Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
FLARE TO WHITE:
"FARGO"
1 HOTEL LOBBY 1
CLERK
And how are you today, sir?
MAN
Real good now. I'm checking in – Mr.
Anderson.
CLERK
Okay, Mr. Anderson, and you're still
planning on staying with us just the
night, then?
(CONTINUED)
2.
1 CONTINUED: 1
ANDERSON
You bet.
2 HOTEL ROOM 2
The man turns on the TV, which shows the local evening news.
NEWS ANCHOR
... whether they will go to summer
camp at all. Katie Jensen has more.
KATIE
It was supposed to be a project funded
by the city council; it was supposed
to benefit those Fargo-Moorehead
children who would otherwise not be
able to afford to attend a lakeshore
summer camp. But nobody consulted
city controller Stu Jacobson...
3 CHAIN RESTAURANT 3
WAITRESS
Can I warm that up for ya there?
ANDERSON
You bet.
4 THROUGH A WINDSHIELD 4
5 INSIDE 5
The bar is downscale even for this town. Country music plays
on the jukebox.
Anderson approaches.
ANDERSON
I'm, uh, Jerry Lundegaard –
(CONTINUED)
3.
5 CONTINUED: 5
YOUNGER MAN
You're Jerry Lundegaard?
JERRY
Yah, Shep Proudfoot said –-
YOUNGER MAN
Shep said you'd be here at 7:30.
What gives, man?
JERRY
Shep said 8:30.
YOUNGER MAN
We been sitting here an hour. I've
peed three times already.
JERRY
I'm sure sorry. I – Shep told me
8:30. It was a mix-up, I guess.
YOUNGER MAN
Ya got the car?
JERRY
Yah, you bet. It's in the lot there.
Brand-new burnt umber Ciera.
YOUNGER MAN
Yeah, okay. Well, siddown then. I'm
Carl Showalter and this is my
associate Gaear Grimsrud.
JERRY
Yah, how ya doin'. So, uh, we all
set on this thing, then?
YOUNGER MAN
Sure, Jerry, we're all set. Why
wouldn't we be?
JERRY
Yah, no, I'm sure you are. Shep
vouched for you and all. I got every
confidence in you fellas.
JERRY
... So I guess that's it, then. Here's
the keys –
CARL
No, that's not it, Jerry.
(CONTINUED)
4.
5 CONTINUED: (2) 5
JERRY
Huh?
CARL
The new vehicle, plus forty thousand
dollars.
JERRY
Yah, but the deal was, the car first,
see, then the forty thousand, like
as if it was the ransom. I thought
Shep told you –
CARL
Shep didn't tell us much, Jerry.
JERRY
Well, okay, it's –-
CARL
Except that you were gonna be here
at 7:30.
JERRY
Yah, well, that was a mix-up, then.
CARL
Yeah, you already said that.
JERRY
Yah. But it's not a whole pay-in-
advance deal. I give you a brand-new
vehicle in advance and –-
CARL
I'm not gonna debate you, Jerry.
JERRY
Okay.
CARL
I'm not gonna sit here and debate. I
will say this though: what Shep told
us didn't make a whole lot of sense.
JERRY
Oh, no, it's real sound. It's all
worked out.
CARL
You want your own wife kidnapped?
JERRY
Yah.
(CONTINUED)
5.
5 CONTINUED: (3) 5
CARL
... You – my point is, you pay the
ransom – what eighty thousand bucks?
– I mean, you give us half the ransom,
forty thousand, you keep half. It's
like robbing Peter to play Paul, it
doesn't make any –-
JERRY
Okay, it's – see, it's not me payin'
the ransom. The thing is, my wife,
she's wealthy – her dad, he's real
well off. Now, I'm in a bit of trouble -
CARL
What kind of trouble are you in,
Jerry?
JERRY
Well, that's, that's, I'm not go
inta, inta – see, I just need money.
Now, her dad's real wealthy –
CARL
So why don't you just ask him for
the money?
Grimsrud, the dour man who has not yet spoken, now softly
puts in with a Swedish-accented voice:
GRIMSRUD
Or your fucking wife, you know.
CARL
Or your fucking wife, Jerry.
JERRY
Well, it's all just part of this –
they don't know I need it, see. Okay,
so there's that. And even if they
did, I wouldn't get it. So there's
that on top, then. See, these're
personal matters.
CARL
Personal matters.
JERRY
Yah. Personal matters that needn't,
uh –
(CONTINUED)
6.
5 CONTINUED: (4) 5
CARL
Okay, Jerry. You're tasking us to
perform this mission, but you, you
won't, uh, you won't – aw, fuck it,
let's take a look at that Ciera.
JERRY
Hon? Got the growshries.
VOICE
Thank you, hon. How's Fargo?
JERRY
Yah, real good.
VOICE
Dad's here.
DEN
Jerry enters, pulling off his plaid
cap.
JERRY
How ya doin', Wade?
WADE
Yah, pretty good.
JERRY
Whatcha watchin' there?
WADE
Norstars.
JERRY
... Who they playin'?
WADE
OOOoooh!
7 KITCHEN 7
Jerry walks back in, taking off his coat. His wife is putting
on an apron. Jerry nods toward the living room.
JERRY
Is he stayin' for supper, then?
WIFE
Yah, I think so... Dad, are you
stayin' for supper?
WADE
(off)
Yah.
8 DINING ROOM 8
Jerry, his wife, Wade and Scotty, twelve years old, sit
eating.
SCOTTY
May I be excused?
JERRY
Sure, ya done there?
SCOTTY
Uh-huh. Goin' out.
WIFE
Where are you going?
SCOTTY
Just out. Just McDonald's.
JERRY
Back at 9:30.
SCOTTY
Okay.
WADE
He just ate. And he didn't finish.
He's going to McDonald's instead of
finishing here?
WIFE
He sees his friends there. It's okay.
WADE
It's okay? McDonald's? What do you
think they do there? They don't drink
milkshakes, I assure you!
(CONTINUED)
8.
8 CONTINUED: 8
WIFE
It's okay, Dad.
JERRY
Wade, have ya had a chance to think
about, uh, that deal I was talkin'
about, those forty acres there on
Wayzata?
WADE
You told me about it.
JERRY
Yah, you said you'd have a think
about it. I understand it's a lot of
money –
WADE
A heck of a lot. What'd you say you
were gonna put there?
JERRY
A lot. It's a limited –-
WADE
I know it's a lot.
JERRY
I mean a parking lot.
WADE
Yah, well, seven hundred and fifty
thousand dollars is a lot – ha ha
ha!
JERRY
Yah, well, it's a chunk, but –-
WADE
I thought you were gonna show it to
Stan Grossman. He passes on this
stuff before it gets kicked up to
me.
JERRY
Well, you know Stan'll say no dice.
That's why you pay him. I'm asking
you here, Wade. This could work out
real good for me and Jean and Scotty -
WADE
Jean and Scotty never have to worry.
(CONTINUED)
9.
8 CONTINUED: (2) 8
WHITE
9 INT. CAR 9
GRIMSRUD
Where is Pancakes Hause?
CARL
What?
GRIMSRUD
We stop at Pancakes Hause.
CARL
What're you, nuts? We had pancakes
for breakfast. I gotta go somewhere
I can get a shot and a beer – and a
steak maybe. Not more fuckin'
pancakes. Come on.
CARL
... Come on, man. Okay, here's an
idea. We'll stop outside of Brainerd.
I know a place there we can get laid.
Wuddya think?
GRIMSRUD
I'm fuckin' hungry now, you know.
CARL
Yeah, yeah, Jesus – I'm sayin', we'll
stop for pancakes, then we'll get
laid. Wuddya think?
CUSTOMER
We sat here right in this room and
went over this and over this!
(CONTINUED)
10.
10 CONTINUED: 10
JERRY
Yah, but that TruCoat –
CUSTOMER
I sat right here and said I didn't
want no TruCoat!
JERRY
Yah, but I'm sayin', that TruCoat,
you don't get it and you get
oxidization problems. It'll cost you
a heck of lot more'n five hunnert –
CUSTOMER
You're sittin' here, you're talkin'
in circles! You're talkin' like we
didn't go over this already!
JERRY
Yah, but this TruCoat –-
CUSTOMER
We had us a deal here for nine-teen-
five. You sat there and darned if
you didn't tell me you'd get this
car, these options, WITHOUT THE
SEALANT, for nine-teen-five!
JERRY
Okay, I'm not sayin' I didn't –
CUSTOMER
You called me twenty minutes ago and
said you had it! Ready to make
delivery, ya says! Come on down and
get it! And here ya are and you're
wastin' my time and you're wastin'
my wife's time and I'm payin' nineteen-
five for this vehicle here!
JERRY
Well, okay, I'll talk to my boss...
JERRY
... See, they install that TruCoat
at the factory, there's nothin' we
can do, but I'll talk to my boss.
(CONTINUED)
11.
10 CONTINUED: (2) 10
CUSTOMER
These guys here – these guys! It's
always the same! It's always more!
He's a liar!
WIFE
Please, dear.
CUSTOMER
We went over this and over this –
11 NEARBY CUBICLE 11
JERRY
So you're goin' to the Gophers on
Sunday?
SALESMAN
You bet.
JERRY
You wouldn't have an extra ticket
there?
SALESMAN
They're playin' the Buckeyes!
JERRY
Yah.
SALESMAN
Ya kiddin'!
JERRY'S CUBICLE
Jerry re-enters.
JERRY
Well, he never done this before, but
seein' as it's special circumstances
and all, he says I can knock one
hunnert off that TruCoat.
