"Yes, ma'am." "How are you doing this afternoon?" "Is this Rose Hill?" "This is Ed Couch." "I'm Vesta Adcock's nephew." "I need to get up there and see her, but I'm gonna be a little bit late." "I'll tell you what, I'm lost out here." "We're off the Alabama Interstate, but I don't know where." "Did you hear that?" "What?" "The train." "No." "I didn't hear no train." "Oh, nothing, I guess." " Where's Whistle Stop on the map?" " I can't find it." "Why did you tell me to turn right ten miles back there?" "God, you've got a negative sense of direction, honey." "I'm sorry." "Oh, Ed." "Your aunt's gonna be so disappointed we're late." "I know she's been looking forward to this visit all week long, bless her sweet little old heart." "Hey, how's my sweet Auntie V this afternoon?" "Remember us?" " Don't you look pretty?" " We've brought you something especially." "Don't you know Evelyn loves you?" "Honey, I guess it'd be better if you just wait out here for me, or something." " I'll get all this stuff." " Well, if..." "If you think it's best." "Yeah, I do, this time." "OK?" "Have a nice day, Aunt Vesta." "Don't you pitch a fit like that" "Did you know they took my gall bladder out?" "Oh..." "No, I didn't." "Oh, yes." "It's still in the hospital in a jar." "I guess that's where they keep them." "I guess." "When I was in the hospital, the nurse gave me one of them Fleet enemas they're so fond of." "Mrs. Cleo Threadgoode." "82-year-old widow, imagine that." "Actually, everybody calls me Ninny." "Of course, I'm just visiting here." "Did you ever have one of them Fleet enemas?" "Um..." "Well..." "No." "You'd remember it." "Me and my friend Mrs. Otis come from Whistle Stop." "You ever been to Whistle Stop?" "Why, yes." "I just passed by there today." "She's lived down the street from me for 30 years or more." "After her son died, her daughter-in-law had a fit for her to come live here at the nursing home, and they asked me to come with her and be her roommate." "Mrs. Otis don't know it, but I'm going back home just as soon as she gets settled in good." "Does the name Idgie Threadgoode ring a bell?" "Um..." "No, ma'am." "I don't think so." "You'd remember her." "You see, I was practically adopted by the Threadgoode family." " I married her brother Cleo." " Oh." "Uh-huh." "Idgie and her friend Ruth ran the Whistle Stop Café." "Idgie was a character, all right." "But how anybody could have thought she murdered that man is beyond me." "I beg your pardon?" "You sit and relax awhile." "I'll tell you all about it." "Oh, now, let's see..." "I remember the day they pulled that truck up out of the river." "That same rainy summer day," "Idgie Threadgoode was arrested for the murder of the owner of that truck, Frank Bennett." "I guess to understand Idgie, you'd have to start way back with her brother Buddy." "Idgie was Buddy's pet from the day she was born." "I remember the day we was all getting ready for Leona's wedding." "The war had just ended." "The "Great" one, you know." "And another one was about to begin in the Threadgoode house." "Sipsey, honey, is that finished?" "Oh, Buddy." "Buddy, get dressed, honey." " Mama..." " Leona, what is it?" "Idgie's upstairs in her room and she said she won't come out just as long as she lives." " Mama, she is gonna ruin my wedding." " Shh." "Why, Leona, you're gonna be the most beautiful bride..." "Well, of course she is, Papa." "Your papa has spent every last nickel he has just to make you happy." "Now, you try to act a little grateful, young lady." "Imogen Louise Threadgoode!" "This is your mama!" "You come down here... right now." "Do you hear me?" " Buddy, you fetch her." "She'll listen to you." " Come on down." "There's no firing squad waiting for you." "Oh..." "Come on, honey." "Now, let us see you." "Oh, you look so pretty." " I see London, I see..." " Hush!" "Julian, hush." "Come ahead, sweetheart." "You look awful nice in that." " Mama!" " You look fine, Idgie." " She looks like a monkey." " Julian, stop it right this second." " Take it back!" " Idgie." "I told you she was gonna ruin my wedding!" "Take it back!" "Take it back!" " I'll get you for this." " No, Buddy." " Be careful when she's dressing up." " She's just a pain." "Leona, will you stop shrieking, honey?" "This is your wedding day" "Looks like you got yourself up a tree, little bit" "I'm sick of people making fun of me." "So you're gonna stay up here all day long?" "Yep." "The hell with them." "Who wants to wear that stupid old dress anyway?" "Did I ever tell you about the oysters?" " Oysters?" " Didn't I tell you about the oysters?" "Think about the millions of oysters lying around on the bottom of the ocean." "Then one day..." "God comes along and he sees one and he says, "I think I'm gonna make that one different."" "And you know what he does?" "He puts a little piece of sand in it." "And guess what it can do that the others can't." " What?" " It can make a beautiful pearl." "What if God made a mistake?" "Well, the way I figure it, he never makes mistakes." "I mean, he made sure we got together." "He made sure you got the best-looking, most charming brother in the world, who's gonna beat you to the chocolate cake." "You will not." "Got you out of the tree, now, didn't I?" "Did not." "Into this estate, these two people come now to be joined." "If any man present can show cause why they might not be lawfully joined together, let him speak now, or for ever after hold his peace." "Please be seated." "If either of you know any reason why you may not justly be joined together in holy matrimony do you now confess it?" "It is in your will to proceed." "Do you, Charles Osgood Justice..." "Thank you." "I don't know what we'd do without your generosity." " Sipsey, honey, look at what you've done." " You're welcome, Mrs. Threadgoode." "You rascal, you!" "I don't think there ever was a sweeter boy than Buddy Threadgoode." "You look beautiful today, Lily." "Yeah, Lily, you sure do." "I had the biggest crush on him." "He was a terrible ﬂirt" "But his heart belonged to Ruth Jamison." "Now, she was the daughter of a friend of his mama's who was visiting that summer." "Ruth Jamison, you're just the one I've been looking for." "Are you thirsty?" "Let's go visit someplace else." "If you think that's a big lake, you should have seen the one by our house." "We used to swim in it and fish." "I sure do miss it." "I sure do." "Well, what happened to it?" "Did it dry up?" "No." "Worse than that." "Last fall, a big flock of ducks, about 40 or 50 of them, landed smack in the middle of it." "While they were sitting in it, a fluke thing happened." "The temperature dropped so fast that the whole lake froze in three seconds, just like that." "And all those poor little ducks." "Did it kill them?" "No." "They flew off and took the lake with them." "Why, to this very day, that lake is somewhere over in Georgia." "Buddy Threadgoode." "Just come a little closer." "I want to give you something." "Come here." "Whoa!" "Hat, where do you think you're going?" "Woo-oo!" "I've got it." "Hold on, Ruth." "Hold on a little bit." "It's all right." "I've got it." "Come here, you damn hat." "Got it!" "Oh!" "Oh, I meant to do that" "I've got it!" "Ta-da!" "All right." "Damn." "Come on." "Come on." "Get off." "Buddy!" " Buddy!" " Buddy Threadgoode!" "Buddy!" "Get out of there." "Get out of there." "Buddy!" " Run, Buddy!" " Buddy!" "Buddy!" "No!" "Buddy!" "No-oo!" "No-oo!" "Buddy!" "No!" "Please!" "Let me go!" "No." "Buddy!" "Come on." "We've got to get back to the house." "No, Mama." "Come on." "We've got to go home." "Buddy!" " Buddy!" " You have to be strong." "It's gonna be OK." "Buddy!" "The Lord is my shepherd," "I shall not want." "It like to have killed us all." "But nary a one took it as hard as Idgie." "Everyone thought she'd die right along with him." "Night after night, she stayed by the river." "Big George was the only soul she'd