That “hit it big” moment came in 1996 when the Coen Brothers released a movie called Fargo. The movie starred Francis McDormand as a pregnant police chief in a small Minnesota town who comes across a murder scene. She then has to figure out what happened as the story becomes even more ludicrous as she investigates.
Explaining The Coen Brothers’ Fargo ‘True Story’
It might seem ridiculous when looking at the silly twists and turns in the movie, but the Coen Brothers claimed that Fargo was based on a true story. This all started with a title card at the start that read:
“The events depicted in this film took place in Minnesota in 1987. At the request of the survivors, the names have been changed. Out of respect for the dead, the rest has been told exactly as it occurred.”
This had many people wondering if it was true, especially since the money in the film was buried and not found. When asked about it, the Coen Brothers said they based the movie on an actual criminal event, but everything they had in the movie was fictional, with basic events from the real-life case.
It turns out there were only two “real” events that played out in the movie. One was based on the true story of a General Motors Finance Corporation employee who committed fraud using vehicle serial numbers. However, he didn’t have his wife kidnapped. The other was a woodchipper murderer from Connecticut, but it was not by hired killers.
However, this also led to problems with fans of Fargo traveling to Minnesota, hoping to find the money, believing it was still missing. That money was never part of any real story, but it did enough to keep the movie memorable for fans, and their searches proved their great love for the story.
Of course, this was nothing new. In the 1974 horror movie, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, director Tobe Hooper had a disclaimer before it that claimed the events that happened were real. While Leatherface was inspired by serial killer Ed Gein, nothing in this movie was based on any real story, either.
Fargo Won The Coen Brothers Their First Oscars
While Fargo was not really based on a true story, it was still a considerable hit for the Coen Brothers. Their past movies remain cult favorites, but it was Fargo that allowed them to cross over to the mainstream. While it only made $60.6 million, it was still a success thanks to its low $7 million budget. However, it gained traction on home video later.
This is thanks in large part to its Oscar success, something that was a first-time experience for the Coen Brothers. Fargo earned seven Oscar nominations, winning two of them. The movie earned a Best Picture and Best Director nomination, while the Coen Brothers won for Best Original Screenplay and Frances McDormand won Best Actress.
Barton Fink was actually their first taste of Oscar success, earning three nominations, but Fargo was their first win. Since then, the brothers have had 10 more movies to earn Oscar nominations, including an impressive nomination for No Country for Old Men and 10 for True Grit.
The Coen Brothers only won Best Picture and Best Director once, both for No Country for Old Men, although they have four Best Picture nominations and three Best Director nominations, all starting 30 years ago with Fargo.
Fargo’s Legacy Moved On To Television
While Fargo was a massive success for the Coen Brothers 30 years ago, the movie’s legacy has extended beyond even the brothers. In 2014, television showrunner Noah Hawley took the series and turned it into an anthology series called Fargo on FX. This series became a monster hit on its own.
Each season focused on a new crime story that was similar to the one the Coen Brothers presented in their original movie. While the crime stories all took place in the same overall world, the seasons never really connected other than seeing a character possibly appear from a previous season.
The first season starred Billy Bob Thornton as a man passing through a Minnesota town and negatively influencing the entire community. The second season had Jesse Plemons and Kirsten Dunst as a married couple covering up a hit-and-run murder of a member of an influential crime family.
The third season had Ewan McGregor as a probation officer dating a parolee who decides to steal a valuable stamp to help them achieve a better life. The fourth season had Chris Rock as part of a war between rival mafia families. The fifth and final season has a kidnapping plot and its cover-up.
Each season had the same style of ridiculous crimes and the people’s poor choices when dealing with them. Also, much like the movie, the seasons claimed at times to be based on real stories, which were also entirely fictional. Fargo left a huge legacy, and the FX series honored it perfectly.