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Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
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Jump to: navigation, search

This article is about the novel. For the film, see Fried Green Tomatoes. For other uses, see Fried green tomatoes (disambiguation).
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
Friedgreenbook.jpg
First edition cover

Author
Fannie Flagg
Country
United States
Language
English
Genre
Fiction
Publisher
Random House

Publication date
 August 12, 1987
Media type
Print
Pages
403 pp
ISBN
0-394-56152-X
OCLC
15792039

Dewey Decimal
 813/.54 19
LC Class
PS3556.L26 F7 1987
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is a 1987 novel by Fannie Flagg. Flagg's novel weaves together the past and the present through the blossoming friendship between Evelyn Couch, a middle-aged housewife, and Ninny Threadgoode, an elderly woman who lives in a nursing home. Every week Evelyn visits Ninny, who tells her stories about memories of her youth in Whistle Stop, Alabama where her sister-in-law Idgie and Idgie's friend Ruth ran a café. These stories, along with Ninny's friendship, enable Evelyn to begin a new, satisfying life while allowing the people and stories of Ninny's youth to live on. The book was also made into a movie.[1]


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Themes
3 Development
4 Reception
5 Film
6 See also
7 References

Plot[edit]
Throughout the novel the narrator and time period changes. The reader relies on the chapter-opening visuals in order to establish the date and the source of the chapter. Some of the narration comes in the form of the fictional newspaper in Whistle Stop, Alabama called "The Weems Weekly." Other narrations come from the Couches' house in Birmingham, and finally, other narrations fill in some of the more intimate details of the characters mentioned in the various stories.
The story jumps between two time periods. The framing story, set in the mid-1980s, concerns Evelyn Couch, who goes weekly with her husband to visit his mother in a nursing home. Even though the mother-in-law and Evelyn dislike one another, Evelyn still makes the trip. On one visit, Evelyn meets Ninny Threadgoode, another resident of the same home. Ninny begins to tell Evelyn stories from her life growing up in Whistle Stop in the 1920s, which is the second time period. As the novel advances, Ninny and Evelyn develop a lasting friendship. Evelyn also learns from the characters she meets in Ninny's stories.
Ninny is taken in by the Threadgoodes, and grew up in the bustling house of the Threadgoode family; she eventually married one of the Threadgoode brothers, Cleo. However, her first love was young Buddy Threadgoode, whose closest sibling was the youngest girl, Idgie (Imogene) Threadgoode. An unrepentant tomboy, Idgie learned her charm from Buddy and the two of them were inseparable. Young Idgie became devastated when Buddy was hit by a train and died. For a long time after Buddy's death, Idgie kept away from her house; only Big George, one of her family’s black workers, knew where she was. Nothing could get Idgie to come home or act like more of a lady until a few summers later when the virtuous Ruth Jamison came to live with the family while she taught at the Vacation Bible School. The family and servants watched with amusement as Idgie fell head-over-heels in love with Ruth, but when Ruth went home to Georgia to marry a man she was promised to, once more, Idgie left home.
Then several years later, shortly after Ruth's mother died of an illness, Idgie received a page torn from the Bible. The page was from the Book of Ruth (appropriately Ruth 1:16, "But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.'"), and was sent to the Threadgoode house. Idgie believed to be a sign that Ruth was being abused by her husband, Frank Bennett. Idgie then decided that she was going to rescue Ruth and bring her back to her house. She, Big George, her two brothers, and two friends went to Georgia to get Ruth. Intimidated by Big George, Frank did little more than protest before the group left with Ruth (who turned out to be pregnant). Papa Threadgoode gave Idgie money to start a business so that she could care for Ruth and their son. Idgie used the money to buy the Whistle stop Cafe in which Sipsey, her daughter-in-law Onzell, and Big George (who was married to Onzell) worked.
Idgie and Ruth used the money they made at the café to raise Buddy Junior, or "Stump," who had lost his arm in a railroad accident. The café quickly became known all over the U.S. during The Great Depression due to the communication between various hobos who visited there while passing through town. One of these hobos was half-time Whistle Stop resident Smokey Lonesome who became a part of the café family. The café had a reputation for feeding men who were down on their luck. Idgie and Ruth even created controversy when they decided to serve black customers from the back door of the cafe. Around the same time, Georgia detectives stopped by to investigate the disappearance of Ruth’s husband.
Through Mrs. Threadgoode’s stories, Evelyn begins to question the purpose of her life. She also begins to come to the realization that her reasons behind caring about other people's opinions while growing up, are pointless. When Evelyn’s efforts to reconnect with her husband are ignored, she looks to Idgie’s story and becomes inspired by Idgie's boldness and audacity. Evelyn then creates an alter-ego named Towanda, an angry, hyper-violent, Amazon-like character who lashes out at people. Then, as she becomes more self-confident, she begins to feel uneasy by how much satisfaction she feels at lashing out, and confesses this to Mrs. Threadgoode. Evelyn gets a job with Mary Kay Cosmetics and, at Mrs. Threadgoode's suggestion, starts to take hormones for menopause. She becomes happier than she ever has been.
For years the cafe ran, through World War II and into the 1950s. Ruth's son grew up, and the lives of the town members moved on. However, when Ruth died of cancer, life went out of the cafe and the railroad gradually became replaced by other more modern transportation. Several years later, Idgie herself was arrested along with Big George, for the murder of Frank Bennett, after his car was found at the bottom of a lake outside of Whistle Stop. The case is dismissed at the trial when the local minister, repaying Idgie for helping his son, lied on the stand, testifying that she and Big George were at a three-day revival the weekend Frank Bennett went missing. Bennett's body was never found, but it is revealed toward the end of the novel that when he stole into the cafe to kidnap Ruth's infant son, Sipsey killed him with a cast iron skillet. While Big George barbecued the body, Sipsey buried Frank’s head in the Threadgoodes' garden. The "barbecue" was then served to the Georgia detectives investigating Frank’s disappearance. They rave that it is the best barbecue they have ever had.
Evelyn, having gained a new outlook on life, goes to The Lodge (which she paid for with money she made selling cosmetics) in order to lose weight. Her husband forwards her mail while she is away, and she receives a letter from Mrs. Hartman, Mrs. Threadgoode's neighbor, who writes that Mrs. Threadgoode has died, but that she left something for Evelyn. The ending of the novel reveals that some of the characters from Mrs. Threadgoode’s stories are still alive.
Themes[edit]
The relationship between Idgie and Ruth is accepted by the entire town of Whistle Stop. Although it is not explicitly labeled as a lesbian relationship, every resident both knows about and accepts Idgie and Ruth's relationship, making lesbianism a theme in the novel. However, the relationship in the film has been altered. In the film adaptation Ruth had been in love with Buddy Threadgoode.[2] The movie implies that Ruth never got over his death.
The novel also uses Evelyn and Mrs. Threadgoode's characters as a way to examine women's aging. Throughout the novel we see Evelyn going through menopause as well as Mrs. Threadgoode's deterioration due to her old age.[3]
Another important aspect is the history of African American lives from the 1920s to the late 1980s as the novel follows Sipsey's family.
Dying and accepting death is another theme throughout the novel. Buddy, Ruth, her husband Frank and Ninny are just some of the main characters who die in the course of the story in very different ways. The moral justification for Murder and Euthanasia are also touched upon.
Food is another literary theme in the novel to the extent that Flagg included the recipes served by the cafe at the end of the book.[4]
Development[edit]
The "Whistle Stop Cafe" is loosely based on the Irondale Cafe in Irondale, Alabama, a suburb near Flagg's birthplace. It is still in operation and, like the fictional cafe, is known for its fried green tomatoes.[5]
Reception[edit]
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe spent 36 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.[6] Harper Lee gave a recommendation for the book, saying, "Airplanes and television have removed the Threadgoodes from the Southern scene. Happily for us, Fannie Flagg has preserved a whole community of them in a richly comic, poignant narrative that records the exuberance of their lives, the sadness of their departure. Idgie Threadgoode is a true original: Huckleberry Finn would have tried to marry her!"[7]
Film[edit]
Flagg's novel was turned into a film adaptation. The film was called Fried Green Tomatoes, and was released in 1991. The film adaptation is a story within a story of Southern female friendship and love.[8]
The film was nominated for two Academy Awards and received an award from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).[9][10][11]
See also[edit]
Pete Gray one-armed baseball player, perhaps known as Buddy Junior in the book
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Reynolds, Susan (21 September 1998). "Fannie Flagg: Voice of Middle America.". Publishers Weekly 245 (38): 30–31.
2.Jump up ^ Hollinger, Karen (1998). In the company of women. University of Minnesota Press. p. 163. ISBN 0-8166-3177-8.
3.Jump up ^ Rippier Wheeler, Helen (1997). Women & aging. Lynne Rienner Publishers. p. 196. ISBN 1-55587-661-7.
4.Jump up ^ Avakian, Arlene Voski; Barbara Haber (2005). From Betty Crocker to Feminist Food Studies. Liverpool University Press. p. 223. ISBN 1-55849-511-8.
5.Jump up ^ FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE IRONDALE CAFE. Birmingham News (AL) October 23, 1993 Section: NEWS Page: 01-01
6.Jump up ^ http://www.aetn.org/samepage/ar6.html[dead link]
7.Jump up ^ "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg - Reader's Guide - Books". Random House. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
8.Jump up ^ Vickers, Lu (June 1994). "Fried Green Tomatoes Excuse me, did we see the same movie?". Jump Cut 39: 25–30. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
9.Jump up ^ Rockler, Naomi R. (March 22, 2001). "A Wall on the Lesbian Continuum: Polysemy and Fried Green Tomatoes.". Women's Studies in Communication 24. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
10.Jump up ^ Levy, Emanuel (January 6, 2006). "Fried Green Tomatoes". Retrieved June 15, 2009.
11.Jump up ^ Pryor, Kelli; Isaak, Sharon (February 28, 1992). "Women in Love". Entertainment Weekly.
  


