Tuesday, May 24 marks the twentieth anniversary of the day "Thelma & Louise" first rolled into movie theaters. It actually opened modestly, coming in at fourth place in the box office for its first weekend -- Bruce Willis' notorious bomb "Hudson Hawk" actually out-earned it for third place.
But the word of mouth on the movie was so strong that "Thelma" became a sleeper hit, earning over $45 million in the U.S., about three times its budget. And it was a critical favorite, earning six Oscar nominations and winning the award for Best Original Screenplay. Of course, it also launched a little-known actor named Brad Pitt into the realm of superstardom.
"Thelma & Louise" is one of those rare films that didn't just bring people into a movie theater, but kept them talking after it was over. Its story of average women who become fugitives sparked nationwide discussions about the changing nature of feminism in the new decade of the 1990s. Mostly, though, the film sparked debate with its ending. Cornered by the police at the rim of the Grand Canyon, Thelma tells Louise "Let's not get caught; let's keep going." Louise hits the gas, the women hold hands, and their 1966 Thunderbird convertible goes sailing off a cliff. The picture freezes with the car in midair and then fades to white. It's an iconic moment, but it's not how the movie was originally going to end.
Read more: Yahoo
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