CUSTOMER
One hundred! You lied to me, Mr.
Lundegaard. You're a bald-faced liar!
CUSTOMER
... A fucking liar –
(CONTINUED)
12.
11 CONTINUED: 11
WIFE
Bucky, please!
JERRY
One hunnert's the best we can do
here.
CUSTOMER
Oh, for Christ's sake, where's my
goddamn checkbook. Let's get this
over with.
13 MOTEL ROOM 13
Carl Showalter and Gaear Grimsrud are in the twin beds having
sex with two truck-stop hookers.
CARL
Oh, Jesus, yeah.
HIS HOOKER
There ya go, sugar.
GRIMSRUD
Nnph.
HIS HOOKER
Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah.
14 LATER 14
ED MCMAHON
– Johnny's guests tonight will be
Lee Majors, George Wendt, and Steve
Boutsikaros from the San Diego Zoo,
so keep that dial –-
15 LUNDEGAARD KITCHEN 15
(CONTINUED)
13.
15 CONTINUED: 15
JEAN
I'm talkin' about your potential.
SCOTT
(absently)
Uh-huh.
JEAN
You're not a C student.
SCOTT
Uhn.
JEAN
And yet you're gettin' C grades.
It's this disparity there that
concerns your dad and me.
SCOTT
Uh-huh.
JEAN
You know what a disparity is?
SCOTT
(testily)
Yeah!
JEAN
Okay. Well, that's why we don't want
ya goin' out fer hockey.
SCOTT
Oh, man!
SCOTT
... What's the big deal? It's an
hour –-
JEAN
Hold on.
JEAN
... Hello?
PHONE VOICE
Yah, hiya, hon.
JEAN
Oh, hiya, Dad.
(CONTINUED)
14.
15 CONTINUED: (2) 15
WADE
Jerry around?
JEAN
Yah, he's still here – I'll catch
him for ya.
JEAN
... Hon?
VOICE
Yah.
JEAN
It's Dad.
VOICE
Yah...
JERRY
... Yah, okay...
SCOTT
Look, Dad, there is no fucking way –-
JEAN
Scott!
JERRY
Say, let's watch the language –
JERRY
How ya doin', Wade?
WADE
What's goin' on there?
JERRY
Oh, nothing, Wade. How ya doin' there?
WADE
Stan Grossman looked at your proposal.
Says it's pretty sweet.
JERRY
No kiddin'?
WADE
We might be innarested.
(CONTINUED)
15.
15 CONTINUED: (3) 15
JERRY
No kiddin'! I'd need the cash pretty
quick there. In order to close the
deal.
WADE
Come by at 2:30 and we'll talk about
it. If your numbers are right, Stan
says its pretty sweet. Stan Grossman.
JERRY
Yah.
WADE
2:30.
JERRY
Yah, okay.
Jerry wanders through the service area where cars are being
worked on. He stops by an Indian in blue jeans who is looking
at the underside of a car that sits on a hydraulic lift with
a cage light hanging off its innards.
JERRY
Say, Shep, how ya doin' there?
SHEP
Mm.
JERRY
Say, ya know those two fellas ya put
me in touch with, up there in Fargo?
SHEP
Put you in touch with Grimsrud.
JERRY
Well, yah, but he had a buddy there.
He, uh –-
SHEP
Well, I don't vouch for him.
JERRY
Well, that's okay, I just --
SHEP
I vouch for Grimsrud. Who's his buddy?
(CONTINUED)
16.
16 CONTINUED: 16
JERRY
Carl somethin'?
SHEP
Never heard of him. Don't vouch for
him.
JERRY
Well, that's okay, he's a buddy of
the guy ya vouched for, so I'm not
worryin'. I just, I was wonderin',
see, I gotta get in touch with 'em
for, I might not need it anymore,
sumpn's happenin', see -
SHEP
Call 'em up.
JERRY
Yah, well, see, I did that, and I
haven't been able to get 'em, so I
thought you maybe'd know an alternate
number or what have ya.
SHEP
Nope.
Jerry slaps his fist into his open palm and snaps his fingers.
JERRY
Okay, well, real good, then.
CAR
Carl is driving. Grimsrud stares out
front.
AFTER A BEAT:
CARL
... Look at that. Twin Cities. IDS
Building, the big glass one. Tallest
skyscraper in the Midwest. After the
Sears, uh, Chicago... You never been
to Minneapolis?
GRIMSRUD
No.
CARL
... Would it kill you to say
something?
GRIMSRUD
I did.
(CONTINUED)
17.
16 CONTINUED: (2) 16
CARL
"No." First thing you've said in
the last four hours. That's a, that's
a fountain of conversation, man.
That's a geyser. I mean, whoa, daddy,
stand back, man. Shit, I'm sittin'
here driving, man, doin' all the
driving, whole fuckin' way from
Brainerd, drivin', tryin' to, you
know, tryin' to chat, keep our spirits
up, fight the boredom of the road,
and you can't say one fucking thing
just in the way of conversation.
CARL
... Well, fuck it, I don't have to
talk either, man. See how you like
it...
He drives.
CARL
... Total silence...
17 JERRY'S CUBICLE 17
He is on the phone.
JERRY
Yah, real good. How you doin'?
VOICE
Pretty good, Mr. Lundegaard. You're
damned hard to get on the phone.
JERRY
Yah, it's pretty darned busy here,
but that's the way we like it.
VOICE
That's for sure. Now, I just need,
on these last, these financing
documents you sent us, I can't read
the serial numbers of the vehicles
on here, so I --
JERRY
But I already got the, it's okay,
the loans are in place, I already
got the, the what, the --
(CONTINUED)
18.
17 CONTINUED: 17
VOICE
Yeah, the three hundred and twenty
thousand dollars, you got the money
last month.
JERRY
Yah, so we're all set.
VOICE
Yeah, but the vehicles you were
borrowing on, I just can't read the
serial numbers on your application.
Maybe if you could just read them to
me -
JERRY
But the deal's already done, I already
got the money -
VOICE
Yeah, but we have an audit here, I
just have to know that these vehicles
you're financing with this money,
that they really exist.
JERRY
Yah, well, they exist all right.
VOICE
I'm sure they do - ha ha! But I
can't read their serial numbers here.
So if you could read me --
JERRY
Well, but see, I don't have 'em in
front a me - why don't I just fax
you over a copy -
VOICE
No, fax is no good, that's what I
have and I can't read the darn thing -
JERRY
Yah, okay, I'll have my girl send
you over a copy, then.
VOICE
Okay, because if I can't correlate
this note with the specific vehicles,
then I gotta call back that money -
JERRY
Yah, how much money was that?
(CONTINUED)
19.
17 CONTINUED: (2) 17
VOICE
Three hundred and twenty thousand
dollars. See, I gotta correlate that
money with the cars it's being lent
on.
JERRY
Yah, no problem, I'll just fax that
over to ya, then.
VOICE
No, no, fax is --
JERRY
I mean send it over. I'll shoot it
right over to ya.
VOICE
Okay.
JERRY
Okay, real good, then.
CLOSE ON TELEVISION
HOST
So I separate the - how the heck do
I get the egg out of the shell without
breaking it?
HOSTESS
You just prick a little hole in the
end and blow!
HOST
Okay, here goes nothing.
The scraping sound persists. Jean sets down her coffee cup
and rises.
AUDIENCE
Awoooo!
20.
18 KITCHEN 18
Jean gasps, drops the curtain, runs and runs into – a taller
man, also in a ski mask, already in the house.
GRIMSRUD
Unguent.
CARL
Huh?
GRIMSRUD
I need ... unguent.
19 UPSTAIRS BEDROOM 19
20 MASTER BATHROOM 20
The phone pops out of her hands, jangles across the tile
floor, smashes against the door and then bounces away, its
cord ripped free.
21 BEDROOM 21
22 BATHROOM 22
The groaning of the door ends with the wood around its knob
splintering and the knob itself falling out onto the floor.
THEIR POV
23 BEDROOM 23
24 UPSTAIRS LANDING 24
Wade sits behind his desk; another man rises as Jerry enters.
JERRY
How ya doin' there, Stan? How are
ya, Wade?
STAN
Good to see ya again, Jerry. If these
numbers are right, this looks pretty
sweet.
JERRY
Oh, those numbers are all right,
bleemee.
WADE
This is do-able.
STAN
Congratulations, Jerry.
JERRY
Yah, thanks, Stan, it's a pretty --
WADE
What kind of finder's fee were you
looking for?
JERRY
... Huh?
STAN
The financials are pretty thorough,
so the only thing we don't know is
your fee.
JERRY
... My fee? Wade, what the heck're
you talkin' about?
WADE
Stan and I're okay.
JERRY
Yah.
WADE
We're good to loan in.
JERRY
Yah.
(CONTINUED)
23.
25 CONTINUED: 25
WADE
But we never talked about your fee
for bringin' it to us.
JERRY
No, but, Wade, see, I was bringin'
you this deal for you to loan me the
money to put in. It's my deal here,
see?
STAN
Jerry – we thought you were bringin'
us an investment.
JERRY
Yah, right -
STAN
You're sayin' - what're you sayin'?
WADE
You're sayin' that we put in all the
money and you collect when it pays
off?
JERRY
No, no. I - I'd, I'd – pay you back
the principal, and interest – heck,
I'd go - one over prime -
STAN
We're not a bank, Jerry.
Wade is angry.
WADE
What the heck, Jerry, if I wanted
bank interest on seven hunnert'n
fifty thousand I'd go to Midwest
Federal. Talk to Bill Diehl.
