Thanks to performances from its cast, including Oscar winners Kathy Bates and the late Jessica Tandy, Fried Green Tomatoes combines talent and charm to tell a story that can make you laugh and pull at your heart at the same time. Now the movie has been released in an Extended Anniversary Edition that includes a ton of special features and seven minutes of additional footage.
Originally released in 1991, Fried Green Tomatoes features some strong performances from its cast of female character actors – including Bates, Tandy, Mary Louise Parker, Mary Stuart Masterson and Cicely Tyson. The film was directed by Jon Avnet and is based on the novel “Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café,” by Fannie Flagg – who also wrote the screenplay with Carol Sobieski.
The film uses flashbacks and Tandy’s great narration to combine two stories into one. It also manages to keep you equally hooked on both plots. The film begins with setting up the Bates/Tandy friendship as the audience is introduced to Bates’ Evelyn Couch – a middle aged married woman who is desperate for some kind of excitement and purpose in her life. She meets Tandy’s Ninny Threadgoode at a nursing home while visiting her husband’s aunt. The two quickly strike up a friendship through Tandy’s tale of two friends growing up in 1920’s Alabama.
The film then shifts to the second story as Tandy’s narration sets up the 1920’s characters played by Parker and Masterson. Throughout the movie, Tandy tells of how Parker’s Ruth Jamison (a proper Southern woman) and Masterson’s Idgie Threadgoode (the very definition of a tomboy) grew into best friends, and of the mysterious circumstances surrounding the disappearance of Parker’s abusive husband. This tale is filled with fun characters and lots of humor - which helps balance out some of the darker aspects of the story.
While the Idgie and Ruth story is being told, Bates begins to transform herself into a more independent and free-spirited woman (with brash decisions that more than resemble Idgie’s behavior). Her interaction with Tandy is some of the funniest moments of the movie as Tandy blames Bates’ bizarre behavior on hormones, and zings her with truly great one-liners.
Fried Green Tomatoes has charm and laughs
While a story that is told through flashbacks can fall flat on its face, Fried Green Tomatoes handles the plot smoothly and never lets one part of the film dominate the other story. The editing between time periods is handled with easy transitions and the audience never gets lost in the story. The film also never lets you get bored with the constant jumping back and forth. You do tend to want to find out more of Tandy’s tale, but that feeling adds to Bates’ character since she is always trying to rush the tale as well.
There are simply no bad performances in this film, and it is truly enjoyable to watch Tandy shine on screen. She brings such a grace and presence to the movie that is hard to imagine anyone other actress being able to handle the character. Even Bates (who can easily dominate a scene) is out acted by Tandy almost every time the two are together.
Although there is seven minutes more in the film, I honestly couldn’t tell you what was different. I have only watched this movie one other time since its release in 1991, and there wasn’t any noticeable difference to me.
Fans of the movie will enjoy the special features on this DVD which include deleted scenes, outtakes, a look at the making of the film, director’s commentary and notes, Sipsey’s recipes, poster campaign and production notes. The film is presented in 1.85:1 widescreen with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound.
As far as I can tell, the only other DVD release of Fried Green Tomatoes was in 1998. It also came with commentary from the director and the "Moments of Discovery" documentary look at the making of the film.
The deleted scenes included on this DVD feature Bates getting emotional over laundry being escorted out on a stretcher, two scenes after Parker’s son is injured, and a graduation scene for Parker’s son with Idgie and Big George celebrating. They don’t really add anything to the movie. The outtake footage is not much, but it is worth a laugh. It is always fun to watch actors of this level messing up takes or forgetting lines.
Tandy is the heart of the movie
The Sipsey’s recipes has about 20 recipes that were part of the movie or book. It is a feature that I am sure will appeal to cooks, but fell a bit flat on me. The director’s production notes are a detailed account of the film’s shooting and is something only diehard fans of the movie would probably find interesting.
Fried Green Tomatoes is a great film to watch and one that hasn’t lost any of its charm since it was first released 15 years ago. Tandy and Bates are the strength behind the film, but it features great performances from its entire cast. I would recommend the DVD to anyone who hasn’t seen the movie and wants a good drama with some laughs. Since I don’t have the 1998 DVD release of the film, I can’t compare the two versions. It seems to me like this is a good addition and worth the double dip.
Fried Green Tomatoes (Extended Anniversary Edition) is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.
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