Fargo (1996)

Brace yourself for a subzero cinematic journey as we explore the wintry wit and suspense of the Coen Brothers' "Fargo." Discover the complexities of Jerry Lundegaard's bumbling crime gone wrong, and how the frigid Minnesota landscape becomes a silent character in this tale of desperation and dark comedy. No guest needed; just you, me, and the quirky universe of a cult classic that defies genre boundaries and continues to freeze audiences in their tracks.

Hold onto your snow hats as we unravel the hilariously tense moment when Jean's quiet knitting is shattered by the intrusion of two bumbling kidnappers. Contrast that with Jerry's own unraveling in corporate meetings, painting a stark picture of a man whose schemes are as slippery as the ice-covered roads his ill-fated plans travel on. The episode's storytelling is as kinetic as a high-speed chase across a snow-blanketed landscape, capturing the chaos of a crime that's as absurd as it is deadly.

Finally, we wrap up snugly, examining the aftermath of a criminal plan skidding out of control. Marge's earnest sleuthing peels away the layers of Jerry's precarious web of lies, leading us to a wood chipper scene that's as gruesome as it is iconic. "Fargo" serves up a frosty reminder that, sometimes, greed leads to nothing but heartache and hilarity. So stoke the fire and join me for a deep dive into the frostbitten soul of this unique film, where the chill in the air is matched only by the warmth of our collective chuckles at human folly.

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Chapters

• 0:04 Winter Movies
• 16:17 Gene's Encounter, Jerry's Business Dilemma
• 20:41 Kidnapping and Chaotic Crime Scene
• 34:29 Criminal Scheme Consequences and Complications
• 49:20 Fargo

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:04

Hello and welcome to another episode of Movies, colin. They're pretty good. I'm your host, travis Dutting. And welcome to 2024, new Year same mediocre podcast. But hey, we're going to keep pushing anyway.

Speaker 1: 0:18

So, something I wanted to do for the month of January. I wanted to do another themed month, like I've been doing, but I had the idea of doing snow or winter movies that aren't necessarily holiday related. So, without further ado, let's get into our first one of the year. This is the Colin Brothers Classic Fargo from 1996. Great movie. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.

Speaker 1: 0:47

But yeah, very winter, heavy plot and everything like that, and takes place during winter, takes place in the snow. So that's why I wanted to cover it this month. Let's get right into it. So we open on a card that says that the story is a true story. But I always love when things are marketed as a true story when they obviously aren't. Now some of the stuff might have happened in this one. It says that the names and locations were changed and all that, and I probably should have looked that up, but I honestly didn't think about it since until now, like after writing down that note. But yeah, it says it's a true story says the names and locations were changed, but the story's told exactly how it happened in order to like honor the dead, that type of thing, and this one takes place in Minnesota in 1987. Real quick, if you're familiar with the movie but not familiar with the TV show. It is connected and I'll talk a little bit about that. Like once we get to that point in the movie like where there is a connection, but it's very loosely connected and basically all these events happen in the Midwest and Fargo is very loosely related. It's just kind of just one central location but everything else usually happens in another Midwest city or state even. But if you haven't seen the show, check it out, especially seasons one and two. Three was okay and I haven't seen four and five yet. But that's another reason I wanted to do this movie is because it gave me a reason to rewatch it and then I could rewatch through the series and get more caught up on it and everything like that, because the new season looks really good and so did the last one. But it was just a weird time of my life where I wasn't doing a lot of TV watching. But enough about that.

Speaker 1: 3:15

Opening shot is a snowy road. The snow's blowing across, so it's very low visibility, but we see a car pulling a trailer with another car on the back and just going down the road, this car pulls into the town of Fargo and the last time we're going to see that town of Fargo in the whole movie but it pulls in and this is where we meet one of our main characters, because I'd say that there's two leads and two sides of a story basically going on here. Maybe three leads, but because there are like three plots going on. But so yeah, one of three main protagonists, jerry Lundergard, played by William H Macy, who is just amazing at doing this like exacerbated pushover type character and really bringing out the big guns with this one and I'd say another one that is kind of like that is his character in Boogie Nights and his character in Magnolia, so two Paul Thomas Anderson classics right there. So he's having a meeting with Carl and Gare Carl played by Steve Buscemi and Gare played by Peter Stormair, and you could tell right off the bat that these guys are criminals they're talking about.

Speaker 1: 5:01

So he's basically bringing them this car, which is part of a deal, and there's also this going to be this $40,000 ransom. Well, I think it's. No, the ransom is $80,000. And then the criminals keep $40,000 and he keeps $40,000. And we understand that, that he has a wealthy father-in-law and that the plan is to kidnap his wife and stage a kidnapping, stage, a ransom. Criminals keep the half of the money and William H Jerry keeps the other half of the money and the plan is like the wife doesn't get hurt or anything like that, they just kidnap her. Each of them get their money and then they move on and they're like okay, like, why don't you ask the father-in-law for money? And then he's like no, I can't do that, because he doesn't like me pretty much. And I mean they're right off the bat just poking oh my God, I can't talk today. They're poking all these holes in his logic of his plan and everything like that and just pointing out, okay, there's all these things that can go wrong. Why don't you just do that? Why don't you do all these different obvious things? And he says, well, I'm into some trouble and he'd rather not have either of them know what it is. And I don't think we ever really hear what the trouble is that he's in, if it's a gambling debt, like a loan shark thing or what? But he owes somebody money and this is. He's basically fallen to this position, hit rock bottom and this is his only way out in his head.