STAN
He's at Norstar.
WADE
He's at --
JERRY
No, see, I don't need a finder's
fee, I need – finder's fee's, what,
ten percent, heck that's not gonna
do it for me. I need the principal.
(CONTINUED)
24.
25 CONTINUED: (2) 25
STAN
Jerry, we're not just going to give
you seven hundred and fifty thousand
dollars.
WADE
What the heck were you thinkin'?
Heck, if I'm only gettin' bank
interest, I'd look for complete
security. Heck, FDIC. I don't see
nothin' like that here.
JERRY
Yah, but I – okay, I would, I'd
guarantee ya your money back.
WADE
I'm not talkin' about your damn word,
Jerry. Geez, what the heck're you?...
Well, look, I don't want to cut you
out of the loop, but his here's a
good deal. I assume, if you're not
innarested, you won't mind if we
move on it independently.
26 PARKING LOT 26
27 FRONT DOOR 27
The door swings open and Jerry edges in, looking about,
holding a sack of groceries.
JERRY
Hon?
(CONTINUED)
25.
27 CONTINUED: 27
JERRY
... Got the growshries...
JERRY
... Hon?
28 UPSTAIRS BATHROOM 28
29 FOYER 29
JERRY
Yah, Wade, I – it's Jerry, I.
JERRY
... Yah, Wade, it's, I, it's Jerry...
Beat.
JERRY
... Wade, it's Jerry, I – we gotta
talk, Wade, it's terrible...
Beat.
31 LIVING ROOM 31
(CONTINUED)
26.
31 CONTINUED: 31
JERRY
... Yah, Wade Gustafson, please.
BLACK:
HOLD IN BLACK
A SLOW TILT DOWN from night sky brings the head of a large
paper-maché figure into frame. It is a flannel-shirt woodsman
carrying a double-edged ax over one shoulder. As we hear the
rumble of an approaching car, the continuing tilt and boom
down brings us down the woodsman's body to a pedestal.
The headlights sweep off and a car hums past and on into the
background. The two-lane highway is otherwise empty.
32 INT. CAR 32
Carl drives. Grimsrud smokes and gazes out the window. From
the back seat we hear whimpering.
GRIMSRUD
Shut the fuck up or I'll throw you
back in the trunk, you know.
CARL
Geez. That's more'n I've heard you
say all week.
At a loud WHOOP Carl starts and looks back out the rear
window. Fifty yards behind a state trooper has turned on his
gumballs.
CARL
Ah, shit, the tags...
CARL
... It's just the tags. I never put
my tags on the car. Don't worry,
I'll take care of this.
(CONTINUED)
27.
32 CONTINUED: 32
He looks into the back seat as the car bounces and slows on
the gravel shoulder.
CARL
... Let's keep still back there,
lady, or we're gonna have to, ya
know, to shoot ya.
CARL
... Hey! I'll take care of this!
Carl watches.
CARL
How can I help you, officer?
The trooper scans the inside of the car, taking his time.
FINALLY:
TROOPER
This is a new car, then, sir?
CARL
It certainly is, officer. Still got
that smell!
TROOPER
You're required to display temporary
tags, either in the plate area or
taped inside the back window.
CARL
Certainly –
TROOPER
Can I see your license and
registration please?
(CONTINUED)
28.
32 CONTINUED: (2) 32
CARL
Certainly.
CARL
... I was gonna tape up the temporary
tag, ya know, to be in full
compliance, but it, uh, it, uh ...
must a slipped my mind...
CARL
... So maybe the best thing would be
to take care of that, right here in
Brainerd.
TROOPER
What's this, sir?
CARL
That's my license and registration.
I wanna be in compliance.
He forces a laugh.
CARL
... I was just thinking I could take
care of it right here. In Brainerd.
TROOPER
Put that back in your pocket, please.
TROOPER
... And step out of the car, please,
sir.
Another sound.
(CONTINUED)
29.
32 CONTINUED: (3) 32
Jean screams.
GRIMSRUD
Shut up.
The policeman's head slides out the window and his body flops
back onto the street.
CARL
(softly)
Whoa... Whoa, Daddy.
Grimsrud takes the trooper's hat off of Carl's lap and sails
it out the open window.
GRIMSRUD
You'll take care of it. Boy, you are
smooth smooth, you know.
CARL
Whoa, Daddy.
GRIMSRUD
Clear him off the road.
CARL
Yeah.
He gets out.
33 EXT. ROAD 33
34 INT. CIERA 34
Grimsrud notices.
30.
35 EXT. ROAD 35
The car accelerates and roars past and away. We just make
out the silhouettes of two occupants in front.
36 INT. CIERA 36
He fights with the wheel as his car swims on the road face.
His headlights show the car up ahead off the road, crumpled
around a telephone pole, having failed to hold a turn.
Grimsrud brakes.
Jean slides off the back seat and thumps into the legwell.
Grimsrud sweeps his gun off the front seat, throws open his
door and gets out.
37 EXT. ROAD 37
(CONTINUED)
31.
37 CONTINUED: 37
AN OIL PAINTING
WOMAN
Oh, geez...
WOMAN
... Hi, it's Marge...
The man stirs and clears his throat with a long deep rumble.
MARGE
... Oh, my. Where?... Yah... Oh,
geez...
MARGE
... Okay. There in a jif... Real
good, then.
(CONTINUED)
32.
37 CONTINUED: (2) 37
MARGE
... You can sleep, hon. It's early
yet.
MAN
Gotta go?
MARGE
Yah.
MAN
I'll fix ya some eggs.
MARGE
That's okay, hon. I gotta run.
MAN
Gotta eat a breakfast, Marge. I'll
fix ya some eggs.
MARGE
Aw, you can sleep, hon.
MAN
Ya gotta eat a breakfast...
MAN
... I'll fix ya some eggs.
MARGE
Aw, Norm.
PLATE
Leavings of a huge plate of eggs,
ham, toast.
MARGE
Thanks, hon. Time to shove off.
NORM
Love ya, Margie.
33.
MARGE
Love ya, hon.
Dawn. Marge is making her way down the icy front stoop to
her prowler.
Norm sits back onto the bed, shrugging off his robe. Off-
screen we hear the front door open.
40 FRONT DOOR 40
MARGE
Hon?
NORM
(off)
Yah?
MARGE
Prowler needs a jump.
HIGHWAY
Two police cars and an ambulance sit
idling at the side of the road, a
pair of men inside each car.
The REVERSE shows Marge approaching from her own squad car.
MARGE
Hiya, Lou.
LOU
Margie. Thought you might need a
little warm-up.
MARGE
Yah, thanks a bunch. So what's the
deal, now? Gary says triple homicide?
(CONTINUED)
34.
40 CONTINUED: 40
LOU
Yah, looks pretty bad. Two of'm're
over here.
MARGE
Where is everybody?
LOU
Well – it's cold, Margie.
41 BY THE WRECK 41
MARGE
Ah, geez. So... Aw, geez. Here's the
second one... It's in the head and
the... hand there, I guess that's a
defensive wound. Okay.
MARGE
... Where's the state trooper?
LOU
Back there a good piece. In the ditch
next to his prowler.
MARGE
Okay, so we got a state trooper pulls
someone over, we got a shooting, and
these folks drive by, and we got a
high-speed pursuit, ends here, and
this execution-type deal.
LOU
Yah.
MARGE
I'd be very surprised if our suspect
was from Brainerd.
(CONTINUED)
35.
41 CONTINUED: 41
LOU
Yah.
MARGE
Yah. And I'll tell you what, from
his footprints he looks like a big
fella –
LOU
Ya see something down there, Chief?
MARGE
Uh – I just, I think I'm gonna barf.
LOU
Geez, you okay, Margie?
MARGE
I'm fine – it's just morning sickness.
MARGE
... Well, that passed.
LOU
Yah?
MARGE
Yah. Now I'm hungry again.
LOU
You had breakfast yet, Margie?
MARGE
Oh, yah. Norm made some eggs.
LOU
Yah? Well, what now, d'ya think?
MARGE
Let's go take a look at that trooper.
(CONTINUED)
36.
42 CONTINUED: 42
MARGE
There's two of 'em, Lou!
LOU
Yah?
MARGE
Yah, this guy's smaller than his
buddy.
LOU
Oh, yah?
MARGE
For Pete's sake.
She gets up, clapping the snow off her hands, and climbs out
of the ditch.
LOU
How's it look, Marge?
MARGE
Well, he's got his gun on his hip
there, and he looks like a nice enough
guy. It's a real shame.
LOU
Yah.
MARGE
You haven't monkeyed with his car
there, have ya?
LOU
No way.
MARGE
Somebody shut his lights. I guess
the little guy sat in there, waitin'
for his buddy t'come back.
LOU
Yah, woulda been cold out here.
(CONTINUED)
37.
43 CONTINUED: 43
MARGE
Heck, yah. Ya think, is Dave open
yet?
LOU
You don't think he's mixed up in –
MARGE
No, no, I just wanna get Norm some
night crawlers.
44 INT. PROWLER 44
MARGE
You look in his citation book?
LOU
Yah...
LOU
... Last vehicle he wrote in was a
tan Ciera at 2:18 a.m. Under the
plate number he put DLR – I figure
they stopped him or shot him before
he could finish fillin' out the tag
number.
MARGE
Uh-huh.
LOU
So I got the state lookin' for a
Ciera with a tag startin' DLR. They
don't got no match yet.
