Fargo (1996) - Lundegaard's Dealership Scene (10/12) | Movieclips

Fargo (1996) - Lundegaard's Dealership Scene: Jerry (William H. Macy) is caught off guard when Marge (Frances McDormand) questions him about possible vehicle thefts.
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FILM DESCRIPTION:
Filmmaking siblings Joel Coen and Ethan Coen both embraced and poked satirical fun at their Minnesotan roots with this comedy-drama-thriller that earned seven Oscar nominations, winning for Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay. Frances McDormand stars as Marge Gunderson, a pregnant police chief whose affable, folksy demeanor masks a whip-smart mind. When a pair of motorists are found slain not far from the corpse of a state trooper, Marge begins piecing together a case involving a pair of dopey would-be kidnappers, Carl (Steve Buscemi) and Gaear (Bergman stock player Peter Stormare). They've been hired by Jerry Lundegaard (William H. Macy), a car salesman under the thumb of his wealthy, overbearing boss and father-in-law, Wade (Harve Presnell). Jerry's raised some money illegally through a petty scam he's run on General Motors and he's about to get caught. When Wade sours a business deal that could save his son-in-law's hide, the desperate Jerry hires Carl and Gaear to kidnap his wife and hold her for ransom. Things go predictably wrong and a series of murders occur, with Marge, waddling along behind her enormous belly and ever-hungering for an all-you-can-eat buffet, hot on the trail of the killers. Although the credits for Fargo state that the film is loosely based on real events, the story is entirely fictional, the claim being just an ironic jibe on the part of the Coens.
CREDITS:
TM & © MGM (1996)
Cast: William H. Macy, Frances McDormand
Directors: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Producers: Tim Bevan, John Cameron, Ethan Coen, Eric Fellner, Joel Coen
Screenwriters: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
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[@TomO-nx1bd]

Lots of actors could play a guilty person, but Macy takes it to another level with the little details in his body language rocking back and forth in his chair, his nervous forced smile. He just completely becomes his part in the movie.

[@miaouew]

Darn tootin'

[@Ericwvb2]

His performance is brilliant here, second only to Frances McDormand in the film.

[@brendontompa-clinch2306]

... Babe the blue ox 🥴

[@spacekitt.n]

hes a good actor

[@martinjames6431]

Sorry I disagree, I think he overdoes it. The shifting and fidgeting, evading questions. Nothing special. Also, when a copper is about to put you in he box for a felony conspiracy that carries life, best to maybe not mock how she talks

[@nothingineternityterms]

I love McDormand's delivery of "Well I'm a police officer." It's like she's talking to a child. Jerry is so pathetic that she can't suspect him of being capable of anything, until her meeting with Mike Yanagita opens her eyes to how that can drive someone like him to lie and cheat.

[@noamorwell]

Nothing in Eternity Terms true, while McDormand's character is no fool, she's basically nice and the type who'd like to believe the best about people- but only upto a point. And the Yamagita encounter and subsequent discovery of his lies hastens her arrival at that point wrt Jerry

[@tommym321]

Joe F you are exactly right

[@Jokaanan]

@@joejones5491 It doesn't make sense that she'd leave and come back just to try to make him think she didn't suspect him. It's a waste of time, would just give him a chance to flee. Compare Marge in this scene to Marge in the "I'm cooperating" scene. In this scene, she's professional and direct, and expects Jerry to treat her the same way. But when she returns, she's a different soul. There's this canny wisdom in her eyes... a beautiful mix of recognition, shrewdness, weariness... it's this distant/faraway expression where she's seeing right through Jerry. She's transformed by her experience with Yanagita. That's why it's such an important plot element! Yanagita's mannerisms while lying may actually remind Marge of her first interview with Jerry - specifically his wide fake smile & nervous laugh, changing of the subject, and tangential rambling out of pace with the conversation. Compare Jerry in this scene to Mike Yanagita in his scene, and you can find where Marge sees the clues.