Speaker 1: 7:04

So we see Jerry come back to the house he's got groceries, goes into the does he have groceries? I don't know, I could be getting either way. He comes home, his wife's in the kitchen cooking. His wife his name is Jean and then we've learned that his father-in-law is there also and he's there for dinner. He's just on the couch with a glass of probably, whiskey and watching the hockey game on TV.

Speaker 1: 7:30

So during the scene at the dinner table, while they're having dinner as a family, it's Jerry, his wife, his son and his father-in-law, wade, and he has this business proposition for Wade saying like, oh, like, I have this idea, like let's buy a parking lot and like, basically, I just need you to invest in upfront the money and you know it's going to be a good investment, it's going to be very lucrative. And he's Wade's very like. No, I don't know, that doesn't really sound like it's going to a good idea, but still talk to I think it's Stan, another accountant guy at the at the firm, because they work for a. Wade owns a car dealership and Jerry is the chief chief sales officer or something like that. So Wade's just kind of blowing them off about this, but not outright saying no. So we get a little bit of the insight into how like difficult Wade is to deal with and how he doesn't really like Jerry all that much. And then the son asks if he can be excused and gets up and leaves and like he didn't finish his dinner and the, his grandpa's like okay, like you didn't. You know always saying to the, the parents, like what he doesn't finish his dinner. And then he gets to go to McDonald's with his friends and just like insinuating that he's going to be just up to no good there, whatever, he's just like a difficult old man. But the mom was like he's fine, he's just young, he's just the kid you know, they're just going to hang out, whatever.

Speaker 1: 9:14

So then we get cut to Garin, carl. They're arguing over like where they're going to eat dinner. They're just driving. Obviously they're on their way from Fargo to wherever Jerry is to kidnap the wife and they're just having this like argument about what, where they're going to eat. Because Garin just wants to eat at House of Pancakes, so which is? Or pancake house is how he says it, but he has an accent that isn't. But they don't really talk about, like where he's from or anything like that. So but you could tell that he's not a full American or not born in America Not that it matters, but it's just just one of those character traits that they just give without a explanation, which I think is always a little more effective.

Speaker 1: 10:14

You don't need a backstory for everything about everyone. You know you don't need to find out why Solo or Han Solo is named Solo. You know that's not necessary. But so we got Gar. He wants pancakes and he's like what? Like we just had pancakes for breakfast. Carl says this and it's like we just need to go somewhere with a steak and beer and a shot. You know, that's what I want.

Speaker 1: 10:43

And then it cuts back to Jerry. We see him at work. He is trying to sell a car to this couple and he's arguing with them and saying, like the guy's like calling him a liar, saying like you said that the car was ready to go at this price. And now I get down here and you're trying to push this true coat on and everything like this. You know, sealant on the paint and everything like that and he's like, ah, no, like it just comes like that from the factory. But let me go talk to my boss and he's like, pretends, like to go, which I'm sure this is a major salesman trick anyway, Like you know. You know that you can. He's basically trying to trap him into a certain price that's above what he initially advertised, but below like what he's trying to make it seem like he's given him a deal at where he's really not. He's still like the guy's still paying more money and he's not falling for it. But he does like he knows that he's getting screwed over but he still ends up buying the car anyway.

Speaker 1: 11:51

So then we cut back to Carl and Gare. They're pulling into Brainerd. They make sure to show you the sign Welcome to Brainerd, a home of Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Blue Ox giant, paul Bunyan statue. And they pull into the Blue Ox Motel. They get a couple of sex workers that's one of the things that they talked about I guess that was the compromise for not getting pancakes is that they get prostitutes to have sex with and they're like just one in each bed with a different girl, whatever. A little awkward. But hey, that's your thing. That's your thing and it seems like it's like a nothing scene. It's just showing you like this is what they're doing right now, and then it cuts to them, like just watching TV with them, you know, and then it doesn't seem like it's important, but it'll come back later.

Speaker 1: 12:49

Then we get Jerry. He's at home. He gets a call from Wade, his father-in-law, and he's saying like, hey, like I'm talking to Stan, this deal sounds like it might be a good thing, so why don't you come in and we'll talk about it? You know me, you and Stan. And he's like, oh, like, okay, like I might get the. I think he says out loud. He's like, oh, like I would need the money up front and all this stuff. So he's like, okay, like I might not need this kidnapping thing to happen. So he tries to have it called off. He calls his middleman, which is a Shep Proudfoot and we'll actually see him later. Oh, yeah, he's saying that he can't get ahold of them, like it's already it's going to happen. You know, I can't like call it off at this point.

Speaker 1: 13:45

Cut back to Carl and Gare. They're driving into Minneapolis. We can see like the, all the big buildings and everything, and he's just trying to like get a conversation out of Gare and all of, and he doesn't like say anything like at all. And he's just like you know we're driving like four hours. I'm doing all the driving Like, all I want to do is just like talk. You know, like can't you just say like anything Like. But you know it's just like one of those strong silent types. So I was just not really one for conversation and you could also tell that he's like very annoyed with Carl and, which is another character. That's a type of character that Steve Buscemi is really good at is just playing like a weird, annoying guy.

