Jerry Lundegaard is in a financial jam and, out of desperation, comes up with a plan to hire someone to kidnap his wife and demand ransom from her wealthy father, to be secretly split between Jerry and the perpetrators. Jerry, who is not the most astute of individuals, hires a couple of real losers from the frozen northern reaches of Fargo, North Dakota for the job. Then things begin to slip from bad to worse as Jerry helplessly watches on.

When working on her Minnesota accent for the film, Frances McDormand worked with Larissa Kokernot, "Hooker #1." McDormand referred to her accent and mannerisms as "Minnesota Nice."

Jerry Lundegaard:
[talking to Carl on the phone] Now, we had a deal. A deal's a deal.


Carl Showalter:
Is it, Jerry? Why don't you ask those three poor souls in Brainerd if a deal's a deal. Go ahead, ask them!


Jerry Lundegaard:
The heck do ya mean?


Carl Showalter:
[mimicking Jerry mockingly] "The heckya mean?"

Continuity: Gaear's jacket and the beer bottles in the opening scene in the bar.

(uncredited)
Written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David
Muzak heard playing while Marge and Norm Gunderson are at an all-you-can-eat buffet