Categories: 1987 novels
American historical novels
Lesbian novels
Novels set in Alabama
Family saga novels
American novels adapted into films
American LGBT novels





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Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

This article is about the novel. For the film, see Fried Green Tomatoes. For other uses, see Fried green tomatoes (disambiguation).
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
Friedgreenbook.jpg
First edition cover

Author
Fannie Flagg
Country
United States
Language
English
Genre
Fiction
Publisher
Random House

Publication date
 August 12, 1987
Media type
Print
Pages
403 pp
ISBN
0-394-56152-X
OCLC
15792039

Dewey Decimal
 813/.54 19
LC Class
PS3556.L26 F7 1987
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe is a 1987 novel by Fannie Flagg. Flagg's novel weaves together the past and the present through the blossoming friendship between Evelyn Couch, a middle-aged housewife, and Ninny Threadgoode, an elderly woman who lives in a nursing home. Every week Evelyn visits Ninny, who tells her stories about memories of her youth in Whistle Stop, Alabama where her sister-in-law Idgie and Idgie's friend Ruth ran a café. These stories, along with Ninny's friendship, enable Evelyn to begin a new, satisfying life while allowing the people and stories of Ninny's youth to live on. The book was also made into a movie.[1]


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Themes
3 Development
4 Reception
5 Film
6 See also
7 References