MARGE
I'm not sure I agree with you a
hunnert percent on your policework,
there, Lou.
LOU
Yah?
MARGE
Yah, I think that vehicle there probly
had dealer plates. DLR?
LOU
Oh...
(CONTINUED)
38.
44 CONTINUED: 44
LOU
... Geez.
MARGE
Yah. Say, Lou, ya hear the one about
the guy who couldn't afford
personalized plates, so he went and
changed his name to J2L 4685?
LOU
Yah, that's a good one.
MARGE
Yah.
45 THE ROAD 45
The police car enters with a whoosh and hums down a straight-
ruled empty highway, cutting a landscape of flat and perfect
white.
WADE
– All's I know is, ya got a problem,
ya call a professional!
JERRY
No! They said no cops! They were
darned clear on that, Wade! They
said you call the cops and we –-
WADE
Well, a course they're gonna say
that! But where's my protection?
They got Jean here! I give these
sons a bitches a million dollars,
where's my guarantee they're gonna
let her go.
JERRY
Well, they –-
WADE
A million dollars is a lot a damn
money! And there they are, they got
my daughter!
(CONTINUED)
39.
46 CONTINUED: 46
JERRY
Yah, but think this thing through
here, Wade. Ya give 'em what they
want, why wont' they let her go? You
gotta listen to me on this one, Wade.
WADE
Heck, you don't know! You're just
whistlin' Dixie here! I'm sayin',
the cops, they can advise us on this!
'm sayin' call a professional!
JERRY
No! No cops! That's final! This is
my deal here, Wade! Jean is my wife
here!
STAN
I gotta tell ya, Wade, I'm leanin'
to Jerry's viewpoint here.
WADE
Well –
STAN
We gotta protect Jean. These – we're
not holdin' any cards here, Wade,
they got all of 'em. So they call
the shots.
JERRY
You're darned tootin'!
WADE
Ah, dammit!
STAN
I'm tellin' ya.
WADE
Well... Why don't we...
WADE
... Stan, I'm thinkin' we should
offer 'em half a million.
JERRY
Now come on here, no way, Wade! No
way!
(CONTINUED)
40.
46 CONTINUED: (2) 46
STAN
We're not horse-trading here, Wade,
we just gotta bite the bullet on
this thing.
JERRY
Yah!
STAN
What's the next step here, Jerry?
JERRY
They're gonna call, give me
instructions for a drop. I'm supposed
to have the money ready tomorrow.
WADE
Dammit!
THE CASHIER
CASHIER
How was everything today?
JERRY
Yah, real good now.
47 PARKING LOT 47
STAN
Okay. We'll get the money together.
Don't worry about it, Jerry. Now,
d'you want anyone at home, with you,
until they call?
JERRY
No, I – they don't want – they're
just s'posed to be dealin' with me,
they were real clear.
STAN
Yah.
(CONTINUED)
41.
47 CONTINUED: 47
JERRY
Ya know, they said no one listenin'
in, they'll be watchin', ya know.
Maybe it's all bull, but like you
said, Stan, they're callin' the shots.
STAN
Okay. And Scotty, is he gonna be all
right?
JERRY
Yah, geez, Scotty. I'll go talk to
him.
There is a tap at the horn from Wade, and Stan gets into the
Lincoln.
STAN
We'll call.
48 SCOTTY'S BEDROOM 48
JERRY
... How ya doin' there, Scotty?
SCOTT
Dad! What're they doing? Wuddya think
they're doin' with Mom?
JERRY
It's okay, Scotty. They're not gonna
want to hurt her any. These men,
they just want money, see.
SCOTT
What if – what if sumpn goes wrong?
JERRY
No, no, nothin's goin' wrong here.
Grandad and I, we're – we're makin'
sure this gets handled right.
SCOTT
Dad, I really think we should call
the cops.
(CONTINUED)
42.
48 CONTINUED: 48
JERRY
No! We can't let anyone know about
this thing! We gotta play ball with
these guys – you ask Stan Grossman,
he'll tell ya the same thing!
SCOTT
Yeah, but –-
JERRY
We're gonna get Mom back for ya, but
we gotta play ball. Ya know, that's
the deal. Now if Lorraine calls, or
Sylvia, you just say that Mom is in
Florida with Pearl and Marty...
JERRY
... That's the best we can do here.
49 EXT. CABIN 49
With a cry, she swings her elbow out of Grimsrud's grasp and
lurches away across the front lawn. Grimsrud moves to retrieve
her but Carl, grinning, lays a hand on his shoulder.
CARL
Hold it.
CARL
Ha ha ha ha ha ha! Jesus!
(CONTINUED)
43.
49 CONTINUED: 49
We TRACK BEHIND Marge as she makes her way across the floor,
greeting various officers. She holds a small half-full paper
sack.
Marge enters and sits behind the desk, detaching her walkie-
talkie from her utility belt to accommodate the seat.
MARGE
Hiya, hon.
NORM
Brought ya some lunch, Margie. What're
those, night crawlers?
He looks inside.
MARGE
Yah.
NORM
Thanks, hon.
MARGE
You bet. Thanks for lunch. What do
we got here, Arbie's?
NORM
Uh-huh.
MARGE
... How's the paintin' goin'?
NORM
Pretty good. Found out the Hautmans
are entering a painting this year.
MARGE
Aw, hon, you're better'n them.
(CONTINUED)
44.
50 CONTINUED: 50
NORM
They're real good.
MARGE
They're good, Norm, but you're
better'n them.
NORM
Yah, ya think?
MARGE
Ah, ya got Arbie's all o'er me.
Lou enters.
LOU
Hiya, Norm, how's the paintin' goin'?
NORM
Not too bad. You know.
MARGE
How we doin' on that vehicle?
LOU
No motels registered any tan Ciera
last night. But the night before,
two men checked into the Blue Ox
registering a Ciera and leavin' the
tag space blank.
MARGE
Geez, that's a good lead. The Blue
Ox, that's that trucker's joint out
there on I-35?
LOU
Yah. Owner was on the desk then,
said these two guys had company.
MARGE
Oh, yah?
(CONTINUED)
45.
52 CONTINUED: 52
MARGE
Where you girls from?
HOOKER ONE
Chaska.
HOOKER TWO
LeSeure. But I went to high school
in White Bear Lake.
MARGE
Okay, I want you to tell me what
these fellas looked like.
HOOKER ONE
Well, the little guy, he was kinda
funny-looking.
MARGE
In what way?
HOOKER ONE
I dunno. Just funny-looking.
MARGE
Can you be any more specific?
HOOKER ONE
I couldn't really say. He wasn't
circumcised.
MARGE
Was he funny-looking apart from that?
HOOKER ONE
Yah.
MARGE
So you were having sex with the little
fella, then?
HOOKER ONE
Uh-huh.
MARGE
Is there anything else you can tell
me about him?
HOOKER ONE
No. Like I say, he was funny-looking.
More'n most people even.
MARGE
And what about the other fella?
(CONTINUED)
46.
52 CONTINUED: (2) 52
HOOKER TWO
He was a little older. Looked like
the Marlboro man.
MARGE
Yah?
HOOKER TWO
Yah. Maybe I'm sayin' that cause he
smoked Marlboros.
MARGE
Uh-huh.
HOOKER TWO
A subconscious-type thing.
MARGE
Yah, that can happen.
HOOKER TWO
Yah.
HOOKER ONE
They said they were goin' to the
Twin Cities?
MARGE
Oh, yah?
HOOKER TWO
Yah.
HOOKER ONE
Yah. Is that useful to ya?
MARGE
Oh, you bet, yah.
54 INT. CABIN 54
(CONTINUED)
47.
54 CONTINUED: 54
CARL
... days ... be here for days with a
– DAMMIT! – a goddamn mute... nothin'
to do... and the fucking –DAMMIT!...
CARL
... TV doesn't even ... plug me in,
man... Gimmee a – DAMMIT! – signal...
Plug me into the ozone, baby... Plug
me into the ozone – FUCK!...
TV VOICE-OVER
The bark beetle carries the worm to
the nest... where it will feed its
young for up to six weeks...
After a long beat, silence except for the TV, Marge murmurs,
still looking at the set:
MARGE
... Well, I'm turnin' in, Norm.
NORM
... Oh, yah?
WE HOLD.
BLACK:
HOLD.
(CONTINUED)
48.
54 CONTINUED: (2) 54
Another flake.
It starts snowing.
PAUL BUNYAN
MARGE
Hello?
VOICE
Yah, is this Marge?
MARGE
Yah?
VOICE
Margie Olmstead?
MARGE
... Well, yah. Who's this?
VOICE
This is Mike Yanagita. Ya know –
Mike Yanagita. Remember me?
MARGE
... Mike Yanagita!
MIKE
Yah!
MARGE
Yah, yah, course I remember. How are
ya? What time is it?
(CONTINUED)
49.
55 CONTINUED: 55
MIKE
Oh, geez. It's quarter to eleven. I
hope I dint wake you.
MARGE
No, that's okay.
MIKE
Yah, I'm down in the Twin Cities and
I was just watching on TV about these
shootings up in Brainderd, and I saw
you on the news there.
MARGE
Yah.
MIKE
I thought, geez, is that Margie
Olmstead? I can't believe it!
MARGE
Yah, that's me.
MIKE
Well, how the heck are ya?
MARGE
Okay, ya know. Okay.
MIKE
Yah?
MARGE
Yah – how are you doon?
MIKE
Oh, pretty good.
MARGE
Heck, it's been such a long time,
Mike. It's great to hear from ya.
