Warning: This article is really only relevant to you if you’ve seen the movie Fried Green Tomatoes (1991) and have a reasonable memory of it.
Ever since I saw Fried Green Tomatoes many moons ago, I considered it one of my semi-favorite movies. Probably not in my top 10, but definitely in my top 20. However, something has always bothered me about it.
The primary character of Fried Green Tomatoes is Idgie Threadgoode. I’m sure you remember. She’s the spontatenous, short-haired, angry, rebellious ho-bag that stars for virtually all of the film.
Secondary to Idgie Threadgoode is her alter-ego, Ninny Threadgoode. I’m sure you remember her too as the bright-spirited old lady who tells the story of Idgie Threadgoode and her very interesting life.
Before we continue, I want you to remember one very important portion of the Film. The movie implies that Idgie and Ninny Threadgoode are the same person. The final scene in the movie shows Ninny implying to Evelyn Couch that Idgie was by recently to drop off a fresh batch of honey from the local bee-hive. There’s a little joke about “Well maybe we’ll see her today…”. Yes, I can see it now, you’re remembering it.
Let me just get it out in the open: The book makes a clear distinction between Idgine and Ninny. There are many portions of the book where 3rd person narratives clearly define them as seperate people. However, the movie goes out of it’s way to imply that Idgie and Ninny are the same person. You really do have to accept this. I think you’re ridiculous if you don’t. Although you won’t be the first. My wife insists there isn’t a connection between the two in the movie… but she only argues that after hearing the rest of my point.
So now let’s review some quotes from the movie, we’ll need these for my brief culmination of disgusting point-making:
Ninny Threadgoode: You see, I was practically adopted by the threadgoode family. I married her brother Cleo.
Alright. Well, so that’s kinda nasty. Since the movie implies that Ninny and Idgie are the same person, we can now only assume that in the film, Idgie marries her brother, and in an effort to avoid any violation of Incest laws of the 1930′s and 40′s, she’s changed her identity so that her and her brother can be happy forever.
But is there anything backing this up? Well let’s see:
Ninny Threadgoode: I was about your age when I had my child. Then I went through the Change of life.
Evelyn Couch: I didn’t know you had a child.
Ninny Threadgoode: Yes I did. Albert. When he was born, the doctor said it would be best if I didn’t see him. He said his mind would never develop past the age of five… and I should just put him in an institution. Because the burden of rasin’ a child like that would be too great.
Alright. There are lots of reasons why a child with these kinds of problems might be born. Independent of a the implication that Idgie and Ninny are the same person, you wouldn’t think anything of it. However, since the movie makes a strong point that Idgie and Ninny are the same person, that Ninny married Idgie’s brother Cleo, and that they then had a child who wasn’t quite right… well, you get it don’t you?
While researching this absolutely pointless article, I’ve also found out that apparently in the book, Ruth and Idgie are, uh, ‘lovers’.
That’s just retarded. I’m trying not to think about whether or not this too was implied in the movie, because it might quickly leave my top 20 list. I also feel like the last 45 minutes of my life have been wasted. But, I’m going to post this article anyway. Dangit.
I should not hit publish on this. But I can’t in good conscience let all this typing go to waste.
It was an awesome movie……..stop over analyzing it.
In the book, yes Ruth and idgy are lovers. And this is implied through the entire movie. Their food fight is their love scene if you research it. Also, in the book ninny dies before the end where Evelyn sees the honey and therefore could not be Idgy. Also, Cleo IS in the movie. Watch the credits at the end. He’s listed. But despite anything anyone says about this movie, it is one of the most amazing movies and books of all times. It goes to show that not every movie has to have a happy ending. Because real life does not have happy endings.
