Juliette, Georgia

During August of 2004 (and again in 2005), we visited Atlanta, Georgia. We also made a side trip to the tiny town of Juliette, about an hour south of Atlanta. Juliette was the location for Fried Green Tomatoes, serving as the fictional Whistle Stop, Alabama.

This shot is from the beginning of the movie, which took place in the 1990’s, when Evelyn (Kathy Bates) and her husband Ed are lost in Whistle Stop on the way to visit Ed’s aunt in a nursing home. Juliette, Georgia actually looked this way before the movie was made.

The movie people cleaned up the kudzu and gave the town a makeover, something that has benefited them even now. Here’s another scene from the movie, which took place in the past.

August 2004

Another view of the cafe from the movie

The building which housed the cafe in the film wasn’t a cafe at all, but a general merchandise store. Click here to visit The Whistle Stop Cafe’s website and for a history of the building. After the movie, it was made into a real cafe. And I tell you, the fried green tomatoes there are awesome! They are dipped in a nice batter, which is thick, but crisp and airy, not heavy and greasy at all. I can’t wait to go back.

Yet another view of the cafe from the movie (last one, honest)

2004

The window of the cafe in the movie

2004

Looking down McCrackin Street toward the Juliette Mill

2004

Another view of Juliette Mill from the movie

2004

The main street

Inside the cafe from the movie

2004

Big George’s barbecue from the movie

2004

The church in the movie

2005

This next scene is in the Collector’s Edition DVD. Idgie is going up to see Ruth on the front porch of their house. What I found interesting about this added scene is that it makes me further believe that in the movie version, the implication is clear that Ninny (in the present day) IS Idgie. I know the book is completely different, and in the book it is explicitly clear that Idgie and Ninny are not the same person. However, I believe the movie was changed from the book, and the fact that Idgie and Ruth’s house is depicted in this scene seals it for me!

Idgie walking up to the front porch of her house.

Here, Ninny is upset that her house is gone. Well, unless Ruth, Idgie, Buddy Jr., Cleo, Ninny and Albert all lived in the same house, Ninny’s house is located in exactly the same spot as Ruth and Idgie’s house!! Ninny is sitting in front of the spot where HER house (where she says she lived for more than 40 years!) is gone. As indicated by the buildings in the backgound, this is the same location where Ruth and Idgie’s house was located.