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* ForWantOfANail: If Bernie had kept up with previously agreed payments with Marjorie's estranged family after he killed her, they would not have been so motivated to investigate her whereabouts for a while yet and push the police to search her house.

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* ForWantOfANail: If Bernie had kept up with previously agreed payments with Marjorie's [[ProdigalFamily estranged family family]] after he killed her, they would not have been so motivated to investigate her whereabouts for a while yet and push the police to search her house.
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* IJustWantToHaveFriends: Several townspeople posit that the reason Bernie was so generous with his time and money is because he wanted people to like him.
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* {{Foreshadowing}}: Soon after meeting Marjorie, Bernie promises that someday he will give her a beautiful funeral "with all the roses in East Texas." After killing her, he's unable to dispose of her body because he believes she still deserves a beautiful funeral.
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* DueToTheDeath: One of the reasons Bernie doesn't dispose of Marjorie's body is because, as a soft-hearted funeral director, he can't bear the thought of her going without a decent burial. He seems to have the vague idea that if he can only find a way out of his predicament, he can grant her one.

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* DueToTheDeath: DueToTheDead: One of the reasons Bernie doesn't dispose of Marjorie's body is because, as a soft-hearted funeral director, he can't bear the thought of her going without a decent burial. He seems to have the vague idea that if he can only find a way out of his predicament, he can grant her one.

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''Bernie'' is a 2011 film that presents the mostly-true story of Bernie Tiede (Creator/JackBlack), a funeral director in Carthage, TX, who befriends the local battle-axe, Marjorie Nugent (Creator/ShirleyMaclaine), at her husband's funeral, becoming her closest confidant and companion, but eventually becoming her [[HenpeckedHusband verbally abused pet and slave]]. At his wits' end, he [[InsanityDefense snaps]] and kills her with a [[ChekhovsGun rabbit gun]]... and then proceeds to [[OfCorpseHesAlive keep up appearances]], hoping no one will notice the shut-in curmudgeon isn't around much. After being found out, the local DA (Creator/MatthewMcConaughey) finds it difficult to gain a conviction for a [[AffablyEvil remorseful Bernie]] who is loved universally by the townspeople and, instead, tries him in a more disinterested county.

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''Bernie'' is a 2011 film that presents the mostly-true story of Bernie Tiede (Creator/JackBlack), a funeral director in Carthage, TX, who befriends the local battle-axe, Marjorie Nugent (Creator/ShirleyMaclaine), at her husband's funeral, becoming her closest confidant and companion, but eventually becoming her [[HenpeckedHusband verbally abused pet and slave]]. At his wits' end, he [[InsanityDefense snaps]] and kills her with a an [[ChekhovsGun rabbit armadillo gun]]... and then proceeds to [[OfCorpseHesAlive keep up appearances]], hoping no one will notice the shut-in curmudgeon isn't around much. After being found out, the local DA (Creator/MatthewMcConaughey) finds it difficult to gain a conviction for a [[AffablyEvil remorseful Bernie]] who is [[LovedByAll loved universally universally]] by the townspeople and, instead, tries him in a more disinterested county.



* DeadMansChest: Bernie hides Marjorie's body in her meat freezer.

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* DeadMansChest: Bernie hides Marjorie's body in her meat freezer. deep freeze.
* DueToTheDeath: One of the reasons Bernie doesn't dispose of Marjorie's body is because, as a soft-hearted funeral director, he can't bear the thought of her going without a decent burial. He seems to have the vague idea that if he can only find a way out of his predicament, he can grant her one.



* LovedByAll: Everyone in Carthage has nothing but nice things to say about Bernie, to the point the prosecutor can't find anyone in town willing to convict him of murder. After he's convicted, Bernie is still so beloved that the people of Carthage must arrange a schedule to determine who gets to see him that week. Even in prison, he's a well-regarded and well-liked model inmate who becomes popular among both inmates and staff for his good nature and willingness to help others.



