1996 Timeless Comedy Classic Turns 30 Today

On March 8, 1996, Joel and Ethan Coen released their timeless comedy Fargo in the United States.

The film was an immediate critical success, with the writer/director duo receiving huge acclaim for their original script and visionary direction. It was by far their most successful film yet, and the one that launched their careers as international stars.

'Fargo' Was An Immediate Critical Hit

While the Coens had admittedly already found success with projects like Barton Fink and Miller's Crossing, the level of acclaim they received for Fargo was simply on another level. The film swept critics' circles across the country, ultimately landing seven nominations at the subsequent Academy Awards.

Fargo won the Oscars for Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay, cementing the Coens as two of the defining writers of their generation. Fargo was the culmination of the unique style they'd been building throughout their career—a subtle yet effective blend of comedy, tragedy, and deeply human characters.

Fargo tells the story of two henchmen who are hired to pull off an intricate crime in the small town of Fargo, North Dakota, but who ultimately attract the attention of a well-meaning sherrif with something to prove.

After its limited release in the U.S. on March 8, Fargo went on to premiere in competition at the Cannes Film Festival, where it took home the Best Director award and competed for the Palme d'Or—which ultimately went to Mike Leigh's Secrets & Lies.

Since making Fargo, the Coen brothers' careers have only reached greater heights. Their follow-up movies, The Big Lebowski and O Brother, Where Art Thou? were just as successful, immediately cementing themselves as classics of the comedy genre.

In 2007, the Coens found themselves nominated at the Oscars again for No Country For Old Men—and this time, they swept up. The film won four awards in total, including Best Picutre, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.