“Thelma & Louise” The birth of a “legend” portrayed by Susan Sarandon, Geena Davis, and Ridley Scott *Note! Contains spoilers.

women's freedom and liberation

Scott also left the following comment regarding the American New Cinema type of work.

“Traveling movies (like `` Easy Rider '') were made 30 years ago, when hippies set out in search of freedom. Especially, you can make a different type of film, where two women go on a journey in search of freedom.'' (Film Journal, June 1991 issue)

Road movie-like crime films about women already existed in the B-grade ``Mom'' series, produced by Roger Corman in the 1970s. `` Bloody Gangster Mama '' (1970, released on video), directed by Corman himself, is a mother-son movie that also includes Steve Carver's ` ` Big Bad Mama '' (1974) and Jonathan Demme's ` `Crazy Mama' ' (1975). (Released on video) was about the journey of a mother and daughter, but there weren't many Hollywood commercial films starring major actresses that followed the journeys of women (which is why Scott was inspired to make the film). right).

Thelma lives in a small town and does housework for her husband, without much to look forward to. Louise has been working steadily as a waitress. It's thrilling to watch the transformation of ordinary women, who can be found anywhere.

"Thelma & Louise" (c) Photofest / Getty Images

Thelma, who had never known the joy of being a woman until then, becomes sexually fulfilled for the first time when she meets JD. Then, his personality gradually becomes bolder and he eventually commits robbery... Louise watches over Thelma, who is in danger, and takes drastic action when Thelma faces a crisis.

The journey gives them a freedom and liberation they never knew existed. Their clothes also change. Thelma goes on the trip wearing a flowing white dress and Louise wearing an embroidered white blouse, but halfway through they transform into cool women who look good in loose T-shirts, jeans, and guns.

Of the songs that appear in the movie, the most impressive one is `` The Ballad of Lucy Jordan '' sung by Marianne Faithful. The song is about the fluctuating feelings of a 37-year-old housewife with a husband and children, and along with this song, the released faces of the two in a car driving on a night road are shown, and we can sympathize with their psychology.

This song was included on Marianne Faithfull's masterpiece album `` Broken English '' released in 1979, when she began her new life as a singer. Marianne, who was known for her idol-like cuteness in the 1960s, eventually became a junkie after dating her boyfriend, Mick Jagger. However, in the late 1970s, she made a fresh start as an adult singer with a decadent vibe.

The song, which expresses Marianne's feelings of self-discovery, perfectly echoes the feelings of the heroines of ``Thelma & Louise,'' making it very convincing.

Considering that this is a work directed by Scott, the scenery of the magnificent American wilderness that the girls travel through is also impressive. Scott has always preferred rugged "wastelands" such as those in space (" Alien "), ancient Rome (" Gladiator " (2000)), and battlefields (" Black Hawk Down " (2001)) for his backgrounds. This time, the setting is the American wilderness, which has not been poisoned by civilization. At the end of the movie, Monument Valley, which is the setting for many American Western movies, appears in the movie. Cornered by the police and with no escape, Thelma and Louise are forced to make a decision.

The decision has divided opinions among those who saw it. If you think about it realistically, it seems like a tragic ending, but if you look at it again through other Scott works, you can actually see a different interpretation.

I think the last thing this movie depicts is the birth of a "legend." Freed from the constraints of family and work, the two women end up becoming legendary Jack Reacher(just like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid).

This is not the end of their lives, but the beginning of a legend. If you interpret it that way, you can also understand the meaning behind the photo being taken in the mysterious Monument Valley.

2021 marks the 30th anniversary of this film's production. Thelma and Louise are still quietly loved by movie fans, and perhaps it's because they created such legendary characters that they have continued to be loved for such a long time.

Text: Sawako Omori

Movie journalist. His books include "Lost Cinema" (Kawade Shobo Shinsha) and other books, and his translations include "Woody" (by D. Evanier, Kinema Junposha). Contributes to magazines such as ``Weekly Women'', ``Music Magazine'', and ``Kinema Junpo''. A research book based on the web series, ``Mini Theater Revisited,'' is also scheduled to be published.

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