MIKE
Yah... Yah, yah. Geeze, Margie!
(CONTINUED)
50.
56 CONTINUED: 56
JERRY
Yah, ya got yer, this loaded here,
this has yer independent, uh, yer
slipped differential, uh, yer rack-
and-pinion steering, yer alarm and
radar, and I can give it to ya with
a heck of a sealant, this TruCoat
stuff, it'll keep the salt off –
CUSTOMER
Yah, I don't need no sealant though.
JERRY
Yah, you don't need that. Now were
you thinking of financing here? You
oughta be aware a this GMAC plan
they have now, it's really super –
ANOTHER SALESMAN
Jerry, ya got a call here.
JERRY
Yah, okay.
57 JERRY'S CUBICLE 57
JERRY
Jerry Lundegaard.
VOICE
All right, Jerry, you got this phone
to yourself?
JERRY
Well... yah.
VOICE
Know who this is?
JERRY
Well, yah, I got an idea. How's that
Ciera workin' out for ya?
VOICE
Circumstances have changed, Jerry.
JERRY
Well, what do ya mean?
VOICE
Things have changed. Circumstances,
Jerry. Beyond the, uh... acts of
God, force majeure...
(CONTINUED)
51.
57 CONTINUED: 57
JERRY
What the – how's Jean?
A beat.
CARL
... Who's Jean?
JERRY
My wife! What the – how's –
CARL
Oh, Jean's okay. But there's three
people up in Brainerd who aren't so
okay, I'll tell ya that.
JERRY
What the heck're you talkin' about?
Let's just finish up this deal here
–
CARL
Blood has been shed, Jerry.
CARL
... Blood has been shed.
JERRY
What the heck d'ya mean?
CARL
Three people. In Brainerd.
JERRY
Oh, geez.
CARL
That's right. And we need more money.
JERRY
The heck d'ya mean? What a you guys
got yourself mixed up in?
CARL
We need more –
JERRY
This was s'posed to be a no-rough-
stuff-type deal –
CARL
DON'T EVER INTERRUPT ME, JERRY! JUST
SHUT THE FUCK UP!
(CONTINUED)
52.
57 CONTINUED: (2) 57
JERRY
Well, I'm sorry, but I just – I –-
CARL
Look. I'm not gonna debate you, Jerry.
The price is now the whole amount.
We want the entire eighty thousand.
JERRY
Oh, for Chrissakes here –-
CARL
Blood has been shed. We've incurred
risks, Jerry. I'm coming into town
tomorrow. Have the money ready.
JERRY
Now we had a deal here! A deal's a
deal!
CARL
IS IT, JERRY? You ask those three
pour souls up in Brainerd if a deal's
a deal! Go ahead, ask 'em!
JERRY
... The heck d'ya mean?
CARL
I'll see you tomorrow.
Click.
JERRY
Yah!
VOICE
Jerome Lundegaard?
JERRY
Yah!
VOICE
This is Reilly Deifenbach at GMAC.
Sir, I have not yet recieved those
vehicle IDs you promised me.
JERRY
Yah! I... those are in the mail.
(CONTINUED)
53.
57 CONTINUED: (3) 57
VOICE
Mr. Lundegaard, that very well may
be. I must inform you, however, that
absent the receipt of those numbers
by tomorrow afternoon, I will have
to refer this matter to our legal
department.
JERRY
Yah.
VOICE
My patience is at an end.
JERRY
Yah.
VOICE
Good day, sir.
JERRY
... Yah.
GARY
Hiya, Norm. How ya doin', Margie?
How's the fricassee?
(CONTINUED)
54.
57 CONTINUED: (4) 57
MARGE
Pretty darn good, ya want some?
GARY
No, I gotta – hey, Norm, I thought
you were goin' fishin' up at Mile
Lacs?
NORM
Yah, after lunch.
MARGE
Whatcha got there?
Gary hands her a flimsy. Marge takes it with one hand and
looks, her other hand frozen with a forkful of food.
GARY
The numbers y'asked for, calls made
from the lobby pay phone at the Blue
Ox. Two to Minneapolis that night.
MARGE
Mm.
GARY
First one's a trucking company, second
one's a private residence. A Shep
Proudfoot.
MARGE
Uh-huh... A what?
GARY
Shep Proudfoot. That's a name.
MARGE
Uh-huh.
GARY
Yah.
MARGE
... Yah, okay, I think I'll drive
down there, then.
GARY
Oh, yah? Twin Cities?
(CONTINUED)
55.
57 CONTINUED: (5) 57
NORM
... Oh, yah?
Jerry, Wade, and Stan Grossman sit around the kitchen table.
It is night. The scene is harshly top lit by a hanging
fixture. On the table are the remains of coffee and a cinnamon
filbert ring.
WADE
Dammit! I wanna be a part a this
thing!
JERRY
No, Wade! They were real clear!
They said they'd call tomorrow, with
instructions, and it's gonna be
delivered by me alone!
WADE
It's my money, I'll deliver it –
what do they care?
STAN
Wade's got a point there. I'll handle
the call if you want, Jerry.
JERRY
No, no. See – they, no, see, they
only deal with me. Ya feel this,
this nervousness on the phone there,
they're very – these guys're dangerous -
WADE
All the more reason! I don't want
you – with all due respect, Jerry –
I don't want you mucking this up.
JERRY
The heck d'ya mean?
WADE
They want my money, they can deal
with me. Otherwise I'm goin' to a
professional.
He points at a briefcase.
WADE
... There's a million dollars here!
JERRY
No, see –-
(CONTINUED)
56.
58 CONTINUED: 58
WADE
Look, Jerry, you're not sellin' me a
damn car. It's my show here. That's
that.
STAN
It's the way we prefer to handle it,
Jerry.
MARGE
How ya doin'?
CLERK
Real good. How're you today, ma'am?
MARGE
Real good. I'm Mrs. Gunderson, I
have a reservation.
CLERK
You sure do, Mrs. Gunderson.
MARGE
Is there a phone down here, ya think?
LOBBY CORNER
Marge is on a public phone.
MARGE
... Detective Sibert? Yah, this is
Marge Gunderson from up Brainerd, we
spoke – Yah. Well, actually I'm in
town here. I had to do a few things
in the Twin Cities, so I thought I'd
check in with ya about that USIF
search on Shep Proudfoot... Oh,
yah?... Well, maybe I'll go visit
with him if I have the... No, I can
find that... Well, thanks a bunch.
Say, d'ya happen to know a good place
for lunch in the downtown area?...
Yah, the Radisson... Oh, yah? Is it
reasonable?
The brown Ciera enters and drives lazy S-curves around the
few snow-covered cars parked on the roof of the lot.
61 EXIT BOOTH 61
CARL
Yeah, I decided not to park here.
ATTENDANT
... What do you mean, you decided
not to park here?
CARL
Yeah, I just came in. I decided not
to park here.
ATTENDANT
You, uh... I'm sorry, sir, but –-
CARL
I decided not to – I'm, uh, not taking
the trip as it turns out.
ATTENDANT
I'm sorry, sir, we do have to charge
you the four dollars.
CARL
I just pulled in here. I just fucking
pulled in here!
ATTENDANT
Well, see, there's a minimum charge
of four dollars. Long-term parking
charges by the day.
CARL
I guess you think, ya know, you're
an authority figure. With that stupid
fucking uniform. Huh, buddy?
(CONTINUED)
58.
61 CONTINUED: 61
CARL
... King Clip-on Tie here. Big fucking
man.
CARL
... You know, these are the limits
of your life, man. Ruler of your
little fucking gate here. There's
your four dollars. You pathetic piece
of shit.
JERRY
Where's Shep?
MECHANIC
Talkin' to a cop.
Jerry looks.
JERRY
... Cop?
Marge and Shep face each other at the other end of the floor
in a grimy and cluttered glassed-in cubicle.
MECHANIC
Said she was a policewoman.
MARGE
– Wednesday night?
SHEP
Nope.
(CONTINUED)
59.
62 CONTINUED: 62
MARGE
Well, you do reside their at 1425
Fremont Terrace?
SHEP
Yep.
MARGE
Anyone else residing there?
SHEP
Nope.
MARGE
Well, Mr. Proudfoot, this call came
in past three in the morning. It's
just hard for me to believe you can't
remember anyone calling.
MARGE
... Now, I know you've had some
problems, struggling with the
narcotics, some other entanglements,
currently on parole –
SHEP
So?
MARGE
Well, associating with criminals, if
you're the one they talked to, that
right there would be a violation of
your parole and would end with you
back in Stillwater.
SHEP
Uh-huh.
MARGE
Now, I saw some rough stuff on your
priors, but nothing in the nature of
a homicide...
MARGE
... I know you don't want to be an
accessory to something like that.
SHEP
Nope.
(CONTINUED)
60.
62 CONTINUED: (2) 62
MARGE
So you think you might remember who
those folks were who called ya?
63 JERRY'S OFFICE 63
MARGE
Mr. Lundegaard?
JERRY
Huh? Yah?
MARGE
I wonder if I could take just a minute
of your time here –
JERRY
What... What is it all about?
MARGE
Huh? Do you mind if I sit down – I'm
carrying quite a load here.
MARGE
... You're the owner here, Mr.
Lundegaard?
JERRY
Naw, I... Executive Sales Manager.
MARGE
Well, you can help me. My name's
Marge Gunderson –
JERRY
My father-in-law, he's the owner.
MARGE
Uh-huh. Well, I'm a police officer
from up Brainerd investigating some
malfeasance and I was just wondering
if you've had any new vehicles stolen
off the lot in the past couple of
weeks – specifically a tan Cutlass
Ciera?