[@richarddunne9802]

@@Jokaanan You're exactly right, that's the whole point of the Mike Yanagita scene. It causes her to re-evaluate Gerry and she comes back stronger and breaks him.

[@dmartig1]

@@richarddunne9802 It's also the call to Shep Proudfoot. It makes her realize they're probably.... connected !

[@richarddunne9802]

Is there anyone better at playing a twitchy, nervous character than William H Macy? His expressions and body language are perfect every second, he barely needs to speak!

[@NotShowingOff]

Umm...yea in this movie. Steve Buscemi. The “funny looking” guy.

[@WhatsWrongWithTheStreet]

Macy should have won the Oscar. Cuba Gooding Jr won it. And the next time she comes back is even better.

[@marshthedarsh10]

"oh jeez you should be going after my wife, felicity Huffman she's the darn person ya want"

[@AliensAnonymous]

The heck you mean?

[@sjhdfbasndf986]

aw geez

[@tonykirchner5418]

Brainerd?

[@johnfoster4244]

the dern person

[@USA92]

@@AliensAnonymous Real life. What part of that do you not get?

[@ilixcota]

0:21 love how jerry immediately tries to throw Wade under the bus, so intrinsic to his character

Ilix Cota I never caught that. She assumed he was the owner and we can argue if Jerry was deflecting or correcting. Wade didn't like Jerry anyway. So this could have been payback.

[@MisterMcKinney]

There’s no bus in this scene. 🤷‍♂️

[@AshleyPomeroy]

@@MisterMcKinney Well, actually there is, just behind the truck at 0:40.

[@martinjames6431]

@@AshleyPomeroy Best comment ever

[@kevina5337]

He acts so guilty here lol

[@Colin_1977]

The “WHAAT!?!” on the other end of the line gets me every time. 😂

[@kevina5337]

That terrified look that he puts on his face for 30 seconds before responding, combined with super-pathetic Mike Yanagita, is what makes Marge come back for him lol

[@edfinkel3398]

Why do you think Mike Yanagita is part of what makes her come back for him?

[@thee8904]

@@edfinkel3398because Mike is, like Jerry, is a weak guy who lies for his own benefit. Marge, who is pretty naive, brushes both of them off at first as just weird quirky people. Later, when she finds out from her friend that Mike lied to her about his wife dying, and being married at all to begin with, just to make her sympathetic. Realizing this, she decides to go back and take a second look at Jerry

[@edfinkel3398]

@@thee8904 Yeah I guess that makes sense. The Mike scene always seemed a little extraneous if, as always with the Coens, very well painted.

[@slicks8078]

The acting in this scene by Macy is just incredible. I must've rewatched the two dealership scenes a hundred times.

[@bobwallace9814]

Should have offered her a discount on Truecoat.

[@sammyhill69]

They install that in the factory, see

[@connorfrancis6022]

PhFUCKING liar

[@edfinkel3398]

But let me talk to my bahss@@sammyhill69

[@liveoak2175]

He's fleeing the interview!

[@MyoclonicJerkCough]

Oh for Pete's sake!

[@JakeandElwoodBlues]

Ah, what the Christ!

[@FZeroDragon]

Macy is so good in this scene (so is Frances McDormand, of course). Just a guy ready to go *completely* off the rails.

[@NotShowingOff]

I mean planning a fake kidnapping of his wife in order extort money from his father -in-law could be considered “off the rails”

[@joshuabrown3654]

@@NotShowingOff yeah. He was talking about Macy's acting ability.

[@suzyq4982]

Always felt so sorry for the wife and the son in this .. she was so terrified and the kid just crying at the end . What a terrible person Jerry was ..

[@theungreatkahli]

"Brainerd? Babe the blue ox?" Classic question dodging there.

[@DanielFlores-fo1ee]

William H Macy is absolutely amazing in this movie. How perfectly casted and acted 10/10 performance.

[@janetsbrick]

If you look on here there is a video of William Macy talking about how much he wanted this part and how perfect he thought it was. He auditioned in L.A. and then flew to NY to crash the auditions there after having crammed more practice with actor friends. In the end he was right, he was the perfect choice!

