Synopsis
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!
Key facts
Cast
Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Harve Presnell, John Carroll Lynch, Kristin Rudrüd, Bruce Bohne
Original language
English
First release
March 8, 1996 (Romania)
Production companies
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Films
Home video distributors
Polygram Video (United States)
Awards
Academy Award for Best Actress, Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Screenplay, London Film Critics Circle Award for Film of the Year, New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Film, Writers Guild of America Award for Best Original Screenplay, National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
Setting
Fargo
Filming locations
Minnesota
Crew
Screenplay
Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Producer
Ethan Coen
Cinematography
Roger Deakins
Editing
Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Music
Carter Burwell
Trailer
Stills
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to write one.
Festival History
- Fantastic Zagreb Film Festival 2026 - Fantastic Retro
- Los Angeles Film Awards 2025
VHS & home video releases
| VHS | Polygram Video (cat. no. 800638) | 1996, United States, slipcase |
Releases & classifications
| Theatrical | Romania | March 8, 1996 |
| Theatrical | United States | March 8, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Canada | April 5, 1996 |
| Theatrical | United States | April 5, 1996 |
| Theatrical | United Kingdom | May 3, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Ireland | May 3, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Italy | May 20, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Australia | June 14, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Spain | June 20, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Switzerland | June 21, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Iceland | July 17, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Norway | July 19, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Brazil | July 26, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Denmark | August 9, 1996 |
| Theatrical | France | September 4, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Switzerland | September 6, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Taiwan | September 7, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Hong Kong | September 12, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Portugal | September 13, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Slovenia | October 3, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Turkey | October 11, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Netherlands | October 17, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Japan | November 9, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Germany | November 14, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Austria | November 15, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Switzerland | November 15, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Poland | November 15, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Sweden | November 15, 1996 |
| Theatrical | South Africa | November 22, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Finland | December 13, 1996 |
| Theatrical | Hungary | February 27, 1997 |
| Theatrical | Argentina | March 13, 1997 |
| Theatrical | Mexico | March 14, 1997 |
| Theatrical | South Korea | March 15, 1997 |
| Theatrical | Greece | March 22, 1997 |
| Theatrical | Chile | April 3, 1997 |
| Theatrical | Uruguay | May 16, 1997 |
| Theatrical | Greece | May 22, 1997 |
| Theatrical | Czech Republic | July 17, 1997 |
| Theatrical | Slovakia | July 17, 1997 |
| Theatrical | KW | October 1, 1997 |
| Television | France | March 20, 1998 |
| Theatrical | Lithuania | March 12, 1999 |
| Television | France | November 25, 1999 |
| Theatrical | France | July 4, 2001 |
| Television | Netherlands | June 30, 2003 |
| Streaming | Philippines | October 28, 2015 |
| Theatrical | France | July 20, 2016 |
| Television | Portugal | May 13, 2020 |
| Theatrical | Singapore | March 11, 2021 |
| Theatrical | Ukraine | January 13, 2022 |
| Theatrical | Greece | August 17, 2023 |
| Theatrical | Germany | March 4, 2025 |
| Television | France | June 6, 2026 |
| Streaming | Philippines | September 4, 2026 |
| Television | France | November 1, 2026 |
| Classification | Germany | 16 |
| Classification | United Kingdom | 18 |
| Classification | United States | R |
Versions & editions
| Home video VHS | United States | 1996 800638 |
| Home video | Sweden | April 1, 1997 |
| Home video | United Kingdom | May 19, 1997 |
| Home video | United Kingdom | June 25, 1997 |
| Home video | Sweden | September 30, 2003 |
| Home video | Netherlands | January 24, 2007 |
| Home video | United Kingdom | May 4, 2009 |
| Home video | Netherlands | November 3, 2010 |
| Home video | United Arab Emirates | April 7, 2014 |
| Home video | United Kingdom | November 9, 2026 |
Full credits
| Director | Joel Coen |
| Cast | Frances McDormand (Marge Gunderson), William H. Macy (Jerry Lundegaard), Steve Buscemi (Carl Showalter), Peter Stormare (Gaear Grimsrud), Harve Presnell (Wade Gustafson), John Carroll Lynch (Norm Gunderson), Kristin Rudrüd (Jean Lundegaard), Bruce Bohne (Lou), Steve Reevis (Shep Proudfoot), Steve Park (Mike Yanagita), Gary Houston (Irate Customer), Sally Wingert (Irate Customer's Wife), Larissa Kokernot (Hooker #1), Melissa Peterman (Hooker #2), Tony Denman (Scotty Lundegaard), Larry Brandenburg (Stan Grossman), Michelle Hutchison (Escort), Bain Boehlke (Mr. Mohra), Warren Keith (Reilly Diefenbach (voice)), Michelle LeDoux (Victim In Car), Steve Edelman (Morning Show Host), Sharon Anderson (Morning Show Hostess), Kurt Schweickhardt (Car Salesman), James Gaulke (State Trooper), J. Todd Anderson (Victim in the Field), Michelle Suzanne LeDoux (Victim in Car), Petra Boden (Cashier), Wayne A. Evenson (Customer), Cliff Rakerd (Officer Olson), Jessica Shepherd (Hotel Clerk), Peter Schmitz (Airport Lot Attendant), Steven I. Schafer (Mechanic), David S. Lomax (Man in Hallway), José Feliciano (José Feliciano), Bix Skahill (Night Parking Attendant), Rose Stockton (Valerie (voice)), Robert Ozasky (Bismarck Cop #1), John Bandemer (Bismarck Cop #2), Don Wescott (Bark Beetle Narrator (voice)), Bruce Campbell (Soap Opera Actor on TV (uncredited)) |
| Screenplay | Joel Coen, Ethan Coen |
| Producer | Ethan Coen |
| Executive producer | Eric Fellner, Tim Bevan |
| Cinematography | Roger Deakins |
| Editing | Ethan Coen, Joel Coen |
| Music | Carter Burwell |
| Production design | Rick Heinrichs |
| Costumes | Mary Zophres |
Additional data: TMDB.
Source: Wikidata (CC0-1.0)
Source: Cinémathèque québécoise, linked catalogue data (CC BY 4.0)
