Fried Green Tomatoes (DVD, 1998, Collector's Edition; Extended Version)

Fanny Flagg composed this best-selling novel, "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe'. Making it into this all-star classic production had to have been a given. Flagg's characters had to be portrayed.

Kathy Bates plays Evelyn Couch, an overweight, taken-for-granted-housewife, who happens to visit Ninny Threadgoode (Jessica Tandy) in a rural Georgia nursing home. Threadgoode esteems Couch with her inspiring tales of two (presumed lesbian) women Idgie Threadgoode (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Ruth (Mary Louise Parker) whose love surpasses 1930's Southern bigotry and discrimination due to racial, gender, and sexual supremacism.

The elderly Threadgoode's woman empowering story told to Couch builds up to Bates delivering a classic line in the film when a Volkswagen of twinky teenie boppers cuts her off from the parking space Couch has been waiting for. Couch (Bates) rams her car into theirs until she shoves it literally out of the parking space. Then looks out of her car window flippantly at the astonished girls saying, "I'm older and have more insurance!" Bates has me both laughing hysterically and crying in sobs. So I say she steals the show from a star cast of women. But with Tandy, Masterson, Tyson, and Parker all playing rather equal roles, that's my personal critique. Each actor delivers magnificent in-character performances. The script and the story are truly brilliant.

Mary Stuart Masterson (Idgie Threadgoode) plays a typical soft butch and protective woman of Mary Louise Parker (Ruth) an abused femme mother. Idgie rescues Ruth and the two women live, work, and love together until death do they part. Theirs is an understated marriage in every sense of the meaning marriage. Especially when compared with the straight one that Bates (Couch) has. The lesbianism is not overt--but to one with a savvy social conscience it is a very typical 1930's US Georgia same-gender love partnership that lasts a lifetime and through many a hardship.

I'd say one of the best films of the late 20th century that deals with Southern supremacism on so very many levels, without doing so in-your-face. As Lao Tzu might say, "doing without doing."

It's all about various love relationships between women, with a cast of Oscar-winning stars, including Cicely Tyson. But I say Bates takes the cake in this classic.

Fried Green Tomatoes is an absolutely beautiful, remarkable film that honestly has me appreciating life in a different way. It came out the year I was born, so I stumbled upon it much later in life (maybe about a year ago?), but it's so timeless that I know I'll be watching it again in any number of years and still appreciate it.
It's about an old woman (Tandy) who meets a younger woman going through her mid-life crisis (Bates) and tells her the story of two friends named Idgie and Ruth that she used to know back in the 1920s (Masterson and Parker, respectively). This story helps Bates' character develop and cope with her mid-life crisis while sharing with us the simplistic and humble lives of the people at Whistle Stop and Idgie and Ruth's relationship. And of course, yes, "the occasional murder". ;)

The actors also give superb performances to which I felt a connection with each character. Ninny (Tandy) really feels unconcerned in a wise and humbling way with the toils of life that Evelyn (Bates) is so consumed by. I was cheering "Towanda!" right along with Evelyn as she became a stronger person. I was taken by Ruth's (Parker) strength and good heart. Perhaps my favorite performance would have to be that of Masterson who played Idgie Threadgoode. Humorous, feisty, strong, and caring; she truly captured the essence of such an important character. Probably one of my favorite movie characters of all time!

For anyone that has read the book "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe", the movie does a fair share of staying absolutely true (right down to the dialogue) and adding and mixing a few new things into the work. I enjoyed both rather equally. Although I'm a little disappointed that the relationship between Idgie and Ruth was played down to where it was pretty ambiguous.
Overall, the movie is humorous, full of heart, and has me wishing for times of more simpler pleasures and appreciating what perhaps really is the secret to life: best friends.

This movie has got to be on my Top 5 favorite movies list. I love Jessica Tandy's and Kathleen Bates characters. The story is so well written and I like how it flows back and forth from present day to the 1930's. I relate with Kathleen Bates as she struggles with her unhappy life and I laugh myself silly when she rams her car over and over into another car in the parking lot--"TAH WANDA!!!" Jessica Tandy is so wise and funny, I can almost taste those fried green tomatoes. The story weaves a tale of friendship, racism, spousal abuse, murder, and wisdom to boot. I smile when I hear the line: "It's hog boiling time" and "The secret's in the sauce" at the famous BBQ. Fannie Flagg writes a rich tale of Southern humor. *****5 stars

Simply loved the movie Fried Green Tomatoes -- and for some reason, I keep thinking about it for several weeks. Finally bought the Extended version on eBay, and have been very happy that I bought the extended version.

The extended version adds in several scenes initially cut from the theatrical release (mainly due to pacing and film length issues). These extended version scenes are pointed out if you listen to the Director's commentary.

As for the film in general -- excellent cast, fine acting, wonderful characters, & pull-at-your-heartstrings memorable story. This film helps to ground yourself with what is really important in life -- Friends!

I definitely recommend this film!

At first I thought it was a "Chick Flick" but boy was I wrong! I read the book by Fannie Flagg in an airport while waiting for a delayed flight. The movie captured the story perfectly. It's actually about a murder that happens in the thirties and the consequences that surround the little town and especially the folks who frequent the 'whistle stop cafe'. It does drag a little at certain places but picks up the dialogue quickly. Note: Don't miss the bar b que at the church and how it is prepared. Also look for a twist at the very end. All the stars in the film pull it off without a hitch.