[@LearnerChess]

Damn, she's even better than Columbo. "I'll let you get back to your paperwork." Raps on the table, and leaves him in a shear panic.

[@chessmentor63]

I was waiting for her to come back to ask just one more question

[@roybaty7439]

I’m investigating some malfeasance and thought I’d stop by.

[@Onmysheet]

What's so well acted about this scene is that even though she's sweet and heavily pregnant, she still has the power that she is in charge of this discussion. I first seen this movie when was around 14 years old and I noticed it even then.

[@sammyhill69]

My wife loves ya.

[@BRuane-pw6xq]

There is just one other thing. Gotcha you betcha .

[@briancullimore2893]

My wife and I watch this movie every week and we don't get tired of it. Bill Macy should have gotten a Best Actor Oscar for his spot-on portrayal of a knave and an incompetent.

[@criticalbil1]

You... watch the movie _every week?_ How long's this been going on for?

[@briancullimore2893]

@criticalbil1 We haven't watched it for awhile. My wife and I are into the Coen brothers.

[@SodiumWage]

@@briancullimore2893 So then not every week.

[@johnmc3862]

​@@SodiumWageGive him a break lol.

[@kuruptzZz]

​@@SodiumWage Clearly was used as a figure of speech, you smartass/dumbass not sure which

[@theresaheidel9878]

Guilt written all over his face.. Macy really delivers this.. and McDormand sees right through him ..wow, what an interplay that is. This scene is one of the greatest in cinema.

[@laminage]

Even if you`re not a Police Officer, you know the man is guilty as sin.

[@murphyjack90]

No the problem is he seems so inept and nervous that Marge decided he couldn't be a criminal. She only checks into his story further after the Yanagita business.

[@MagnificentFiend]

​@@murphyjack90This.

[@jygb7092]

I don't believe the OP has ever actually watched the movie

[@worsethanhitlerpt.2539]

I LUV GOLF !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@Tronathon242]

Everyone just walks all over him. I love how Marge just sits down without receiving permission and proceeds to a light interrogation.

[@joshuabrown3654]

Oh gosh yeah ya know

[@atiashaunbaker3792]

She entered his office before he had a chance to invite her in

[@adrianniemiec8669]

Oh Jeez , when he is being questioned about "any recent stolen cars " that is the BEST ACTING I HAVE EVER SEEN !!!!!!!

[@tc9660]

Shep actually was back in the service bay when Jerry called, but he was in the middle of applying a layer of Tru-coat and had asked not to be disturbed

[@Eddie62070]

Macy himself has described Jerry as "dumb as a bag of rocks"

[@cfmalves7]

Macy's performance is impossible. Best acting ever

[@DavidWilliams-so2dy]

I like how she let him know in a subtle way that she knew he was only doodling on that pad.

[@rosycozyposey]

Wow....ive just realized that the true villian here is this guy...but not the kidnappers

[@davegrohl7666]

+Amethyst Mavis Chan Well, he's an accessory. No doubt about that. But nobody can simple lift all blame off the kidnappers

[@KurtisC93]

Really? I thought that was pretty obvious from the start.

[@holypaper]

Exactly! They are bad guys, no doubt. However, the villain of this story is this guy.

[@ilovebrandnewcarpets]

Yes. It was all his fault.

[@VIMaggotVIBrainzVI]

It's hard to tell in a movie with characters as complex as this. Is Jerry Lundegaard a more despicable man than Carl? He's definitely got sociopathic tendencies, not giving a single shit about his wife's safety even after Carl reveals to him over the phone how dangerous he really is. But would Jerry have it in him to kill someone in the heat of the moment like Carl, if given a weapon? We can only speculate. He's definitely responsible for setting up the dirty scheme, but as we all know, it quickly falls out of his control due to the violent tendencies of Carl and Gaer. I guess what I'm trying to say is that there aren't any TRUE villains, just a trio of stupid, scummy people who can't orchestrate a fake kidnapping for shit.

