That's why I will only watch movies on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
MAGA! FAFO! Schrodinger's Cat walks into a bar, and doesn't. Dumbocraps: evil people who celebrate murder.

Thank you TxMike, much appreciated!
I'm really sick and tired of TV networks and basic cable channels censoring and mutilating movies and TV shows. The first time I saw Fargo was on one of those channels. They cut the Mike Yanagita scene but not all of the related lines, so it looked like bad editing. Actually, the movie editing was perfect, it was some greedy TV merchant who cut a portion of the movie to sell more commercials or because they thought the scene was "non-essential."
Today I saw the movie again on Amazon Prime. Not only the picture quality was better, it was also uncensored and uncut.

for a Coen Brothers movie a bizarre scene like this is not only necessary, it's completely normal, in their world, and one of the best scenes in the movie
www.thefearmakers.blogspot.com

it's also important because it's brilliant, and its the kind of thing that happens in a Coens movie, and it gives a little bit of the old Coens weirdness within what's a really good movie but still their most mainstream
The Fearmakers Blog
https://thefearmakers.blogspot.com/

Thank you for doing that.

"She's in the car eating a sandwich from Hardees.and then she's re-interviewing Jerry? "
I get your point, and that would have been unequivocal, but they chose to make it more subtle. If you are paying close attention to Marge you see her body language and facial expressions that make the connection more subtly. And because so many miss that connection I started this thread.
.... TxMike ....

Thanks for your explanation. I think the screenplay could easily have made the connection between Mike's b.s. and Jerry's b.s. more concrete. For example, Margie could have said something to herself in the car, "Margie, you're gullible." Or "Margie, you're too trusting." That's all it would have taken for viewers to NOT think the Mike scene was unnecessary. Because frankly, I've seen the movie several times and like many other viewers, I didn't make the connection. She's in the car eating a sandwich from Hardees.and then she's re-interviewing Jerry? And the Mike scene is so strangely amusing that you think the Coen Bros just slipped it In for comic relief. (The only thing funnier would be a Somali immigrant saying, "Okie Dokey.")

This message has been deleted.

You're assuming that most people commenting here seen this film during it's theatrical run. How do you know that the people commenting here didn't just discover this film after the popularity of the TV series?

It's so sad that after 20 years, this post still needs to be written.
I will never understand how people did not understand the significance(which the OP is spot on about)
I think you're the opposite of paranoid, I think you walk around with the delusion people like you.

The problem with all this is, Marge should have known Jerry was lying the first time she met him. He was acting nervous, fidgety, impatient, evasive; clearly lying about something, clearly hiding something. She's supposed to be a trained, seasoned, experienced police officer, so how could she not have noticed his suspicious behavior?
She certainly didn't need to experience something later with someone else in order for the light bulb to go off in her brain about Jerry's behavior.
Not that I minded the Mike Yanagita scene; to me it was typical of the Coen Brothers' quirkiness. But I don't find it plausible that it was necessary to make her wake up.
My two cents, anyway!

Thanks TxMike.
I always wondered the same thing what was up with Mike Yanagita scene crying and calling her a super lady. Now I know.
By the way Pancakes Dude, Peter Stormare, was in Longmire and played an equally troubling character with the strangest accent ever.

I'll work on that for you!!
Jean

I agree. Now, if you could explain the "C'mongimme a signal" scene where the pancake dude was staring at Jean and Carl in that weird homicidal way, I'd appreciate it. My theory is, that was the point when he decided he would kill them both and take the ransom for himself.

Well, Mike is not Japanese, he was born and raised in Maggie's hometown, that's why he speaks like her. What's Japanese about him is his ancestry only, which explains his looks and his surname.

Have seen this movie many times, and always liked the scene with Mike as it was just Quirky (Japanese guy speaking Scandinavian. ya jeez). But just tonight on TV that scene was missing, too bad. It's not necessary, but is fun.

Great explanation, truly! I think the scene may be a little too subtle. If cut out it is just a simple, albeit far less intersting, revelation she has. I guess I wouldn't call the scene critical. Even if it didn't have this purpose I would still be happy for it to be there because it is so well done.

Oh absolutely! The film and the two seasons of the tv show are must-see. Anxiously awaiting season three.
I've seen the movie many times and never questioned why they included the Yanagita scene. Just thought it was part of the weirdness. Marge was so smart and Jerry so fidgety, she was onto him pretty quickly.
I'll watch for it on my next viewing.

Thank you very much for this explanation! Just saw the movie and was curious about why the scene(story bit) with Mike was there. I loved the first season of the Fargo show and enjoyed the second one so it was about time that I saw this!