Speaker 1: 14:28

Cut to Jerry he's back at his office. He gets a call from the bank saying like hey, um, so you send us the paperwork over for these cars that you put up as like a collateral for us to loan you $300,000 basically. But on the paperwork the serial numbers are hard to read Like. So I need you to just give me those serial numbers. Obviously, jerry fudged these numbers and these cars probably don't exist because he's trying very hard to like beat around the bush and saying like okay, like I'll fax you over another copy or you know all this stuff. And he's like no, like this one was a fax like and we can't read it, so I need you to just tell them to me. And he's like well, I don't have that information on me right now, so I'll have my assistant or secretary, whoever, send you a copy, like an actual hard copy. And the banker is like hesitant, but he's like, okay, that'll do so. Yeah, it's just like another scene that is showing like how in over his head Jerry is and like it's more than one thing that he's got, like that he's screwed up on his own and he's trying to like wiggle his way out of. So he's like got this kidnap thing, got whatever deal that he has that he owes money for, and now this like fraudulent loan and everything like that. So just like just the guy that's like just always trying to get out of trouble and just digs himself even deeper hole.

Speaker 1: 16:17

So now we cut to Gene. She's at the house watching TV and knitting, I think, and as she's watching TV she looks out the sliding glass door and here come to the two kidnappers with their. They got the ski masks on and everything. And it's funny because she's just like watching them, like all scared, like what's going on and which I don't know why, like she should have called the cops like as soon as she saw them. But you know, but she's just like watching them and they're like just peeking in the house but they don't see her and they're just like trying to figure out how to get in. And then it's not until one of them breaks the window or breaks the sliding glass door that she like screams and tries to run. Gare grabs her, but then she like bites his hand. And then she runs upstairs, grabs the phone and is trying to call the police One of them, like because we don't, we don't see who it is, but we see the, because it's a wired landline phone, because it's 1987. So someone pulls the phone cord through the bathroom door and yanks it out of her hand before she can dial anything.

Speaker 1: 17:43

She's in the bathroom, she, we see her open the window like she's going to jump out the window. But then it cuts to them like breaking the door open. They get in there, they see that the doors are, that the windows open, and like Carl's like oh, she must have got outside, let me go get her. And Gare is just like worried about the bite on his hand. He's just looking for some like ointment or something in the medicine cabinet and while he's about to put the ointment on, he notices the shower curtain. He's like, oh, I bet she's in there. And but before he can pull it open and see that she's in there, she like tries I don't know if she's trying to tackle him, like with the shower curtain or and rush him or just like panics and tries to run. But she has the shower curtain on her because that, like she pulls that off and it's covering her face. So she ends up falling down the stairs uh, cause she can't see and knocks herself out. So, uh, he made their job easy.

Speaker 1: 18:48

So then we see, uh, jerry's meeting with Wade and Stan and uh, they're like oh yeah, like it looks like a really good deal, it looks like it's going to make like a lot of money and all the numbers are right. So, uh, what's your finders fee? And Jerry's like, what do you mean Like finders fee? Like, no, like this is this is my deal, I just want the you guys to invest in it. And they're like well, why would we do that? Like, why would we just give you all this money? And like, uh, he's like well, like, I'd pay you the, I'd pay you back the principal plus interest, and they're like no, like that's, that's a terrible business idea for us, like we'll just give you the finders fee, like what's your fee? And Jerry's like no, like finders fees only, like 10%, like I need more than that, basically, um. And then it ends with uh, or the meeting ends with Jerry like turning them down on the finders fee and walking away with nothing, because they're like all right, well, we're still going to invest this, uh, this idea, um, but you know, if you don't want the finders fee, then I don't know what to tell you. Uh, I think I get the, the principle behind Jerry being like offended by this, like I get it, but on their end, like yeah it, it just makes more sense, um, and I think it is because, well, just look at how in over his head he is in multiple aspects of his life, he's not the most reliable person. So it's definitely a better business uh decision on the weighed and stance part than it is for Jerry. Uh.

Speaker 1: 20:41

One of the coolest shots, though, is like after um way or not wait, uh, after Jerry leaves all defeated. It's just this overhead shot of him walking into the uh snow covered parking lot, and his is the only car in the parking lot and it's just like a real cool shot that I always really liked. But when he gets to his car, like he's trying to like scrape the ice off, and then he has like a little bit of a um, like a little outburst and everything. He's like hitting the ice scraper on the windshield and throws it and you know, just like taking out his frustration and uh. But then we see him come home with the groceries and he's like hello, like Jean, like you home, and then sees like that the kidnappers have done their part, uh. And then we hear, uh, we just overhear him, like like wait, it's Jerry. Like, oh my God, like Jean, like I don't know what happened, you know, and. But then he says it like a couple of different times in a couple of different ways, and then the camera pans over, then we see that he's rehearsing how he's going to uh call Wade and tell her that or tell him that Jean is kidnapped, um, so, and he's just trying to like get it right and everything. Uh. But I think the funniest part is like we keep hearing them with all these like exacerbated or uh, I keep not exasperated uh voices and everything like that Um. But then when uh he calls, finally it's just like the um receptionist. So he's just like, uh, yeah, uh, wade please, but just it's just like. So matter of fact. And then you, you think that he's all like panicking and everything like that, like if it was real, then you know, I mean, the kidnapping was real, but he knows about it, he's in on it, so you know what I mean.