[@CJStew06]

One of my favorite lines in the movie is the mechanic on the phone at the end, "whhhhat?!"

[@tomservo5347]

I love the squirmy presence Macy presents and the absolutely pained look he tries hiding when Margie mentions the "malfeasance" involving a tan Cierra from the dealership. 'Gustafson Motors' couldn't be a more perfect Scandinavian Minnesotan name.

[@mjremy2605]

Marge smiles like a tiger before it jumps on its prey. Huge grin, flashing white teeth, and eyes like a steel trap. You can see the exact moment when Macy starts to lose it and panics. Beautiful scene.

[@zyxwut321]

Eh, I don't know about "white" teeth. LOL They were looking pretty yellow and dingy, which is probably truer to life for a sleazy, hapless 1980s Minnesota car salesman who probably smokes 2 or 3 packs a day.

[@mattnorman3915]

this is Macy at his absolute best! he plays the disintegration of this character brilliantly, one of my favorite performances by any actor!!

[@wondereagle]

Macy said he was born for the part, and it shows. Brilliant.

[@stompterra7644]

"What is it all about?" And "Ahh Jeez!!" Great dark humor....incredible movie...superior dialogue

[@rivco5008]

One of Macy's best roles. The character is so inept you feel sorry for him...

[@MatthewDoel32]

I don't.

[@moovzealot]

I feel sorry for Scottie

[@mitchellmurray5892]

My god is William H Macy good in this movie!

[@marshalljimduncan]

He's fleeing the interview, he's fleeing the interview!

[@VilhelmHammershoi1666]

One of the unnoticed stars of this film is fargo North dakota. You get the feeling of cold, remote silence, Fancis McDormand, and Macy brilliant actors. McDormand, in my opinion, is the best

[@peteyprimo7173]

So vivid I have no desire to visit

[@muhanadalagha3587]

I love the guy on the other end of the phone. "What?!"

[@samuelw.3992]

Even the guy on the phone with Jerry whhhhaatttt!!??? That’s basically what everyone in the movie treated Jerry like 😂

[@SmilingSynic]

The doodling on the notepad is a perfect metaphor for his pathetic life--he's merely going around in circles. His life consists of a series of trivial, meaningless, and futile activities--the dead-end job, the dead-end marriage, the constant disrespect he gets from everyone in the his life. He wants OUT of his dead-end life. That's why he needs the money--to break free from the big city (it's in the song in the bar in the opening scene).

[@RZ393]

Brilliant…great insight

[@glendoucette624]

You can see the guilt all over this guy in his eyes the rocking delayed response to her question

[@write2pras84]

I just realized that when Marge walks in both times, perhaps Jerry was practicing writing illegibly for the car financing application?

[@lennomenno]

Blood has been shed Jerry.

[@hineighbor]

He's like Gil from the simpsons

[@mmaforever594]

rofl

[@dougeberhart5965]

Outstanding acting! Just perfect.

[@__Dja]

Macy does well in everything, he played Frank in Shameless incredibly

[@ibezag0]

This movie and sling blade, my dad rented out of blockbuster. This was my foray into great acting was introduced to me. This movie is my all time top 10

[@41bmc]

"Babe the blue ox..." Hahahaha

[@MiltonHip]

If you watch the TruCoat scene from earlier in the movie, he has those notepad pages with circles all over them on both sides of the desk.

[@gohibniugoh1668]

Macy was born to play that role. Went on a trip through there and stopped at Fargo, Bemidji, and Brainerd and named it the Fargo Trip!

[@thedukeofswellington1827]

Investigating some malfeasance 😂😂

[@partyguy101ify]

As someone who lived the first 15 years of his life in Wisconsin and Minnesota starting in 1994, that is EXACTLY how they talk and oftentimes act. 😂

[@TeamBob]

i can’t wait to use “i’m investigating some malfeasance” in a real life situation

[@hyena131]

@TeamBob It's a fine word/sentence.