let near her, and he watched over her night and day." "You know, a heart can be broken, but it still keeps a-beating just the same." "Miss Idgie, you'll have to keep this blanket on or you'll catch your death of cold, you hear me?" "That's so sad." "Would you like one of these?" "Oh!" "Thank you, honey." "Evelyn..." "Honey, we gotta get going." "The Braves game's fixing to start and you're gonna miss your... thing." "Excuse me." "That's my husband Ed." "Hi, ma'am." "Um..." "I can't believe Buddy died." "Neither could I." "Oh, well..." "I enjoyed talking to you, honey." "What's your name?" "Evelyn." "Evelyn Couch." "I've got to go." "You come back and see me, you hear?" "OK." "Bye-bye." "Well, first of all I want you to truly dedicate yourselves to finding little ways to putting that magic, that spark, back into your marriage." "When we think of romance and marriage, what is the first thought that comes into your mind?" "Divorce." "Remember when marriage counsellors told you to wrap yourself in Cellophane to put a little charge into your marriage?" "Do we really pay for these lectures?" "♪ O-oh yeah" "♪ As I walk this land of broken dreams" "♪ I have visions of many things" "♪ Happiness is just an illusion..." "Evelyn, have you gone insane?" "People can see you!" "What if I'd have been the paperboy or something, honey?" "Get in there." "What were you thinking about?" "Evelyn." " Evelyn!" " Oh." "You know, what we really need, instead of this baloney, is an assertiveness training class for southern women." "But that's a contradiction in terms, isn't it?" "Especially you, sweetheart." "You're living in the Dark Ages." "♪ The roots of love grow all around" "♪ But for me they come tumbling down" "♪ Every day heartaches grow a little stronger" "♪ I can't stand this pain much longer..." "Hi, honey." "I need one of those." "Mm, you smell good, too." " Thank you." " I need one of these." "Oh, this looks good." "Yes, indeedy." "♪ Always moving but going nowhere" "♪ What becomes of the brokenhearted..." "Ed..." "Why don't you come in and sit down at the table and have dinner with me?" "I'm sorry, honey." "The game's almost over." "I just wanted to see a bit of it." "Why are you so dressed up?" "Honey, don't get in the way there." "Just scoot over just a bit." "Ed... if I'd opened the door wearing only Cellophane, would you still be watching the baseball game?" "No, honey, I'd probably be checking you into a loony bin." " Hi, sugar." "How's my little dumpling?" " Trick or treat?" "You won't throw one of those hissy fits, will you?" "No, no, no!" " You are meaner than a damn snake." " I'm glad you're feeling better." " You need to get back in bed." " Good thing your eyesight's failing." "Hey!" " Hey." " I was hoping you'd be here." "My roommate, Mrs. Otis, said I could stay and visit with her and her family, but I said, "Thank you kindly, but I think I might have my own visitor."" "And here you are!" " Well, now, sit down." " Thank you." "And doughnuts to boot." "You can't beat that." "Well, help yourself, Mrs. Threadgoode." "How's your friend?" " Mrs. Otis?" " Mm-hm." "Well, not so good." "It looks like I won't be getting home for quite a while, and I sure miss it." "Funny what you miss when you're away from home." "I miss the smell of coffee." "And bacon frying." "Oh... what I wouldn't give for a plate of fried green tomatoes like we used to have at the café." "Ooh..." "I never told you about the café, did I?" "No, ma'am." "Well... let me back up a bit." "You see, Idgie never quite got over losing Buddy." "She hardly ever come home." "Only Big George knew how to find her." "She just didn't seem to care about anything any more." "And then one summer day her mama sent for her." "Like they say, God never shuts one door without opening another." "That was also the day Idgie met Frank Bennett." "The man whose murder got her arrested." "Well, hello there, miss." "And who might you be?" "Towanda to you." "Who are you?" "Oh, Frank Bennett's the name, Miss Towanda." "I must say, you are looking mighty fine today." "Are you a politician, or does lying just run in your family?" "Mama!" "There you are!" "It's about time, Idgie." "If you don't look like the Wild Man Of Borneo..." " There you go." " Well, thank you." " Guess who's here." " Who?" "Ruth." "She's staying with us this summer, and will be in charge of all the young people's activities at the church." " Is that why you wanted to see me?" " We have so many nice things planned." "Ruth!" "You remember my youngest child?" "Of course I do." "Hi, Idgie." "Hi." "Maybe this isn't such a good idea." "Oh, it's got to work." "Somebody's got to help her." "I cant." "Are you sure you wanna go to this here River Club, Miss Ruth?" "These ain't no churchgoing folks." "I'll do just fine, George, thank you." "Oh, excuse me." "Is Idgie Threadgoode here, by any chance?" "Come on in, honey." "She's right down here." " Here?" " Uh-huh." "I'll see you, Grady Kilgore." "And I'll raise you 20." "You ain't got nothing." "Maybe I do and maybe I don't." "Put your money where your mouth is, Mr. Sheriff." "Well, look what the cat brung in." "I came to talk to you." "You're gonna have to wait." "I'm busy." "Come on." "This is your big chance." "Are you in or out?" "It'll make you a rich man." "You're just bluffing, as usual." "I'm afraid you're gonna have to excuse Idgie." "She's going home for dinner." "Nice meeting you." "Say goodbye, Idgie." " Where the hell are you going with my money?" " We're going home." " Who are you to boss me around?" " I'm the one holding your money, that's who." "Give it back." "Now, get in the car." "All right." "I'll get in the car." "You win." "Come on." "Sucker!" "I'll leave here when I want to." "I just don't know how you can break your mother's heart like you do." "I'm not doing anything to my mother." "Oh, no?" "Why do you think I'm over here for the summer?" "Your mother was worried." "She thought I might be able to talk sense into you, but you're too busy being selfish." "What are you talking about?" "Idgie, you're not the only one who lost Buddy." "We all... miss him, but... turning your back on your family's not gonna help." "What's he got to do with anything?" "It looks like you're the one with the problem forgetting my brother." "Why, just ten miles away, down by the river, there lurks a den of the devil!" "Where liquor and gambling and sin abide!" "Snakes and serpents." "Hey, Scroggins!" "You're finally preaching about something you're kin to." "Snakes!" "As I said... snakes and serpents take many disguises." "Let's turn to page 53 in our hymnal." "Yoo-hoo!" "Big George thought I might find you here." "If you give me a chance, a chance to get to know you, maybe it'll be fun!" "Fun?" "!" "Idgie, just spend some time with me." " Please." " Suit yourself." "Are you sure you don't wanna back out?" "It's not too late." "I'm sure." "Here, hold this." "Tell me, now, do you like trains?" "Y..." "Yes." "Good." "We'll get along just fine." "Boy, did we luck out tonight!" "Hop in." "I.." "Oh... give me your hand." "Put your foot up there." "Hold that." "Look at all this." "I think we should get off the train." "It's starting to move." "No." "The fun's just started." "Are you all right?" "Well, sometimes I get a little dizzy looking down." "Don't look down." "What are you doing?" "Come on." "Look." "They're throwing away food!" "You talk about give unto others." "Yes, but this food isn't yours to give." "That's church talk." "I've seen those same people over at church on Sunday over at the River Club every other night of the week, doing anything but pray." "More, more!" "OK." "Time to get off." "We gotta jump." " Jump?" " Yeah, jump" "The next stop is five miles down the tracks." "I won't walk that far back." "Are you crazy?" "You're not kidding." "Well..." "I give up." "Jump..." "I'll tell Mama I'm not a good influence on you..." "You'll never