(CONTINUED)
61.
63 CONTINUED: 63
MARGE
... Mr. Lundegaard?
JERRY
... Brainerd?
MARGE
Yah. Yah. Home a Paul Bunyan and
Babe the Blue Ox.
JERRY
... Babe the Blue Ox?
MARGE
Yah, ya know we've got the big statue
there. So you haven't had any vehicles
go missing, then?
JERRY
No. No, ma'am.
MARGE
Okey-dokey, thanks a bunch. I'll let
you get back to your paperwork, then.
JERRY
... Yah, okay.
JERRY
... Yah, gimmee Shep... The heck
d'ya mean?... Well, where'd he go?
It's only... No, I don't need a
mechanic – oh, geez – I gotta talk
to a friend of his, so, uh ... have
him, uh ... oh, geez...
64 HOTEL BAR 64
VOICE
Marge?
(CONTINUED)
62.
64 CONTINUED: 64
MARGE
Mike!
MIKE
Geez! You look great!
MARGE
Yah – easy there – you do too! I'm
expecting, ya know.
MIKE
I see that! That's great!
MIKE
... What can I get ya?
MARGE
Just a Diet Coke.
MARGE
... This is a nice place.
MIKE
Yah, ya know it's the Radisson, so
it's pretty good.
MARGE
You're livin' in Edina, then?
MIKE
Oh, yah, couple years now. It's
actually Eden Prarie – that school
district. So Chief Gunderson, then!
So ya went and married Norm Son-of-a-
Gunderson!
MARGE
Oh, yah, a long time ago.
MIKE
Great. What brings ya down are ya
down here on that homicide – if you're
allowed, ya know, to discuss that?
MARGE
Oh, yah, but there's not a heckuva
lot to discuss. What about you, Mike?
Are you married – you have kids?
(CONTINUED)
63.
64 CONTINUED: (2) 64
MIKE
Well, yah, I was married. I was
married to – You mind if I sit over
here?
MIKE
... I was married to Linda Cooksey –
MARGE
No, I – Mike – wyncha sit over there,
I'd prefer that.
MIKE
Huh? Oh, okay, I'm sorry.
MARGE
No, just so I can see ya, ya know.
Don't have to turn my neck.
MIKE
Oh, sure, I unnerstand, I didn't
mean to –-
MARGE
No, no, that's fine.
MIKE
Yah, sorry, so I was married to Linda
Cooksey – ya remember Linda? She was
a year behind us.
MARGE
I think I remember Linda, yah. She
was – yah. So things didn't work
out, huh?
MIKE
And then I, and then I been workin'
for Honeywell for a few years now.
MARGE
Well, they're a good outfit.
MIKE
Yah, if you're an engineer, yah, you
could do a lot worse. Of course,
it's not, uh, it's nothin' like your
achievement.
MARGE
It sounds like you're doin' really
super.
(CONTINUED)
64.
64 CONTINUED: (3) 64
MIKE
Yah, well, I, uh... it's not that it
didn't work out – Linda passed away.
She, uh...
MARGE
I'm sorry.
MIKE
Yah, I, uh... She had leukemia, you
know...
MARGE
No, I didn't...
MIKE
It was a tough, uh... it was a long
– She fought real hard, Marge...
MARGE
I'm sorry, Mike.
MIKE
Oh, ya know, that's, uh – what can I
say?...
MIKE
... Better times, huh?
MARGE
Better times.
MIKE
I was so... I been so... and then I
saw you on TV, and I remembered, ya
know... I always liked you...
MARGE
Well, I always liked you, Mike.
MIKE
I always liked ya so much...
MARGE
It's okay, Mike – Should we get
together another time, ya think?
MIKE
No – I'm sorry! It's just – I been
so lonely – then I saw you, and...
(CONTINUED)
65.
64 CONTINUED: (4) 64
He is weeping.
MIKE
... I'm sorry... I shouldn't a done
this... I thought we'd have a really
terrific time, and now I've...
MARGE
It's okay...
MIKE
You were such a super lady .. and
then I... I been so lonely...
MARGE
It's okay, Mike...
CARL
Just in town on business. Just in
and out. Ha ha! A little of the old
in-and-out!
WOMAN
Wuddya do?
CARL
Have ya been to the Celebrity Room
before? With other, uh, clients?
WOMAN
I don't think so. It's nice.
CARL
Yeah, well, it depends on the artist.
You know, Jose Feliciano, ya got no
complaints. Waiter!
Carl grimaces.
CARL
... What is he, deaf?... So, uh, how
long have you been with the escort
service?
(CONTINUED)
66.
65 CONTINUED: 65
WOMAN
I don't know. Few munce.
CARL
Ya find the work interesting, do ya?
WOMAN
... What're you talking about?
66 A DIRTY BEDROOM 66
CARL
Shep! What the hell are you doing?
I'm banging that girl! Shep! Jesus
Ch – Shep slaps him hard, forehand,
backhand.
SHEP
Fuck out of my house!
He hauls him up –
CARL
Shep! Don't you dare fucking hit me,
man! Don't you – –
Shep enters frame to circle the sofa and kick at Carl behind
it.
SHEP
Fuck outta here. Put me back in
Stillwater. Little fucking shit.
VOICE
Hey! Come on in there!
MAN
C'mon, brother, it's late – Unghh!
(CONTINUED)
67.
66 CONTINUED: 66
Shep hits him twice, then grabs both of his ears and starts
banging his head against the wall.
The hooker runs by, clutching her clothes, and Shep kicks
her in the ass as she passes.
CARL
Stay away from me, man! Hey! Smoke a
fuckin' peace pipe, man! Don't you
dare fuckin' – Unghh!
After hitting him several times, Shep yanks Carl's belt out
of his dangling pants and strangles him with it. Carl gurgles.
Shep knees Carl repeatedly, then dumps him onto the floor
and starts whipping him with the buckle end of the belt.
Carl listens to the phone ring at the other end. His face is
deeply bruised and cut.
VOICE
... Yah?
CARL
All right, Jerry, I'm through fucking
around. You got the fucking money?
68 JERRY'S KITCHEN 68
JERRY
Yah, I got the money, but, uh –-
CARL
Don't you fucking but me, Jerry. I
want you with this money on the Dayton-
Radisson parking ramp, top level,
thirty minutes, and we'll wrap this
up.
JERRY
Yah, okay, but, uh –-
(CONTINUED)
68.
68 CONTINUED: 68
CARL
You're there in thirty minutes or I
find you, Jerry, and I shoot you,
and I shoot your fucking wife, and I
shoot all your little fucking
children, and I shoot 'em all in the
back of their little fucking heads.
Got it?
JERRY
... Yah, well, you stay away from
Scotty now –
CARL
GOT IT?
JERRY
Okay, real good, then.
69 EXT. HOUSE 69
70 INT. CAR 70
WADE
Okay... here's your damn money, now
where's my daughter?... Goddamn punk
... where's my damn daughter...
WADE
... You little punk.
71 JERRY'S HOUSE 71
VOICE
... Dad?
JERRY
It's okay, Scotty.
(CONTINUED)
69.
71 CONTINUED: 71
VOICE
Where're you going?
JERRY
Be back in a minute. If Stan calls
you, just tell him I went to Embers.
Oh, geez – Thunk! – his first boot
goes on.
72 RADISSON 72
Marge sits on the bed in her hotel room, shoes off, massaging
her feet. The phone is pressed to her ear, and through it,
we hear ringing.
VOICE
... Hello?
MARGE
Norm?
MARGE'S VOICE
They bitin'?
74 INT. HUT 74
Norm has a cellular phone to his ear. His feet are stretched
out to an electric heater. The interior is bathed in soft
orange light.
NORM
Yah, okay. How's the hotel?
MARGE
Oh, pretty good. They bitin'?
NORM
Yeah, couple a muskies. No pike yet.
How d'you feel?
MARGE
Oh, fine.
NORM
Not on your feet too much?
MARGE
No, no.
(CONTINUED)
70.
74 CONTINUED: 74
NORM
You shouldn't be on your feet too
much, you got weight you're not used
too. How's the food down there?
MARGE
Had dinner at a place called the
King's Table. Buffet style. It was
pretty darn good.
NORM
Was it reasonable?
MARGE
Yah, not too bad. So it's nice up
there?
NORM
Yah, it's good. No pike yet, but
it's good.
75 DAYTON-RADISSON RAMP 75
Another car pulls onto the roof. It creeps over to the parked
car and stops. It continues to idle as its door opens and
Wade steps out, carrying the briefcase.
The door of the other car bangs open and Carl bounces out.
CARL
Who the fuck are you? Who the fuck
are you?
WADE
I got your goddamn money, you little
punk. Now where's my daughter?
CARL
I am through fucking around! Drop
that fucking briefcase!
WADE
Where's my daughter?
CARL
Fuck you, man! Where's Jerry? I gave
SIMPLE FUCKING INSTRUCTIONS –
WADE
Where's my damn daughter? No Jean,
no money!
(CONTINUED)
71.
75 CONTINUED: 75
CARL
Drop that fucking money!
WADE
No Jean, no money!
CARL
Is this a fucking joke here?
CARL
... Is this a fucking joke?
WADE
Unghh... oh, geez...
CARL
You fucking imbeciles!
WADE
Oh, for Christ... oh, geez...
Wade brings out his gun and fires at Carl's head, close by.
CARL
Oh!
Carl stumbles and falls back, and then stands up again. His
jaw is gouting blood.
