Tootsie

Saturday, October 8th 2005 at Dolores Park in San Francisco

Showtime: 8:00 PM

Sponsored by...

1988    112 min What does a talented, desperate, actor do for a role? If he's Michael Dorsey, every New York producer's nightmare, he'll dress in drag and pounce on a juicy female role in a soap opera. Tootsie is a hilarious film depicting a man facing the challenges of being a woman. In taking on a female identity, he finds himself. This film can also easily be grounds for discussion and debate on women's lib in the 80's, when traditional roles are being crossed, and everything is about equality. And yet, women still have a hard time finding their "place". Michael (played by the dramatic and brilliant Dustin Hoffman) reinvents himself as Dorothy Michaels, the sweet but firm southern toughie who riles everyone up on the soap. The role is easy enough until Michael falls in love with his wispy co-star Julie (Jessica Lange), and things get really complicated. Things seem clearer from the other side when his Dorothy constantly butts heads with director Ron (Dabney Coleman), the epitome of the male chauvinist sleazebag. Ron is his mirror image, while he himself repetitiously jilts his own doormat girlfriend Sandy (Teri Garr). The exceptional cast also includes Bill Murray as the heckling playwright roomie, and Charles Durning as Julie's lovable father looking for a new wife in Dorothy. Geena Davis appears in a bit part in her early days before true stardom hit. And director Sydney Pollack does his requisite cameo as Michael's frustrated agent. Some of the funniest moments occur when Michael struggles with the physical limitations of being a woman, misinterpreted advances, and heated arguments he partakes in with practically everyone. This film was nominated for 10 Academy Awards, but only took home one for Jessica Lange's supporting role as Julie. -- Gloria Tai