Thelma & Louise made quite a splash with female audiences when it first hit big screens in 1991. Imagine… a buddy film in the style of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid that featured two women on the lam!
This summer, Criterion Collections, along with MGM and Park Circus, have completed a 4k digital restoration of Thelma & Louise from the 35mm original negative. Now Criterion is releasing a 4k Blu-ray disc that plays on an Ultra Blu-ray player, in addition to a Blu-ray version.
What makes this an important example of feminist film is the portrayal of the two women who are the title characters. Their stories are still relevant. They are studies in the manner in which many males and females behave and interact. Thelma, played by Geena Davis, is seen first as a victimized housewife. Her husband insults and belittles her. She doesn’t stand up to him. But Thelma is no prize herself. She is beautiful and eventually is full of life, however, throughout the film, she makes poor decisions. Even when she has gathered her strength and acts on her own, she makes one bad move after another. Early in the film, Louise philosophizes to Thelma, “You get what you settle for.” Thelma definitely has settled.
Louise, is the brighter of the two women. She is an independent sort and has an intelligence that Thelma lacks. Towards the beginning of their adventure, the two women stop at a bar. Thelma takes this opportunity to let loose; she’s been in domestic captivity for years and this is her chance to have some unrestricted fun. Her behavior with Harlan, a man she has just met, is foolish, and his subsequent rape attempt—or is it actual penetration? -- is horrific. What follows on the part of Louise is a formidable case of female loyalty in friendship. Unfortunately, her action might also be deemed reckless.
Harlan represents the worst of the males in the film. All the males basically are types including Darryl, Thelma’s smug, bullying husband; J.D., played by a young Brad Pitt, who is a drifter they pick up on the road; and Harvey Keitel, a cop who chases them. Only Louise’s boyfriend Jimmy, played by Michael Madsen, is kind and loving. It would have been a mistake on Khouri’s part to portray all males as flawed. There’s a form of feminist story-telling that gives no credit to males, and that’s a mistake.
Khouri gives Louise an added dimension that provides depth to an already complex story. Louise has a secret. That secret prevents her from driving through Texas as the two fugitives make their way to Mexico. The plotline of Thelma & Louise is as involving as its characters. It’s no wonder that Callie Khouri won the Oscar for best original screenplay. With Ridley Scott directing, this film was a powerful entertainment in 1991, and still holds audiences’ attention.
And why wouldn’t it do so? Even with the progress of the feminist movement over the past three decades, there still are hurtful husbands like Darryl, con artists like J.D., and men who objectify, sexualize, victimize, and use women. Thelma & Louise is the kind of movie that sparks discussion. Whether it’s a formal discussion as held at Film Forum or a few friends who get together for a home-viewing, Thelma & Louise can be a catalyst to clear decision-making. With characters that do not date and an ending that leaves some audiences open-mouthed, this film holds an important place in feminist cinema.
Audrey Kupferberg is a film and video archivist and retired appraiser. She is lecturer emeritus and the former director of Film Studies at the University at Albany and co-authored several entertainment biographies with her late husband and creative partner, Rob Edelman.
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