I loved reading the info provided. The only question i have is age. Ninny same age as evelyn when she had son. He lived to be thirty? Ninny only eighty three? Dosent say how long ago he died. Age has always made me think. Thuis is a very thpought provoking movie. A favorite of mine. It stirs emotions. Has most everything involved. Racism. Murder self defense. Southern ideas like in the womens conferece meetings. Mary kay and walmart and winn dixie. Youth disrespect elders and elder getting hers. Female impowerment for sure. Love between the races especially the whites who go against the grain like idgie. The rev. Doing something truly giving. Without taking too much. Great looking food other than that special barbque one. It makes one want to take a trip backwards in time to visit whistle stop cafe. I made fried green tomatoes after watching it the first time when it came out. I watched it today. I watch it at least once a month. It stirs me and even grounds me somehow. Meloncholy i guess. I
Ninny and Idgie are Not the same person. Maybe because I read the book first, the movie does seem to imply but, Idgie in the book made regular pilgramage to Ruth’s grave so…
and I grewup in a “deep” South household, even had two aunts and two uncles that were “couples” in th 60′s, it just wasunderstood not talked about…
What a wonderful movie. With so much to discuss and think about. Thats what I like, something thought provoking and full of intrigue, love, and friendships.
I just re watched this movie with my girls,and yes I do and have allways beleived Idgie is Ninny…I love this movie for many reasons but first and foremost its a story of love and freindship.I allways beleived that Ruth loved Idgie like a sister,but Idgie felt a feeper stirring but never acted on it because she didnt want to endanger what they allready had…Lifelong Freindship.I also love this post and I think its comical and goodnatured musings,by a true FGT fan….and everyone on here wanting to turn this harmless post into there perso.al soapbox are just sad! ….and thats all I got ta say about that! lol
I still have that question,but when the story starts and Mrs. Threadgood is telling about when Buddy got hit by the train, they come back to the nursing home scence with the focus on her “sneakers” (me thinking cause Idgie didn’e wear dress shoes)and then the super sad look on her face as though she is “re-living it”. Like someone who was there first hand. Second, at the end of the movie where they show the graves and they pan back away from Buddy and Ruths grave; there is a tomb stone that reads Threadgood. I wonder who’s that is. And as for Ruth and Idgie; if you think…back in the day, people were much more close than we are now and Ruth had been around the family for years. That’s my opinion. I plan on getting the book. Because I think “Mrs. Threadgood” knew to much (in the movie) to just be a neighbor…if so…WOW…what a nosie neighbor she was.:)
I’ve always believed ninny was idgy.. and honestly if she wasn’t and just married into the family…how would she know the entire life story if idgy when the only people who really knew her were ruth, big george, and his mom. Even if there a hint at ruth and idgy being lovers they were best friends…and at the end ninny sums up the whole story that best friends are one of the most important things in life..
Can’t ya’ll get it! Women don’t have to be lesbians because they are friends! They seemed more like sister’s than anything! And why does the book hafta have a “secret” agenda! Maybe Idgie is just a good ole tom-boy, told the story as Ninny because that is what people called her once she was older (maybe another nickname that just stuck), and she was telling the story of there life. Or MAYBE she did marry a Cleo fella and they just didnt show that part?!?!
The author did write the characters of Idgie and Ruth as lesbians and during the filming process Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary-Louise Parker, and the author of the novel were for portraying their lesbian relationship in the film. They didn’t because the director was against it but he has said that the food fighting scene is an analogy for sex between the two women.
What if Ninny uses the third person because in telling her “idgie’s” story, she is essentially confessing to participating in a cover-up of a murder….no statute of limitations on that…
I loved this article probably because I have recently become disgustingly obsessed with this movie. I think Minnys child was possibly born “not right” due to her being a little old, maybe late forties,when the child was born. That is a pretty common concern for woman even today. At any rate, I will be getting the book. I also want to review the final scene at the cemetery. Great article.
It is very simple. At the beginning. Idgie and Ruth were out together when Idgie reached into the tree bark full of bees to grab the honey comb for Ruth and placed it in a jar. Then if you look at the end of the movie when Ninny was sitting on her suitcase and Evelyn came looking for her. She showed her around and they stumbled over the grave stones. If you looked close enough, there was a jar of honey sitting on Ruth’s grave. (Who else put it there?) Ninny hello same person. I did read the book and I beleive that this was a third person narrative.
This is completley ridiculous. I don’t think that very many people did believe that Ninny and Idgie were the same person. I think a majority of the people were smart enough to realise that wasn’t the case. I watched this film when I was 11 and even I got it then. I have since read the book, and I have to say that it does clear up alot queries I had on the film. But also, I think that a majority of the people who watched the film went out and bought the book. That is, if they didn’t have it before.
And furthermore, in the book it is plain as day that Idgie and Ruth are lovers and everyone in the book acknowledges that. Heck, Mama Threadgoode told Idgie’s siblings not to tease her about her crush on Ruth hours before Ruth came for dinner.