Plot[edit]
Throughout the novel the narrator and time period changes. The reader relies on the chapter-opening visuals in order to establish the date and the source of the chapter. Some of the narration comes in the form of the fictional newspaper in Whistle Stop, Alabama called "The Weems Weekly." Other narrations come from the Couches' house in Birmingham, and finally, other narrations fill in some of the more intimate details of the characters mentioned in the various stories.
The story jumps between two time periods. The framing story, set in the mid-1980s, concerns Evelyn Couch, who goes weekly with her husband to visit his mother in a nursing home. Even though the mother-in-law and Evelyn dislike one another, Evelyn still makes the trip. On one visit, Evelyn meets Ninny Threadgoode, another resident of the same home. Ninny begins to tell Evelyn stories from her life growing up in Whistle Stop in the 1920s, which is the second time period. As the novel advances, Ninny and Evelyn develop a lasting friendship. Evelyn also learns from the characters she meets in Ninny's stories.
Ninny is taken in by the Threadgoodes, and grew up in the bustling house of the Threadgoode family; she eventually married one of the Threadgoode brothers, Cleo. However, her first love was young Buddy Threadgoode, whose closest sibling was the youngest girl, Idgie (Imogene) Threadgoode. An unrepentant tomboy, Idgie learned her charm from Buddy and the two of them were inseparable. Young Idgie became devastated when Buddy was hit by a train and died. For a long time after Buddy's death, Idgie kept away from her house; only Big George, one of her family’s black workers, knew where she was. Nothing could get Idgie to come home or act like more of a lady until a few summers later when the virtuous Ruth Jamison came to live with the family while she taught at the Vacation Bible School. The family and servants watched with amusement as Idgie fell head-over-heels in love with Ruth, but when Ruth went home to Georgia to marry a man she was promised to, once more, Idgie left home.
Then several years later, shortly after Ruth's mother died of an illness, Idgie received a page torn from the Bible. The page was from the Book of Ruth (appropriately Ruth 1:16, "But Ruth said, 'Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.'"), and was sent to the Threadgoode house. Idgie believed to be a sign that Ruth was being abused by her husband, Frank Bennett. Idgie then decided that she was going to rescue Ruth and bring her back to her house. She, Big George, her two brothers, and two friends went to Georgia to get Ruth. Intimidated by Big George, Frank did little more than protest before the group left with Ruth (who turned out to be pregnant). Papa Threadgoode gave Idgie money to start a business so that she could care for Ruth and their son. Idgie used the money to buy the Whistle stop Cafe in which Sipsey, her daughter-in-law Onzell, and Big George (who was married to Onzell) worked.
Idgie and Ruth used the money they made at the café to raise Buddy Junior, or "Stump," who had lost his arm in a railroad accident. The café quickly became known all over the U.S. during The Great Depression due to the communication between various hobos who visited there while passing through town. One of these hobos was half-time Whistle Stop resident Smokey Lonesome who became a part of the café family. The café had a reputation for feeding men who were down on their luck. Idgie and Ruth even created controversy when they decided to serve black customers from the back door of the cafe. Around the same time, Georgia detectives stopped by to investigate the disappearance of Ruth’s husband.
Through Mrs. Threadgoode’s stories, Evelyn begins to question the purpose of her life. She also begins to come to the realization that her reasons behind caring about other people's opinions while growing up, are pointless. When Evelyn’s efforts to reconnect with her husband are ignored, she looks to Idgie’s story and becomes inspired by Idgie's boldness and audacity. Evelyn then creates an alter-ego named Towanda, an angry, hyper-violent, Amazon-like character who lashes out at people. Then, as she becomes more self-confident, she begins to feel uneasy by how much satisfaction she feels at lashing out, and confesses this to Mrs. Threadgoode. Evelyn gets a job with Mary Kay Cosmetics and, at Mrs. Threadgoode's suggestion, starts to take hormones for menopause. She becomes happier than she ever has been.
For years the cafe ran, through World War II and into the 1950s. Ruth's son grew up, and the lives of the town members moved on. However, when Ruth died of cancer, life went out of the cafe and the railroad gradually became replaced by other more modern transportation. Several years later, Idgie herself was arrested along with Big George, for the murder of Frank Bennett, after his car was found at the bottom of a lake outside of Whistle Stop. The case is dismissed at the trial when the local minister, repaying Idgie for helping his son, lied on the stand, testifying that she and Big George were at a three-day revival the weekend Frank Bennett went missing. Bennett's body was never found, but it is revealed toward the end of the novel that when he stole into the cafe to kidnap Ruth's infant son, Sipsey killed him with a cast iron skillet. While Big George barbecued the body, Sipsey buried Frank’s head in the Threadgoodes' garden. The "barbecue" was then served to the Georgia detectives investigating Frank’s disappearance. They rave that it is the best barbecue they have ever had.
Evelyn, having gained a new outlook on life, goes to The Lodge (which she paid for with money she made selling cosmetics) in order to lose weight. Her husband forwards her mail while she is away, and she receives a letter from Mrs. Hartman, Mrs. Threadgoode's neighbor, who writes that Mrs. Threadgoode has died, but that she left something for Evelyn. The ending of the novel reveals that some of the characters from Mrs. Threadgoode’s stories are still alive.
Themes[edit]
The relationship between Idgie and Ruth is accepted by the entire town of Whistle Stop. Although it is not explicitly labeled as a lesbian relationship, every resident both knows about and accepts Idgie and Ruth's relationship, making lesbianism a theme in the novel. However, the relationship in the film has been altered. In the film adaptation Ruth had been in love with Buddy Threadgoode.[2] The movie implies that Ruth never got over his death.
The novel also uses Evelyn and Mrs. Threadgoode's characters as a way to examine women's aging. Throughout the novel we see Evelyn going through menopause as well as Mrs. Threadgoode's deterioration due to her old age.[3]
Another important aspect is the history of African American lives from the 1920s to the late 1980s as the novel follows Sipsey's family.
Dying and accepting death is another theme throughout the novel. Buddy, Ruth, her husband Frank and Ninny are just some of the main characters who die in the course of the story in very different ways. The moral justification for Murder and Euthanasia are also touched upon.
Food is another literary theme in the novel to the extent that Flagg included the recipes served by the cafe at the end of the book.[4]
Development[edit]
The "Whistle Stop Cafe" is loosely based on the Irondale Cafe in Irondale, Alabama, a suburb near Flagg's birthplace. It is still in operation and, like the fictional cafe, is known for its fried green tomatoes.[5]
Reception[edit]
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe spent 36 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List.[6] Harper Lee gave a recommendation for the book, saying, "Airplanes and television have removed the Threadgoodes from the Southern scene. Happily for us, Fannie Flagg has preserved a whole community of them in a richly comic, poignant narrative that records the exuberance of their lives, the sadness of their departure. Idgie Threadgoode is a true original: Huckleberry Finn would have tried to marry her!"[7]
Film[edit]
Flagg's novel was turned into a film adaptation. The film was called Fried Green Tomatoes, and was released in 1991. The film adaptation is a story within a story of Southern female friendship and love.[8]
The film was nominated for two Academy Awards and received an award from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD).[9][10][11]
See also[edit]
Pete Gray one-armed baseball player, perhaps known as Buddy Junior in the book
References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ Reynolds, Susan (21 September 1998). "Fannie Flagg: Voice of Middle America.". Publishers Weekly 245 (38): 30–31.
2.Jump up ^ Hollinger, Karen (1998). In the company of women. University of Minnesota Press. p. 163. ISBN 0-8166-3177-8.
3.Jump up ^ Rippier Wheeler, Helen (1997). Women & aging. Lynne Rienner Publishers. p. 196. ISBN 1-55587-661-7.
4.Jump up ^ Avakian, Arlene Voski; Barbara Haber (2005). From Betty Crocker to Feminist Food Studies. Liverpool University Press. p. 223. ISBN 1-55849-511-8.
5.Jump up ^ FRIED GREEN TOMATOES AT THE IRONDALE CAFE. Birmingham News (AL) October 23, 1993 Section: NEWS Page: 01-01
6.Jump up ^ http://www.aetn.org/samepage/ar6.html[dead link]
7.Jump up ^ "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg - Reader's Guide - Books". Random House. Retrieved 2013-12-03.
8.Jump up ^ Vickers, Lu (June 1994). "Fried Green Tomatoes Excuse me, did we see the same movie?". Jump Cut 39: 25–30. Retrieved 12 February 2012.
9.Jump up ^ Rockler, Naomi R. (March 22, 2001). "A Wall on the Lesbian Continuum: Polysemy and Fried Green Tomatoes.". Women's Studies in Communication 24. Retrieved June 15, 2009.
10.Jump up ^ Levy, Emanuel (January 6, 2006). "Fried Green Tomatoes". Retrieved June 15, 2009.
11.Jump up ^ Pryor, Kelli; Isaak, Sharon (February 28, 1992). "Women in Love". Entertainment Weekly.
  