Speaker 1: 22:37

So we see our two kidnappers. They uh are going the other way down the road, uh passing the Paul Bunyan statue again that we saw before Um, tregov's Paul Bunyan, I guess and uh, they have a gene in the backseat, uh, with like blankets over her or whatever, and Gare's telling her to shut up or I'm going to have to shoot you, or one of them says that I forget which one, um, and uh, they end up getting pulled over by uh state trooper highway patrolman, something like that, um, I think it's a state trooper, uh. And so they pull over and like Carl's like haha, like I don't have the tags on there, I never put the tags on the license plate. And um, so he's like, don't worry, like I got this, like just play it cool. And tells uh gene in the back, like, if you don't, like, if you move, then I'll shoot you, you know.

Speaker 1: 23:31

So the trooper gets up to the window and it's like, oh, like, uh, how can I help you officer? And he's like, oh, um, you know, like, if you uh, this says like, is this a new car? And he's like yeah, like, uh, it is. And he's like, you're supposed to have the dealer plates, like in the window or taped with license plate goes. And yeah, he's like oh, yeah, sorry, like you know, I like I meant to do that but, um, it just slipped my mind, so I'm sorry about that. And he goes to hand him his license and registration and it's his wallet, with the license there, but also a $50 bill, like, hanging out of the wallet. And he's trying to like oh, like, I was hoping maybe we could just take care of this here and in Brainerd. And the cops like, what are you doing? Like, and he's not, you could tell he's not going to take the bribe or anything like that. And he's like all right, just step out of the car. Or like, put that back in your pocket and step out of the car.

Speaker 1: 24:31

And this is where Gare reaches over. Carl grabs the cop, I don't know who, grabs his tie, something and pulls him down and shoots him in the head and like literally like just blood, like like all over Carl, all over the inside of the car. It's just like coming out like a fountain and it's just, it's super intense, like the whole thing. And then they're like oh my God, oh my God, like Carl's like okay, like that, gare's just like take care of it yourself, like whatever. And he's like get him off the road. And so Carl gets out of the car. He's trying to pull the cops body off the road, like probably put in the ditch or you know something.

Speaker 1: 25:15

As he's struggling with picking him up, here comes a car down the road and it's just like two locals probably coming down the highway and they kind of slow down because they see like the cop, you know the lights and everything. They slow down and see that Carl has a dead cop in his arms and they're like then they drive off and then Gare, just like, jumps over into the driver's seat, closes the door and takes off after these two guys or it's a couple and so he's chasing him down the road while Carl's still trying to get the cop off the road and everything. He's chasing him. He's trying to catch up with them because they like sped off once they saw what was happening, like as anybody probably would, and he's chasing them down the road. It's getting dark, he's kind of losing the the tail lights, but then he comes up on the car and it's flipped over in the snow. So they, you know it's snowing, so it's easy to lose control, especially when you're going that fast. They went off the road, flipped the car. Gare gets out, he's got his gun. He sees the guy big old red, puffy coat running out in the snow and just gets shot in the back and then goes over to the car that's flipped over and there's the you know the significant other, the woman that's in there and she's in the car, it's upside down and everything, and then he just like kind of stands back and kills her.

Speaker 1: 26:57

Now we get introduced to our other main character, marge Gunderson, played by Francis McDermott, and we see her getting a call like late at night and we're only here on like her side of the car or of everything and everything like that. So she's getting out of bed, her husband's there with her. I forget I always forget the actor's name, but he was the zodiac killer. And zodiac, well, the one that they strongly suggest is the zodiac killer, but he's a great actor. And so he's like oh, like you got to go to work. And she's like yeah, like, but you go back to sleep and he's like no, like, I'll make you breakfast, like you got to eat before you go. And so he insists on making her eggs.

Speaker 1: 27:52

We see that she's pregnant once she gets up, and then we see them having their breakfast together. She gets up to leave, you know, so it's goodbye and everything. Goes out to the car and then comes right back in and says that the cop car needs a jump. So now, then we see her at the crime scene and out and brainered on the side of the road, there's another cop there waiting for with coffee, hot chocolate, something hot, and so just like, okay, triple homicide, we got these two here.

Speaker 1: 28:33

And then the trooper back up the road and like, right away, like, puts it together, like, all right, like just the way that they're shot and that the fact that there's a dead cop and she's like I bet that they, you know, traffic stop, gone wrong, these two drive by and they get chased and taken care of after that and sees that the footprints are rather large there. But then when they go back to where the state trooper was killed, notices that the footprints are different and smaller. And so, like she's right right off the bat, like figuring everything out, like pretty quick, and they're like, oh, like, what were the? Like did you get the troopers notebook? Like, like, what's the license plate? And they have the car type. And then he says that the license plate just says DLR. And he's like, oh, like I bet, like he got shot before he could finish writing the number. And she's like I don't know, like I'm gonna have to call you on that police work, I bet, because what I think happened is that it's dealer plates, dlr. And he's like, oh, okay.