* VideoCredits

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* VideoCreditsVideoCredits: The end credits show the real Bernie Tiede in prison.
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* ItIsPronouncedTroPAY: The DA lures Bernie into this with "Less Miserables." It can be inferred that the DA knew how to say it, but was deliberately using EverythingSoundsSexierInFrench to paint Bernie as a high-class snob in the eyes of the jury.

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* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Almost nobody in the entire town likes Marjorie (or even blames Bernie for her murder). Heck, many of them are willing to shoot her for five dollars. It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.



* AntiVillain / HeroAntagonist: Danny Buck.

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%% * AntiVillain / HeroAntagonist: Danny Buck.


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* HatedByAll: Almost nobody in the entire town likes Marjorie (or even blames Bernie for her murder). Heck, many of them are willing to shoot her for five dollars. It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.
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* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Almost nobody in the entire town likes Marjorie (or even blames Bernie for her murder). Heck, many of them are willingly to shoot her for five dollars. It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.

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* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Almost nobody in the entire town likes Marjorie (or even blames Bernie for her murder). Heck, many of them are willingly willing to shoot her for five dollars. It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.
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Not to be confused with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_(1996_film) Albert Dupontel's 1996 film of the same name]].

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Not to be confused with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_(1996_film) [[Film/{{Bernie1996}} Albert Dupontel's 1996 film of the same name]].
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Not to be confused with Albert Dupontel's 1996 film of the same name.

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Not to be confused with [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernie_(1996_film) Albert Dupontel's 1996 film of the same name.name]].

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there's nothing in the header of the article that makes Jack Black's presence in the movie surprising, so I removed "yes..that jack Black".


''Bernie'' is a 2011 film that presents the mostly-true story of Bernie Tiede (Creator/JackBlack... yes, ''that'' Jack Black), a funeral director in Carthage, TX, who befriends the local battle-axe, Marjorie Nugent (Creator/ShirleyMaclaine), at her husband's funeral, becoming her closest confidant and companion, but eventually becoming her [[HenpeckedHusband verbally abused pet and slave]]. At his wits' end, he [[InsanityDefense snaps]] and kills her with a [[ChekhovsGun rabbit gun]]... and then proceeds to [[OfCorpseHesAlive keep up appearances]], hoping no one will notice the shut-in curmudgeon isn't around much. After being found out, the local DA (Creator/MatthewMcConaughey) finds it difficult to gain a conviction for a [[AffablyEvil remorseful Bernie]] who is loved universally by the townspeople and, instead, tries him in a more disinterested county.

to:

''Bernie'' is a 2011 film that presents the mostly-true story of Bernie Tiede (Creator/JackBlack... yes, ''that'' Jack Black), (Creator/JackBlack), a funeral director in Carthage, TX, who befriends the local battle-axe, Marjorie Nugent (Creator/ShirleyMaclaine), at her husband's funeral, becoming her closest confidant and companion, but eventually becoming her [[HenpeckedHusband verbally abused pet and slave]]. At his wits' end, he [[InsanityDefense snaps]] and kills her with a [[ChekhovsGun rabbit gun]]... and then proceeds to [[OfCorpseHesAlive keep up appearances]], hoping no one will notice the shut-in curmudgeon isn't around much. After being found out, the local DA (Creator/MatthewMcConaughey) finds it difficult to gain a conviction for a [[AffablyEvil remorseful Bernie]] who is loved universally by the townspeople and, instead, tries him in a more disinterested county.


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Not to be confused with Albert Dupontel's 1996 film of the same name.
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* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Almost nobody in the entire town likes Marjorie (or even blames Bernie for her murder). Heck, many of them are willingly to shoot her for five dollars. It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to a another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.

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* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Almost nobody in the entire town likes Marjorie (or even blames Bernie for her murder). Heck, many of them are willingly to shoot her for five dollars. It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to a another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.