Categories: 1987 novels
American historical novels
Lesbian novels
Novels set in Alabama
Family saga novels
American novels adapted into films
American LGBT novels





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This page was last modified on 27 January 2015, at 02:48.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.
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Fried Green Tomatoes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

For other uses, see Fried Green Tomatoes (disambiguation).

Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes (poster).jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed by
Jon Avnet
Produced by
Jon Avnet
Norman Lear
Screenplay by
Fannie Flagg
Carol Sobieski
 Jon Avnet (uncredited)
Based on
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
 by Fannie Flagg
Starring
Kathy Bates
Jessica Tandy
Mary Stuart Masterson
Mary-Louise Parker
Music by
Thomas Newman
Cinematography
Geoffrey Simpson
Edited by
Debra Neil-Fisher

Production
 company

Act III Communications
 Fried Green Tomatoes Productions

Distributed by
Universal Pictures

Release dates

December 27, 1991


Running time
 136 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$11 million[1]
Box office
$119,418,501
Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 comedy-drama film based on the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Directed by Jon Avnet and written by Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski, it stars Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Mary-Louise Parker. It tells the story of a Depression-era friendship between two women, Ruth and Idgie, and a 1980s friendship between Evelyn, a middle-aged housewife, and Ninny, an elderly woman who knew Ruth and Idgie. The centerpiece and parallel story concerns the murder of Ruth's abusive husband and the accusations that follow.
The film received a generally positive reception from film critics and was nominated for two Academy Awards. The filmmakers drew criticism from some reviewers for removing the lesbian content of the book's plot, but the film won a GLAAD Media Award for "best lesbian content".


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Differences between the film and novel
4 Production 4.1 Conception and casting
4.2 Setting
5 Release
6 Reception 6.1 Box office
6.2 Critical reception
6.3 Awards and honors
7 Soundtrack 7.1 Track listing
8 References
9 External links

Plot[edit]
Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates), a timid, unhappy housewife in her forties, meets elderly Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy) in a Birmingham, Alabama, nursing home. Ninny, over several encounters with Evelyn, tells her the story of the now-abandoned town of Whistle Stop, Alabama, and the people who lived there. The film's subplot concerns Evelyn's dissatisfaction with her marriage and her life, her growing confidence, and her developing friendship with Ninny. The narrative switches several times between Ninny's story, which is set between World War I and World War II, and Evelyn's life in 1980s Birmingham.
Ninny's story begins with tomboy Imogene "Idgie" Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson), the youngest of the Threadgoode children, whom Ninny describes as her sister-in-law. Idgie's close relationship with her charming older brother Buddy (Chris O'Donnell) is cut short when he is hit by a train and killed. Devastated, Idgie recedes from formal society for much of her childhood and adolescence until Buddy's former girlfriend, the straitlaced Ruth Jamison (Mary-Louise Parker), intervenes at the request of the concerned Threadgoode family.
Idgie initially resists Ruth's attempts at friendship, but then gradually allows a deep attachment to develop. Ruth leaves Whistle Stop to marry Frank Bennett (Nick Searcy) and moves to Valdosta, Georgia. Idgie is upset at losing her friend and struggles to forget her. After some time she visits Ruth, now pregnant and suffering from physical abuse from Frank. Against Frank's wishes, Ruth returns to Whistle Stop with Idgie, where her child, named Buddy Jr., is born. Papa Threadgoode gives Idgie money to start a business so she can care for Ruth and Buddy Jr. Ruth and Idgie open the Whistle Stop Cafe, employing cook Sipsey (Cicely Tyson) and her son Big George (Stan Shaw), who makes a barbecue that quickly becomes popular with their patrons.
Frank Bennett eventually returns to Whistle Stop in an attempt to kidnap Buddy Jr., but is thwarted by an unseen assailant. Frank goes missing and his truck is later found at the bottom of a nearby lake. Idgie is immediately a suspect, as she had publicly threatened violence against him for beating Ruth. She is arrested along with Big George for Frank's murder. The local sheriff offers to release her and pin the crime solely on Big George, but Idgie refuses to sacrifice her friend. During the subsequent trial, the local minister lies, providing Idgie and Big George with an alibi for the time of Frank's disappearance. Taking into account Frank's reputation for getting drunk, the judge rules his death an accident. Idgie and Big George are cleared of all charges.
After the trial, Ruth develops cancer and dies. Following her death, the café closes. Over time, many Whistle Stop residents eventually move away, bringing Ninny to the end of her story, but not before the revelation of what really happened to Frank: Sipsey had killed Frank (with a blow to the head from a cast-iron skillet) while trying to stop him from kidnapping Buddy Jr. Big George then barbecued Frank's body and served it to the Georgia sheriff searching for Frank.
Evelyn discovers that during Ninny's temporary stay at the nursing home, Ninny's house was condemned and torn down. Evelyn, having become good friends with Ninny, offers her a room in her home which Ninny accepts. As the two friends walk away from Ninny's former home, they pass Ruth's grave, freshly adorned with a jar of honey and honeycomb and a card which reads "I will always Love You. The Bee Charmer", Ruth's old nickname for Idgie.
Cast[edit]
Kathy Bates as Evelyn Couch
Mary Stuart Masterson as Imogene "Idgie" Threadgoode
Mary-Louise Parker as Ruth Jamison
Jessica Tandy as Ninny Threadgoode
Cicely Tyson as Sipsey
Chris O'Donnell as Buddy Threadgoode
Stan Shaw as Big George
Gailard Sartain as Ed Couch
Timothy Scott as Smokey Lonesome
Gary Basaraba as Grady Kilgore
Lois Smith as Mama Threadgoode
Danny Nelson as Papa Threadgoode
Jo Harvey Allen as Women's Awareness Teacher
Macon McCalman as Prosecutor
Richard Riehle as Reverend Scroggins
Raynor Scheine as Curtis Smoot
Grace Zabriskie as Eva Bates
Reid Binion as Young Julian
Nick Searcy as Frank Bennett
Constance Shulman as Missy
Differences between the film and novel[edit]
Unlike the novel, the film does not make the lesbian romance between the two central characters explicit, instead leaving the relationship between Idgie and Ruth ambiguous.[2] The DVD contains an audio commentary in which the director acknowledges the relationship and points out that a scene between the two women engaging in a food fight was intended to be seen as symbolic love-making. At the time of the film's debut, it was criticized by reviewers and activists for what was seen as "glossing over" the lesbian relationship.[2][3] However, the film won an award from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation for best feature film with lesbian content.[4] The film does deal head-on with the issue of prejudice, just not in sexuality. For example, the film shows examples, more so than the novel, of discrimination against African Americans, women and the disabled, but the novel's examination of sexuality-based prejudice through a robust lesbian plot, is made more ambiguous.[5]
Production[edit]
Conception and casting[edit]
Avnet first read Fannie Flagg's novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe in 1987.[6] He was introduced to it by producer Lisa Lindstrom, with whom he worked on television films Heat Wave and Breaking Point. Although he wanted her to give him a synopsis of the story, she insisted he read the book and like her, he loved it.[7] He decided to turn the story into a film and pitched the idea to Norman Lear's company, Act III Communications, who were interested and gave Avnet a small budget for a screenwriter.[7] He hired Carol Sobieski who had written the screenplay for 1982's Annie. She wrote a draft for Fried Green Tomatoes as a musical, which Avnet was unhappy with.[7] Sobieski left the project and he hired Fannie Flagg. Flagg, who had been surprised that anyone would want to turn the novel into a film, worked to develop the script. Although she had some screenwriting experience, she found the process of turning her own novel into a script a strange one. The job was made somewhat easier by the work done by Sobieski and Avnet in choosing which characters from the book were going to be featured, but she found it difficult. She too left the project, after writing 70 pages of the screenplay.[7] With no money left to hire another writer, Avnet took the script over himself and spent the next 2–3 years developing it. Flagg gave her blessing to the final draft.[7]
Avnet wrote the film with Jessica Tandy in mind; she expressed excitement about making the film.[7] He had worked with Kathy Bates and Chris O'Donnell on the 1990 film Men Don't Leave before offering them the roles of Evelyn Couch and Buddy Threadgoode respectively.[6] When Bates read the script she loved the characters and was particularly keen to work with Tandy.[6] Mary-Louise Parker was casting director David Rubin's first choice for the role of Ruth Jamison. She read for the part several times, initially unhappy with her own tests. When she read along with Mary Stuart Masterson, they—and the producers—agreed that they had good chemistry.
Setting[edit]