Speaker 1: 29:49

So then we see Jerry, wade and Stan at a diner and they're trying to figure out how they're going to handle this hostage situation. And Wade wants to get the cops involved and Jerry's like no, they said no cops. Like if something goes wrong, like they're going to kill her, like, so, like we need to play this their way. And then Stan's like you know what, I'm going to have to agree with Jerry on this, like they're holding all the cards and you know. So if we mess with them in any way, like it can only go bad for us. And but Wade's still like no, like, like is my money, like all this stuff. And but like in the end, like they're, the plan is to go with the Jerry's plan.

Speaker 1: 30:40

And then we get like one of the like most subtly sad parts is Stan asked how the sun is doing like with all this. And you can tell that Jerry like didn't even think about that, like at all, like no regard for how this kidnapping was gonna affect his son and anything like that. And you just tell in his tone that like oh yeah, he didn't even think about that. So he does go like talk to the sun, and the sun, you could tell, is like freaked out and nervous and he's like what if they come back, are they gonna hurt her? What are they doing with her? And Jerry's like yeah, it's gonna be okay, like all they want is money and they have no reason to hurt her. So because if they do, then they won't get the money. And like he's just trying to comfort and he's, you know, not doing a very good job of it.

Speaker 1: 31:35

But you know, then we see Carl and Gar get to the, the, I guess their safe house. You know it's funny, you think of a safe house is more of like a good guy thing, but it's their hide out or whatever. It's just a house out by a lake or something like that. And we see they open the car door to get Jean out. She has a bag on her head and she's like handcuffed hands behind her back and everything and she tries to run for it but you know, again, can't see anything. And you see her like run in the snow and fall and then get up and try to run again and the Carl's just like laughing at her, like, oh, like, and you know, eventually she just gives up and then they take her inside. So the cops figure out that the car that they're looking for had checked into the Blue Ox Motel and that they it was two guys and that they had two women with them. And so she's like okay, like you know, figure that out, like let me go talk to these two sex workers and see what I can figure out. And so she's talking to them.

Speaker 1: 32:55

And this is actually the first scene I ever seen of this movie and it was when I got the, when it first came out the game, seen it, it was one of the movie clips that they played on the my play or whatever, and it was this interview of with the Marge and the two sex workers and it's, it's hilarious, like just a lot of the real strong Midwestern accent, that oh yeah, and stuff like that, and just all the lines are like really funny to like. She asked the one like oh, like, what can you tell me about the like, what do they look like? And she's like well, the little one was really funny looking and she's like funny looking, how like, can you be any more specific than that? And she's like no, just funny, looking like he was on a circumcised. And Marge is like oh, besides that, how was he funny looking? And she's like I don't know. And the other one says like, well, the other guy, the big guy, was like remind me of the Marlboro man, but maybe that's just because you smoked. Marlboro is like, there's like a subconscious thing or something like that. And she's like not really getting anywhere with them. But then one of them does remember that they said that they were going to the Twin Cities, which is in Minneapolis, and she was like, oh, like, is that helpful? And then Marge is like, oh yeah, like that helps me a lot.

Speaker 1: 34:29

So we see Marge back at the house. She gets another. Well, we see her come home first, then she's in bed with her husband. She gets a call late at night from Mike Yanagida, and it's like an old school friend of hers, maybe ex-boyfriend, I forget if they say like specifically, but he's just like, oh, like I saw you on the news and like I couldn't believe it was you, because he's calling her by her maiden name, like. He's like, oh, like I'm in town, like and all this stuff, like it'd be cool to like catch up. And she's like, oh yeah, like cool.

Speaker 1: 35:08

Then we see Carl calling Jerry from a pay phone and he's like hey, like we need more money, like shit got out of hand, there's three people dead. And like this isn't what we signed up for, so you're going to have to pay us more money. And Jerry's like, freaking out about this. He's like what are you talking about? Like like what? What? Who's dead? Like, like this isn't part of the plan. And like first you make sure that Jean's not the one that's dead. And then he's like no, like Jean's fine, but like, give me more money or she won't be. And he's basically Carl's basically saying like hey, I'm going to take the full 80,000. Now, you know there's no splitting it now like now we get all the money.

Speaker 1: 35:55

Right after he gets off the phone with Carl, phone rings again and it's the bank and this time they're a little more like okay, like still didn't get those serial numbers and we need that. And if we don't get that, then I'm going to be that we're going to have to report this to the IRS and all this stuff and also get the money to take the whole 300,000 back. And so he's like no, like I'm going to send it. Like it's on, it's in the mail, it's on its way. And he's just like get more frustrated and more things are going wrong for him and everything like that. C-march gets the phone records from the Blue Ox Motel Lobby phone. I think this is while she's at dinner with her husband, norm, and they're at like a buffet, other cop comes up to her, says like hey, like we got the phone records and like they made two calls, one to Minneapolis and one to a private residence of Shep Proudfoot and like okay, like we'll check both of them out.