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* FourIsDeath: Bernie shoots Marjorie exactly four times in the back.



* AHeroToHisHometown: Due to integrating himself with society and donating a lot of Marjorie's money to charities and other communal events, Bernie is beloved by virtually everyone in Carthage. So much so that it's impossible for him to be convicted unless his trial is held in a county... ''50 miles'' away.

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* AHeroToHisHometown: Due to integrating himself with society and donating a lot of Marjorie's money to charities and other communal events, Bernie is beloved by virtually everyone in Carthage. So much so that it's impossible for him to be convicted unless his trial is held in a county... ''50 miles'' away.away from Carthage.
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* AHeroToHisHometown: Due to integrating himself with society and donating a lot of Marjorie's money to charities and other communal events, Bernie is beloved by virtually everyone in Carthage. So much so that it's impossible for him to be convicted unless his trial is held in a county... ''50 miles'' away in San Augustine.

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* AHeroToHisHometown: Due to integrating himself with society and donating a lot of Marjorie's money to charities and other communal events, Bernie is beloved by virtually everyone in Carthage. So much so that it's impossible for him to be convicted unless his trial is held in a county... ''50 miles'' away in San Augustine.away.

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* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Almost nobody in the entire town likes Marjorie (or even blames Bernie for her murder). Heck, many of them would be willingly to shoot her for five dollars. It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to a another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.

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* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Almost nobody in the entire town likes Marjorie (or even blames Bernie for her murder). Heck, many of them would be are willingly to shoot her for five dollars. It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to a another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.



* CommonNonsenseJury[=/=]AHeroToHisHometown: Averted in that Danny Buck, in a rare move for a prosecutor, manages to get a change of venue to another county, because he can't find anyone in the original county that would convict Bernie, despite the fact that he ''confessed.''

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* CommonNonsenseJury[=/=]AHeroToHisHometown: CommonNonsenseJury: Averted in that Danny Buck, in a rare move for a prosecutor, manages to get a change of venue to another county, because he can't find anyone in the original county that would convict Bernie, despite the fact that he ''confessed.''


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* AHeroToHisHometown: Due to integrating himself with society and donating a lot of Marjorie's money to charities and other communal events, Bernie is beloved by virtually everyone in Carthage. So much so that it's impossible for him to be convicted unless his trial is held in a county... ''50 miles'' away in San Augustine.

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* AnachronismStew: Bernie uses Majorie's iPhone in what is supposed to be 1994. That Apple notebook Bernie is using looks pretty modern also.
* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: Downplayed in that nobody actually celebrated Marjorie's death when news broke out. However, they didn't miss her at all (not even noticing that Marjorie has been suspiciously absent for months) and when Bernie is put on trial for her murder, the town comes to his defense, some of whom even argue that Marjorie deserves to die.


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* AnachronismStew: Bernie uses Majorie's iPhone in what is supposed to be 1994. That Apple notebook Bernie is using looks pretty modern also.
* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: Downplayed in that nobody actually celebrated Marjorie's death when news broke out. However, they didn't miss her at all (not even noticing that Marjorie has been suspiciously absent for months) and when Bernie is put on trial for her murder, the town comes to his defense, some of whom even argue that Marjorie deserves to die.
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* HateSink: [EvilOldFolks Marjorie "Marge" Nugent]] is universally despised in the town of Carthage for her {{Jerkass}} behavior. Though she becomes fond of [[NiceGuy Bernie]] for comforting her when her husband recently passed, she soon becomes extremely abusive and possessive of him demeaning him every day, chewing every bite 25 just to unease him, making him do errands and chores for her, quit his job, forcing him to [[KickTheDog kill an armadillo]], and trapping him in her property when he tries to leave. Bernie would eventually snap from Marjorie's horrid treatment and shoot her four times InTheBack killing her, to when the town found out nine months later they were more concern that Bernie would go to prison rather than [[AssholeVictim Marjorie was killed]].

