Thelma & Louise (1991) on Netflix
R19912h 10mAdventureCrimeDrama
Thelma Dickinson, a housewife, and Louise Sawyer, a waitress, set out from Arkansas for a weekend at a fishing cabin. At a roadhouse bar, Harlan attacks Thelma, and Louise shoots him.
- Netflix3.7/5
- IMDb7.6/10196,792 votes
- Rotten Tomatoes87%
Trailer
Plot summary
Thelma Dickinson, a housewife in Arkansas, is married to Darryl, who decides how she spends her time; Louise Sawyer waits tables. The friends plan a weekend at a fishing cabin, and Thelma leaves Darryl a note instead of asking permission. She has packed his gun, which Louise disapproves of. At a bar, a regular named Harlan sends drinks and dances with Thelma. Feeling unwell, she steps outside, and he tries to rape her in the parking area. Louise arrives with the gun and orders him away; when Harlan shouts after them, she fires. Thelma wants to report it. Louise argues that no one would believe an attempted rape claim, since Thelma had been drinking and dancing with him, and that they would be charged with murder. She is heading for Mexico.
Cast
Did you know?!Facts and trivia about Thelma & Louise (1991)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Michelle Pfeiffer and Jodie Foster were originally chosen for the leads and both accepted with enthusiasm, but during pre-production the two dropped out, with Pfeiffer going on to star in Love Field and Foster in The Silence of the Lambs. Pfeiffer later said she regretted passing on the film.
- After watching the film, singer-songwriter Tori Amos wrote "Me and a Gun", the story of her rape several years earlier.
- Meryl Streep and Goldie Hawn then offered to play the leads, but Streep dropped out due to scheduling conflicts while Hawn was not considered right for the part. A year later, in Death Becomes Her, Hawn and Streep played the lead roles.
- Scott considered four people for the role of director, all of whom turned down the opportunity; three of the candidates were Bob Rafelson, Kevin Reynolds and Richard Donner. Scott was reluctant to direct the film himself but eventually took it on, having been persuaded by Michelle Pfeiffer.
- Brad Pitt auditioned for the hustler J.D. but Scott thought he was "too young", and the part was offered to William Baldwin; Pitt eventually secured the role after both Baldwin and his replacement dropped out. Christian Slater, River Phoenix and George Clooney were also considered.
- Scott wanted Michael Madsen for the part of Harlan, Thelma's would-be rapist, but Madsen was unwilling to take it; he eventually played a different role in the film, Jimmy, Louise's boyfriend.
SPOILER
After the film's release, there were reports of a few incidents where people appeared to copy Thelma and Louise's ending by driving off the edge of the Grand Canyon.
