10 Facts About Fargo That You Probably Didn’t Know

Released on March 8, 1996, this week marks the 20th anniversary that ‘Fargo’ first hit cinemas, and instantly wowed audiences.

While Coen Brothers fans can easily spend hours arguing which of the filmmakers’ oeuvre is legitimately their finest, they all have a soft spot for ‘Fargo’.

Not only because ‘Fargo’s’ $60 million box office gross from its $7 million budget was the Coen Brothers’ first hit film since 1987’s ‘Raising Arizona’, but also because it possesses all of the cinematic hallmarks that the siblings thrive upon.

As well as its impressive gross ‘Fargo’ went on to win two Oscars at the 69th Academy Awards, with Frances McDormand and the Coens themselves taking home the Best Actress and Best Writing (Original Screenplay) gongs, respectively.

So it’s quite right that we all celebrate the release of ‘Fargo’. And to help you do just that, here are 10 facts that you probably didn’t know about the Coen Brothers masterpiece.

- William H. Macy, who was convinced he was right for the part, read twice for the deceitful car salesman Jerry Lundegaard. After the Coens didn’t immediately cast him, Macy decided to fly all the way to New York where he found them and said, “I’m very, very worried that you are going to screw up this movie by giving this role to somebody else.” Obviously they were ultimately convinced.

- The Coen Brothers had finished scripts for both ‘Fargo’ and ‘The Big Lebowski’ ready to shoot after they’d finished on ‘The Hudsucker Proxy’. They picked ‘Fargo’ over ‘The Big Lebowski’ only because their first and only choice for The Dude, Jeff Bridges, was busy filming ‘Wild Bill’.

- Bruce Campbell – a Sami Raimi favourite who also has a small role in The Coens’ ‘The Hudsucker Proxy’ – briefly features in ‘Fargo’ too. When Peter Stormare and Steve Buscemi are trying to watch an awful TV in the cabin Campbell’s appearance in the early 80s soap ‘Generations’ pops up through the static.

- After turning down a role in 1990’s ‘Miller’s Crossing’ Peter Stormare leapt at the chance to portray Gaear Grimsrud in ‘Fargo’. The Swedish actor admitted that he was ecstatic when they offered him another part, which this time he rather wisely decided to accept.

- Film critic legends Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert both absolutely adored ‘Fargo’. Not only did they both name it as the best film of 1996 but during their first screening Siskel turned to Ebert and remarked while smiling, “This is why we love movies.”

-It’s widely known that the opening disclaimer that ‘Fargo’ is based on true events was actually a lie. But the Coen Brothers repeatedly insisted while promoting ‘Fargo’ that the story had been fact-checked and that it was based on real crimes. This was done to make ‘Fargo’ different to the heavily stylised films of The Coen Brothers’ past that had failed to connect with audiences.

- Carter Burwell’s stunning ‘Fargo’ score is based on a traditional Norwegian folk song entitled The Lost Sheep. Burwell had previously based the score for ‘Miller’s Crossing’ on the Irish ballad Limerick’s Lamentation.

- ‘Fargo’s’ credits tease that the character of Victim In Field was played by Prince, rather than the actor who really portrayed the deceased, J. Todd Anderson. Peter Stormare told The Huffington Post this is because Prince hailed from Minnesota and wanted to film a small part in ‘Fargo’. But when that didn’t work out the Coens used his symbol to show their solidarity with the musician. Is it true? Let’s not ask questions and just hope so.

- Because ‘Fargo’ was shot during the second warmest winter in a hundred years much of the snow in the film is actually fake. That kind of ruins ‘Fargo’ a little bit for you, doesn’t it? Same here.

- Ethan and Joel Coen decided to name the character of Jerry Lundegaard after the movie critic for the Minneapolis Star and Tribune Bob Lundegaard. After watching ‘Fargo’ for the first time Bob joked to the brothers that he was going to sue them.

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[Images via Gramercy Pictures]