Bless the Beasts and Children: An Original Film

1971:

Bless The Beasts & Children

1991:

Thelma and Louise

-- The Journey Begins --

Begins at camp

Going camping

Happy at first about adventure

Leader argues, cajoles others into going

Leader argues, cajoles other into going

Dissention about embarking on a journey; they were
already in enough trouble

The people in their lives let them down, and drive them
to embark on a journey

Characters counting on a short trip to their goal

Characters leave their harsh, domineering counselor
to change their lives

Characters leave their harsh, domineering men
to change their lives

They head for their goal with obstacles to overcome

More of a journey of self-discovery

Journey takes place in an unusual vehicle
(old truck WITHOUT a top)

Journey takes place in an unusual vehicle
(old CONVERTIBLE Thunderbird)

They become fugitives of the law in a road movie

An overt thematic issue: it is society's fault that
the boys turn out to be 'criminals'

An overt thematic issue: it is society's fault that
the women turn out to be 'criminals'

-- Characters --

Adolescents take a stand against adult domination/abuse

Women take a stand against male domination/abuse

Lead character is neglected and abandoned by
non-committal parents

Lead character is neglected and abandoned by
non-committal lover

Teft - tall, red hair, second lead character under leader
(Cotton)

Thelma, tall, red hair, second lead character under leader
(Louise)

Troubled home lives for the characters

People try to keep characters at home
(Goodenow's & Cotton's mothers)

People try to keep characters at home
(Darryl, Jimmy, detective)

Lectured on how to behave
(camp counselor and director, parents)

Lectured on how to behave
(husband, boyfriend, detective)

Tall redhead (Teft) has a knack for theft, shooting guns,
driving off dangerous characters

Tall redhead (Thelma) has a knack for theft, shooting
guns, driving off dangerous characters

Role reversal: adolescents do what they want,
and defeat adults as they rebel against their
prescribed roles

Role reversal: women do what they want,
and defeat men as they rebel against their
prescribed roles

-- Environment --

Filmed in western mountainous area, shots of long
roads going off into the distance, traversing the
savage beauty of desert landscapes, culminating
in a final shootout

Encounter men on horseback wearing cowboy hats

Nature figures prominently in the story

Truck drivers shout epithets at characters

Frightening encounter with police

Their journey proceeds through hostile environment:
dangerous vehicles, angry drivers, people, police,
desert

-- Journey stops briefly at a honky-tonk, danger looms --

Characters demands to stop for food; danger awaits

Character demands to stop for food; danger awaits

Leader objects over stopping; is persuaded to stop
briefly, worries about being late to destination

Characters stop in country/western place that has a pool
table

Characters are confronted by dangerous patrons
drinking. A waitress tries to protect them.

Characters are confronted by a dangerous patron
drinking. A waitress tries to protect them.

Dangerous patron sits down at table with two characters
and touches one in an inappropriate way

Dangerous patron makes comments about a character's
appearance

Tall redhead (Teft) attempts to explain their presence in
the restaurant

Tall redhead (Thelma) attempts to explain their presence
in the restaurant

Dangerous patron gives them alcohol

A character tells off dangerous patron to protect other
character

A waitress tells dangerous patron to leave them alone

Dangerous patrons driven off at gunpoint

Dangerous patron eliminated at gunpoint

-- Dangerous obstacles are overcome --

The characters' journey is repeatedly interrupted as they
are beset by obstacles to their goal

Tall redhead (Teft) steals [car] to keep going towards
goal

Tall redhead (Thelma) steals [from a store] to keep
going towards goal

Tall redhead (Teft) carries gun, drives off threat

Tall redhead (Thelma) carries gun, drives off police

Tall redhead (Teft) commits theft while others wait across
the street

Tall redhead (Thelma) commits theft while other
character waits across the street

Tall redhead (Teft) shoot out tires using gun concealed
at first, dangerous characters run after them throwing
rocks/dirt

Tall redhead (Thelma) and Louise shoot out tires using
gun concealed at first, dangerous character runs after
them throwing rocks/dirt

Tall redhead (Teft) takes over when leader (Cotton)
breaks down. Second in command (Teft) leaves to steal
(another vehicle) so they can achieve their objective.

Tall redhead (Thelma) takes over when leader (Louise)
breaks down. Second in command (Thelma) leaves to
steal (money) so they can achieve their objective.

-- The End --

Faced with unlikelihood of sympathetic police treatment

Pursued at the end by armed men, character dies -
is shot in the film, in the book he dies by driving off a cliff

Pursued at the end by armed men, characters die by
driving off a cliff