 Inside the Whistle Stop Cafe, Juliette, GA
Avnet hired Barbara Ling as production designer. Scouting for a location, she found Juliette in Monroe County, Georgia, a town that was, according to Avnet, nearly deserted.[7][8] The building chosen to be the Whistle Stop Café was formerly an antiques and hardware store. It was redesigned as a cafe, with a horse-shoe shaped counter to allow for optimal camera angles.[7] After the release of the film, Juliette saw an influx of tourists and, with Jon Avnet's encouragement, locals opened The Whistle Stop Café, recreated to mirror the film set.[9] Although "Whistle Stop Café" is now a registered trademark, other establishments have appeared using that name.[10]
When writing the novel, Flagg based Whistle Stop on Irondale, Alabama, and the café on a real-life restaurant, the Irondale Café.[8] She was a frequent visitor to the café which was formerly owned by her great-aunt.[11]
The scene where Idgie goes to collect honey from a beehive for Ruth was originally intended to be performed by a stunt performer. However, after the stunt double backed out at the last minute, Masterson volunteered to do it herself. This footage of Masterson covered in a swarm of live bees is seen in the final version of the film.[6]
The steam locomotive used in the film is A&WP 290 then in use pulling steam excursions for the New Georgia Railroad.
Release[edit]
The film was given a limited release in the US on December 27, 1991, opening in five theaters.[12] It got a wide release four weeks later on January 24, 1992, in 673 theaters. It ran for 19 weeks in total, with its widest release having been 1,331 theaters.[12]
Reception[edit]
Box office[edit]
The film grossed a total of $82,418,501 in the United States alone, and took in $37,000,000 outside the US, bringing the total to $119,418,501 worldwide.[12] In its opening weekend it earned $105,317, and at its wide release opening weekend it earned $5,235,940, which was 6.4 percent of its total gross.[12] According to Box Office Mojo, it ranked at #11 for all films released in the US in 1991, and #5 for PG-13 rated films released that year.[citation needed]
Critical reception[edit]
Fried Green Tomatoes was generally well received by critics. Film review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a "fresh" score of 73 percent based on 41 reviews.[13]
Critics enjoyed the narrative, but found it conventional and predictable.[3][14] The adaptation of the separate narrative of book to the screen was criticised by Time Out as "clumsy"; Roger Ebert agreed saying that the flashback device did not work.[14][15] Writing for The New York Times, Janet Maslin praised the costume and production design and Emanuel Levy praised the cinematography and score.[3][16] The cast drew praise for their performances, particularly Masterson and Tandy.[3][16]
Awards and honors[edit]
The film was nominated at the 64th Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Jessica Tandy) and for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski).[17] At the 46th British Academy Film Awards in 1992, Tandy was nominated for the Best Actress award, and Bates was nominated as Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Both actresses also received Golden Globe nominations for their work, and the film got a Best Picture (Comedy or Musical) nomination.[17] At the 28th Guldbagge Awards in Sweden, the film was nominated for the Best Foreign Film award.[18]
American Film Institute recognition:
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes (2005): "Face it girls, I'm older and I have more insurance." - Nominated [19]
AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers (2006) - Nominated [20]
Soundtrack[edit]

Fried Green Tomatoes

Studio album by Various Artists

Released
December 31, 1991
Genre
Soundtrack
Length
39:24
Label
MCA
Fried Green Tomatoes: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the 1991 Academy Award-nominated film Fried Green Tomatoes. For the original score of the same film, composed by Thomas Newman, see Fried Green Tomatoes (score).
Track listing[edit]
1."I'll Remember You" (Grayson Hugh) — 5:08
2."What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (Paul Young) — 4:34
3."Cherish" (Hip Hop Version) (Jodeci) — 3:58
4."Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead" (Taylor Dayne) — 3:20
5."Rooster Blues" (Peter Wolf) — 3:15
6."Barbeque Bess" (Patti LaBelle) — 2:54
7."If I Can Help Somebody" (Aaron Hall) — 3:49
8."Cool Down Yonder" (Marion Williams) — 3:10
9."Cherish" (Movie Version) (Jodeci) — 2:29
10."Ghost Train" (Main Title) (Thomas Newman) — 3:11
11."Visiting Ruth" (Newman) — 1:46
12."A Charge To Keep I Have" (Newman) — 1:50