The film get’s so many things wrong, to be fair. Ruth isn’t the one whose hat flies off and Buddy goes to rescue it and Idgie visit’s Ruth’s house and the town where she lives in all throughout the early stages Ruth’s marriage. And she finds out that Ruth’s husband, Frank Bennet is abusive from the chemist.
And I’m not there is no hidden implications in this question, I am just genuinely curious – why is the fact that Ruth and Idgie were loveers retarded?
First, I LOVE this movie. It has always been one of my favorites. I’ve always wondered about Idgie & Ruth’s true relationship, because of the scene in which Ruth tells Idgie that the day had been the best birthday she had ever had… & she kisses Idgie. Now, she kisses her on the cheek, but it was the way the scene was done that always made me feel that’s what was being eluded to. I’ve always believed Ninny & Idgie to be the same person, because at one point Ninny tells Evelyn that Idgie & Ruth owned/ran the cafe… later she makes references to the cafe with things like “what *we* had at the cafe”- ‘we’. And when Evelyn brings her the Fried Green Tomatoes & Ninny says they’re good, Evelyn says “Well it’s *your* recipe”… in the movie we see Idgie preparing the first recipe of Fried Green Tomatoes, giving one to Ruth to try. I had never put 2×2 together w/regard to Ninny’s baby being not ‘quite right’ & the possibility of this being due to a possible relationship w/her own brother, but that does make sense. Yet, you’d think that ‘Cleo’ would have been shown or referenced somehow at the beginning of the film at the sister’s wedding- I’ve paid close attention, & there doesn’t seem to be a Cleo (unless of course he was intentionally left out to leave us guessing. hm.) I haven’t read the book, but after reading this article & some of the comments, I believe I will do that, just to get a better sense of what the author’s original & intentional story was.
First, off I happen to love this movie and it is most certainly in my top 10. Second, the only person making any sense here is ‘H’. I don’t care if they were gay or not, why does it matter? The movie has a bigger meaning than that. Also, I feel she was just trying to tell her story without Evelyn knowing who she is. Ok, now I have spoken my peace and can go on… Hehe!
oh come on it is clear as day that ruth and idjie and a couple….this matter is made clear in both the movie and the book…. but due to the era in which they lived they were unable to admit it.
and on the question of ninny being idjie….. i think that is most certainly the case there are many implications in the movie that this is so and i know the book is slightly less clear on this topic but………
and a incestual relationship in my opinion ninny was never married at all and mearly needed a way of telling her story without evelyn knowing who she is…
I find it hysterical that you’d be so shocked and disgusted by the idea of a lesbian relationship (which everyone has widely accepted IS the case) but have no qualms whatsoever at the idea of an incestuous one. Well done, you. Are you from the south or something?
Oh please. Did you even read the article? Are you just trolling the ‘internetz’ looking for someone to fight your political battles with?
While I appreciate that you took the time to leave a comment, I think perhaps you’re reading a little too much in to the article.
Well i have read the article in question & i agree w smarty pants here. there is nothing wrong w gay, lesbian, bi or straight relationships.
Hey. Smarter than you. You’re not as smart as you think you are. Just because a person is from the south doesn’t mean that they are incest. Don’t get me wrong, there are some people that are. The thing is I’m pretty sure incest people exist ALL OVER THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!! So back off you stereotyping jerk!!
I’m sorry you are so angry about this movie. I’ll pray for you.
i definetely saw the implications that ruth and idgie were lovers. but i dont think they ever played it out in their lives, i just think they were both in the closet lesbians who loved each other.
the scene where idjie brings her a jar of honey she calls her cleo.
Since Ninny said she was practically adopted by the Threadgoode family, that means that Cleo was not her real brother. There, now. That settles everything. There was no incest. DUH!
I think some people actually missed that information. Thank you for pointing that out again. Hopefully people will notice it.
no she never calls her cleo I just you tubed scene 2/5 she says idjie im not mad at you
Well, the theory that there was no incest does not fly if Idgie and Ninny are actually the same person. Idgie was the younger sister of Buddy. Unless Idgie herself was adopted by the Threadgoode family. Does that make sense?
“practically adopted”. Hope others pay attention to that
Spaghetti.