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* HateSink: [EvilOldFolks [[EvilOldFolks Marjorie "Marge" Nugent]] is universally despised in the town of Carthage for her {{Jerkass}} behavior. Though she becomes fond of [[NiceGuy Bernie]] for comforting her when her husband recently passed, she soon becomes extremely abusive and possessive of him demeaning him every day, chewing every bite 25 just to unease him, making him do errands and chores for her, quit his job, forcing him to [[KickTheDog kill an armadillo]], and trapping him in her property when he tries to leave. Bernie would eventually snap from Marjorie's horrid treatment and shoot her four times InTheBack killing her, to when the town found out nine months later they were more concern that Bernie would go to prison rather than [[AssholeVictim Marjorie was killed]].

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* ZeroPercentApprovalRating: Almost nobody in the entire town likes Marjorie (or even blames Bernie for her murder). Heck, many of them would be willingly to shoot her for five dollars. It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to a another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.



* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: Downplayed in that nobody actually celebrated Marjorie's death when news broke out. However, they didn't miss her at all (not even noticing that Marjorie has been suspiciously absent for months) and when Bernie is put on trial for her murder, the town comes to his defense, some of whom even argue that Marjorie deserves to die.



* HateSink: Marjorie is this InUniverse and out, as almost nobody in the entire town likes her (or even blames Bernie for her murder). It gets so bad that the frustrated DA has to get Bernie's case moved to a another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.

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* HateSink: [EvilOldFolks Marjorie "Marge" Nugent]] is this InUniverse and out, as almost nobody universally despised in the entire town likes her (or even blames Bernie of Carthage for her murder). It gets so bad {{Jerkass}} behavior. Though she becomes fond of [[NiceGuy Bernie]] for comforting her when her husband recently passed, she soon becomes extremely abusive and possessive of him demeaning him every day, chewing every bite 25 just to unease him, making him do errands and chores for her, quit his job, forcing him to [[KickTheDog kill an armadillo]], and trapping him in her property when he tries to leave. Bernie would eventually snap from Marjorie's horrid treatment and shoot her four times InTheBack killing her, to when the town found out nine months later they were more concern that the frustrated DA has Bernie would go to get Bernie's case moved to a another county because there are literally ''not enough people in Carthage'' with an unbiased opinion of prison rather than [[AssholeVictim Marjorie for a local jury to actually be in any way objective. Even then, Bernie gets convicted not so much because of what he did but because the DA managed to paint him as an out-of-touch elite snob.was killed]].



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* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: Danny makes a point that while Bernie is beloved by Carthage (and Marjorie constantly abused him) while his victim Marjorie was universally despised, it doesn’t excuse Bernie for committing murder.
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* HistoricalBeautyUpgrade: Creator/MatthewMcConaughey plays D.A. Danny Buck as a handsome, fit 40-something, when the real Buck was in his 50s, balding and described as looking like a bulldog. The trope is inverted with the title character as the real Bernie Tiede was taller, fitter and arguably more handsome than Creator/JackBlack.
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** It's never said outright but it's clear that Bernie and his theater group are rehearsing for a production of ''Theatre/TheMusicMan''. In real life, it was ‘’Theatre/GuysAndDolls’’.
* ShowWithinAShow: The film has Marjorie and Bernie attend several productions, and Bernie directs and acts in a few, including ‘’Theatre/TheMusicMan’’.

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** It's never said outright but it's clear that Bernie and his theater group are rehearsing for a production of ''Theatre/TheMusicMan''. In real life, it was ‘’Theatre/GuysAndDolls’’.''Theatre/GuysAndDolls''.
* ShowWithinAShow: The film has Marjorie and Bernie attend several productions, productions including a ballet of ''Theatre/{{MacBeth}}'' and Bernie directs and acts in a few, including ‘’Theatre/TheMusicMan’’.''Theatre/TheMusicMan''.

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