Hello. I'm Philip Salon. I'm a film critic and author of the book 101 films you could see before you die. And this is off the marquee, where we spend a minute with a movie you might consider revisiting. One of my favorite films of all time. Fargo tells the story of a duo of inept small time crooks, portrayed by Steve Bus Semi and Peter's Stormaire. The duo become involved in a convoluted plot to kidnap a Minneapolis car salesman's wife. In this scene, the criminals discuss the details of the crime with salesman Jerry Lundergard, portrayed by William H. Macy.

I thought Shep told you.

Shep didn't tell us much, Jerry.

Well, okay.

Except that you were going to be here at 730.

Yeah, well, that was a mix up, then.

Yeah, you already said that.

Yeah, but it's not a whole pay in advance deal. See, I give you a brand new vehicle in advance, and then.

I'm not going to debate you, Jerry.

Okay.

I'm not going to sit here and debate. I will say this, though. What Shep told us didn't make a whole lot of sense.

Oh, no, it's real sound. It's all worked out.

You want your own wife kidnapped.

Yeah.

My point is, you pay the ransom, what, $80,000? I mean, you give us half the ransom, 40,000, you keep half. It's like robbing Peter to pay Paul. It doesn't make any sense.

Okay, see, it's not me paying the ransom. The thing is, my wife, she's wealthy. Her dad, he's real well off. Now, I'm in a bit of trouble.

What kind of trouble you in, Jerry?

Well, I'm not going to get into. See, I just need the money.

The scheme doesn't go quite as planned, and an adjacent crime brings the duo into the jurisdiction of Brainerd, Minnesota. The new crime is investigated by Brainerd chief of police, Marge Gunderson.

You might need a little warm up.

Thanks a bunch. So what's the deal now? Gary says triple homicide.

Yeah, it looks pretty bad. Two of them are over here.

Where is everybody?

Well, it's cold, Margie. Watch your step, Margie.

Here's the second one. It's in the head and the hand there. I guess that's a defensive wound.

Oh, yeah?

Where's the state trooper?

Back there a good piece, in the ditch next to his prowler.

Okay, so we got a trooper pull someone over, we got a shooting, these folks drive by, there's a high speed pursuit, ends here, and then this execution type deal.

Yeah.

I'd be very surprised if our suspect was from Breinerd.

Yeah.

And I'll tell you what, from his footprint, he looks like a big fella.

You see something down there, chief?

No, I just think I'm going to barf.

Jeez.

Longtime Coen brothers collaborator Frances McDormand won an Oscar for her role. The rest of the cast put on a stellar performance as well in this intriguing and tight crime drama that also won an Oscar for best original screenplay. Great performances infused in the Coen brothers'unorthodox sense of dark humor makes for a fun and occasionally shocking narrative. I'm Philip's Allen and this has been off the marquee. You're listening to 91.7 w yxR.