Recently, I started to feel like I was losing my way when it came to writing screenplays, particularly scenes within screenplays.
As a human, I’m deeply interested in psychology and sometimes this interest gets in the way of my willingness to explore behavior -- which is what movies are about. Literature is about psychology. Film is about behavior.
To get myself back on track, I decided to rewatch one of the movies that showed me the potential of the medium and inspired me to start writing and directing myself -- FARGO.
As an exercise, I broke down each scene as I watched the movie on Hulu (far different viewing environment than when I saw it in the theater with my dad when it was released).
It was incredibly illuminating. The scene construction is brilliant in its simplicity. The weight of the movie comes from a few scenes, and the Coens’ willingness to go outside of the traditional form -- namely the Mike Yanagita subplot.
Here’s the (crude) breakdown in the event that it might be useful to other writers, as well.
FARGO (movie) scene by scene breakdown
Macy meets with Stormare and Buscemi to arrange the kidnapping
Macy comes home to find his wife's dad watching hockey. He stays for dinner. Macy is trying to get him to invest in a parking lot deal.
Buscemi and Stormare driving -- Stormare wants pancakes. Buscemi suggests they go somewhere to get pancakes and get laid. Tension between these two guys.
Macy almost blows a car deal over true coat. Man calls him a liar.
Stormare and Buscemi get laid at the Blue Ox
While wife harasses Scotty for C grades -- no hockey -- Grandpa calls and says Stan Grossman looked at the deal and it's pretty sweet. Meet at 230.
Macy sees Shep, who doesn't vouch for the second guy. Bill wants to call off the kidnapping because of the parking lot. Shep doesn't have an alternate number.
Driving, Buscemi wishes Stormare would engage in conversation with him.
GMAC calls Macy. The vehicles he's borrowing on he can't read the serial numbers. Needs to make sure they exist. $320K callback potentially.
Wife is kidnapped. ~15 minutes in. But she falls down the steps and is knocked unconscious.
Meeting with Stan and Grandpa. They tell Bill he just gets a finder's fee. Bill insists it's his deal. Just wants a loan. Not a bank. If he doesn't want the finder's fee then they'll move on it independently.
Macy has a breakdown while scraping the ice off his car.
Macy comes home with groceries and sees evidence of the kidnapping.
He practices how to call Wade.
Stormare and Buscemi drive with her in the backseat. They get pulled over because of the tags. Buscemi tries to bribe the cop. Stormare shoots the cop when the cop responds harshly to the bribe and hears the woman. As Buscemi clears the body a car driving by sees him. Stormare gives chase. The car crashes on the side of the road. A man tries to run away and Stormare shoots him. He then shoots the other person in the car. ~30 minutes in
We meet Marge, sleeping, pregnant, when she gets the call from the station. Her husband wakes up to fix her some eggs.
We see them eating breakfast. She has her cop uniform on. The car needs a jump.
Marge at the crime scene with Lou -- the crashed car, triple homicide. She recaps what the police know.
Driving, in car with Lou, she figures out what was meant by DLR on the plates
Macy tells Wade and Stan that the kidnappers said no cops. They want a million. Wade resists. Stan agrees not to call the cops. Wade wants to offer half a million instead. Wade leaves, cursing.
Outside Stan asks if Macy wants anyone at home with him. Only want to deal with me. Stan asks about Scotty. Macy never thought of him.
Macy talks to Scotty, who's broken. Macy says they only want money. Scotty asks what if something goes wrong. They should call the cops. Macy tells him to tell Jean's friends she's in FL if necessary.
Stormare and Buscemi let Jean out of the car at a safe house and laugh at her while she tries to run away.
Marge at the station. Norm waiting for her with lunch. They discuss Norm's painting. Lou walks in. Has info that two men in a Sierra checked in at the Blue Ox last night. Had company.
Marge interviews the hookers at a bar. They give terrible descriptions of the guys. They were going to the Twin Cities.
Safe house. TV is broke. Buscemi goes nuts while Stormare stares.
Marge watches TV in bed with Norm. She's turning in.
Phone rings in the middle of the night. Call from Mike Yanagita. Saw her on TV.
