# Fargo! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 14, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082 "2002-05-14T20:56:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Palo\_Verde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Palo\_Verde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palo_Verde)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/1 "2002-05-14T20:56:47Z")
I just saw this movie again on late night TV and I just love it! Tell me your favorite scenes / charactors / lines. I love the scene where they’ve taken the kidnapped Jean back to their cabin and little kidnapper is pounding on the TV while the big kidnapper is staring fixedly at Jean, and finally the TV gets a clear reception and it’s a picture of roaches crawling around. Creepy. William Macy is so great in the movie. Do we ever find out why he so desperately needs the money? And what about the whole thing with Mike? It’s a wonderful character study, but has nothing to do with the rest of the movie. ---
**Author:** ![Tretiak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Tretiak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tretiak)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/2 "2002-05-14T21:03:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by autz \* > \*\*I just saw this movie again on late night TV and I just love it! > > Tell me your favorite scenes / charactors / lines. > > I love the scene where they’ve taken the kidnapped Jean back to their cabin and little kidnapper is pounding on the TV while the big kidnapper is staring fixedly at Jean, and finally the TV gets a clear reception and it’s a picture of roaches crawling around. Creepy. > > William Macy is so great in the movie. Do we ever find out why he so desperately needs the money? > > And what about the whole thing with Mike? It’s a wonderful character study, but has nothing to do with the rest of the movie. \*\* Is Mike the old High School firend of Marge? IF so, then it is an absolutely vital aspect of the movie. When Marge learns that Mike was basically lying to her is when she decides she shouldn’t be so trusting of people and goes back to the car dealership instead of going home like she had planned. ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/3 "2002-05-14T21:07:21Z")
Hey, one of my favorite movies. Whenever I see it on cable I just have to watch it again. And yeah, Mike was important for the reason mentioned above. It’s easy to miss though. I like the scene where the other cop Margie is telling a joke to the other cop (Lou I think) in the police cruiser. “Yeah that’s a good one.” “So, you were havin’ sex with the little fella?” “Uh, yah!” ---
**Author:** ![ummm.yeahh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ummm.yeahh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ummm.yeahh)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/4 "2002-05-14T21:22:51Z")
Fabulous movie! I love it. And I think I can appreciate it a little bit more than others since I am from Minnesota. 95% of Minnesotans are not like the characters in the movie, but there are definetely some out there. Especially as you go farther North. ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/5 "2002-05-14T23:38:00Z")
I like the guy who was out shoveling his driveway describing the “funny looking” guy. In fact, I like how everyone referredt o Buscemi as funny looking. I like the emphasis on snow. It’s another character. ---
**Author:** ![blur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/dbc845/32.png) [@blur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blur)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2002, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/6 "2002-05-14T23:53:46Z")
I’ve only seen this movie once, but I loved it. I really need to see it again, because I can’t remember much of it, other than I liked it. ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/7 "2002-05-15T00:11:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by autz \* > \*\* > William Macy is so great in the movie. > \*\* “I’m co-operating here…” ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/8 "2002-05-15T01:01:20Z")
My reaction was the opposite of [blur]'s. I had heard a lot about the film and the first time I saw the film my reaction was “What was all the fuss about?” The second time I saw the film my reaction was “What an idiot! Why did I not see how great this film is the first time I saw it?” ( this has actually happened to me a number of times, including some films that are now among my favourites). Reading this thread has just made me want to watch it again ( but tomorrow, as it’s now 1:50 a.m. here). ---
**Author:** ![Jabba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@Jabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jabba)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/9 "2002-05-15T01:03:43Z")
See what I mean? 1:50 a.m. and my coding is all just shot to hell. ---
**Author:** ![Ell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47774/32.png) [@Ell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ell)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/10 "2002-05-15T01:04:57Z")
Didn’t he need the money to pay of some cars he bought for the dealership? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/11 "2002-05-15T01:22:11Z")
I think my favourite line is: **"Prowler needs a jump!"** > [@](#): > > Didn’t he need the money to pay of some cars he bought for the dealership? He embezzeled money from GMAC financing for cars that didn’t exist. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/12 "2002-05-15T01:23:47Z")
“Embezzled”. :o ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/13 "2002-05-15T01:38:00Z")
The scene with Mike … Mike Yanagita … is just a typical Coen-brothers wacky aside. It’s just another way to illustrate just how off base all of these supposed “normal” Minnesotans are. Frances McDormand plays the scene great. You can tell she’s a smart woman because she knows to keep Mike at a distance. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/14 "2002-05-15T01:41:20Z")
“And I suppose that’s your friend in the woodchipper then?” ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/15 "2002-05-15T01:54:00Z")
I have seen Fargo more times than I can count. I was once able to quote the dialogue line for line. In asking why Jerry needed the money you hit upon something that is never quite explained. My impression is he financed the cars as another way of raising money he needed for some other unexplained purpose. As for the most memorable line of dialogue has to be the conversation between Marge and the prositutes. I laugh ever time when the heavier prositute raises her hand and says “Go Bears” after saying she’s from White Bear Lake. Love that movie. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/16 "2002-05-15T02:17:39Z")
“…Pancakes.” ---
**Author:** ![Athena](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/35a633/32.png) [@Athena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Athena)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/17 "2002-05-15T03:01:27Z")
Speaking of Fargo, I’m in da UP, working on my ‘Fargo’ accent. It was only two days in before Mr. Athena, who is still in Colorado, made the observation “You’re starting to sound like Marge.” OK, then… Speaking of “Panackes”, Ike, I never truly understood that scene. If you watch the movie incessently (not that I’ve done that or anythign) it sound like the big bad guy, Peter Stormare, says “We’re going to Pancake’s house.” Buscemi then protests, saying something like “Pancakes? I don’t want any fucking pancakes. I want a steak or something.” So Stormare basically is referring to a guy named “Pancake” and Buscemi misunderstands him, thinking he’s saying “let’s stop at a Pancake house.” Anyone else catch that? What does it mean? Wait a second… it’s a Coen brothers movie. Scratch that “What does it mean?” part. Did anyone else catch that? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/18 "2002-05-15T04:08:11Z")
The last time I saw “Fargo”, I was with my parents and brother at my brother’s house last Thanksgiving. It took two weeks for me to shed my damn Minnesota accent. Again. I think what always struck me about that movie is that Jerry is so impotent that he is willing to sacrifice his wife to prove his manhood. And I feel bad for the poor kid, having had his mother and grandfather murdered and his dad sent away for them. Robin ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/19 "2002-05-15T04:09:23Z")
I think the guy was referring to International House of Pancakes but didn’t know the name of it so he just said “pancake’s house”. That’s what I always got from it. Damn hilarious too. Was Prince in this movie? I’ve heard rumors that he was. The only person I can think of is one of the people they shot in the beginning. I like how the dad said “Gophers” when Jerry asked him if he was watching the North Stars. It just sounded funny. “boy… he’s never done this before. He says he can knock $50 off that Truecoat” ---
**Author:** ![Bob\_Scene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19adc/32.png) [@Bob\_Scene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bob_Scene)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2002, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082/20 "2002-05-15T04:47:50Z")
According to the IMDB, one of the people who was shot in the beginning was listed in the credits as Prince (using the symbol Prince used to use), but it wasn’t really him. I had always believed it was him until I went to look just now. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fargo/109082.md?page=2)