jump, will you?" "Don't say never to me." "Aargh!" "Towanda...!" "Are you all right?" "I'm fine." "I'm all right." "Ow!" " Does this hurt?" " Ouch!" "I guess so." " We better get you to a doc... doctor." " Shit!" "Which way is it?" "About two miles down the tracks." "All right." "Let's go." "You'll never be able to carry me that far." "I know." "Never say never." "I'm not carrying you." "We're walking." "Thank you, Julian." "I owe you one." " Aren't you ready yet?" " What?" "This doesn't have anything to do with trains, does it?" "Do you like honey?" "Oh, yeah, I like honey." " Fresh honey?" " Yeah." "Me too." "There it is." "There what is?" "You'll see." "Soon enough." "Now... stay here." "No matter what happens, don't move." "What are you gonna do?" "Here you are, madame." "This is for you." "Wh..." "Why did you do that?" "You could have been killed." "I'm sorry." "Don't you want the honey?" "I got it just for you." "It's all right." "I do it all the time." "I never get stung, honest." "Don't be mad at me, Ruth." "Idgie, I'm not mad at you." "No fooling?" "Is it bad, what I did?" "No." "I thought I might be crazy or something." "No, no." "No, I've heard there were people who could charm bees." "I've just never seen it done before today." "You're just a bee charmer, Idgie Threadgoode." "That's what you are." "A bee charmer." "Here." "Do you wanna taste it?" "Surprise!" " Idgie Threadgoode!" " Tonight we're gonna have a real party." "Drink this and then we're gonna play some poker." "Well, I don't..." "I don't know how to play poker and I never drink, but... thank you anyway." "♪ Oh, my darlin', oh, my darlin'" "Here comes the wind-up now." "Here comes the wind-up." "Burn that ball in here." "Burn 'em in here." "Burn 'em in here." "Right in the pocket." "Right in the pocket." "I don't know how to bat." "Yeah, and you don't drink either." " Gonna be a spitter." "Gonna be a spitter." " Hold the bat and swing." "I'll pitch it easy to you." " Spitter?" "Is she gonna spit at me?" " No, she gonna spit on the ball." "Take another crack at it." "OK." "Take another crack at it." " Get 'em in here." "Get 'em in here." " Get 'em in, come on." "Wooh!" "Wooh!" "You've got to run." "Come on, run." "Don't kiss everybody!" "Run!" "I have never had so much fun in my whole life." "And I even got a home run." "A clean one at that." "A straight beats three of a kind." "You know, poker isn't half bad." "Idgie, what's your mother gonna say when she sees us both... drunk?" "You've got to stop worrying about what people think." "I mean, you've always done the right thing." "You took care of your daddy, the preacher, when he took sick." "You take care of all of the kids over at the church school." "You're gonna take care of your mama." "I know." "And I'm gonna marry the man I'm supposed to." "You're getting married?" "!" "As soon as the summer's over." "Oh, am I gonna miss you!" "This is the best birthday I ever had." "Ruth invited Idgie to the wedding, but Idgie never did write back." "No." "But she did drive all night to Valdosta, Georgia to watch from afar." "Whoa!" "Here we go!" "And then she swore she'd never see Ruth again." "Now, Mama Jamison, you put that down right now." "Oh, my Lord!" "So, during these next few weeks, we will be learning to reclaim our own power as women." "Hallelujah." "And tonight." "We're gonna begin to explore our own femaleness by examining the source of our strength and our separateness." "Our vaginas." "So, if you all will just slip off your panties now and straddle your mirrors." " Oh, I'm so sorry." " Miss Couch." "Miss Couch!" "Um..." "I need to be excused for a minute." "Um..." "Missy, could you come with me to the ladies' room?" "Do you find this threatening?" "Uh, well..." "Do you have a problem with your sexuality?" "No, ma'am." "But I do have a problem with my girdle." "♪ Cherish is the word" "♪ I use to describe..." "Hi, baby." "All right!" "Fried chicken." "My favourite." "Ed..." "Ed, those classes that I've been taking for ever aren't helping us one bit." "Let's go to Florida, like when we got married." "Kyle's gone." "Busy with his own life." "It'd be just the two of us." "Honey, it's just the two of us here now." "Boy, you got a good scald on that chicken." "I'm telling you, it's really good." "Thank you." "We could rent a boat and drift around in the hot sun." "What do you think about it?" "Well, I'm just getting used to it being quiet around here." "Honey, if those classes aren't doing you any good, then don't go to them." "Damn." "The game's blacked out." "Oo-hoo!" "Mrs. Threadgoode?" "Hey, Evelyn." "Do you like it?" "Oooh!" "Well, who did it for you, darling?" "Believe it or not, it was a student, a little bitty thing no bigger than a midget, from the beauty college." "Sometimes they come out here and do our hair for free." "Just for the practice, you know?" "Is Ed with you?" "Oh, um..." "No, ma'am." "His aunt said she didn't want visitors any more." "Especially us." "It's a shame." "I know he feels bad." "But..." "Lord, if he'll talk to me about it." "Oh, thank you!" " Merry Christmas." " Merry Christmas." "Mrs. Threadgoode how about telling me some more... about Idgie?" "Oh, well, now, let me see." "Where were we?" "Ruth had just got married to Frank Bennett." "Wasn't that the man Idgie was arrested for murdering?" "That's right." "After Ruth left," "Idgie just went back to her old ways." "Hanging out with Grady and the boys at the River Club." "But after a few years, temptation got the better of her and she drove all the way to Valdosta, Georgia, to see how Ruth was doing an' all." "And that's when the trouble began." " Hi there." " Yes?" "Uh... is Ruth at home?" "Who's calling?" "You just tell her it's the bee charmer from Alabama." "Ruth!" "There's some bee person here to see you." " Idgie..." "You've got a real nice home." "Real nice things an' all." "Thank you." "Oh, Mama said to give you this pie." "So..." "Idgie Threadgoode... how are you?" "You look so... so grown-up." "All the guys must be wild about you." "Tell me... do you have a fella yet?" "Uh..." "A couple." "I haven't decided on any." "Grady's the most persistent..." " Grady Kilgore?" " Don't say it so loud." "Ruth, honey, who's down there?" "Hey..." " What happened to you?" " Nothing." "Nothing." "Where d'you get the shiner?" " Well..." " Who's down there?" "Listen, I think you'd better leave now." " Did he hit you?" " No..." " Did he beat you?" " Idgie..." "Somebody's got to talk to him." "Somebody's got to stand up to him." "I'm gonna have a little conversation with him about picking on somebody his own size." "You're not gonna do anything, you understand?" "If you care about me, if you really do, you'll turn around and leave this minute." "Do you understand?" "Well..." "What did she want?" "Nothing." "Ruth's a grown woman and she knows what's best for her." "Mm." "I'm not so sure about that." "Idgie?" "Grady, hi." "Idgie, will you dance with me?" "No!" "Oh, come on, Idgie." "It's only a dance." " Miss Idgie Threadgoode..." " Get your butt off the floor." "...will you dance with me?" "I will not dance with you and I will not marry you." "Go marry Gladys Moats." "She just adores you." "But she did fall on her head when she was just a child." "You're just a goofy girl, Idgie Threadgoode, a goofy girl." " Who are you calling a goof?" " Ow!" " Who are you calling a goof?" " Stop that before I hurt you." "Oh, yeah?" "You try it." "Aargh!" "Grady!" " There, now." "Do you give up?" " No!" "I'll never give up." "Grady finally got dizzy and gave up." "Try as they might, none of them fellas at Eva's River Club could tame Idgie." "A little while later, a letter come from Ruth." "Oh... that's an obituary." "Oh, no, honey, Ruth's mother died." "Oh." "And this is from the Bible." "It's from the book of Ruth." "And Ruth said," ""Whither thou goest, I will go." "Where thou lodgest, I will lodge." "Thy