Speaker 1: 37:04

We see another argument of Wade trying to take control of the situation and he's saying like hey, it's my money, I'm going to do the drop and Jerry's. Like no, like you can't, like they said it has to be just me, and like it's too risky. Like you're going to, but for some reasons, like, and that does make sense, like, but for some reason, I think because money is involved then stands like siding with Wade this time. So I don't know what like changed his mind about that. But you know, I get it from Wade's side to an extent. But I think, if you know if your daughter is, if her life is in danger, like why would you like try to mess with that? You know, I don't know.

Speaker 1: 37:50

We see Carl pull into an airport parking garage. He goes up to the top floor, finds a or maybe it's not a garage, it could just be a parking lot. Either way. He's in a parking lot, finds a car, steals the plates off the back and puts them on his car, obviously, and then he goes to leave the parking lot and he's like hey, like I decided not to park here in the parking tent. It's like okay, but it's like what do you mean? Like you didn't decide to park here, like it's an airport, like um, he's like, oh, I decided not to take the trip. And he's like, okay, well, it's still like a four dollar flat fee. And Carl's just like arguing with them and he's like, but I'm not parking here, like I was in here for like five minutes and I just want to leave now. And the guy's like, well, it's still like a four dollar fee. And that, um, carl just like berates him and but then, like, throws him four dollars and leaves.

Speaker 1: 38:48

So now that uh Jerry is panicking that Wade is going to be the one to take the money and he can't stop, you, can't talk him out of it. So he goes to talk to Shep in order to get the get word to Carl, like, hey, like I can't stop this from happening, it's going to be him Like, but our deal still stands, okay. Another bit of information that's interesting is like we, uh we hear the conversation that uh Wade is having with Jerry and Stan and he's saying like, oh, like, let's just uh offer a half a million. And they're like, no, that's too low, like we shouldn't like lowball them. So this is where we find out that Jerry has told Wade that it's more money than you know what we heard before, because before we heard 80,000 and now it's obviously a lot more. So I think it's Jerry trying to have security for this bank thing If that goes wrong, and he has to pay that money back. So, um, and I and that's probably the other reason that he needs to get in contact with Carl like hey, it's going to be more money, we're going to split that instead, or whatever. You know, because if, uh, if Wade shows up with a million dollars and in cash and it's just Carl there, then Carl's was going to take the rest of the money. You know which down the line is what happens.

Speaker 1: 40:18

But, uh, so Jerry's there at the garage where Shep works and he goes to talk to him. But Shep's inside talking to Marge, Like she's there interviewing him because you know that was the other one of the calls that she's investigating. So obviously Jerry's freaking out about this. Uh, he leaves, um, but uh, it doesn't matter, because next Marge goes to his office because he was the other call, like it was to the dealership, um, so he's trying to like throw her off the set and doing a terrible job, because he's doing nothing but making himself look suspicious, like even if she wasn't suspicious of him.

Speaker 1: 40:59

She is not like before. She definitely is now, because he's just like digging himself a bigger hole, everything he says. And she's like, hey, like we're any cars stolen off the lot? And he's like, nope, no cars were stolen. She's like, are you sure? Like you want to go double check? And she's like, no, like there's definitely no cars stolen any you know recently. Um, but you know, I think she could tell that there's something going on with him. For sure, you know, anyone can tell. And uh, um, you know she gets what she needs. And then uh takes off, leaves and of course, jerry's just sweating even more now.

Speaker 1: 41:44

Uh, she goes to um meet with Mike cause she has to go. She's staying in Minneapolis, uh, so it's obviously a little bit of a drive. So she was there for the uh investigation, but that's where her old friend Mike was too. So she's like, oh, like I'm going to go meet him for lunch. And uh, she goes to meet him for lunch. Uh, he's like very, uh, I'd say like touchy, feely a little bit. Um, I just like very happy to see her and everything. Uh tries to go sit on the same side of the um booth as her and she's like Nope, like I'd prefer if you go sit on the other side. And then he, like he gets all embarrassed and she's like no, like I just don't want to like hurt my neck. Like looking at you, I want to like you know straight ahead, uh, but you could tell that like from the conversation that he's very, uh, lonely. He, I mean, he says outright that he's very lonely and that his uh, that he has kids but his wife died of cancer and all this stuff and he's just having a really hard time. Um, but she's just like, hey, like you know, I'm, I'm here as a friend, you know nothing like that.

Speaker 1: 42:57

And uh, you know, after the uh lunch is over, we get a scene with Carl and he's just out to dinner by himself Well, apart from Gar, because he's back at the house watching Jean, but he's out with this, uh, with another sex worker. Uh, they're out at uh like a nightclub with like a live performance. Uh, it's Jose Feliciano, and he's like, if like a live performance, uh, it's Jose Feliciano. Um, most widely known like if you're not listening to uh Spanish music, everyone knows Felice Navidad, so, uh, that's who they're watching. And uh, like the you can tell the dates not really into it, but you know they're, they're out anyway. Um, they're just cut back to them.

Speaker 1: 43:48

Uh, having sex in the hotel room and door, door bus open, it's Shep. He grabs the girl, throws her off, or maybe Carl pushes her, I forget. Either way she's off and he's beating the shit out of Carl, like I'm not going back to prison because of you. Like what the fuck did you do? And all this stuff. And he's like yeah, just like. Beats the crap out of him. Then leaves. Like like better not be talking to cops about me or any of this stuff. Like leave me out of it. Like all right. So then Carl calls Jerry and he's like pissed off. And he's like, hey, like we're getting this over with 30 minutes.