References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ http://articles.latimes.com/1992-02-10/entertainment/ca-1330_1_fried-green-tomatoes
2.^ Jump up to: a b Rockler, Naomi R. (March 22, 2001), "A Wall on the Lesbian Continuum: Polysemy and Fried Green Tomatoes", Women's Studies in Communication 24, retrieved June 15, 2009
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d Levy, Emanuel (January 6, 2006), Fried Green Tomatoes, Emanuel Levy, retrieved June 15, 2009
4.Jump up ^ Pryor, Kelli; Sharon Isaak (February 28, 1992), "Women in Love", Entertainment Weekly (Time Inc.), retrieved February 9, 2010
5.Jump up ^ Vickers, Lu (June 1994), "Fried Green Tomatoes Excuse me, did we see the same movie?", Jump Cut 39: 25–30, retrieved February 12, 2012
6.^ Jump up to: a b c d Avnet, Jon (1998), Director's Commentary (DVD), Universal Studios
7.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Kenny, J. M. (director) (December 15, 1998), Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes (DVD), Universal Studios Home Video, retrieved April 4, 2010
8.^ Jump up to: a b Park, Irby (May 7, 2003), "Fannie Flagg Captivates Audience at City Book Event", The Chattanoogan, retrieved December 28, 2009
9.Jump up ^ "Little Town Where Movie was Made Finally Gets Café, Fried Tomatoes", Rome News-Tribune, April 13, 1992, retrieved December 28, 2009
10.Jump up ^ Zganjar, Leslie (November 1, 2002), "The Whistle Stop name is just too popular", Birmingham Business Journal, retrieved December 28, 2009
11.Jump up ^ Nolan, Michael (October 20, 2002), "Fried Green Tomatoes At The Irondale Cafe", American Profile, retrieved December 28, 2009
12.^ Jump up to: a b c d Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Box Office Mojo, retrieved April 5, 2008
13.Jump up ^ Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved April 11, 2008
14.^ Jump up to: a b Ebert, Roger (January 10, 1992), "Fried Green Tomatoes", Chicago Sun-Times (Sun-Times Media Group), retrieved December 28, 2009
15.Jump up ^ CM, "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café (1991)", Time Out, retrieved December 28, 2009
16.^ Jump up to: a b Maslin, Janet (December 27, 1991), "Women Finding Strength In Women", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), retrieved December 28, 2009
17.^ Jump up to: a b "Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) Awards", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), retrieved June 19, 2009
18.Jump up ^ "Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)". Swedish Film Institute. 22 March 2014.
19.Jump up ^ AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes Nominees
20.Jump up ^ http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/cheers300.pdf
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Internet Movie Database
Fried Green Tomatoes at AllMovie
Fried Green Tomatoes at Rotten Tomatoes


[hide]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Films directed by Jon Avnet


Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) ·
 The War (1994) ·
 Up Close & Personal (1996) ·
 Red Corner (1997) ·
 Uprising (2001) ·
 88 Minutes (2007) ·
 Righteous Kill (2008)
 

  


Categories: 1991 films
English-language films
1990s comedy-drama films
American films
American LGBT-related films
Directorial debut films
Female buddy films
Films based on American novels
Films directed by Jon Avnet
Films set in Alabama
Films set in Georgia (U.S. state)
Films set in the 1920s
Films set in the 1980s
Films shot in Georgia (U.S. state)
Lesbian-related films
American mystery films
Universal Pictures films
Film scores by Thomas Newman
American comedy-drama films










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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fried_Green_Tomatoes








Fried Green Tomatoes
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For other uses, see Fried Green Tomatoes (disambiguation).

Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes (poster).jpg
Theatrical release poster

Directed by
Jon Avnet
Produced by
Jon Avnet
Norman Lear
Screenplay by
Fannie Flagg
Carol Sobieski
 Jon Avnet (uncredited)
Based on
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe
 by Fannie Flagg
Starring
Kathy Bates
Jessica Tandy
Mary Stuart Masterson
Mary-Louise Parker
Music by
Thomas Newman
Cinematography
Geoffrey Simpson
Edited by
Debra Neil-Fisher

Production
 company

Act III Communications
 Fried Green Tomatoes Productions

Distributed by
Universal Pictures

Release dates

December 27, 1991


Running time
 136 minutes
Country
United States
Language
English
Budget
$11 million[1]
Box office
$119,418,501
Fried Green Tomatoes is a 1991 comedy-drama film based on the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg. Directed by Jon Avnet and written by Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski, it stars Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, and Mary-Louise Parker. It tells the story of a Depression-era friendship between two women, Ruth and Idgie, and a 1980s friendship between Evelyn, a middle-aged housewife, and Ninny, an elderly woman who knew Ruth and Idgie. The centerpiece and parallel story concerns the murder of Ruth's abusive husband and the accusations that follow.
The film received a generally positive reception from film critics and was nominated for two Academy Awards. The filmmakers drew criticism from some reviewers for removing the lesbian content of the book's plot, but the film won a GLAAD Media Award for "best lesbian content".


Contents  [hide]
1 Plot
2 Cast
3 Differences between the film and novel
4 Production 4.1 Conception and casting
4.2 Setting
5 Release
6 Reception 6.1 Box office
6.2 Critical reception
6.3 Awards and honors
7 Soundtrack 7.1 Track listing
8 References
9 External links