people shall be my people."" "Julian, you and Big George wait out here for a minute." "Mama died." "I know." "And I'm pregnant." "Hey, Julian, I've got another box in here when you're done." "I've never seen anybody with so many hats." "Why don't we put three in one box?" "I don't think we could fit all these in the car." "We're gonna need a separate truck" " for all your stuff." " What the hell is going on here?" "Looks like your wife's leaving you, mister." "Oh, sure she is." "Don't you touch her!" "Let go!" " Get off!" " Quit hurting her!" "Stop it." "Don't you hurt her!" "I wouldn't do that if I was you, mister." "See, the thing is, you might upset Big George." "And he's... crazy." "There's no telling what he might do." "Go on, get out of here." "Hey!" "Come on." "Hey." " Come on, now." "Come on, here." " Let's go, come on." " Are you OK?" " Let's get Miss Ruth and get out." "Come on, Miss Ruth." "Come on." "If you ever touch her again, I'll kill you." "I sure as hell scared him, didn't I?" "Yeah, you sure scared him." "Towanda, the amazing Amazon woman!" "Towanda?" "Towanda!" "Towanda!" "Evelyn..." "Evelyn!" "I'm sorry." "I was just looking at the pictures, Missy." "They have the greatest stories in that magazine, don't they?" "Will I see you in group tonight?" "We'll be talking about masturbation." "Oh, no..." "I don't think so." "I think I've had enough learning for the time being, thank you." "Thank you." "Excuse me." "Screw you!" "Excuse me, young man!" "There was no reason for you to be so rude to me back there." " Get away from me, you fat cow!" " What did you call me?" "Beat it, you old bitch." "Why are you being so mean to me?" "What did I ever do to you?" "I don't understand!" "Look at my stovetop!" "You tell me what's bothering you, sugar." "I just..." "I just feel so useless." "So..." "So powerless." "Everybody goes through that." "But I can't stop eating." "Every day I try and try." "And every day I go on." "I hide candy bars all over the house." "A candy bar ain't gonna hurt you none." "One, no, but... 10 or 11?" "I can't even look at my own vagina." "Well, now, honey, I can't help you on that one." "I wish I had the courage to just get it over with and get really fat." "Oh, Mrs. Threadgoode, I just..." "I'm too young to be old and I'm too old to be young." "Maybe I'm just going crazy." "Are you getting hot flashes?" "Sometimes." "You get the sweats and your heart starts a-pounding?" "How did you know?" "Simple, honey." "You're going through the change." "I used to burst into tears for no reason at all." "You need some hormones." "Maybe some of them Stresstabs No.4 for good measure." "Really?" "Is that all?" "Sure, honey." "You get yourself some hormones." "And then you get out of the house and get a job." "Why, with your pretty complexion," "I'll bet you'll be just great with cosmetics." "I know how you feel." "I was about your age when I had my child." "Then I went through the change of life." "I didn't know you had a child." "Oh, yes, I did." "Albert." "When he was born, the doctor said it would be best if I didn't see him at all." "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 raising a child like that would be too great." "Well..." "I thought about Ruth." "She always said there was a separate God for children." "So I just smiled at him and I asked for the baby." "How could anybody think that sweet, precious baby could ever be a burden?" "Why, from the minute he was born, Albert was the joy of my life, the Lord's greatest gift." "I don't believe there was a purer soul ever lived on this earth." "I had him with me till he was 30." "And then he went to sleep and... didn't wake up." "Sometimes I can't wait to get to heaven to see him again." "It's a boy!" "I think a little prayer of thanksgiving would be in order." "God damn it to hell, son of a bitch, she did it!" "Here's to Ruth." "Idgie always did have a way with words around the Reverend Scroggins." "Well, Ruth had a baby." "She named him Buddy." "Buddy Junior." "Papa went and borrowed money so Ruth and Idgie Could start a Café." "The Whistle Stop Café." "♪ When you come by my house" "♪ Come down behind the jail" "♪ I've got a sign on my door" "♪ "Barbecue for sale"" "♪ I'm talking about barbecue" "♪ Only thing I crave" "♪ And that good doin' meat" "♪ Will carry me to my grave" "♪ I'm sellin' it for cheap" "♪ Cos I got good stuff" "♪ And if you try one time" "♪ Boy, you can't get enough, I'm talkin' 'bout barbecue..." "Miss Ruth, me and the missus sure do want to thank you for sending that soup over for us last night." "I'll pay you when I get ahead." "Oh, you don't owe me a thing, Ocie." "I'm just glad they're better." " How is this, by the way?" " It's good." "Very good." "It can't go on, Idgie." "I'm talking to you as a friend now, Idgie." "There are some people in this town – they is paying customers too, but I won't say who – but there are some people don't like you selling to coloureds." "Here you go." "Listen, Grady, I'll tell you what." "The next time those some people come in here," "I'm gonna ask them if they don't want anybody to know who they are under those sheets when they go marching around in one of those stupid parades you boys have." "How come they don't have enough sense" " to change their shoes?" " Just hold on there, Idgie." "Y'all ain't fooling anybody." "I'd recognise those size 14 clodhoppers you got anywhere." "Just a minute, now, Idgie." "Would you like some more pie, Grady?" "No, thank you, Ruth." "Psst." "Idgie..." "I'll talk to the boys." "But you just keep them on out back there, you hear?" "Bye, Ruth." "Bye, Grady." "You're gonna get yourself in a whole heap of trouble." "Grady?" "He's harmless." "You should have seen that big ox down by the river." "Three solid days, drunk as a dog, crying like a baby." "Cos Joe, that old coloured man that raised him, had died." " Remember that, Sipsey?" " Yes'm." "But he sure ain't joking now, is he, son?" "He won't even sit in the same room and have a meal today." "It don't make no kind of sense." "A big old ox like Grady won't sit next to a coloured child, but he eats eggs which shoot right out of a chicken's ass." "♪ Now, some like it hot" "♪ And some like it cold" "♪ Some take it any way, any way it's sold" "♪ I'm talkin' 'bout barbecue" "♪ Only thing I crave..." "Come on, Smokey." "Let's go for a walk." "I'm sorry about spilling my food in there, ma'am." "I'll just head on." "Do you see that piece of land over there?" "That used to be a lake." "Yeah." "And then this one November, all these ducks come by and they landed on that lake." "Then the temperature dropped so fast, the whole lake just froze." "Then the ducks took off and took the lake with them." "Now that lake's somewhere over in Georgia." " That's the way I heard it." " Go on, now." "God bless you, ma'am." "♪ Down by the banks" "♪ Banks of Jordan" "♪ Cool down by" "♪ The banks of Jordan..." "Here, try this." "So what do you think?" "They're OK." "The truth." "They're um..." "They're terrible!" "Oh, well." "Don't be shy." "Tell me how you feel." "I will." "What did you go and do that for?" "I just thought you needed a little cooling off." "You're right." "Try these." "We need to make a little paste." "What in the name of Christmas" " are you two doing?" " She's trying to teach me how to cook!" "Look at those fried green tomatoes." "You'd better stop this, or I'm gonna have to arrest you for disorderly conduct." " Arrest us, then." " Let me handle this." " All right." " Grady..." "Arrest us." "Go ahead and arrest us." "Ruth, I have to say," "I believe Idgie's been a bad influence on you." "I agree." "♪ I-I-I" "♪ I-I-I don't wanna" "♪ Hear you weep when I'm gone" "♪ Don't wanna" "♪ Hear you weep when I'm gone in my grave, Lord" "♪ In my grave" "I'll be back in a minute." " Y'all keep the show going till then." " We ain't going nowhere." "Is she still poorly?" "Where's