Mårten Blomkvist: How Peter Stormare shattered the myth of the nice Swede in the Coen brothers' 'Fargo'

Mårten Blomkvist revisits the Coen brothers' 1996 classic "Fargo," focusing on Peter Stormare's portrayal of the "blond-haired simpleton" and how it subverted the myth of the "nice Swede."

The film, set in the snow-covered landscapes of Minnesota, is characterized as a thriller with elements of modern film noir and macabre farce. It begins with a stark, evocative image of a snowy road, setting a tone of isolation and melancholy, amplified by Carter Burwell's score. This opening, Blomkvist notes, is among the best ever made, establishing "Fargo" as a film of snow and cars.

At its core, "Fargo" depicts a desperate car salesman, Jerry Lundegaard, played by William H. Macy, who orchestrates a kidnapping plot to solve his financial woes. The plan, however, results in death and destruction on a staggering scale. Frances McDormand stars as the pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson, who investigates the case and expresses bewilderment at the senseless violence, questioning the motive for so much death over "a little money."

Blomkvist highlights a particularly poignant scene where Jerry, after another professional setback, walks across a vast, snow-covered parking lot towards his car. Dressed in a bulky jacket and winter hat, he appears small against the immense, cold landscape, embodying a profound sense of hopelessness. The article suggests that the "loser types" involved in the kidnapping likely sensed the plan's inevitable failure.

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For what? For a little money. And here you sit, and it is such a beautiful day. Well. I can only not understand it.