Actors - Fargo

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Fargo is a 1996 dramatic and dark comedy film created by brothers Joel and Ethan Coen.

The movie tells the story of Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), a Minnesota car salesman with financial troubles who hires two men, the "funny looking" Carl Showalter (Steve Buscemi) and the laconic Gaear Grimsrud (Peter Stormare), to kidnap his wife to obtain an $80,000 ransom from his wealthy father-in-law, Wade Gustafson (Harve Presnell). In exchange, the kidnappers are to receive a new car and half of the ransom.

The plan falls apart when a state trooper pulls over the kidnappers near Brainerd, Minnesota. After an unsuccessful bribe attempt by Showalter, Grimsrud murders the policeman and two witnesses who drive by.

The deaths are investigated by local police chief Marge Gunderson (Frances McDormand) who, while seven months pregnant, follows leads through Minneapolis and the backwoods of Minnesota.

Fargo won two Oscars in 1996 (best screenplay writing and best actress), a BAFTA and several other international film awards.

There are prominent film noir elements in the filming and writing of Fargo, and some critics consider it a modern classic in the genre. Roger Ebert has included it in his list of 'Great movies'.

Trivia

Though completely fictional, the opening titles claim that it is "a true story" that "took place in Minnesota in 1987." The end credits bear the standard disclaimer for a work of fiction.

The entire film takes place in Minnesota, with the exception of a short scene in the eponymous Fargo, North Dakota at the beginning, and another short scene near Bismarck, North Dakota at the end. Most of the action is set near Brainerd, Minnesota and in the Minneapolis suburbs.

Unseasonably mild weather forced the crew to move locations frequently to find suitable snow-covered landscapes, and fake snow had to be used for many scenes. Pools and streams of meltwater are visible in many scenes.

The car dealership featured in the movie was in Richfield, Minnesota. The business has since been razed, and the site is currently home to Best Buy's corporate headquarters. The dealership company remains in business, but has relocated from Richfield to Roseville, Minnesota.

In 1997 a pilot was filmed for a television show based on the film. Set in Brainerd, it starred Edie Falco
as Marge Gunderson. It was shown during Trio's 2003 "Brilliant But Cancelled" series of failed TV shows.

In 2001 a Japanese woman, Takako Konishi, was found dead near Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. It was widely claimed at the time that she had frozen to death while looking for the money hidden in the movie, but there is little evidence to support this hypothesis. Based on the presence of sedatives in her system and a letter sent to her family, her death was ruled a suicide.

The scene in the car dealership where Jerry talks to the couple about the TruCoat on the car is based on Ethan's actual experience with a car salesman.

There have been many parodies of the famous woodchipper scene. In an episode of FOX's The Bernie Mac Show, Bernie Mac
hired Jordan to destroy Baby Girl's beloved doll. Jordan throws the doll into a woodchipper.

Awards

Award wins:

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film
Academy Award for Best Actress
(Frances McDormand
)
Academy Award for Writing Original Screenplay (Joel Coen & Ethan Coen)
Writers Guild of America Award for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen (Joel & Ethan Coen)
BAFTA David Lean Award for Direction (Joel Coen)
Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Director
(Joel Coen)

Award nominations:

Academy Award for Best Picture
Golden Globe Award for Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy
Academy Award for Directing (Joel Coen)
Golden Globe Award for Best Director - Motion Picture (Joel Coen)
Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (Frances McDormand
)
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
(William H. Macy
)
Academy Award for Best Cinematography (Roger Deakins
)
Academy Award for Film Editing (Ethan Coen & Joel Coen)
Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture (Joel & Ethan Coen)

[ Visit the complete Wikipedia entry for Fargo (film) ]

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Actors - Fargo

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