the baby?" "Who are you?" "What do you want?" "Frank." "Get out of here." " Get on out of here!" " Go on." "Get out of here and leave us alone." "Come on, now, Ruth." "You wouldn't deny a father the right to see his own son, would you?" "Get away, I say!" "Scat you!" "Let it go!" "Well... that's my boy." "Isn't it?" "Is everything all right, ma'am?" "Our guest is just leaving." "Come on, Frank, let's go." "I'll be back." "In the end, you and the baby are gonna be back." " I ain't scared of you!" "No, sir!" " You should be." "Mind your manners, boy!" "Grady... what does Gladys think of you staying out late and losing all your money to me in poker night after night?" "She likes it just fine." " They've got Big George!" " Idgie!" " Let go of him!" " You let me handle this, now." "We've seen how you treat your niggers around here and we don't like it." "I'm the law in these here parts." "And I really don't care what you like or you don't like." "You turn him loose." "Now, don't get all riled up, nigger-lover." "Are you deaf or something?" "I said let him go, before you get yourselves in a whole lot of trouble!" "Calm down." "We just wanted to have a little get-together and make sure we see eye to eye on some things." "You hear me, now?" "Let's let him go, boys." "We've had enough fun for one night." " Turn him loose." " Come on." "No, Miss Idgie, you'll get in trouble." "Well, now, that's more like it." "It seems I don't recognise any of you boys." "Y'all ain't from Whistle Stop, are you?" "Hey." "What's the matter?" "It was Frank." "He saw the baby." " Are you sure it was him?" " Yes, I'm sure." "So that's why those Kluxers were here." "Let me take him." "Don't worry." "I mean... if he's dumb enough to come back again, Grady and the Alabama boys will take care of him." "And if they don't, I'll think of something." "Don't take any chances." "Promise me you won't do anything..." "crazy, no matter what." "Me?" "Not me." "I'll go put him down." "Hey, little Buddy." "That was the last anyone saw of Frank Bennett until the night of the town follies." "Ruth was away at one of the Reverend Scroggins' many revivals." "One thing a woman expects when she gets married... is sympathy." "Haven't you got that since you married me?" "I sure have... from the whole town." "Miss Idgie, you've got to come quick." "But the show's hardly begun." "You've got to come quick now, you hear me?" " Run and get help, quick!" " Where's the baby?" "Never mind." "Excuse me, sir." "I don't believe you should be going anywhere with Ruth's baby." "Hi there." "What can I do for you boys?" " Idgie." " Grady." " This here is Sheriff Curtis Smoote." " Hi there." "He's over here from Georgia." "He's looking for a fella." " Do you recognise him?" " No." "That's my husband, but I haven't seen him in months." "I heard he got run over by a Brinks armoured truck." "What's he done?" "Nothing that we know of." "We want to find out what's been did to him." "He told his hired man he was coming over here to see his wife and baby, but... he ain't never showed up back home." "Hell, I told him if he showed up in this town, we'd all have known." "It looks a little sissified to me." "From what I hear, most of you boys over there in Georgia are a little light on your feet." "That's the way I heard it." "Could I interest you in some pie?" "No, ma'am, but that barbecue sure smells good." "Best damn barbecue in the state of Alabama." "Here you go." "That's your fourth one today." "I swear you're about to eat up all my barbecue." "Sit down." "You ain't fooling me, girly girl." "I know who you are." "I heard from Bennett's hired hand you threatened to kill Frank Bennett." "Now, he ain't showed up dead yet." "But if he does, you're in a whole mess of trouble." "You understand?" "What we're talking about is murder here." "Running afoul of the law, and don't nobody get away with that, not even a bunch of Alabama smart alecks." "If I find so much as a hair of his head," "I'll arrest you faster than you can slap a tick." "Cos I'm the law." "And you can't beat the law." "You sure you ain't never seen this man before?" "Yes, sir, I've already told you." "I ain't never seen him." "You'd do anything for Miss Idgie, wouldn't you, boy?" "Yes, sir." "Would you kill for her?" "Did you kill for her?" "No, sir." "Well, now, maybe one of these days you'll tell the truth." "Just remember, we hang lying niggers in Georgia just as fast as they do in Alabama." "Yes, sir." "I remember." "♪ A God" "♪ To glorify" "♪ A never-dying soul to save" "♪ And fit it for the sky..." "Sorry." "What are you doing in here?" "No milk in the house." "Where were you?" "Taking care of business, having a good time." "I've been thinking." "Maybe I should move on, because of Frank and all." "I just... don't want you to feel like you have to look out for us." "I just... don't want to be selfish, that's all." "Maybe if I wasn't here you'd settle down." "I'm as settled as I ever hope to be." "Then... why can't you tell me where you were?" "I had a dream the other night." "I dreamt that..." "Buddy was gone." "I ran to his crib and there he was, sleeping like an angel." "And you know, I thanked God for letting me still have Buddy." "And I remembered having the same reaction after Frank would beat me, thanking the Lord for giving me the strength to take it." "And I remembered... thanking the Lord for each day that my mother lived." "Even when she was spitting up blood and praying for me to kill her." "I looked in my mother's eyes, pleading for me to help her." "And all I could do... was pray." "While..." "While you were gone, as I was holding Buddy, I thought," ""If that bastard Frank Bennett ever tries to take my child," "I won't pray." "I'll break his neck."" "Ruth, you don't have to worry about Frank Bennett any more." "How can you say that?" "It's his child too." "He won't give up on his blood." "I'm only gonna tell you this one time." "Frank Bennett won't be bothering you no more." "Understand?" "You killed him didn't you?" "No." "You don't believe me." "Right now, I don't know what to believe." "Believe me when I tell you I don't want you to move out." "♪ If I can help" "♪ Somebody" "♪ As I go..." "Finally." "Thanks." "I've been out here all day." "♪ If I can show" "♪ Somebody" "♪ That they're travelling..." "Excuse me." " I was waiting for that space." " Yeah?" "Tough!" "Face it, lady, we're younger and faster." "Towanda." "Towanda!" "Yes, ma'am!" "What are you doing?" "!" "Are you crazy?" "Face it, girls." "I'm older and I have more insurance." "I never get mad, Mrs. Threadgoode." "Never." "The way I was raised, it was bad manners." "Well, I got mad and it felt terrific." "I felt like I could beat the shit out of all those punks." "Excuse my language." "Just beat 'em to a pulp." "Beat 'em till they begged for mercy." "Towanda the avenger." "And after I wipe out all the punks of this world," "I'll take on the wife-beaters like Frank Bennett and machine-gun their genitals." "Towanda will go on the rampage." "I'll put tiny little bombs in Penthouse and Playboy so they'll explode when you open them." "And I'll ban all fashion models who weigh less than 130 pounds." "And I'll give half the military budget to people over 65 and declare wrinkles sexually desirable." "Towanda, righter of wrongs, queen beyond compare." "How many of them hormones are you taking, honey?" "♪ When you give more than you get you're in danger..." "Well, honey, what I can't understand is, how in the hell you could hit someone six times by accident." "Oh, Ed." "Don't make such a big deal about it." "What the hell's this?" "That's a low-cholesterol meal." "Happy Valentine's." "♪ Heartbreak dead ahead..." "God!" "Are you trying to kill me?" "If I was gonna kill you, I'd use my hands." "♪ Stop!" "In the name of love" "♪ Before you break my heart" "♪ Think it over" "♪ Think it over..." "I'm worried about my little