CARL
... Owwmm...
CARL
... Mmmmmphnck! He fnkem shop me...
76 DOWN RAMP 76
JERRY
Oh, geez!
78 EXIT BOOTH 78
CARL
Ophhem ma fuchem gaphe!
ATTENDANT
May I have your ticket, please?
79 RAMP ROOF 79
JERRY
Oh! Oh, geez!
80 EXIT BOOTH 80
The wooden gate barring the exit has been broken away. The
booth is empty.
(CONTINUED)
73.
81 CONTINUED: 81
FOYER
Jerry enters and sits on the foyer chair to take off his
galoshes.
SCOTT'S VOICE
... Dad?
JERRY
Yah.
SCOTT'S VOICE
Stan Grossman called.
JERRY
Yah, okay.
SCOTT'S VOICE
Twice.
JERRY
Okay.
SCOTT'S VOICE
... Is everything okay?
JERRY
Yah.
SCOTT'S VOICE
Are you calling Stan?
JERRY
Well... I'm goin' ta bed now.
82 CARL'S CAR 82
CARL
... Fnnkn ashlzh... Fnk...
83 ROAD 83
FADE OUT:
HOLD IN BLACK
85 OUTSIDE 85
Gary slams his door shut and the other man plants his shovel
in the snow.
MAN
How ya doin'?
GARY
Mr. Mohra?
MAN
Yah.
GARY
Officer Olson.
MAN
Yah, right-o.
The two men caucus the driveway without shaking hands and
without standing particularly close. They stand stiffly,
arms down at their sides and breath streaming out of their
parka hoods. Each has an awkward leaning-away posture, head
drawn slightly back and chin tucked in, to keep his face
from protruding into the cold.
MAN
... So, I'm tendin' bar there at
Ecklund & Swedlin's last Tuesday and
this little guy's drinkin' and he
says, 'So where can a guy find some
action – I'm goin' crazy down there
at the lake.' And I says, 'What kinda
action?' and he says, 'Woman action,
what do I look like,' And I says
'Well, what do I look like, I don't
arrange that kinda thing,' and he
says, 'I'm goin' crazy out there at
the lake' and I says, 'Well, this
ain't that kinda place.'
(CONTINUED)
75.
85 CONTINUED: 85
GARY
Uh-huh.
MAN
So he says, 'So I get it, so you
think I'm some kinda jerk for askin','
only he doesn't use the word jerk.
GARY
I unnerstand.
MAN
And then he calls me a jerk and says
the last guy who thought he was a
jerk was dead now. So I don't say
nothin' and he says, 'What do ya
think about that?' So I says, 'Well,
that don't sound like too good a
deal for him then.'
GARY
Ya got that right.
MAN
And he says, 'Yah, that guy's dead
and I don't mean a old age.' And
then he says, 'Geez, I'm goin' crazy
out there at the lake.'
GARY
White Bear Lake?
MAN
Well, Ecklund & Swedlin's, that's
closer ta Moose Lake, so I made that
assumption.
GARY
Oh sure.
MAN
So, ya know, he's drinkin', so I
don't think a whole great deal of
it, but Mrs. Mohra heard about the
homicides out here and she thought I
should call it in, so I called it
in. End a story.
GARY
What'd this guy look like anyways?
MAN
Oh, he was a little guy, kinda funny-
lookin'.
(CONTINUED)
76.
85 CONTINUED: (2) 85
GARY
Uh-huh – in what way?
MAN
Just a general way.
GARY
Okay, well, thanks a bunch, Mr. Mohra.
You're right, it's probably nothin',
but thanks for callin' her in.
MAN
Oh sure. They say she's gonna turn
cold tomorrow.
GARY
Yah, got a front movin' in.
MAN
Ya got that right.
In his car, now parked, one hand holding the rag pressed to
his mangled jaw. He is staring down at something in the front
seat next to him.
His other hand holds open the briefcase. It has money inside
– a lot of money.
CARL
... Mmmnphh.
CARL
... Jeshush Shrist... Jeshush fuchem
Shrist!
He starts to take the rag away from his chin but the layer
pressed against his face sticks, its loose weave bound to
his skin by clotted blood.
86 EXT. CAR 86
CARL
Mmmphh...
87 HOTEL ROOM 87
MARGE
No, I'm leavin' this mornin', back
up to Brainerd.
VOICE
Well, I'm sorry I won't see ya.
MARGE
Mm. But ya think he's all right? I
saw him last night and he's –
VOICE
What'd he say?
(CONTINUED)
78.
87 CONTINUED: 87
MARGE
Well, it was nothin' specific he
said, it just seemd like it all hit
him really hard, his wife dyin' –
VOICE
His wife?
MARGE
Linda.
VOICE
No.
MARGE
Linda Cooksey?
VOICE
No. No. No. They weren't – he, uh,
he was bothering Linda for about,
oh, for a good year. Really pestering
her, wouldn't leave her alone.
MARGE
So... they didn't...
VOICE
No. No. They never married. Mike's
had psychiatric problems.
MARGE
Oh. Oh, my.
VOICE
Yah, he – he's been struggling. He's
living with his parents now.
MARGE
Oh. Geez.
VOICE
Yah, Linda's fine. You should call
her.
MARGE
Geez. Well – geez. That's a suprise.
MARGE'S CAR
Marge drives, gazing out at the road.
88 MARGE AT A DRIVE-THROUGH 88
She leans out of her open window and yells at the order panel:
(CONTINUED)
79.
88 CONTINUED: 88
MARGE
Hello?
MARGE
Mr. Lundegaard? Sorry to bother you
again. Can I come in?
JERRY
Yah, no, I'm kinda – I'm kinda busy -
MARGE
I unnerstand. I'll keep it real short,
then. I'm on my way out of town, but
I was just – Do you mind if I sit
down? I'm carrying a bit of a load
here.
JERRY
No, I – But she is already sitting
into the chair opposite with a sigh
of relieved weight.
MARGE
Yah, it's this vehicle I asked you
about yesterday. I was just wondering -
JERRY
Yah, like I told ya, we haven't had
any vehicles go missing.
(CONTINUED)
80.
90 CONTINUED: 90
MARGE
Okay, are you sure, cause, I mean,
how do you know? Because, see, the
crime I'm investigating, the
perpetrators were driving a car with
dealer plates. And they called someone
who works here, so it'd be quite a
coincidence if they weren't, ya know,
connected.
JERRY
Yah, I see.
MARGE
So how do you – have you done any
kind of inventory recently?
JERRY
The car's not from our lot, ma'am.
MARGE
But do you know that for sure without --
JERRY
Well, I would know. I'm the Executive
Sales Manager.
MARGE
Yah, but –-
JERRY
We run a pretty tight ship here.
MARGE
I know, but – well, how do you
establish that, sir? Are the cars,
uh, counted daily or what kind of –
JERRY
Ma'am, I answered your question.
MARGE
... I'm sorry, sir?
JERRY
Ma'am, I answered your question. I
answered the darn – I'm cooperating
here, and I...
MARGE
Sir, you have no call to get snippy
with me. I'm just doin' my job here.
(CONTINUED)
81.
90 CONTINUED: (2) 90
JERRY
I'm not, uh, I'm not arguin' here.
I'm cooperating... There's no, uh –
we're doin' all we can...
MARGE
Sir, could I talk to Mr. Gustafson?
MARGE
... Mr. Lundegaard?
JERRY EXPLODES:
JERRY
Well, heck, if you wanna, if you
wanna play games here! I'm workin'
with ya on this thing, but I...
JERRY
Okay, I'll do a damned lot count!
MARGE
Sir? Right now?
JERRY
Sure right now! You're darned tootin'!
JERRY
... If it's so damned important to
ya!
MARGE
I'm sorry, sir, I – Jerry has the
parka slung over one arm and the
galoshes pinched in his hand.
JERRY
Aw, what the Christ!
Marge stares.
After a long moment her stare breaks. She glances idly around
the office.
(CONTINUED)
82.
90 CONTINUED: (3) 90
MARGE
... Oh, for Pete's sake.
MARGE
... Oh, for Pete's sake...
MARGE
... For Pete's s – he's fleein' the
interview. He's feelin' the
interview...
MARGE
... Detective Sibert, please...
POLICE OFFICER
We are looking across a steam table
at a man in blue. He moves slowly to
the right, pushing his tray along a
cafeteria line. Behind him, in the
depth of the room, is an eating area
of long Formica tables at which sit
a mix of uniformed and civilian-
clothed police and staff.
(CONTINUED)
83.
90 CONTINUED: (4) 90
WOMAN
Well, so far we're just saying he's
wanted for questioning in connection
with a triple homicide. Nobody at
the dealship there's been much help
guessing where he might go...
MARGE
Uh-huh.
WOMAN
We called his house; his little boy
said he hadn't been there.
MARGE
And his wife?
WOMAN
She's visiting relatives in Florida.
Now his boss, this guy Gustafson,
he's also disappeared. Nobody at his
office knows where he is.
MARGE
Geez. Looks like this thing goes
higher than we thought. You call his
home?
WOMAN
His wife's in the hospital, has been
for a couple months. The big C.
MARGE
Oh, my.
WOMAN
And this Shep Proudfoot character,
he's a little darling. He's now wanted
for assault and parole violation. He
clobbered a neighbor of his last
night and another person who could
be one of your perps, and he's at
large.
MARGE
Boy, this thing is really... geez.
WOMAN
Well, they're all out on the wire.
Well, you know...
(CONTINUED)
84.