Plot[edit]
Evelyn Couch (Kathy Bates), a timid, unhappy housewife in her forties, meets elderly Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy) in a Birmingham, Alabama, nursing home. Ninny, over several encounters with Evelyn, tells her the story of the now-abandoned town of Whistle Stop, Alabama, and the people who lived there. The film's subplot concerns Evelyn's dissatisfaction with her marriage and her life, her growing confidence, and her developing friendship with Ninny. The narrative switches several times between Ninny's story, which is set between World War I and World War II, and Evelyn's life in 1980s Birmingham.
Ninny's story begins with tomboy Imogene "Idgie" Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson), the youngest of the Threadgoode children, whom Ninny describes as her sister-in-law. Idgie's close relationship with her charming older brother Buddy (Chris O'Donnell) is cut short when he is hit by a train and killed. Devastated, Idgie recedes from formal society for much of her childhood and adolescence until Buddy's former girlfriend, the straitlaced Ruth Jamison (Mary-Louise Parker), intervenes at the request of the concerned Threadgoode family.
Idgie initially resists Ruth's attempts at friendship, but then gradually allows a deep attachment to develop. Ruth leaves Whistle Stop to marry Frank Bennett (Nick Searcy) and moves to Valdosta, Georgia. Idgie is upset at losing her friend and struggles to forget her. After some time she visits Ruth, now pregnant and suffering from physical abuse from Frank. Against Frank's wishes, Ruth returns to Whistle Stop with Idgie, where her child, named Buddy Jr., is born. Papa Threadgoode gives Idgie money to start a business so she can care for Ruth and Buddy Jr. Ruth and Idgie open the Whistle Stop Cafe, employing cook Sipsey (Cicely Tyson) and her son Big George (Stan Shaw), who makes a barbecue that quickly becomes popular with their patrons.
Frank Bennett eventually returns to Whistle Stop in an attempt to kidnap Buddy Jr., but is thwarted by an unseen assailant. Frank goes missing and his truck is later found at the bottom of a nearby lake. Idgie is immediately a suspect, as she had publicly threatened violence against him for beating Ruth. She is arrested along with Big George for Frank's murder. The local sheriff offers to release her and pin the crime solely on Big George, but Idgie refuses to sacrifice her friend. During the subsequent trial, the local minister lies, providing Idgie and Big George with an alibi for the time of Frank's disappearance. Taking into account Frank's reputation for getting drunk, the judge rules his death an accident. Idgie and Big George are cleared of all charges.
After the trial, Ruth develops cancer and dies. Following her death, the café closes. Over time, many Whistle Stop residents eventually move away, bringing Ninny to the end of her story, but not before the revelation of what really happened to Frank: Sipsey had killed Frank (with a blow to the head from a cast-iron skillet) while trying to stop him from kidnapping Buddy Jr. Big George then barbecued Frank's body and served it to the Georgia sheriff searching for Frank.
Evelyn discovers that during Ninny's temporary stay at the nursing home, Ninny's house was condemned and torn down. Evelyn, having become good friends with Ninny, offers her a room in her home which Ninny accepts. As the two friends walk away from Ninny's former home, they pass Ruth's grave, freshly adorned with a jar of honey and honeycomb and a card which reads "I will always Love You. The Bee Charmer", Ruth's old nickname for Idgie.
Cast[edit]
Kathy Bates as Evelyn Couch
Mary Stuart Masterson as Imogene "Idgie" Threadgoode
Mary-Louise Parker as Ruth Jamison
Jessica Tandy as Ninny Threadgoode
Cicely Tyson as Sipsey
Chris O'Donnell as Buddy Threadgoode
Stan Shaw as Big George
Gailard Sartain as Ed Couch
Timothy Scott as Smokey Lonesome
Gary Basaraba as Grady Kilgore
Lois Smith as Mama Threadgoode
Danny Nelson as Papa Threadgoode
Jo Harvey Allen as Women's Awareness Teacher
Macon McCalman as Prosecutor
Richard Riehle as Reverend Scroggins
Raynor Scheine as Curtis Smoot
Grace Zabriskie as Eva Bates
Reid Binion as Young Julian
Nick Searcy as Frank Bennett
Constance Shulman as Missy
Differences between the film and novel[edit]
Unlike the novel, the film does not make the lesbian romance between the two central characters explicit, instead leaving the relationship between Idgie and Ruth ambiguous.[2] The DVD contains an audio commentary in which the director acknowledges the relationship and points out that a scene between the two women engaging in a food fight was intended to be seen as symbolic love-making. At the time of the film's debut, it was criticized by reviewers and activists for what was seen as "glossing over" the lesbian relationship.[2][3] However, the film won an award from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation for best feature film with lesbian content.[4] The film does deal head-on with the issue of prejudice, just not in sexuality. For example, the film shows examples, more so than the novel, of discrimination against African Americans, women and the disabled, but the novel's examination of sexuality-based prejudice through a robust lesbian plot, is made more ambiguous.[5]
Production[edit]
Conception and casting[edit]
Avnet first read Fannie Flagg's novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe in 1987.[6] He was introduced to it by producer Lisa Lindstrom, with whom he worked on television films Heat Wave and Breaking Point. Although he wanted her to give him a synopsis of the story, she insisted he read the book and like her, he loved it.[7] He decided to turn the story into a film and pitched the idea to Norman Lear's company, Act III Communications, who were interested and gave Avnet a small budget for a screenwriter.[7] He hired Carol Sobieski who had written the screenplay for 1982's Annie. She wrote a draft for Fried Green Tomatoes as a musical, which Avnet was unhappy with.[7] Sobieski left the project and he hired Fannie Flagg. Flagg, who had been surprised that anyone would want to turn the novel into a film, worked to develop the script. Although she had some screenwriting experience, she found the process of turning her own novel into a script a strange one. The job was made somewhat easier by the work done by Sobieski and Avnet in choosing which characters from the book were going to be featured, but she found it difficult. She too left the project, after writing 70 pages of the screenplay.[7] With no money left to hire another writer, Avnet took the script over himself and spent the next 2–3 years developing it. Flagg gave her blessing to the final draft.[7]
Avnet wrote the film with Jessica Tandy in mind; she expressed excitement about making the film.[7] He had worked with Kathy Bates and Chris O'Donnell on the 1990 film Men Don't Leave before offering them the roles of Evelyn Couch and Buddy Threadgoode respectively.[6] When Bates read the script she loved the characters and was particularly keen to work with Tandy.[6] Mary-Louise Parker was casting director David Rubin's first choice for the role of Ruth Jamison. She read for the part several times, initially unhappy with her own tests. When she read along with Mary Stuart Masterson, they—and the producers—agreed that they had good chemistry.
Setting[edit]



 Inside the Whistle Stop Cafe, Juliette, GA
Avnet hired Barbara Ling as production designer. Scouting for a location, she found Juliette in Monroe County, Georgia, a town that was, according to Avnet, nearly deserted.[7][8] The building chosen to be the Whistle Stop Café was formerly an antiques and hardware store. It was redesigned as a cafe, with a horse-shoe shaped counter to allow for optimal camera angles.[7] After the release of the film, Juliette saw an influx of tourists and, with Jon Avnet's encouragement, locals opened The Whistle Stop Café, recreated to mirror the film set.[9] Although "Whistle Stop Café" is now a registered trademark, other establishments have appeared using that name.[10]
When writing the novel, Flagg based Whistle Stop on Irondale, Alabama, and the café on a real-life restaurant, the Irondale Café.[8] She was a frequent visitor to the café which was formerly owned by her great-aunt.[11]
The scene where Idgie goes to collect honey from a beehive for Ruth was originally intended to be performed by a stunt performer. However, after the stunt double backed out at the last minute, Masterson volunteered to do it herself. This footage of Masterson covered in a swarm of live bees is seen in the final version of the film.[6]
The steam locomotive used in the film is A&WP 290 then in use pulling steam excursions for the New Georgia Railroad.
Release[edit]
The film was given a limited release in the US on December 27, 1991, opening in five theaters.[12] It got a wide release four weeks later on January 24, 1992, in 673 theaters. It ran for 19 weeks in total, with its widest release having been 1,331 theaters.[12]
Reception[edit]
Box office[edit]
The film grossed a total of $82,418,501 in the United States alone, and took in $37,000,000 outside the US, bringing the total to $119,418,501 worldwide.[12] In its opening weekend it earned $105,317, and at its wide release opening weekend it earned $5,235,940, which was 6.4 percent of its total gross.[12] According to Box Office Mojo, it ranked at #11 for all films released in the US in 1991, and #5 for PG-13 rated films released that year.[citation needed]
Critical reception[edit]
Fried Green Tomatoes was generally well received by critics. Film review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes gave the film a "fresh" score of 73 percent based on 41 reviews.[13]
Critics enjoyed the narrative, but found it conventional and predictable.[3][14] The adaptation of the separate narrative of book to the screen was criticised by Time Out as "clumsy"; Roger Ebert agreed saying that the flashback device did not work.[14][15] Writing for The New York Times, Janet Maslin praised the costume and production design and Emanuel Levy praised the cinematography and score.[3][16] The cast drew praise for their performances, particularly Masterson and Tandy.[3][16]
Awards and honors[edit]
The film was nominated at the 64th Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Jessica Tandy) and for Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium (Fannie Flagg and Carol Sobieski).[17] At the 46th British Academy Film Awards in 1992, Tandy was nominated for the Best Actress award, and Bates was nominated as Best Actress in a Supporting Role. Both actresses also received Golden Globe nominations for their work, and the film got a Best Picture (Comedy or Musical) nomination.[17] At the 28th Guldbagge Awards in Sweden, the film was nominated for the Best Foreign Film award.[18]
American Film Institute recognition:
AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes (2005): "Face it girls, I'm older and I have more insurance." - Nominated [19]
AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers (2006) - Nominated [20]
Soundtrack[edit]