friend Evelyn." "She said her husband Ed would just be sitting around watching his sports on TV, and she has an urge to hit him in the head with a baseball bat." "Hell, that seems normal to me." "Hi, Janeen." "Hi, Mrs. Threadgoode." "Would you like some crudités?" "Thank you, Evelyn, but this raw stuff don't sit good with me." "Mrs. Threadgoode, you have to tell me something." "Did Idgie murder Frank Bennett or not?" "Well, hold your horses, honey." "Where were we?" "You didn't kill Ed, now, did you?" "Not yet." "Oh, good." "Anyway, five years had passed since Frank Bennett disappeared." "And Smokey Lonesome had been missing ever since that same terrible night" "I remember the day when he showed up again." "By God, son, you're the spitting image of Ruth." "Buddy Threadgoode Junior." "Nice to meet you, sir." "Well, sir, Smokey Lonesome." "Curtis Smoote was making one of his visits to Whistle Stop, still hunting and pecking for any scrap of evidence about Frank Bennett's whereabouts." " Who wants to begin?" " I do!" " I do, Miss Ruth." " Thank you." "We'll begin on page five." "Life has a funny way of working things out." "Well, hey there!" "Smokey!" "Idgie?" "Smokey Lonesome." "Well, if it isn't old home week!" " How are you?" " Well, I'm rattling but I'm rolling." "What brings you to these pans?" " The smell of good cooking." " Hey, Smokey." "Let me fix you some lunch." "I think you know just about everybody except maybe Curtis Smoote." "He's an officer from Valdosta, Georgia." "He's been looking for the same man for almost five years." "A very stubborn fellow!" "He loves our barbecue." "Mommy!" "Mommy, help!" "Buddy!" "Everybody out of the way." "Let me in." "Give him here." "Let him go." "I got him." "He's gonna be all right." "Open the door!" "Put him in the back." "Get him in the car." "It's all right, honey." "I can understand having a funeral for an arm." "I just don't know why I should insist on calling him Stump." "She said everybody else gonna be calling him that" "So we might just as well be the first." "OK, ice cream and cakes for everybody in the café." "My daddy always used to say there was a separate God for children." "The good Lord was watching over Stump that day." "But then it started to rain that month." "And it rained and it rained, and it flooded parts of Whistle Stop." "And that's why Grady's deputy stumbled onto Frank Bennett's pick-up truck." "And I just knew" "Idgie would never get out of this mess." "Now, are you in or out?" " Remember, Ruth, I didn't take any cards." " Let me see your face." " Idgie, I have to talk to you." " You're bluffing." "Grady, sit in, I'll deal you a new hand." "Gladys won't mind." "In private, Idgie." "Excuse us, Ruth." "I'm just trying to teach you not to fall for any tricks." "You're doing a great job." "What's your hurry?" "What is so important?" "What's that?" "Somebody found Frank Bennett's truck in the river." "What's that got to do with me?" "Well, officially, you and Big George are under arrest for murder." "You're in my custody until tomorrow." "I'm supposed to take you over to Georgia first thing in the morning." "Unless, of course..." "Well, some people have been known to pack up and sneak out of town in the middle of the night." "What about Big George?" "Well, the way I figure it, they'd be satisfied if they had him." "Idgie, this is serious." "We're talking murder of a white man." "Someone's gonna have to pay." "Nobody wants to hang a woman." "No deal." "Idgie, I know how you feel about Big George." "Hell, we all do." "But these are just the facts of life." "I can't do that." "Take me to jail if you have to." "Well, that's what I thought you'd say!" "You are absolutely, unconditionally, positively the most stubborn person I've ever known in my life!" "So Idgie and Big George went to the county jail in Valdosta, to await trial for the murder of Frank Bennett." "They didn't have to wait too long." "Did you know Frank Bennett?" "No, sir." "You mean to tell me you never met the man whose wife, Ruth, is your business partner?" "That's right." "You never threatened to kill Frank Bennett, at his home in front of his hired man, in June 1932, the same Frank Bennett you did not know?" "Oh, that was me, all right." "I thought you wanted to know if we'd ever met." "The answer's no." "I threatened to kill him, but we were never what you might say, properly introduced." "Is it not true that in September of 1932, you came to Valdosta and took Frank Bennett's wife and child back to Alabama with you?" "Just the wife." "The child came later." "How much later?" "The usual." "Nine months." "Well, I suggest that you bribed this poor weak woman with promises of liquor and money and she lost control of her senses momentarily." "And when her husband came back to get her and take her home, you and your coloured man murdered him in cold blood." "No, sir." "Well, where were you on the night of September 30th, 1933?" "I was at the town hall doing a show." " And after that?" " I was over at my mother's house." "Oh, yeah?" "Who was with you?" "Just Big George and myself." "What about your mother?" "Can she confirm that?" "No, sir." "She died a year ago." "I'm sorry to hear that." "But, Miss Threadgoode, do you expect 12 intelligent men to believe you, although one witness is dead and the other is a coloured man known to be a worthless, no-good, lying nigger?" "You expect these men to take your word for it just because you say so?" "That's right, you gump-faced, blown-up, baboon-assed bastard!" "One more outburst like that, and I'll hold you in contempt of court, do you understand?" "Yes, sir." "Lord!" "Next witness, please." "Did you know that you were pregnant at the time you left Valdosta?" "Yes." "And yet you tell us over and over that you went with this woman willingly." "Yes, I wouldn't raise my child with Frank Bennett." "But Why?" "Did this woman promise you money?" "No." "A bigger home?" "No... no." "Then tell us, Mrs. Bennett, why would a respectable Christian woman go anywhere with this Idgie Threadgoode," " whose reputation is known far and wide..." " Objection!" "Objection sustained." "Why did you leave with Idgie Threadgoode that day?" "Answer the question, Mrs. Bennett." "Because she she's the best friend I ever had." "And I love her." "Thank you, Mrs. Bennett." "That will be all." "The defence calls as its last witness the Reverend Herbert Scroggins." "Place your right hand on the Bible, please, Reverend." "I brought my own, if you don't mind." "Do you swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth?" "I do." "Do you have information about the whereabouts of Idgie Threadgoode and her coloured man, known as Big George, on the night of September 30th, 1933?" "Yes, sir, I do." "It has been suggested here that she and her coloured man were at her mother's house." "Can you confirm that?" "No, sir." "That is a lie." "Shit." "It has been my habit to write down all the dates of the activities of the church in my Bible." "And I've shown that the night of September 30th, 1933 was the start of our annual revival down at the Baptist camp ground." "Sister Threadgoode was there, along with her hired man George Pullman, who was in charge of the barbecue, just as he has been every year" " for the last ten years." " Objection!" "That doesn't mean anything." "The murder could have taken place any time in the next few days." "Have you ever been to one of our revivals, sir?" "Well, no." "Do you attend church regularly, sir?" "Of course I do." "Good." "Well, maybe if you attended one of our revivals, you'd know they last three days and three nights." "Your Honour." "Approach the bench." "Percy, it don't look like you've got a case at all." "In the first place, there's no body." "Second, we've got us a preacher nobody's going to dispute." "But, Your Honour..." "I'm telling you what you've got is a whole lot of nothing." "I say Frank Bennett