Fargo is a 1996 black comedy crime film written, directed, produced and edited by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Harve Presnell, and Peter Stormare. McDormand plays pregnant police chief Marge Gunderson, who investigates after a car salesman, Jerry Lundegaard (Macy), hires two dimwitted criminals to kidnap his wife to extort a ransom from her wealthy father.