Fried Green Tomatoes

Studio album by Various Artists

Released
December 31, 1991
Genre
Soundtrack
Length
39:24
Label
MCA
Fried Green Tomatoes: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the 1991 Academy Award-nominated film Fried Green Tomatoes. For the original score of the same film, composed by Thomas Newman, see Fried Green Tomatoes (score).
Track listing[edit]
1."I'll Remember You" (Grayson Hugh) — 5:08
2."What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (Paul Young) — 4:34
3."Cherish" (Hip Hop Version) (Jodeci) — 3:58
4."Danger Heartbreak Dead Ahead" (Taylor Dayne) — 3:20
5."Rooster Blues" (Peter Wolf) — 3:15
6."Barbeque Bess" (Patti LaBelle) — 2:54
7."If I Can Help Somebody" (Aaron Hall) — 3:49
8."Cool Down Yonder" (Marion Williams) — 3:10
9."Cherish" (Movie Version) (Jodeci) — 2:29
10."Ghost Train" (Main Title) (Thomas Newman) — 3:11
11."Visiting Ruth" (Newman) — 1:46
12."A Charge To Keep I Have" (Newman) — 1:50



References[edit]
1.Jump up ^ http://articles.latimes.com/1992-02-10/entertainment/ca-1330_1_fried-green-tomatoes
2.^ Jump up to: a b Rockler, Naomi R. (March 22, 2001), "A Wall on the Lesbian Continuum: Polysemy and Fried Green Tomatoes", Women's Studies in Communication 24, retrieved June 15, 2009
3.^ Jump up to: a b c d Levy, Emanuel (January 6, 2006), Fried Green Tomatoes, Emanuel Levy, retrieved June 15, 2009
4.Jump up ^ Pryor, Kelli; Sharon Isaak (February 28, 1992), "Women in Love", Entertainment Weekly (Time Inc.), retrieved February 9, 2010
5.Jump up ^ Vickers, Lu (June 1994), "Fried Green Tomatoes Excuse me, did we see the same movie?", Jump Cut 39: 25–30, retrieved February 12, 2012
6.^ Jump up to: a b c d Avnet, Jon (1998), Director's Commentary (DVD), Universal Studios
7.^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h Kenny, J. M. (director) (December 15, 1998), Moments of Discovery: The Making of Fried Green Tomatoes (DVD), Universal Studios Home Video, retrieved April 4, 2010
8.^ Jump up to: a b Park, Irby (May 7, 2003), "Fannie Flagg Captivates Audience at City Book Event", The Chattanoogan, retrieved December 28, 2009
9.Jump up ^ "Little Town Where Movie was Made Finally Gets Café, Fried Tomatoes", Rome News-Tribune, April 13, 1992, retrieved December 28, 2009
10.Jump up ^ Zganjar, Leslie (November 1, 2002), "The Whistle Stop name is just too popular", Birmingham Business Journal, retrieved December 28, 2009
11.Jump up ^ Nolan, Michael (October 20, 2002), "Fried Green Tomatoes At The Irondale Cafe", American Profile, retrieved December 28, 2009
12.^ Jump up to: a b c d Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Box Office Mojo, retrieved April 5, 2008
13.Jump up ^ Fried Green Tomatoes (1991), Rotten Tomatoes, retrieved April 11, 2008
14.^ Jump up to: a b Ebert, Roger (January 10, 1992), "Fried Green Tomatoes", Chicago Sun-Times (Sun-Times Media Group), retrieved December 28, 2009
15.Jump up ^ CM, "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café (1991)", Time Out, retrieved December 28, 2009
16.^ Jump up to: a b Maslin, Janet (December 27, 1991), "Women Finding Strength In Women", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), retrieved December 28, 2009
17.^ Jump up to: a b "Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) Awards", The New York Times (The New York Times Company), retrieved June 19, 2009
18.Jump up ^ "Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)". Swedish Film Institute. 22 March 2014.
19.Jump up ^ AFI's 100 Years...100 Movie Quotes Nominees
20.Jump up ^ http://www.afi.com/Docs/100Years/cheers300.pdf
External links[edit]
 Wikiquote has quotations related to: Fried Green Tomatoes
Fried Green Tomatoes at the Internet Movie Database
Fried Green Tomatoes at AllMovie
Fried Green Tomatoes at Rotten Tomatoes


[hide]
v ·
 t ·
 e
 
Films directed by Jon Avnet


Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) ·
 The War (1994) ·
 Up Close & Personal (1996) ·
 Red Corner (1997) ·
 Uprising (2001) ·
 88 Minutes (2007) ·
 Righteous Kill (2008)
 

  


Categories: 1991 films
English-language films
1990s comedy-drama films
American films
American LGBT-related films
Directorial debut films
Female buddy films
Films based on American novels
Films directed by Jon Avnet
Films set in Alabama
Films set in Georgia (U.S. state)
Films set in the 1920s
Films set in the 1980s
Films shot in Georgia (U.S. state)
Lesbian-related films
American mystery films
Universal Pictures films
Film scores by Thomas Newman
American comedy-drama films










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This page was last modified on 16 February 2015, at 18:33.
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 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fried_Green_Tomatoes