Thelma & Louise (1991)

Two best friends set out on an adventure, but it soon turns around to a terrifying escape from being hunted by the police, as these two girls escape for the crimes they committed.

Director:

Ridley Scott

Writer:

Callie Khouri

Stars:

Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, Harvey Keitel

Won 1 Oscar. Another 23 wins & 50 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Susan Sarandon	...	Louise
Geena Davis	...	Thelma
Harvey Keitel	...	Hal
Michael Madsen	...	Jimmy
Christopher McDonald	...	Darryl
Stephen Tobolowsky	...	Max
Brad Pitt	...	J.D.
Timothy Carhart	...	Harlan
Lucinda Jenney	...	Lena, the Waitress
Jason Beghe	...	State Trooper
Sonny Carl Davis	...	Albert
Shelly Desai	...	East Indian Motel Clerk (as Shelly De Sai)
Ken Swofford	...	Major
Carol Mansell	...	Waitress
Stephen Polk	...	Surveillance Man

Storyline

Louise is working in a diner as a waitress and has some problems with her boyfriend Jimmy, who, as a musician, is always on the road. Thelma is married to Darryl who likes his wife to stay quiet in the kitchen so that he can watch football on TV. One day they decide to break out of their normal life and jump in the car and hit the road. Their journey, however, turns into a flight when Louise kills a man who threatens to rape Thelma. They decide to go to Mexico, but soon they are hunted by American police.

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Plot Keywords:

female protagonist | female bonding | waitress | police | friendship | 

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Taglines:

Somebody said get a life... so they did.

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Genres:

Adventure | Crime | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong language, and for some violence and sensuality

Did You Know?

Trivia

Michelle Pfeiffer and Jodie Foster were originally chosen for the leads and accepted the roles, but preproduction took too long, and had to drop out due to other commitments.

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Goofs

During the big chase scene, the Thunderbird Louise is driving hits a police cruiser and knocks off a side mirror. However, after the chase scene, we can clearly see that the mirror is still intact and on the car. This is because the mirror that we saw fly clear was from the police cruiser, not Louise's Thunderbird.

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Quotes

Thelma: I guess I always thought the worst thing that could happen would be to end up old and alone in some crummy apartment with one of those little dogs.
Louise: What little dogs?
Thelma: You know those little dogs you see people with?
Louise: Like a Chihuahua?
Thelma: Those, too, but you know those little hairy ones? Those flat-faced little fuckers with those ugly goddamned teeth?
Louise: Oh yeah. You mean Peek-a-boos?
Thelma: Yeah. Those. That always put the fear of God in me. What about you? .

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Connections

Referenced in Gilmore Girls: Hammers and Veils (2001)

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Soundtracks

Don't Look Back
Written by Holly Knight & Grayson Hugh
Performed by Grayson Hugh
Produced by Bernard Edwards
Courtesy of RCA Records

User Reviews

A rare moment in cinema of the total rejection of the rule of law and patriarchy

The road movie is traditionally a male genre, relying on the sense of freedom and independence that having one's own transport provides and which has usually been the privilege of men… What is innovatory about "Thelma & Louise" is the way it reequips the genre for women…

Thelma (Geena Davis) is a housewife trapped in a meaningless marriage, Louise (Susan Sarandon) is a waitress in a not very significant relationship… They decide to give themselves a little space by taking off for a weekend… But when Louise shoots a man who is trying to rape Thelma, they are precipitated into a far more radical break with their past lives…

The setting of action in the American southwest and the acts of outlawry the women are obliged to commit in order to keep on the run give the film some of the feel of a Western… What makes it nevertheless a women's film is that the relationship between the two principals is at the center of the story… The various men they encounter, both the ones they leave behind and those they meet on the road have less importance for Thelma and Louise than the two women do for each other…

Predictably, the film met with hostility from some male viewers, on the grounds that the men were caricatured and that the film encouraged violence

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook

Country:

USA UK France

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 May 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Thelma and Louise

Filming Locations:

Derby Acres, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$16,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,101,297, 27 May 1991

Gross USA:

$45,360,915

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$45,456,285

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Entertainment, Percy Main, Star Partners III Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1