Women’s Stories

Issues and problems from a female perspective.

Movie: Fried Green Tomatoes

(Universal Pictures; 1991) color, 130 minutes; PG-13 rating; genre-comedy/drama

Healing Themes:

• Surviving when life seems to beat you down

• Domestic abuse

• Coping when food is your fix

• Meeting someone who has a special impact on you

• Getting the courage to stand up for what you believe

• Dealing with prejudice and racism

• Feeling life’s painful moments

• Lesbian relationships

Director: Jon Avent

Screenplay: Fannie Flagg

Cast: Kathy Bates (Evelyn); Jessica Tandy (Ninny); Mary Stuart Masterson (Idgie-Towanda); Mary-Louise Parker (Ruth); Cicely Tyson (Sipsey); Chris O’Donnell (Buddy); Stan Shaw (Big George); Gailard Sartain (Ed); Timothy Scott (Smokey); Gary Basaraba (Grady); Grace Zabriskie (Eva); Lois Smith (Mama Threadgoode); Macon McCalman (prosecutor)

Synopsis: Evelyn (Kathy Bates) is a shy, depressed, over weight housewife when she meets vivacious, spunky Ninny (Jessica Tandy), an elderly woman living in a nursing home. Ninny strikes up a conversation with Evelyn while Evelyn is visiting someone else in the nursing home. Evelyn finds herself intrigued with the stories Ninny is sharing about a depression era friendship between two women, Ruth (Mary-Louise Parker) and Idgie-Towanda (Mary Stuart Masterson). Evelyn can hardly wait to visit with Ninny to hear more about these two friends and their lives. Ninny’s friendship and stories eventually help Evelyn regain her self-confidence and identify how she uses food to deal with her emotions.

Viewing Suggestion: While viewing this movie can you relate to any of these characters? Try to get in touch with that person in your life that made a difference. Have you noticed how Evelyn uses food to comfort herself much the same way an alcoholic or drug addict uses alcohol or their drug of choice to self-medicate?

Exercise: Can you name a special person that was the Towanda in your life? How did they make a difference? It could be a teacher, mentor, or a good friend.

Imagine yourself feeling fearful of standing up for your convictions, accepting your fears and following through. What would you expect to change in your life if you did?

Availability: This movie is available for viewing by streaming from your favorite device through Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc. You can also buy this movie on sites such as Movies Unlimited.

Trivia: Fannie Flagg wrote the novel Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café and subsequently wrote the screenplay based on her book.

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