Where's the proof that Ninny and Idgie aren't the same person?

This is the one detractor to the movie for me. I haven't even read the book, but watching the movie I cannot ignore other facts presented that completely contradict the idea of Ninny being Idgie. For one thing, Idgie married her brother? If the filmmakers wanted to imply they were the same person they could have just said Ninny was a sister of Idgie's and eventually married. That would eliminate the contradictions but still tie Ninny into the story.

Also, another good point someone mentioned on this thread was Ninny's reveal of Sipsey being Frank Bennett's murderer. If Ninny were Idgie she would have already known this happened and not need Sipsey to tell her this on her death bed.

I mean yes it is possible Ninny created an elaborate hoax to trick Evelyn but what for? Why would she state certain things the way she did (the crush on Buddy, marrying one of Idgie's brothers, Sipsey revealing that she murdered Frank)?

Personally I do not buy the idea that Ninny and Idgie were the same person. It doesn't make sense. Also, it can be assumed that Idgie became the caretaker of Buddy Jr once Ruth died. I am pretty sure she would consider him her son, so why would Ninny mention only having one child?

I honestly think the allusion at the end was added at the last second to add more mystery to the film. However, it does not make sense to me and I do not interpret it as Ninny being Idgie. If anything I see it as adding further mystery to the identity of Idgie as just this wondering/nomad like figure. Also I could not buy Idgie settling down and marrying a man. It just doesn't fit her character imo.

What is the sisters name from the start of the movie? the sister that got married.

Leona. And Ninny said she married Cleo, the brother, but the only Threadgoode boys seen in the film are Buddy and Julian. Maybe Cleo was a late baby?

It is bizzare that Ninny clearly states through many examples that she isn't Idgie, yet the director chose to make you believe they were the same person at the end. Kinda makes me wonder if it was a last minute addition and they couldn't edit the lines she said out for some reason.

For me, it´s clear Avnet changed the book and IDGIE AND NINNY ARE THE SAME PERSON.
The whole thing about her crush on Buddy, Frank´s death and more are a hoax.
The smile Ninny gives to Evelyn is more elucidating than anything.

FrannyFine, this ponts are really great:

"Ninny was never around with Idgie and Ruth yet she knew every detail of their life together. That would not be possible if she was a different person. Another factor is that Ninny married and had a child at around the same age as Evelyn was at the time (in her 40's). Ruth died at 37 and that's where the story ended. Idgie was still single when Ruth died which means Idgie must have married around 40. And back in those days not many women married at such a late age. So is it just a coincidence that both Ninny and Idgie weren't married yet at 40?"

I haven't read the book, but I can understand why those who HAVE read the book might not care for the implication that Ninny and Idgie are the same person in the film. Since I've seen the film and love it, and I'm not familiar with the book, I have to say I like the ambiguity at the end of the film. My feeling is that Ninny and Idgie are meant to be the same person, but Ninny never actually admits this to Evelyn. She prefers to let it remain an intriguing mystery. I've tried to find proof in the film that they are not the same person, but I was unable to. I looked for Cleo in the wedding scenes, the Threadgoode brother that Ninny claimed to be married to, but couldn't find him. Perhaps I didn't look hard enough, I don't know, but the only brothers I could find were Idgie's favorite brother Buddy, and Julian, the brother who teased Idgie about wearing a dress and then years later as an adult helped to rescue Ruth from her abusive husband. I assume Cleo does appear in the book, but in the film, I couldn't fine him. To me at least, his presence in the film would tend to confirm that Ninny was telling the truth about being married to him. But like I said, maybe he IS in the film somewhere, I'm just saying I couldn't find him.

I believe the movie is saying that Ninny and Idgie ARE the same person. The story that 'Ninny' tells Evelyn is a STORY about her life told as a 3rd person so Evelyn wouldn't guess she was really Idgie. Maybe she told it that way because she wasn't sure how Evelyn would react to hearing about how they made a BBQ out of someone! The director must have decided to change the fact that these two different women are now the same person.

At marker 46:10 where Grady is in the bar with Idgie, he asks her to dance with him and he calls her Idgie Threadgood.

Proof supplied.



I wear my net \O^O/ to make sure I am seeing what others see.