got himself drunk, drove into the river and was long ago eaten up." "And I don't give a good goddamn!" "What we got us here is a case of accidental death." "Case dismissed!" "See you in church, sister?" "Reverend." "I can't believe he actually swore on the Bible." "Well, not really." "If that judge had looked any closer, he'd have seen it was really a copy of Moby Dick." "But why did he do it?" "For the sheer joy of seeing you in church again, which I suggested to him might be your penance." " You didn't promise him?" " Yes, ma'am, I did." "And I never break my word." "If I live a thousand years, I will never forgive you for this." "I don't know what's worse, church or jail." "Towanda!" "Evelyn... what in the hell are you doing?" "I need some light and air." "Why don't you step outside and take one of your walks or your jogs or whatever it is you do?" "And there's no dinner, either!" "Ed, do you have any idea why I've been going to all these classes?" " No." " I've been trying to save our marriage." "What's the point of my trying if you're gonna just sit on your butt drinking beer and watching baseball... basketball... football... bowling and hockey and golf and Challenge of the Gladiators?" "Mrs. Couch?" "I'm Sue, Mrs. Otis's daughter-in-law." "How are you?" "I've heard so much about you from Mrs. Threadgoode." "She is so sweet." "She's been looking after my mother-in-law for years." "Well, now, how is Mrs. Otis doing, by the way?" "Much better, thank you." "I guess it just takes time getting used to a strange place." "Glad to hear it." "I know Mrs. Threadgoode's been anxious to get home for some time." "Mrs. Couch, Mrs. Threadgoode doesn't have a house any more." "They tore that down." " What?" " Well, they had to." "It was falling apart." "And it was condemned." "Oh, no." "Does she know that?" "No, well, we didn't see any point in telling her." "It would just break her heart, poor old thing." "But I am so glad I got a chance to meet you." "You take care of yourself, now." "Bye-bye." "Evelyn, hey." "Hey..." "Do you like my roses?" "Since I can't get home to look at my own roses, I made myself a paper garden." " I've got everything but the bugs." " They're lovely." " Have you been here long?" " Happy birthday." "I shouldn't have woken you up." "Of course you should." "Don't you never let me sleep through a visitors' day, honey." "I look forward to them all week." "So do I, Mrs. Threadgoode." "So do I." "Oh, I can't believe you remembered!" "You made me fried green tomatoes!" "They're delicious!" "It's your recipe." "Are they cold?" "No." "They're just the way we used to have them at the Whistle Stop Café." "You couldn't be sweeter to me if you were my own daughter." "Here's your napkin." "Wait, wait, wait." "Queen!" "You know," "I don't feel 83." "It son of slipped up on me." "I never expected to live this long." "Of course, the Lord takes us home when he wants us." "Are you all right?" "I was thinking about Ruth." "After the trial was over, everything went back to normal." "Till that fall when Ruth lost her appetite." "By the time Dr. Hadley looked at her, he said the cancer was so bad she only had a couple of weeks." "We moved her to the Threadgoode house and put her downstairs so she'd be more comfortable." "Sipsey moved in with her and never left her side." "Idgie just prayed for a miracle." "Now, listen to me." "Make sure he graduates." "And don't... let him come to the funeral." "I don't want him going through that mess." "Would you quit talking like that?" "What funeral?" "You're gonna be back on your feet again and just fine in just a few days." "Just you wait." "What's the matter, son?" "Let's go for a walk." "Did you get into a fight?" "I got punched in the nose." "I can't play like everyone else." "Hey, did I ever tell you the story about... the oysters?" "All the millions of them just lying around." "And God puts sand in one of them and makes a pearl." "Oh." "Did I ever tell you about Eva's three-legged dog?" "How it never felt sorry for itself, and howl ought to be smarter than a dumb dog and not feel sorry for myself?" "You listen to everything I say, don't you?" "You get real mad at me when I don't." "You know about your mama." "She's sick." "Mm-hm." "You see, now is the time for courage." "I guess you already know that there are angels masquerading as people walking round, and your mom is the bravest one." "Come here." "Mommy, I can hit!" "You should see me!" "Aunt Idgie, she hit me in the back with a curve ball." "I didn't duck and I hardly cried." "She hit you?" "She did that to me once, too, but..." "I think I did cry." "Mama?" "I'm sorry if you're sad." "Well, give me a big kiss, then, and I'll never be sad again." "And you best not be sad neither." "You understand?" "You promise?" "Promise." "Attaboy." "You can go and wash up." "Sweet baby." "You two be alone now." "Hey, girl." "No." "That's nice." "Will you do one thing for me?" "Yeah, anything." "Be good to yourself." "Even settle down if you can find someone who can beat you in poker." "There are so many things I wanna say to you." "No." "I love your stories." "Tell me a story, Idgie." "Go on, you old bee charmer." "Tell me a good tall tale." "Tell me the one about the lake." "What lake?" "The one that used to be here." "Well, that was just a lie." "I know that, fool." "Tell me anyway." "Tell me a story." "One time... there was this lake." "And it was right outside of town." "We used to go fishing and swimming and canoeing in it." "See, one November, this big flock of ducks came in and landed on that lake." "And then the temperature dropped so fast that the lake just froze right there." "And they er..." "The ducks... they flew off, you see, and they took that lake with them." "Now they say that lake is somewhere over in Georgia." "Can you imagine?" "It's all right, honey." "Let her go." "Let her go." "You know, Miss Ruth was a lady." "And a lady always knows when to leave." "When I think on our departed sister Ruth Jamison," "I'm reminded of our Lord's Sermon on the Mount." "It's funny how strong Ruth affected everyone." "Even Smokey Lonesome." "When he died a few years back, he had one possession on him." "A picture of Ruth." "He was in love with her from the first time he saw her." "We all were." "I shouldn't have told you this." "I hate death." "It scares me so." "Death is nothing to be afraid of." "Look at me, I'm at the jumping-off place, and I ain't afraid one bit." "Oh, Ninny." "You're so brave." "Ruth and Idgie were brave, not me." "I wouldn't be afraid of death if I was you." "I'd be more afraid of driving in rush-hour traffic." "Hi, honey." "Look what I got you." "Ed!" "How sweet!" "Lilies." "My favourite." "I know." "Sometimes I even amaze myself." "What's the occasion?" "Honey, I just... feel sorry about the past few months, you know." "I don't know what you're really up to, what's going on with you, but..." "I guess I could have been more helpful with your job and everything." "Well, why are you er..." "Why are you putting up this wall where you just tore one down?" "Well..." "I changed my mind." "Well, I don't mean to seem dense or anything, but what's changed?" "The air and the light." "Ed..." "You remember how you used to tell me you always wanted two women in your house?" "Oh, God." "Yeah." "Well... what if I was the younger of the two?" "I don't believe I get your drift." "I want something more than I've ever wanted anything before." "I want to bring Mrs. Threadgoode to our home." "I want her to live here with us." "I want to give her the love she's given me." "You're kidding me, aren't you?" "I'm absolutely serious." "That's why I'm putting the wall to Kyle's room back up." "Well, honey... this isn't something you're just gonna do." "She's an old woman." "What if she got sick or something?" "Who's gonna take care of her?" "I will." "I can't leave her in that place." "She's not a stray