90 CONTINUED: (5) 90
MARGE
Yah. Well, I just can't thank you
enough, Detective Sibert, this
cooperation has been outstanding.
DETECTIVE SIBERT
Ah, well, we haven't had to run around
like you. When're you due?
MARGE
End a April.
DETECTIVE SIBERT
Any others?
MARGE
This'll be our first. We've been
waiting a long time.
DETECTIVE SIBERT
That's wonderful. Mm-mm. It'll change
your life, a course.
MARGE
Oh, yah, I know that!
DETECTIVE SIBERT
They can really take over, that's
for sure.
MARGE
You have children?
DETECTIVE SIBERT
I thought you'd never ask. The older
one is Janet, she's nine, and the
younger one is Morgan.
MARGE
Oh, now he's adorable.
DETECTIVE SIBERT
He's three now. Course, not in that
picture.
MARGE
Oh, he's adorable.
DETECTIVE SIBERT
Yah, he –-
(CONTINUED)
85.
90 CONTINUED: (6) 90
MARGE
Where'd you get him that parka?
They have reached the end of the cafeteria line. With a nod
to the cashier, Detective Sibert indicates hers and Marge's
trays.
DETECTIVE SIBERT
Both of these.
MARGE
Oh, no, I can't let you do that.
DETECTIVE SIBERT
Oh, don't be silly.
MARGE
Well, okay – thank you, Detective.
DETECTIVE SIBERT
Oh, don't be silly.
GAEAR GRIMSRUD
CARL
You should she zhe uzher guy!
He glances around.
CARL
... The fuck happen a her?
GRIMSRUD
She started shrieking, you know.
(CONTINUED)
86.
90 CONTINUED: (7) 90
CARL
Jezhush.
CARL
... Well, I gotta muddy.
CARL
... All of it. All eighty gran. Forty
for you...
CARL
... Forty for me. Sho thishuzh it.
Adiosh.
CARL
... You c'n'ave my truck. I'm takin'
a Shiera.
GRIMSRUD
We split that.
CARL
HOW THE FUCK DO WE SHPLITTA FUCKIN'
CAR? Ya dummy! Widda fuckin'
chainshaw?
GRIMSRUD
One of us pays the other for half.
CARL
HOLD ON! NO FUCKIN' WAY! YOU FUCKIN'
NOTISH ISH? I GOT FUCKIN' SHOT INNA
FAISH! I WENT'N GOTTA FUCKIN' MONEY!
I GET SHOT FUCKIN' PICKIN' IT UP! I
BEEN UP FOR THIRTY-SHIKSH FUCKIN'
HOURZH! I'M TAKIN' THAT FUCKIN' CAR!
THAT FUCKERZH MINE!
Carl waits for an argument, but only gets the steady sour
look.
(CONTINUED)
87.
90 CONTINUED: (8) 90
CARL
... YOU FUCKIN' ASH-HOLE! I LISHEN
A YOUR BULLSHIT FOR A WHOLE FUCKIN'
WEEK!
CARL
... Are we shquare?
CARL
... ARE WE SHQUARE?
A beat.
Disgusted, Carl pockets the gun and heads for the door.
CARL
... Fuckin' ash-hole. And if you
shee your friend Shep Proudpfut,
tell him I'm gonna NAIL hizh fuckin'
ash.
91 OUTSIDE 91
MARGE
VOICE
His wife. This guy says she was
kidnapped last Wednesday.
MARGE
The day of our homicides.
VOICE
Yah.
(CONTINUED)
88.
91 CONTINUED: 91
MARGE
And this guy is...
VOICE
Lundegaard's father-in-law's
accountant.
MARGE
Gustafson's accountant.
VOICE
Yah.
MARGE
But we still haven't found Gustafson.
VOICE
(crackle)
– looking.
MARGE
Sorry – didn't copy.
VOICE
Still missing. We're looking.
MARGE
Copy. And Lundegaard too.
VOICE
Yah. Where are ya, Margie?
MARGE
Oh, I'm almost back – I'm driving
around Moose Lake.
VOICE
Oh. Gary's loudmouth.
MARGE
Yah, the loudmouth. So the whole
state has it, Lundegaard and
Gustafson?
VOICE
Yah, it's over the wire, it's
everywhere, they'll find 'em.
(CONTINUED)
89.
91 CONTINUED: (2) 91
MARGE
Copy.
VOICE
We've got a –
MARGE
There's the car! There's the car!
VOICE
Whose car?
MARGE
My car! My car! Tan Ciera!
VOICE
Don't go in! Wait for back-up!
VOICE
... Chief Gunderson?
MARGE
Copy. Yah, send me back-up!
VOICE
Yes, ma'am. Are we the closest PD?
MARGE
Yah, Menominie only has Chief Perpich
and he takes February off to go to
Boundary Waters.
92 ROAD EXTERIOR 92
Marge pulls her prowler over some distance past the cabin.
She gets out, zips up her khaki parka and pulls up its fur-
lined hood.
She slogs from tree to tree, letting each one support her
downhill-leaning weight for a moment before slogging to the
next.
(CONTINUED)
90.
92 CONTINUED: 92
The roar grows louder. Marge stands panting by one tree, her
breath vaporizing out of her snorkel hood. She squints down
toward the cabin's back lot.
A tall man with his back to us, wearing a red plaid quilted
jacket and a hunting cap with earflaps, is laboring over a
large power tool which his body blocks from view.
Marge advances.
The man is Grimsrud, his nose red and eyes watering from the
cold, hatflaps pulled down over his ears. His breath steams
as he sourly goes about his work, both hands pressing down a
shod foot, as it if were the shaft of a butter churn.
The dark shape in the snow next to his side is the rest of
Carl Showalter's body.
MARGE
Stop! Police! Turn around and hands
up!
(CONTINUED)
91.
92 CONTINUED: (2) 92
He stares.
MARGE
... Hands up!
MARGE
... Police!
Grimsrud stares.
No need – the heavy log travels perhaps ten yards and lands
in the snow several feet short of her.
BEHIND HIM:
MARGE
... Halt!
MARGE
... Halt!
She fires.
MARGE
... Halt!
Marge walks toward him, gun trained on him as her other hand
reaches under her parka and gropes around her waist.
(CONTINUED)
92.
92 CONTINUED: (3) 92
MARGE
... All right, buddy. On your belly
and your hands clasped behind you.
93 THE CRUISER 93
MARGE
... So that was Mrs. Lundegaard in
there?
AT LENGTH:
MARGE
... I guess that was your accomplice
in the wood chipper.
MARGE
... And those three people in
Brainerd.
No response.
MARGE
... And for what? For a little bit
of money.
MARGE
... There's more to life than money,
you know.
(CONTINUED)
93.
93 CONTINUED: 93
MARGE
... Don't you know that?... And here
ya are, and it's a beautiful day...
MARGE
... Well...
She stares forward, shakes her head. We hear the dull click
of her flashers.
MARGE
... I just don't unnerstand it.
FADE OUT:
FADE IN:
COP ONE
Mr. Anderson...
(CONTINUED)
94.
95 CONTINUED: 95
VOICE
... Who?...
COP ONE
Mr. Anderson, is this your burgundy
88 out here?
VOICE
... Just a sec.
COP ONE
Could you open the door, please?
VOICE
... Yah. Yah, just a sec.
VOICE
... Just a sec...
The two policemen, guns at the ready, bang into the motel
room.
COP ONE
Dale!
The two men charge the bathroom, belts jingling, guns at the
ready, JITTERY CAMERA behind them rushing to keep pace.
The policemen holster their guns and charge the window, and
drag Jerry Lundegaard back into the room.
The cops wrestle him to the floor but his palsied thrashing
continues. The policemen struggle to restrain him.
(CONTINUED)
95.
95 CONTINUED: (2) 95
COP ONE
Call an ambulance!
COP TWO
You got him okay?
Cop One pinions Jerry's arms to the floor and Jerry bursts
into uncontrolled sobbing.
COP ONE
Yah, yah, call an ambulance.
Jerry sobs and screams.
96 A BEDROOM 96
We are SQUARE ON Norm, who sits in bed watching television.
After a long beat, Marge enters frame in a nightie and climbs
into bed, with some effort.
MARGE
Oooph!
Norm reaches for her hand as both watch the television.
At length Norm speaks, but keeps his eyes on the TV.
NORM
They announced it.
Marge looks at him.
MARGE
They announced it?
NORM
Yah.
Marge looks at him, waiting for more, but Norm's eyes stay
fixed on the television.
MARGE
... So?
NORM
Three-cent stamp.
MARGE
Your mallard?
NORM
Yah.
MARGE
Norm, that's terrific!
Norm tries to suppress a smile of pleasure.
(CONTINUED)
96.
96 CONTINUED: 96
NORM
It's just the three cent.
MARGE
It's terrific!
NORM
Hautman's blue-winged teal got the
twenty-nine cent. People don't much
use the three-cent.
MARGE
Oh, for Pete's – a course they do!
Every time they raise the darned
postage, people need the little
stamps!
NORM
Yah.
MARGE
When they're stuck with a bunch a
the old ones!
NORM
Yah, I guess.
MARGE
That's terrific.
Her eyes go back to the TV.
MARGE
... I'm so proud a you, Norm.
NORM MURMURS:
NORM
I love you, Margie.
MARGE
I love you, Norm.
Both of them are watching the TV as Norm reaches out to rest
a hand on top of her stomach.
NORM
... Two more months.
Marge absently rests her own hand on top of his.
MARGE
Two more months.
HOLD
FADE OUT:
THE END