Daily Dialogue — July 10, 2012
Thelma: OK, then listen; let’s not get caught.
Louise: What’re you talkin’ about?
Thelma: Let’s keep goin’!
Louise: What d’you mean?
Thelma: Go.
Louise: You sure?
Thelma: Yeah. Hit it.
— Thelma (Geena Davis), Louise (Susan Sarandon), Thelma & Louise (1991), written by Callie Khouri
http://static.movieclips.com/embedplayer.swf?shortid=hXkEQ
The Daily Dialogue theme this week is departure, suggested by MatchesMalone. Today’s suggestion by Teddy Pasternak.
Trivia: Callie Khouri first conceived the project in 1979. She was hired by Ridley Scott for a project called “Thelma & Louise” around 1980. Ridley Scott was going to produce, and Khouri was appointed as director. They were turned down by many studios, until MGM purchased the rights in 1981. But Khouri wasn’t ready to direct the film, so Scott was going to direct himself. The movie was originally announced in 1981 for a 1983 release. Originally, Scott and Khouri wanted Natalie Wood for Thelma and Tuesday Weld as Louise. However, Wood drowned in 1981 and Weld quickly dropped out from the project, so this would never come to pass. A number of filmmakers were attached to Khouri’s script including ‘Brian de Palma’, John Carpenter and Sidney Lumet. By 1988, Ridley Scott spoke of casting Mia Farrow, Lily Tomlin, Candice Bergen, Tuesday Weld, Meryl Streep, Liza Minnelli Jessica Lange, Isabella Rossellini or Kim Cattrall for the role of Thelma; Vanessa Redgrave, Glenn Close, Mary Steenburgen, Kim Basinger, Ellen Barkin, Goldie Hawn, Debra Winger, Anjelica Huston, Sigourney Weaver or Lorraine Bracco would be considered for the role of Louise; Dustin Hoffman, Al Pacino, Jack Nicholson, Robert De Niro, Steve Martin, David Bowie, Tim Curry, Richard Gere, Pierce Brosnan or James Woods could be Hal; Kevin Costner, Bruce Willis, Rick Moranis or Chevy Chase would play Jimmy; Jon Voight, Willem Dafoe or John Travolta would be Max; and Christopher Atkins would be J.D.
Dialogue On Dialogue: One of the most memorable ‘departures’ in recent film history.