In the scene where Louise waits in the car while Thelma robs the store, what is the meaning behind the gaze that Louise has with the woman in the restaurant? Louise sees her and the other patrons and then starts to put on make up and the stops. Is there any reason in particular why they were just staring at her like that or what it meant for Louise?
shareI think it's because in a deleted scene, Thelma asks Louise what she's scared of, and she says being one of those old women with the little dogs, and she sees the old women and it's like in spite of them being fugitives, that's her nightmare looking her in the face.
shareokay thanks, i wasn't aware of the deleted scenes
shareThank you. I was always wondering this myself.
shareWithout that deleted scene (which I've never seen either) I always thought it was because she'd just said goodbye to Jimmy, who was offering her marriage. It's an old married couple she can see in the window, and she knows by nmow that she may never be an old married woman. Sort of sad.
shareNo, it's two old women, not a married couple.
shareCould still be an old married couple even if it wasn't "technically" allowed back then. But yeah, weird and out of context without added commentary/deleted scenes.
shareTo me it was the best scene in the movie. I think it portrays in a great way how both Louise and the old lady realize that they long for something that they know they probably won't get (youth/freedom and marriage).
That's my take on it :)
Beautifully put. The scene doesn't need the deleted scene(s) to be understood.
Louise connects with the old woman because she is looking beyond time in that moment -- at her own old age, but also at every old age. She is filled with love for the old woman but also with a kind of wonder (and fear for herself). She fears becoming that woman but also the opposite -- what if she doesn't live? What if she dies? What if she will never reach the moment the woman in that window is at?
That's how I see it.
She is also seeing the visible yearning in that woman's face -- that she too has yearnings, regrets, sadnesses. In one second, Louise and the old woman are the same person.
It is echoed later, somewhat differently, when Louise gives her jewelry to the old man. She has let go of all physical things. She is preparing for death and a spiritual life. She doesn't care anymore about things.
It is one of the most beautiful and important moments in the film.
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I keep thinking I'm a grownup, but I'm not.
[–] paramitch 8 years ago
Beautifully put. The scene doesn't need the deleted scene(s) to be understood.
Louise connects with the old woman because she is looking beyond time in that moment -- at her own old age, but also at every old age. She is filled with love for the old woman but also with a kind of wonder (and fear for herself). She fears becoming that woman but also the opposite -- what if she doesn't live? What if she dies? What if she will never reach the moment the woman in that window is at?
That's how I see it.
She is also seeing the visible yearning in that woman's face -- that she too has yearnings, regrets, sadnesses. In one second, Louise and the old woman are the same person.
It is echoed later, somewhat differently, when Louise gives her jewelry to the old man. She has let go of all physical things. She is preparing for death and a spiritual life. She doesn't care anymore about things.
It is one of the most beautiful and important moments in the film.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I keep thinking I'm a grownup, but I'm not.
Without taking the deleted scene into account, I always thought that she was sort of looking with sadness at where we are all headed, which is death. Also, many people fear growing older and losing their usefulness as much or more than dying. I think she saw the old ladies and was just sad at the sometimes cruel nature of life and death. Keep in mind, she was at her absolute lowest at that point in the film. She starts to put lipstick on after looking at the women, but then just says screw it, which I always thought was kind of her way of saying who cares about those petty little things anymore? Who cares what my lips look like? My life is in shambles and all I have to look forward to is death (and maybe old age and uselessness before that). I always thought her arc was learning that a short life worth living is better than a long one that is pointless. That is why she accepts death in the end. She learned that it was better to die with her best friend than to go back home, go to jail, and in the very best case, get out of jail at an old age and probably live and die alone.
shareOld people can see the future. She was kinda wishing her well...
Oh what a day. What a lovely day!
One of my favorite scenes in the movie! Its like 15 seconds of screen time, but its those little moments that can mean so much!
I always took at as Louise saw the old woman and maybe she saw herself, older and maybe lived a fulfilled life. But, its the moment she realizes she's never going to make it that far. She knows at that point their time is limited and won't make it out alive. That's the reason she threw her lipstick away at that point.
Et in terra pax
I think it was meant to be a justification of the final act. The women were old and just staring into nothing, it felt like a really sad existence. What is the point of growing old and decaying?
Thelma said she never felt more awake then during the trip. I think the old ladies represent getting to be old but spending your life asleep.