Fargo (1952): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1952, Fargo is an action and western film directed by Lewis D. Collins, running about 69 minutes. “HE BLAZED HIS WAY ACROSS SAVAGE PLAINS...and wrote his name in powder-smoke...in the town the law forgot!” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. The brother (House Peters Jr.) of rancher Bill Martin (Bill Elliott) is killed in a stampede started by cattleman. Bill returns to the Fargo country to take his brother's place and is welcomed by law-abiding cattleman MacKenzie (Jack Ingram)) and his daughter Kathy (Phyllis Coates). The leader of the ruthless cattle interests are townsman Austin (Arthur Space) and his henchmen Red (Myron Healey), Link (Robert J. Wilke) and Albord (Terry Frost). Bill has the idea of putting up barbed wire to keep the herds from been driven over the land cultivated by the farmers. He, aided by Tad Sloan (Fuzzy Knight), produces the wire by make-shift methods, but it proves effective. The cattleman charge in court that the wire is dangerous to their herds but lose the case. Austin orders his men to seize Bill, bale him in strands of the wire, and throw him on the stage of the town hall during a fall festival. Bill doesn't take kindly to this and it precipitates open war.

Who’s in it. Fargo stars Bill Elliott as Bill Martin, Myron Healey as Red Olsen, Phyllis Coates as Kathy MacKenzie and Fuzzy Knight as Tad Sloan, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 7.0/10, Fargo has been warmly received by audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Fargo page.

If you liked it. Fans of Fargo tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.