Speaker 1: 44:37

Dayton Radisson parking garage, top floor, and like doesn't even give Jerry a chance to say anything. So Jerry can't warn him. Like hey, it's not going to be me, it's going to be Wade. But then phones hung up, wade goes, goes there, we see him that he has a gun and he has it like in his jacket while he's pulling into the garage, gets up to the top, gets out of the car and Carl's like who the fuck are you? Like? What are you doing here? Like where's Jerry? And and he's like where's my daughter and is like no, like no gene, no money, and and Carl's just like had it at this point pulls his gun out and shoots Wade in the chest and so he goes over there. He's like yelling at Wade more like as he's like laying there dying on the in the snow.

Speaker 1: 45:32

Wade pulls out a gun, pulls out the gun that we saw and shoots Carl, but it just like goes through his mouth, like kind of out his cheek maybe, or it just either grazes his cheek or goes like through and out, but either way like gets shot. He's bleeding like crazy, shoots Wade a bunch more times to make sure he's dead, takes the money and is driving out, gets to the parking attendant there we go again with the thumbs up. I hate that gets to the parking attendant and then he's like open the fucking gate and he's like bleeding like crazy. And then scene cuts away to Jerry driving there Like he's like all right, like I got to be there to ease, you know, diffuse the tension if something goes wrong. But he sees Carl speeding out of there and gets to the top and finds that Wade's dead and the money's gone. And then I think he pops. He pops the trunk open. We see him pop the trunk open. So I don't know if he took Wade's body or what, but then, as he's leaving, we see that Carl also killed the parking attendant because he's pulling out the gates busted and he looks inside and there's a dead body in there.

Speaker 1: 46:49

We get another cop is interviewing the bartender at one of the bars that Carl and Gary were at and he's just telling them this, this whole long story about how these two guys come in and they're having drinks and they're looking for women, and he's like what makes you think like I know anything about that and like you know, he's just kind of like telling the whole story of this like confrontation that he had with Carl, basically, and but says that they let slip, that they're out by the, that wherever they're staying is out by the lake, and so I was like okay, like it's got, it's got to be like this lake I forget the name of the lake, so they had no, at least where like where about they could be? We see Carl like driving back to the they're hide away and he's on like the long stretch of road and decides like hey, there's way more money than what was agreed. So let me hide the rest of it. And he goes out to bury it in the snow. But then he's looking around. He's like shit, like it's the middle of nowhere, how am I gonna know where to find it? And then he has the red ice scraper and just kind of sticks it on the pile. That way, hey, like it's, it will look inconspicuous and he probably only has to leave it there for like a day or so. So he's like all right, like I'll just leave this and I'll come back for it later once I've parted ways with with my partner in crime.

Speaker 1: 48:30

And so this is where it ties into Fargo season one, because there is a like a rich, like supermarket kingpin of the area and it's this story about, like how he got rich. There's a flashback and the way he got rich was he him and his wife broke down in the car and it happened to be right where that red ice uh, ice scraper was. He goes and digs up all the money and that's how he became rich. So, like I said, very loosely connected, but still connected anyways, moving on. So then he heads back to the hideout.

Speaker 1: 49:20

Then we get a scene of marge. She's packing in her hotel room and she's talking to one of her friends, like another mutual of Mike, and he's like she's like, oh, like he's just like really sad and lonely ever since his wife, linda died, and the friend's like what, like no, like he was never married to Linda and also she's not dead, like he was always like bugging her all the time and basically like he's just like pretending that he was married to this other girl that he had a crush on. Maybe she did die for real, but um, um, yeah, they were never like even dating, let alone married and had children together. So, uh, and it was all pre-internet so it was easier to get away with that stuff, but still not not that easy, because you just have to have one mutual person tell you the truth. But yeah, so Mike was lying and everything just wanted some sympathy, I guess, and just also very stalker prone, I guess, um, um, stalker tendencies.

Speaker 1: 50:25

So, jerry's back at the office. We see him, uh, writing down um the fake serial numbers, uh, um, a little more legible, and just trying to make sure that they're just right. And as he's doing this, marge comes back to you know, interrogate him again, um, but he's getting just like way more defensive with her this time. And he's like, all right, like you know when's the last time he did an inventory. And he's like, like you want me to do a lot count, let's do it right now. Like come on and just like whoa, like hey, like you don't need to get, you know, all snippy with me, like I'm just doing my job and you're just doing your job, right, so let's just make it easier, uh. But so he's like, all right, like I'll be right back, um. And so, as she's like waiting in the office, she hears some tire screech and looks out the window and Jerry's making a run for it. And so she's like, so she calls uh, you know someone else in the department, like hey, like he's making a run for it.

