Fargo Analysis

Director: Joel Cohen

Writers: Joel Cohen and Ethan Cohen

Release Date: 31st May 2006

Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller.

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  We learn alot about Lundergaards character by observing his body language. For example, the scene where he tells his father-in-law that his wife has been kidnapped we see him rehearsing how to tell him which shows us that he obviously has some involvement.


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  Cars are made to represent characters in the film. For example, bright lights breaking the dark horizon represent the witnesses prying eyes in the scene of the first murder. Also the crashed car upside down represents the helplessness of the victims along with the red brake lights in the snow which shows bloodshed. Cohen also uses sound to provoke tension amongst the spectator. For example the beeping sound in the car when the first murder occurs is consistent throughout the film and it almost acts as a warning to the audience that something sinister is about to happen.


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  The black, dark landscape that surrounds the first murder scene represents death as the coulour black has connotations of evil and death. The next scene then shows Margie disappearing in her police car into a pure white landscape. Not only does this show peace, innocence and light, but it also shows how she doesn't know what she is in for as she fades away into the distance.
  The landscape is also used to create tension. The blizzard like conditions prevent the spectator from seeing too far into the distance so we never know what is "around the corner" however art the end of the film when all is revealed it becomes alot clearer so I think that the clouded landscape represents Margie's mind as she is struggling to work the whole thing out.


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  Black is seen again when we see the Wife for the first time and her head is covered by a black cloth, showing death. We also see it again when Gerry's father-in-law is going to give the kidnappers their money. As he is driving his face fades into blackness repeatedly, I think this shows how the darkness is over coming him which it does as he tries to kill the kidnapper.


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  The flat, open landscape shows isolation, loneliness and gives the audience a real feeling of helplessness. This is alot like Hitchcock's technique in North by Northwest.


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  The costume also shows alot about Gerry. Throughout the film he wears very bland clothes, reflecting his bland typical car salesman job. Also, at the end of the film when he is finally caught by the police he is in his pyjamas. I think this shows his vulnerability and how everything has fallen apart for him.