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MOVIE

Fargo (1996)

Directed by Joel Coen•1h 38m•Published Mar 9, 2021•Episode length 2h 09m
Episode 58 - Fargo
CrimeDramaThriller

Top cast

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Frances McDormand
Frances McDormand
Marge Gunderson
William H. Macy
William H. Macy
Jerry Lundegaard
Steve Buscemi
Steve Buscemi
Carl Showalter
Peter Stormare
Peter Stormare
Gaear Grimsrud
Harve Presnell
Harve Presnell
Wade Gustafson
John Carroll Lynch
John Carroll Lynch
Norm Gunderson
Kristin Rudrüd
Kristin Rudrüd
Jean Lundegaard
Bruce Bohne
Bruce Bohne
Lou
Steve Reevis
Steve Reevis
Shep Proudfoot
Steve Park
Steve Park
Mike Yanagita

Director

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Joel Coen
Joel Coen
Director
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Overview

Jerry, a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt... but he's got a plan. He's going to hire two thugs to kidnap his wife in a scheme to collect a hefty ransom from his wealthy father-in-law. It's going to be a snap and nobody's going to get hurt... until people start dying. Enter Police Chief Marge, a coffee-drinking, parka-wearing - and extremely pregnant - investigator who'll stop at nothing to get her man. And if you think her small-time investigative skills will give the crooks a run for their ransom... you betcha!

Show notes

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This week we're joining the Minnesota State Police (our prowler might need a boost) as we check out Siskel & Ebert (Ebs!)'s 1996 film of the year in the Coen Brothers' Fargo. Join your favourite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam, Ellie - and Ethan from Talking The Mickey – as we head to Siberia with Family rest…

Read full show notes

This week we're joining the Minnesota State Police (our prowler might need a boost) as we check out Siskel & Ebert (Ebs!)'s 1996 film of the year in the Coen Brothers' Fargo.  Join your favourite TransAtlantic podcasting crew – Ian, Liam, Ellie - and Ethan from Talking The Mickey – as we head to Siberia with Family restaurants with pseudo-Scandanavian accents before snuggling up with a nature documentary before bed.  It's definitely not a lemon of a 58th episode as we discuss

  • Why the credits only list Joel Coen as director
  • If the 'Minnesota Nice' accent is harder for British ears to distinguish than Canadian/Kiwi ones
  • Whether Marge & Norm have hollow lives
  • The tropes that the Coens were trying to dismantle regarding how pregnant women are presented in Hollywood
  • The power play that William H. Macy put forth to get the part
  • The purpose of dealer plates in North America
  • Why Carl was cheaping out over the Sierra when he had $920,000 stashed away elsewhere
  • Whether or not Fargo is the Best Film Ever

Massive thanks to Lex Van Den Berghe for the use of 'Mistake' by Luckydog.  Catch more from Lex's new band, The Maids of Honor at https://soundcloud.com/themaidsofhonor

Also massive thanks to Moonlight Social for our age game theme song.  You can catch more from them at https://www.moonlightsocialmusic.com/