Speaker 1: 51:30

So Carl gets back to the hideout. Uh, gare's in there watching soap operas with the tv, dinner and everything. Jean's like passed out on the floor and he's like what's with her? And Gare's like, well, she's started like shrieking, so like I hit her basically, uh, so we don't know if she's dead or just passed out like who knows um. But Carl's like, all right, like here's the money, and gives, uh, gives Gare his cut like here's 40 000 um. And he's like, oh, what about the car? And he's like how are you gonna split a car? Like get a fucking chainsaw. And Gare's like one of us pays for half and it's like, oh my god, like you're making this more. He's like I got shot, like I paid my price, like who cares about the car. And so he's like all right, like I'm not paying for that, I'm taking the car. And he goes to leave. As he's like about to get in the car, we see Gare come out of the house with a axe and bury it right in, uh, carl's chest, just like right there.

Speaker 1: 52:41

And then the scene cuts. Then we see Marge, uh going off the tip that like hey, maybe they're at the lake and she's driving around. And then she spots in the driveway. She's like, oh, that's the car. Like you know, um, the thing is, uh, tan Sierra is what they're looking for, um. So she spots the car, says like all right, like the whoever she's talking to is like all right, we're sending back up. Um, be careful, you know. And so she parks the car, gets her gun out and starts like walking towards the cabin.

Speaker 1: 53:17

Uh, as she's walking towards the cabin, we can hear like a machine, like machine noises, uh, like some kind of motor, you know, chainsaw, lawn mower, generator, something you know. And so she's like on alert, she's taking it easy head in there, she's got her gun drawn, she's going closer to the sound, she gets close and then we see, uh, kind of obscured, that it's a wood chipper and everything on the uh output end of the wood chipper is just like this big giant puddle of blood, just blood everywhere. And you know, once we get a closer look, we see that Gare is feeding uh Carl, uh, piece by piece into the wood chipper and we see him just like trying to put his like leg in there, because we just see like the the foot sticking out with the shoe on and he's like it's not going in and he's got this like piece of wood and he's trying to like push it in. And she's like police, police and you know, with their gun drawn on him and you know he finally hears her and tries to take off, running across the lake, which is frozen, but uh, she uh gets him in the leg and he's down and you know uh arrests him and everything. And we see him in the back of the car and uh, she's saying like man, like all of this just for a little bit of money, like I'm assuming that was Jean uh Lundegard on the floor in there and I'd. So we kind of get from the tone that, even though they don't outright say it, that I think she was dead. And then she's like and then that was the uh, that was your partner, the little guy, and they're in the wood chipper there and he's not saying anything. And then she's like you know, there's more to life than a little bit of money. Uh, and I forget he said he said something to that, but I I forgot to write it down. Um, or maybe he doesn't, maybe he's just staring out the window and like thinking about what she's saying.

Speaker 1: 55:34

But uh, either way, uh, we get a uh a scene at a motel where they uh catch Jerry. Um, they're uh knocking on his door saying like, hey, is Mr Anderson there because he used a fake name checkin' in? Uh, but it's still his car in the parking lot. And they're like hey, are you the owner of such-and-such car? And he's like, oh, yeah, be there in a sec. Uh, so that. But they have the hotel manager there, they open it with the key. They get in there, uh, and he's in the bathroom trying to escape through the window, but he's stuck and they pull him out and get him on the bed and cuff him and everything, so he finally he goes down.

Speaker 1: 56:16

Uh, then we get the final scene. Is uh, marge getting into bed with her husband for the night and they just have like this nice, uh normal conversation about his uh, stamp collecting and everything like that, and it's just like a nice. It reminds me, um, I know this is obviously a later movie, but it reminds me of the end of, uh, no Country for Old Men. How it's just this like seemingly mundane conversation but it is just like a slice of life. And then, just like that's how you really see who these characters are is by seeing them in their normal day to day, not when they're catching murderers or getting shot at or you know whatever. Um, you just get to see them as they are with their significant other and uh, yeah, I just really like that end part. Um, but, yeah, great movie Fargo, uh, probably, besides no Country for Old Men, this would be my favorite, uh, my second favorite, cohen Brothers movie.

Speaker 1: 57:29

Um, not a lot of people are probably like Big Lebowski, I do like that one, but also I think I just need to give that one a few more watches before I like really appreciate it. But Fargo is just so good and it's short too. It's like only 98 minutes so you can breeze right through it and it's just like it's really well paced. Nothing is, uh, unnecessary in my opinion. Um, but yeah, and great performances by everybody, like everyone's like at the top of their game. No one comes off like they don't know what they're doing or they're like too hammy or too broad or anything like that. Um, but yeah, great script, great performances, great directing, great cinematography. Like I said that one shot of the parking lot is just gorgeous, like so well uh framed and everything. But yeah, uh, that's Fargo.

Speaker 1: 58:26

Um, thank you guys for watching. Thank you for listening. Dizzy, uh, you know, if you're a listener, check out the youtube if you prefer that. If you're watching and you prefer to like have it on, the go and just listen to it, check it out on any of the platforms apple music, spotify, whatever, like it's on all of them, I'm pretty sure, uh, but yeah, thanks for watching, listening, uh, please, uh, like, subscribe, review, whichever pertains to the medium that you're consuming this. Uh, and stick around. Next week, like I said, we're going to be doing more, uh, winter or snow movies that aren't, uh, holiday related. So, um, next one should be John Carpenter's the thing, and if it's not next week, then it's somewhere in the month. So, uh, thanks again, and uh, stick around and stay tuned for what else we got later in the month. Thanks, bye.