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Fargo

Actor(s): Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Harve Presnell
Director(s): Joel Coen
87

Details

MPAA Rating: R
Content Advisory: Graphic Violence, Adult Humor
Movie Release: 1996
DVD Release: 06/25/1997
Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV,Pan and Scan - Closed Captioned
Audio Tracks: English, French
Subtitles: Spanish
SwapaDVD Credits: 1
Number of Discs: 1
Run Time: 1 hrs 38 mins
Studio: Polygram Video
Members Wishing: 14
Genres: Crime, Americana, Black Comedy, Crime Comedy
See Also: Fargo, Fargo, Fargo [Special Edition]

Synopsis

Filmmaking siblings Joel Coen and Ethan Coen both embraced and poked satirical fun at their rural Minnesota roots with this comedy-drama-thriller that earned seven Oscar nominations, winning for Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay. Frances McDormand stars as Marge Gunderson, a pregnant police chief whose affable, folksy demeanor masks a whip-smart mind. When a pair of motorists are found slain not far from the corpse of a state trooper, Marge begins piecing together a case involving a pair of dopey would-be kidnappers, Carl (Steve Buscemi) and Gaear (Bergman stock player Peter Stormare). They've been hired by Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), a car salesman under the thumb of his wealthy, overbearing boss and father-in-law, Wade (Harve Presnell). Jerry's raised some money illegally through a petty scam he's run on General Motors and he's about to get caught. When Wade sours a business deal that could save his son-in-law's hide, the desperate Jerry hires Carl and Gaear to kidnap his wife and hold her for ransom. Things go predictably wrong and a series of murders occur, with Marge, waddling along behind her enormous belly and ever-hungering for an all-you-can-eat buffet, hot on the trail of the killers. Although the credits for Fargo state that the film is loosely based on real events, the story is entirely fictional, the claim being just an ironic jibe on the part of the Coens. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

Cast

Frances McDormand - Marge Gunderson
William H. Macy - Jerry Lundegaard
Steve Buscemi - Carl Showalter
Peter Stormare - Gaear Grimsrud
Harve Presnell - Wade Gustafson

Awards

1996	Best Screenplay (winner)	Los Angeles Film Critics Association	Joel Coen
1996	Best Screenplay (winner)	Los Angeles Film Critics Association	Ethan Coen
1996	Best Actress (winner)	Broadcast Film Critics Association	Frances McDormand
1996	Best Director (nominee)	Directors Guild of America	Joel Coen
1996	Best Actress (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Frances McDormand
1996	Best Cinematography (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Roger Deakins
1996	Best Director (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Joel Coen
1996	Best Original Screenplay (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Joel Coen
1996	Best Original Screenplay (winner)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Ethan Coen
1996	Best Picture (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Ethan Coen
1996	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	William H. Macy
1996	Best Editing (nominee)	Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Scie	Roderick Jaynes
1996	Best Director (winner)	Cannes Film Festival	Joel Coen
1996	Best Director (winner)	National Board of Review	Joel Coen
1996	Best Actress (winner)	National Board of Review	Frances McDormand
1996	Best Director (winner)	Independent Spirit Awards	Joel Coen
1996	Best Screenplay (winner)	Independent Spirit Awards	Ethan Coen
1996	Best Screenplay (winner)	Independent Spirit Awards	Joel Coen
1996	Best Actor (winner)	Independent Spirit Awards	William H. Macy
1996	Best Actress (winner)	Independent Spirit Awards	Frances McDormand
1996	Best Cinematography (winner)	Independent Spirit Awards	Roger Deakins
1996	Best Director (winner)	Chicago Film Critics Association	Joel Coen
1996	Best Screenplay (winner)	Chicago Film Critics Association	Joel Coen
1996	Best Screenplay (winner)	Chicago Film Critics Association	Ethan Coen
1996	Best Original Score (winner)	Chicago Film Critics Association	Carter Burwell
1996	Best Actress (winner)	Chicago Film Critics Association	Frances McDormand
1996	Best Actress (winner)	Screen Actors Guild	Frances McDormand
1996	Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Pic (nominee)	Screen Actors Guild	William H. Macy
1996	Best Cinematography (nominee)	American Society of Cinematographers	Roger Deakins