Fried Green Tomatoes - Ending Explained

The film contains two major twists. The Murder Mystery: It is revealed that Frank Bennett was not killed by Idgie or Big George, but by Sipsey, the cook, who struck him with a cast-iron skillet to stop him from kidnapping the baby. To hide the body from the racist police force who would have executed them, Idgie and Big George barbecued Frank's body and served it to the investigating officers (including the sheriff) at the cafe. The Identity Twist: The ending strongly hints that the elderly Ninny Threadgoode is actually Idgie Threadgoode. This is revealed when Evelyn finds a fresh jar of honey and a note on Ruth's grave, and Ninny acknowledges it with a secretive smile, suggesting she has been telling her own story in the third person all along.

Is Ninny actually Idgie? This is the primary debate.
Film Evidence: The film strongly implies they are the same person. Ninny knows intimate details only Idgie would know, and the final scene shows a fresh jar of honey on Ruth's grave with a note signed 'The Bee Charmer,' followed by Ninny giving Evelyn a knowing wink.
Book Canon: In Fannie Flagg's novel, Ninny and Idgie are explicitly separate characters (Ninny is Idgie's sister-in-law, married to Cleo).
Synthesis: The film likely merged the characters to create a more cinematic twist, allowing the 'hero' of the past to be the 'mentor' of the present.