Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)

A housewife who is unhappy with her life befriends an old lady in a nursing home and is enthralled by the tales she tells of people she used to know.

Director:

Jon Avnet

Writers:

Fannie Flagg (novel), Fannie Flagg (screenplay)

Stars:

Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 12 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kathy Bates	...	Evelyn Couch
Mary Stuart Masterson	...	Idgie Threadgoode
Mary-Louise Parker	...	Ruth Jamison
Jessica Tandy	...	Ninny Threadgoode
Cicely Tyson	...	Sipsey
Chris O'Donnell	...	Buddy Threadgoode
Stan Shaw	...	Big George
Gailard Sartain	...	Ed Couch
Timothy Scott	...	Smokey Lonesome (as Tim Scott)
Gary Basaraba	...	Grady Kilgore
Lois Smith	...	Mama Threadgoode
Jo Harvey Allen	...	Women's Awareness Teacher
Macon McCalman	...	Prosecutor Percy
Richard Riehle	...	Reverend Scroggins
Raynor Scheine	...	Sheriff Curtis Smoote

Storyline

Evelyn Couch is having trouble in her marriage, and no one seems to take her seriously. While in a nursing home visiting relatives, she meets Ninny Threadgoode, an outgoing old woman, who tells her the story of Idgie Threadgoode, a young woman in 1920's Alabama. Through Idgie's inspiring life, Evelyn learns to be more assertive and builds a lasting friendship of her own with Ninny.

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Plot Keywords:

female bonding | domestic violence | strong female | friendship | alabama | 

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Taglines:

The secret of life? The secret's in the sauce.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

There really is a Whistle Stop Cafe that does indeed serve fried green tomatoes (among other Southern foods) just north of Macon Georgia. It is in the actual area where many of the scenes were filmed. After the film became a huge success, the Whistle Stop Cafe set was turned into an actual restaurant, and its surrounding area into a tourist attraction. Although they may have filmed in Georgia, the true Whistle Stop Cafe is in Irondale, Alabama (a suburb or Birmingham, where Author Fannie Flagg grew up.)

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Goofs

During the scenes set in 1920 near the beginning of the film, Gene Austin's "My Blue Heaven" is playing at a wedding. The song was written in 1924 and not released until 1927.

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Quotes

Little Idgie Threadgoode: What if God made a mistake?
Buddy Threadgoode: Well the way I see it is He doesn't make mistakes. I mean, He made sure we got together, didn't He?

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Alternate Versions

The TV/DVD versions include a brief scene in which Evelyn gives Ninny a Mary Kaye makeover.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood's Top Ten: Food Fights (2011)

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Soundtracks

My Blue Heaven
Written by Walter Donaldson and George Whiting
Performed by Gene Austin and His Orchestra
Courtesy of the RCA Records Label of BMG Music

User Reviews

The Ultimate

This is such an awesome movie. I remember watching it as a girl, and when I found it in a clearance bin a few months ago, I jumped on it. I watched it then, and now, having watched it again... Mary Stuart Masterson is AMAZING. Tears fall unwittingly down my cheeks during her performance. I was also enchanted by Mary-Louise Parker, and I always always LOVE Kathy Bates. Jessica Tandy is also her usual fit self, and Cecily Tyson was great ("Shoo! I ain't scared of you!") and I could go on for ages about all of them.

I will admit that this is the Ultimate Chick Flick. That title, however, does not detract from its overall quality. The men are more than just caricatures, and the nostalgia and love of the book made its way into the movie. I have to commend Avnet for his efforts.

And now that I am out of intelligent things to say, THIS MOVIE ROCKS MY SOCKS! It's re-watchability and great everything make this the movie (along with Love and Basketball and my Buffy DVDs) that I take with me to college and suggest we watch at every opportunity.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 January 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Fried Green Tomatoes

Filming Locations:

Agnes Scott College - 141 E. College Avenue, Decatur, Georgia, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$105,317, 29 December 1991

Gross USA:

$82,418,501

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$119,418,501

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures, Act III Communications, Avnet/Kerner Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min 137 min (extended)

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1