Macy gets a call at the dealership. It's Buscemi. Circumstances have changed. Three dead in Brainerd. We need more money. $80K. Coming to town tomorrow. Have the money ready. Hangs up. GMAC calls. If they don't get the papers by tomorrow afternoon they'll have to refer him to legal dept.
Marge and Norm at a buffet. Cop shows up with a list of calls made from the lobby at the Blue Ox. One to Shep Proudfoot. She'll drive to the Twin Cities.
Macy meets with Wade and Stan at the house. Wade wants to make the delivery. It's his money. Otherwise he's going to a professional. It's his show.
Marge checks in to a hotel.
She calls about a USFI search on Shep.
Buscemi drives to the roof of a parking garage by the airport and steals the plates from another car. Then argues with the parking attendant -- decided not to take the trip.
Macy goes to talk to Shep, finds him talking to Marge.
Marge interviews Shep about the call. Says he doesn't remember. She presses him.
Marge walks into Jerry's office. We learn Wade owns the dealership. Any vehicles stolen off the lot? Cutlass Sierra? She tells him she's from Brainerd (Buscemi mentioned this city to him). He says no stolen vehicles. Macy tries to call Shep, but he's stepped out.
Lunch with Mike. He tries to sit on her side of the booth. Then claims Linda died of leukemia. Says how much he always liked her. Then breaks down.
Buscemi and a hooker watch Jose Feliciano.
They fuck. Shep attacks him. Get outta here. Then beats up a guy in the hall too. Comes back in and whips Buscemi with a belt. ~67 minutes in / ~30 to go
Buscemi calls Macy and tells him he wants this wrapped up in 30 minutes. Gives him parking garage top level meeting place -- if not, kill him and his wife and son. Wade in bg leaves with money.
Macy tells Scotty he'll be back in a minute
Driving, Wade goes over what to say to the guy when he gives him the cash. He has a gun
Wade meets Buscemi. Who the fuck are you? Buscemi shoots Wade. Wade shoots him. He kills Wade dead. Buscemi takes money and goes.
Jerry drives to parking garage nearly collides with Buscemi on way in.
Buscemi gets past parking attendant with demand, bleeding.
Jerry finds Wade. Pops trunk.
Jerry exits. We see parking attendant is dead.
Jerry home. Scotty says Stan called. Are you calling Stan? Jerry says he's going to bed.
Cop who showed up at the buffet meets Mr Morrow, bartender who met Buscemi -- going crazy out at the lake, looking for woman action. Last guy who thought I was a jerk is dead now. Moose Lake. Mrs Morrow thought he should call it in. Little guy, funny looking.
Buscemi on the side of the road reviews the money - way more than he expected. He buries the briefcase in the snow. Leaves ice scraper there. Should've dropped a pin but it's the 80s.
Before heading back to Brainerd, Marge calls her friend about Mike, who says he was never married to Linda. He had psych problems. Really pestering her. Living with his parents.
Jerry tries to forge the serial numbers. Marge shows up and asks again about the Sierra. Dealer plates. Called someone who works here. Has he done any inventory recently? Jerry gets stern. She wants to talk to Wade. Jerry will do a lot count. She waits. Sees him flee. She calls police.
Stormare eats, watches TV. Buscemi comes home, wounded. Jean is on the floor, unconscious. She started shrieking. Buscemi splits the 80 grand two ways. Gives Stormare his truck. Wants the Sierra. Stormare wants to split the Sierra -- one of us pays the other for half. Buscemi was shot, insists he's taking the car. Stormare axes Buscemi.
Marge learns that Stan has called the police about the kidnapping. Wade missing. So is Jerry. She drives past the Sierra. Will send a couple cars.
Marge approaches the cabin. Wood chipper. Stormare runs. She shoots him in the leg.
Stormare in back of cop car with Marge. Jean is dead, accomplice dead. Three people in Brainerd. And for what? A little bit of money. More to life than a little bit of money. Doesn't he know? And here you are. It's a beautiful day. She doesn't understand. Other cops show with ambulance.
Outside of Bismarck, ND. They find Jerry at a motel.
Norm watching TV in bed. Marge climbs in. His mallard got the three cent stamp. Could be better. No one really uses the three cent. Marge says people use it when they raise the postage. She's proud of him. They're doing pretty good. They trade I love yous. Two more months until she gives birth.