[@johns.8681]

“Investigating some malfeasance.” 😂😂😂😂😆👍🏼😎

[@gailwebb9619]

I absolutely LOVE Francis McDormand! She was perfection as Marge!

[@DC-zg4ob]

Malfeasance/triple murder

[@mikebradt8080]

"I'm a police officer investigating some malfeasance." The Coen brothers know how to write dialogue.

[@getnasty08]

This is such amazing acting from both of them.

[@discbreakrecords3311]

This movie was released in 1996. The first 3 VIN numbers he has written down come back to a '98 Olds Regency, a '99 Olds 88, and a 97 Olds Cutlass.

[@mroceans8336]

Cygnus X Stop snitching

[@mroceans8336]

Cygnus X Hollywood is in the entertainment business, not history business.

[@theungreatkahli]

Goofs/errors

[@Ericwvb2]

Well he is faking them.

[@chrispedersen5578]

You should apply at GMAC. Talk to Diefenbach

[@Splassshhh1234]

amazing he wasn't the Cohen bros first choice...he had to fight for his role....He is sooo perfect

[@Armando7654]

wow he's a very good actor wows

[@daveg6839]

I'm a police office Mr Macy - gotta minute? I'm investigating college admissions malfeasance and I was just wondering if you knew of anyone admitted to college under suspicious circumstances in the last couple of years. Specifically daughters of yours. Mr Macy? So , you haven't had any daughters cheating on their college entrance exams? Nope. Okey dokey then.

[@geddoe316]

Weak

[@NJGuy1973]

Lady, I answered your question.

[@robertpritchard9962]

In the sequel we learn that Jerry was sentenced to only 14 days in prison.

[@angelajohnson6659]

Well officer you know I'm not a bank!lol

[@Saidakine]

“ I let you get back to your paperwork then “ That’s funny, I did not catch that in the theater . She does not miss anything.

[@zyxwut321]

Yes, the paperwork of that tight, pathological doodle. LOL Doesn't take a handwriting expert to see that dude's a bit tightly wound there.

[@carlmendes6716]

I've seen plenty movies etc fantastic actors , performances etc. Macy is my favourite performance of all time maybe the same level as heath ledger in Dark Knight. Brilliant

[@rosario508]

I love that "WHAT?" at 1:51.

[@jeremysimpson6474]

Me too. I love the guy has no time for his hemming and hawing.

[@williamalva2826]

"Whaaaaaat"?

[@Alex-xn8pq]

"investigating some malfeasance". What a line. Soft words but firm delivery. No wonder he's worried. She leaves him to "his paperwork". God. He's cooked and he knows it.

[@MapleSyrupPoet]

Perfect film ...perfect cast

[@flashesofblack4128]

Its obvious that people in that dealership all know that Jerry is a total jerk and fishy. I like it when he is talking to the service department and Jerry cant seem to get his thoughts together and the guy on the other end of the phone yells WHAT??!!

[@YuureiInu]

All actors in this movie are amazing.

[@gregw107]

Yer darn tootin'!

[@briandonahue7198]

I didn't bribe anyone to get my kid into college !!!

[@nobodyreally6345]

LOL

[@caseyhafer2550]

Mr. Lundegaard is a successful man of business who believes that the American dream can work for a focused and dedicated sales associate. He also loves golf, an excellent sport for Executive Sales Managers

[@roomofidiots]

“Investigating some malfeasance”

[@MikeNaples]

Big word. Sounds like a skin disease.

[@cadillaccalhoun3516]

I look for situations where I can use malfeasance

[@MikeNaples]

@@cadillaccalhoun3516 Since watching Fargo I commonly use it in my household when discovering an unflushed turd in the toilet bowl.

[@roomofidiots]

@@MikeNaples 😂😂⚰️

[@Kalvin5]

@@MikeNaples LMAO!!

[@BudSchnelker]

Even after the internet arrived at his desk, Jerry still would have killed time by doodling on a note pad.

