# Fargo (movie)--based on reality? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 14, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479 "2003-07-14T21:35:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NoCoolUserName](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5fc32e/32.png) [@NoCoolUserName](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NoCoolUserName)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/1 "2003-07-14T21:35:39Z")
I was just thinking about Fargo–a common occurance, since my wife and I often use “Norm brought Arby’s” and other lines from the movie–and was wondering: Has anyone looked up police reports and such to see how closely based on reality the whole thing is? Was Marge really preggers? Is the million still missing? Are there links on the web anywhere that list plot points: real or bogus? ---
**Author:** ![RotorHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@RotorHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RotorHead)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/2 "2003-07-14T21:55:38Z")
According to what I read on one website a while back, the whole claim that it was based on reality was merely artistic license- that nothing like it has ever happened there. I will try to find a cite for that. ---
**Author:** ![RotorHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@RotorHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RotorHead)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/3 "2003-07-14T22:16:52Z")
ok, found the cite: > **[Horrors Archives](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/category/horrors/)** > > Since urban legends are often a means of expressing our fears about the dangers that ripple just beneath the surface of our seemingly calm and untroubled world, it should come as no surprise that horror legends are one of urban folklore’s richest... ---
**Author:** ![RotorHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@RotorHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RotorHead)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/4 "2003-07-14T22:20:54Z")
[http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/fargo.htm](http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/fargo.htm) Actually, this one goes into better detail. ---
**Author:** ![Wumpus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8c91f0/32.png) [@Wumpus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wumpus)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/5 "2003-07-14T23:27:47Z")
It’s a joke, son. (And no, the car scenes in BLOOD SIMPLE weren’t really filmed upside-down, either.) ---
**Author:** ![RotorHead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85e7bf/32.png) [@RotorHead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RotorHead)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2003, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/6 "2003-07-14T23:38:59Z")
A lot of people were fooled by that claim at the beginning of the movie. Most people I know still think it was a true story. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/7 "2003-07-15T01:21:39Z")
You know, the pilot episode of The X-files also claims to have been based on true events… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/8 "2003-07-15T01:51:57Z")
Don’t wander around Minnesota looking for the treasure, okay? Somebody died doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/9 "2003-07-15T01:57:04Z")
Or North Dakota, even. Here’s a reference to what I’m talking about: > **[Horrors Archives](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/category/horrors/)** > > Since urban legends are often a means of expressing our fears about the dangers that ripple just beneath the surface of our seemingly calm and untroubled world, it should come as no surprise that horror legends are one of urban folklore’s richest... ---
**Author:** ![Splanky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b2d939/32.png) [@Splanky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Splanky)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/10 "2003-07-15T02:09:04Z")
You’re five posts late **masonite**. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2003, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo-movie-based-on-reality/188479/11 "2003-07-15T02:19:44Z")
Well I’m extra-clueless today! Must be the drugs.