IMDb > Fargo (1996)
Fargo
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Fargo (1996) -- Jerry Lundegaard's inept crime falls apart due to his and his henchmen's bungling and the persistent police work of pregnant Marge Gunderson.
Fargo (1996) -- MyMovieScripts.com - Trailer (Flash)
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Overview

User Rating:
MOVIEmeter: ?
No change in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Joel Coen
(more)
Writers (WGA):
Joel Coen (written by) &
Ethan Coen (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Fargo on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
8 March 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Crime | Thriller more
Tagline:
A homespun murder story. more
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. full summary | full synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won 2 Oscars. Another 52 wins & 30 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(105 articles)
Film Weekly on Harry Brown and the Coen brothers
 (From The Guardian - Film News. 12 November 2009, 2:57 AM, PST)
Movie Review: A Serious Man
 (From The Movie Fanatic. 2 November 2009, 1:29 AM, PST)
User Comments:
The Coen Brothers come up with another winner. more (640 total)

Cast

  (in credits order) (verified as complete)

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

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 ... Officer 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 - Bartender in Driveway
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 (uncredited)
Clifford Nelson ... Heavyset Man In Bar (uncredited)
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Directed by
Joel Coen 
Ethan Coen (uncredited)
 
Writing credits
(WGA)
Joel Coen (written by) &
Ethan 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 
 
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 .... lead man
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 .... stereo 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 .... apprentice sound editor
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 .... special effects snowmaker
Yvonne Sturm .... snowmaker
 
Visual Effects by
John Alagna .... opticals
 
Stunts
Danny Downey .... stunts
Jery Hewitt .... stunt coordinator
Jery Hewitt .... stunts
Jennifer Lamb .... stunts
Eddie L. Watkins .... stunts (uncredited)
 
Camera and Electrical Department
Jim Bridges .... still photographer (as James Bridges)
Robin Brown .... camera operator
Robin Brown .... director of photography: second unit
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 electric
Mitchell Andrew Lillian .... key grip (as Mitch Lillian)
William Moore .... rigging gaffer
Bill O'Leary .... chief lighting technician
Timothy O'Toole .... video playback operator
Joseph Slagerman .... company grip
Michael Tackett .... still photographer
Niel Williams .... company grip (as Neil Williams)
 
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
David Diliberto .... first assistant editor (as Big Dave Diliberto)
Daniel J. Geiger .... location assistant editor (as Daniel Geiger)
Alma Kuttruff .... apprentice editor
 
Music Department
Carter Burwell .... conductor
Carter Burwell .... orchestrator
Emile Charlap .... music contractor
Edmund Choi .... assistant to composer
Michael Farrow .... score mixer
Todd Kasow .... music editor (as Todd Kassow)
Paul Peabody .... musician: violin
Shari Schwartz .... associate music editor
John Moses .... musician: clarinet (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
Randall Balsmeyer .... title designer
Clement Baque .... caterer
Cheryl Broussard .... assistant production coordinator (as Cheryl M. Broussard)
Mark Demarais .... set production assistant
Daniel J. Dustin .... set medic (as Dan Dustin)
Joe Everett .... unit publicist
Mimi Everett .... title designer
Jane Frazer .... head of production: Working Title
Kurt W. Gensmer .... set medic
Karen Ruth Getchell .... production coordinator
Robert Graf .... location manager (as Robert J. Graf)
Senor Greazer .... meat dinner MC
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
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
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
Eric Vignando .... caterer
Charlie Vogel .... post-production accountant (as Charles Vogel)
Jeffrey Abramson .... pre-production intern (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
 
Crew verified as complete


Production CompaniesDistributorsSpecial EffectsOther Companies
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Additional Details

MPAA:
Rated R for strong violence, language and sexuality.
Parents Guide:
View content advisory for parents
Runtime:
98 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
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 more
Company:
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
None of the movie scenes, either exterior or interior, were actually filmed in Fargo. The bar exterior shown at the beginning of the movie is located in Northeast Minneapolis. more
Goofs:
Crew or equipment visible: Shadow at lower left during zoom into Marge's bed. more
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.
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Deadly Mantis (#9.4)" (1997) more

FAQ

Was Fargo based on a true story?
A NOTE REGARDING SPOILERS
Did a Japanese woman die because she believed the movie was true?
more

User Comments

   (Comment on this title)
64 out of 108 people found the following comment useful.
The Coen Brothers come up with another winner., 5 August 1998
9/10
Author: Carl T. Erickson (ctexclam@bayareacom.net) from Port Lavaca, TX

With no major stars or well-known names, the actors outshine many more familiar personages. The story is well thought out. The criminals don't try to ingratiate themselves with the audience which adds to its reality. The acting is most convincing and the writing is excellent. Even the cold of a North Dakota winter comes across. Every film course should make use of this movie to demonstrate how to make a very good film without relying on a bottomless budget.

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