cat or something." "Hell, she isn't even family." " She's family to me." " Now, Evelyn." "Evelyn..." "Honey..." "Er..." "look..." "Have you mentioned this harebrained idea of yours to her?" " Not yet." " Well, good!" "Then we'll just pretend it never happened." "I'm making my own money now." "I'll pay for everything." "You don't have to do a thing." "Evelyn it's never gonna happen." "So just forget about it." "Don't you ever say never to me." "Someone helped put a mirror up in front of my face." "And I didn't like what I saw one bit." "And you know what I did?" "I changed." "And that someone was Mrs. Threadgoode." "She needs my love and care now." "And I'm gonna give it to her." "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the gym." "And if you won't listen to reason, there's always Towanda." "Hey, Nin..." "What are you doing?" "Those are her things." "What are you doing in here?" "Where is Mrs. Threadgoode?" "Who?" "Mrs. Threadgoode, the woman who lives here." "Are you deaf?" "I'm sorry, miss." "All they told me was that the woman who lived in here died this morning." "Oh, my God." "What..." "What are you saying?" "Well, she died early this morning." "They were short-handed, so they asked me to take all this stuff down." "That's all I know." "Stop!" "What is the matter with you people?" "Can't you wait a goddamn day, for Christ's sake?" "Do you have no respect?" "These are her things!" "I'm sorry, miss, but they told me to get this room ready for another patient." "She may be just another patient to you, but she was my friend." "And I loved her." "Sorry." "I'm just following orders." "What is going on here?" "Why didn't you call me?" "You could have at least called me." "Sorry, Mrs. Couch." "It just never occurred to me that you would take it this hard." " I didn't even get to tell her goodbye." " I know." "These things are difficult." "But she died peacefully in her sleep." "To tell the truth, I thought you'd be happy for Mrs. Threadgoode." " Happy?" " Why, yes." "This is what she wanted." "What, to be dead?" "!" "No, to go home." "You just missed her." "She left in a yellow cab about a half-hour ago." "I don't understand." "What, a cab?" "She said there wasn't no reason for her to stay now that Mrs. Otis had died." "Mrs..." "Otis is dead?" "Oh, Mrs. Otis died." "Mrs. Otis died!" "Mrs. Otis!" "Mrs...!" "Not that I'm glad that Mrs. Otis died, it's just..." "Oh, God, I've got to stop her." "Hey, Evelyn." "Somebody stole my house." "It was right here when I left." "Unless..." "Oh, Evelyn, you don't reckon I'm crazy, do you?" "It was here when I left." "No, honey, you're not crazy." "This is the place." "Well, why would anyone want to steal an old lady's home?" "It wasn't worth nothing." "Oh, honey." "Nobody stole it." "They had to tear it down." "It was condemned." "I'm sorry." "I should have told you." "Somebody should have told me." "I'm old." "I'm not a child." "I'm sorry." "My husband Cleo and I lived in this house for more than 40 years." "Now it's gone." "83 years' worth of living." "And all that's left of me is what's in this box." "A bunch of old cards and pictures." "Come on." "I'll take you home." "This is my home!" "And now it's gone." "And Mrs. Otis has gone." "I don't quite know what to do." "It's the first time I can remember when I don't have a soul to look after." "You can come look after me and Ed." "You're sweet, but I think you're doing just fine on your own." "Don't you know you'd be like a gift for us?" "You're the reason I get up every morning!" "And that Mary Kay's having such a good year." "And that I don't look like some blob from a horror movie." "Well, with a little help from Idgie and Ruth." "Come on." "I've got your room all ready." "What does Ed say about all this?" "He'll learn to love it." "Did I ever tell you that Mrs. Otis was Sipsey's baby sister?" " No, ma'am." " Yes, she was." "Mrs. Otis was with Sipsey and me the night Sipsey died." "Sipsey told me a story that night I've never told a living soul, Evelyn." "The story about what really happened the night Frank Bennett disappeared." "The show's hardly begun." "You've got to come quick now, you hear me?" "Never mind." "Excuse me, sir." "I don't believe you should be going anywhere with Ruth's baby." " Like I said, you ain't going nowhere." " Damn, you're a thick-headed son of a bitch, ain't you?" "I told you you ain't going nowheres with Miss Ruth's baby." "Come on, angel." "Come on." "Come on, sweetheart." "It's all right." "It's all right, baby." "It was self-defence." "I don't know why any white jury would care why] did it." " I saw it and I can testi..." " Excuse me, here." "I don't mean no offence here, but I don't know who is less likely to convince the jury, my mama or Mr. Smokey here." "No offence taken." "You're a good man, Mr. Smokey." " You did good." " The sun's almost up." "George..." "I think... it's hog-boiling time." "No, ma'am." "It ain't cold enough." "It's hog-boiling time." "Hey, George when is that barbecue gonna be ready?" "It's gonna be ready any time now." "It smells so damn good I just can't wait to get me some." "Now, don't you forget to call me when that's ready." "All right." "Here you go." "Miss Idgie." "Smokey left town." "I thought it'd be best under the circumstances." "He asked that you tell Ruth goodbye." "Shame he had to go." "This is about the best barbecue I ever ate!" "The secret's in the sauce." "Sipsey?" "My God." "That frying pan did more than fry chicken that night." "Did Idgie really barbecue Frank Bennett?" "Oh, you're pulling my leg!" "The secret's in the sauce, or so I've been told." "Now you know why Idgie had to go on trial." "She knew the law would never believe Sipsey." "No!" "Sipsey or Big George or anyone else of colour would have been hanging from the nearest tree." "To this day, I'm still not sure whether Ruth ever believed that Idgie didn't kill Frank Bennett." "Truth's a funny thing sometimes." "I feel better now." "Good." "I feel better because all these people will live as long as you remember them." "You reminded me... about what the most important thing in life is." " Do you know what I think it is?" " No, ma'am." "Friends." "Best friends." "Oh, Ninny." "Look." "Oh." "Idgie?" "Idgie's alive?" "Oh, yes." "She's still out and about, charming bees and selling honey." "Sometimes I think I catch a glimpse of her." "Maybe we'll see her today." "Maybe." "Let's go." "After Ruth died and the rail road stopped running, the café shut down and everybody just scattered to the winds." "It was never more than just a little knockabout place." "But now that I look back on it, when that café closed, the heart of the town just stopped beating." "It's funny how a little place like this brought so many people together." "♪ I'll remember you" "♪ When I've forgotten all the rest" "♪ You to me were true" "♪ You to me were the best" "♪ When there is no more" "♪ You cut to the core" "♪ Quicker than anyone that I knew" "♪ Now when the roses fade" "♪ And I'm in the shade, baby" "♪ I'll remember you" "♪ Didn't I" "♪ Didn't I love you?" "♪ Didn't I" "♪ Didn't I care?" "♪ Didn't I sleep and didn't I weep beside you?" "♪ With a rain that was blowing in your hair" "♪ I'll remember you" "♪ When the wind blows on through the piny wood" "♪ It was you who came right through for me, baby" "♪ It was you who understood" "♪ Though I'd never say" "♪ That I've earned the way" "♪ That you have led me to" "♪ In the end" "♪ My dear sweet friend" "♪ I'll remember you" "♪ Yes, I will, now" "♪ I'll remember you" "♪ Yes, I will, now" "♪ I'll remember" "♪ I'll remember you" "♪ I'll remember you" "♪ Yes, I will" "♪ Help me out" "♪ Don't matter what happens" "♪ Time ain't gonna change nothing, baby" "♪ We could be halfway across the world from each other" "♪ It don't make no difference" "♪ I'll remember" "♪ I'll remember" "♪ Every hour, every second" "♪ Every moment that we had..."