Fargo Philosophical Viewpoints: The Absurd Quotes

How we cite our quotes: All quotations are from Fargo.

Quote #4

HOOKER #1: Well, the little guy, he was kinda funny-looking.

MARGE: In what way?

HOOKER #1: I dunno, just funny-lookin'.

MARGE: Can you be any more specific?

HOOKER #1: I couldn't really say. He wasn't circumcised.

MARGE: Was he funny lookin' apart from that?

HOOKER #1: Yeah.

The hooker knows what Carl looks like but just doesn't understand how to describe it in a way that's helpful to Marge's investigation.

Quote #5

HOOKER #2: He was a little older. You know, looked like the Marlboro Man.

MARGE: Oh yah?

HOOKER #2: Yah. But maybe I'm sayin' that, you know, cause he smoked Marlboros.

MARGE: Uh-huh.

HOOKER #2: You know, like a subconscious-type thing.

Gaear, most people would agree, looks nothing like any version of the Marlboro Man, the ruggedly handsome cowboy pitchman for Marlboro cigarettes. So, she's right: it probably was a "subconscious-type thing." What's also absurd is that the hooker, who's been portrayed as kind of brainless, would go all intellectual on Marge and try to impress her with her sophistication. What's even more absurd is that several of the Marlboro man models died of diseases related to smoking.

Quote #6

UNIDENTIFIED VOICE: No. No, they never married. Mike's had psychiatric problems.

MARGE: Oh. Oh, my.

In the movie's weirdest and most baffling digression, Marge catches up with an old classmate, Mike Yanagita, who unsuccessfully tries hitting on her before claiming his wife has died of leukemia. This turns out to be totally false; Mike's just suffering from mental problems. But why is it in the movie? Maybe to counterpoint Marge's own domestic happiness? Is it just there?