[@tommym321]

He is not killing time. He is making the pencil tip dull so he can send in the fraudulent vin numbers but make them hard to read for the auditor.

[@JRJunior8624]

Both of them, fantastic

[@Indigenous_Rambo]

worst poker face ever.

[@am97001]

The (rage?) he has when he says 'babe the blue ox' is terrifying. The mask slips. Wonderful acting, but also an example of how people with low/no empathy can be really dangerous no matter what size or appearance they are. When they get unhinged, they don't have a safety. Scary.

[@m.n.s.s2825]

This is golden scene where both actor and actress in legendary level. It's rare. Most of Hollywood films its 1 sided. It's either actors stealing the show(most of the time) or actress But this one here is just pure acting masterpiece. You can watch the clip over and over again despite it has nothing fancy but pure master class dialogue delivery of 2 great actors. Same goes to their later conversation when she said "he fleeing the interview".

[@kimmyfreak200]

"he is fleeing the interview!!"

[@gailwebb9619]

Loved this scene....they were both perfection here.

[@ublade82]

You can see him playing the scenarios in his mind Should I play the fool or come clean or say there's something missing from the lot and blame it on someone else Never seen it so good before

[@johnmc3862]

2 fantastic actors!

[@achrisofalltrades5620]

William H Macy incredible actor. You can feel the tension loll

[@belleyboy]

Every time I want to watch this I have to prepare myself emotionally!!

[@fjuraa]

as nervous as one could get, lol

[@sniffableandirresistble]

Not holding up over time is natural ❤

[@taylorgang221000]

He couldn’t have made it any more obvious that he was guilty

[@gregsepicadventures]

They were both great.

[@juannlohan3943]

I laugh when I hear even the mechanic on the phone is frustrated with Jerry! "WHAT????? !!!!!!!"

[@mitchellpak1666]

Frances McDormand had a wig for this scene. I read somewhere that she will only do the Marge Gunderson voice if she has that wig on.

[@valuecalc]

I cannot imagine why.

[@Kaboomboo]

I believe it was she _can't_ do the accent without the wig.

[@ClassicJukeboxBand]

William H Macy, IN CHARACTER.

[@duffyy1]

Heck do u mean?

[@MrGoldenwaffler]

Lmao i went in my boss's office, he was on the phone and doodling like that...i almost burst out laughing

[@alangrant5684]

What an perfect performance.

[@LesiureBoy]

I've been using "aaahhh geeez" ever since!

[@TheRigomoni]

Dude was doodling on a paper pad during work lol

[@donsudia2674]

"Babe the blue ox, hahaha!" What a dummy.

[@Ericwvb2]

This is such a great scene. Does anyone see a similarity between this scene and the Seinfeld episode the "Red Dot" when George is confronted by his boss after sleeping with the cleaning lady on his desk in his office? In both scenes you can see the brains of the characters racing at 100 mph trying to think of what to say to stay out of trouble.

[@SmilingSynic]

The blinds in the two windows are perhaps a foreshadowing of his future--being surrounded by prison bars.

[@RailSuleymanov]

Notice how Jerry says on the phone to the Chef’s coworker that he has to talk to his friend. The man leaves evidence against himself everywhere.

[@MrBlick76]

If you didn't fall in love with frances mcdormands talent in this movie you have no soul

[@manuelpuente7336]

these are great great actors both are geniuses

[@spivackl]

"Some malfeasance" by which she means the worst mass murder in the state of Minnesota all decade. "I'll let you get back to your paperwork" by which she means obsessive doodling. Funny stuff.

[@ingleringlet-snipps3rd449]

Mr, Lundegaard is like a smooth, sheet of glass that is starting to crack bit by bit.

[@ryanstinnitus6530]

He’s so good at acting it’s chilling

[@omnivorous65]

0:01 the scribbling on the notepad is a fantastic character introduction, showing his utter uselessness and habitual idleness. 1:11 "I let you go back to your paperwork, then" subtly shows that he has seen right through him and making a scathing remark with the loveliest demeanour.