Continuity: During the ransom transaction scene between Carl and Wade, the camera shots alternate between snow falling and no snow falling.

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:

Referenced in No Country for Old Men (2007)

Soundtrack:

These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

A movie you can't stop watching

An instant classic. I must admit what attracted me at first was the wood chipper incident I had heard about but by the time the movie gets there, I was in a totally in a different universe. While the movie does not have anything to keep you glued to the screen (a wicked script, lots of action) you can't prevent yourself from wanting to see what happens next. This is due to the wonderfully portrayed characters. Steve Buscemi's performance as Carl Showalter is fabulous. I love when he is confronted by Shep Proudfoot and tells him to "hey man, smoke a f***in peace-pipe", or any of his conversations with Jerry Lundegard are priceless - "I'm not going to debate you Jerry, I'm not going to DEBATE". My recent favorite is when he storms out of the hideout and says "and if you see Shep Proudfoot, tell him I'm gonna nail his f***kin ass". The Jerry Lundegard character is such a beautiful loser, I don't know where to begin. I especially love his reappearing temper tantrums(slamming the phone book in his office, scraping the ice off the windshield, jumping up and down after his father in law leaves the house with the million dollars) and practicing the phone call to his father in law where he tells him his wife has been kidnapped - too funny. Marge Gunderson is the glue that holds it all together with a performance by Frances Mcdormand well deserved of an Oscar. I thought they might have overdid it a tiny bit with the scene with Marge and the two hookers (too many "Ya's" in it) but otherwise a wonderful, refreshing character in the middle of a bunch of losers. Her character is so honest and persistent, it makes me wonder why I cant find a woman like that - and then I realize, I'm watching a movie and a brilliant one at that.