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FYI: This epic motion picture film is about a Friendship that spans over two decades. For your information, Idgie and Ruth are like approximately 10yrs apart in age. In the beginning of the movie, Idgie was around 10yrs old, and has known Ruth (at that time Ruth was around 20yrs of age) for some time. However, as the years had progressed, their age differences didn't matter anymore; Ruth was already in her early 30's as Idgie approached her early 20's halfway in the movie. Anyway, they had started to develop a natural romantic attraction towards each other and formed a deep attachment, and then forged an emotionally-close tender Friendship as time passed.
Plot & Synopsis: A woman (Evelyn) learns the value of Friendship as she hears the story of two women going through the trials and tribulations of the Deep South back in the 1930's, and how their Friendship shaped their lives in this warm comedy-drama. Every time I watch this movie, I feel genuinely good, sentimental and gushy. In the present-day (1980's) Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates) is an emotionally repressed housewife with a habit of drowning her sorrows in candy bars. Her husband Ed (Gailard Sartain) barely acknowledges her existence, and while he visits his aunt at a nursing home every week, Evelyn is not permitted to come into the room because the old women doesn't like her. One week, while waiting out Ed's visit, Evelyn meets Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy), a frail but feisty old woman who lives at the same nursing home and loves to tell stories. Over the span of several weeks, she spins a whopper about one of her relatives, Idgie Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson). Back in the Depression-Era, Idgie was a sweet but fiercely independent woman with her own way of doing things. In fact, she absolutely refuses to settle down (in the traditional sense) or play by 1930s social rules. Anyhoo, Idgie also ran the town diner in Whistle Stop, Alabama. Idgie was very close to her brother Buddy (Chris O'Donnell), and when he died, she wouldn't talk to anyone except Buddy's girl, Ruth Jamison (Mary-Louise Parker). After all, they both witnessed a terrible train accident, and were both tightly bonded by the tragedy in the 1920's. A decade later or so, Idgie gave Ruth a job at the cafe after Ruth left her abusive husband, Frank Bennett (Nick Searcy). They lived together, and even raised a child whom they named Buddy Jr. Between Idgie's habit of standing up for herself, standing up to Frank, and serving food to Black people out the back of the diner; Idgie raised the ire of the less tolerant citizens of Whistle Stop. And when Frank mysteriously disappeared, many locals suspected that Idgie, Ruth, and their friends may have been responsible. Evelyn finds herself looking forward to her weekly visits with Ninny, and is inspired by her story to take a new pride in herself and really assert her independence from Ed. Fried Green Tomatoes (the film) was based on the novel "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" by actress-turned-author Fannie Flagg, who makes a cameo appearance as the leader of a self-help group.
The Two Friends: Ruth Jamison & Idgie Threadgoode
The Narrator And Keeper Of Their Memories: Ninny
The Intense And Serious Listener: Evelyn Couch
Year We Got To Know Them: 1991
Best Known For: Giving us the feminist rally-cry “Towanda!!”, encouraging women to take control of their lives, showing a story of two women in love (back in the good ol' days), and giving women a little bit of hope and a special Friendship in the truly stellar Fried Green Tomatoes
Why They Deserve A Second Look: The audience and media were divided on their own opinions/interpretations regarding the nature of Idgie & Ruth's unique relationship. Some thought Idgie & Ruth were 'just friends' while others went to the opposite extreme proclaiming them to be 'lovers'. Upon closer examination, however, we can plainly see the answer is (surprisingly) NEITHER OF THE ABOVE. That is why THEY DESERVE a second (and very, very, loooooong) look....
Sure, all we see is an innocent (but special) kiss...
... and according to the director, the food fight scene is supposed to represent, well, "metaphorical lovemaking."
... it still portrays a unique and loving Friendship between the two women. And with the friendship between Ninny & Evelyn (present day) that lifts them both up, this film is filled with outstanding feisty feminist females. I could definitely say Fried Green Tomatoes truly did help shape me into a feminist before I even knew what the word meant!!!
Seriously, you haven’t seen it?? Then throw it in the Netflix queue, call up your girlfriends, and have a great slumber party to remind yourself just how important Friendship is.
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