TOOTSIE

US, 1982, 111 minutes, Colour.
Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Geena Davis, Bill Murray, Sidney Pollack, Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning.
Directed by Sidney Pollack.

There have been several films where significant male actors impersonated women: Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon in the all-girl band in Some Like it Hot and Robin Williams as Mrs Doubtfire. However, probably the best is Dustin Hoffman's impersonation of Dorothy, a soap opera star in American television in Tootsie.

Hoffman was already a very versatile actor with such films as Midnight Cowboy, his Oscars for Kramer versus Kramer and then Rain Man. He gives depth to his performance as the arrogant actor who is out of work who carefully prepares his female persona. The film offers insights into male and female characteristics and responses to them.

There is a very strong cast with Jessica Lange in an Oscar-winning role. However, it is the director Sydney Pollack who has an excellent role as the agent. The scene where Dorothy finally reveals who she is to the agent and his disbelief is well worth seeing. Pollack was a strong director with such films as They Shoot Horses, Don't They in the 60s through Robert Redford vehicles such as The Way We Were and Jeremiah Johnson in the 70s, winning an Oscar for Out of Africa in the 80s and with such films as The Firm in the 90s.

The film is very entertaining in its look at American television, studio fights, the nature of soap operas and their audiences,

1. The popularity of the film? Its critical acclaim? Outstanding success? A satisfying blend of the entertaining and the serious?

2. The New York background: apartments, cafes, theatre, TV studios, weekend homes? Authentic '80s atmosphere? Use of Panavision, colour? Editing - the credits collage of Michael and his auditions and his training actors? The collage of Tootsie's glamorous photos and magazine covers? Musical score? Songs, lyrics, use throughout the film?

3. The background of theatre and television for film? The background of the soap opera characters. conventions, ingredients? The serious undertones of off-Broadway theatre? Fantasy and reality? Reality and illusions? The use of conventions and theatrical types? Caricatures? Audience insight into reality via conventions and caricatures?

4. The feminist themes of the film: the background of the women's movement, liberationist movements? The themes of equality? Rights of women and their treatment? The highlighting of male chauvinism, Male dominant attitudes being taken for granted? The nature of true equality, in persons, opportunities, respect? The film's use of stereotypes and roles to highlight points? Characteristics of everyday behaviour, attitudes? Experience and learning by experience? The theme of a man experiencing what it is to be a woman? A woman learning independence and equality via the man disguised as woman? The woman being at home with the man disguised as woman? Michael's comment that he was a better man when he was a woman, etc.? How persuasive the feminist themes? Via character and incident rather than preaching?

5. Michael and the credits sequence: his skill in coaching and the details of his classes, the Method acting style? His own auditions and his strengths and weaknesses? Anger, frustration, possibilities? His work as an artist? His lack of employment? The credits as an introduction to him as a person, character? The skilfulness of Dustin Hoffman's performance - credible as Michael, the depth of the abrasive perfectionist actor? The credibility of his transformation into Dorothy? Keeping the balance between Michael and Dorothy ? portraying the Michael in Dorothy and the Dorothy in Michael?

6. Michael and his temper? The Death of Tolstoy sequence and his abrasive reaction to the director? His skill with coaching but his inability to co-operate with directors? The discussions with his agent and his anger with him? The importance of the long sequence where George tells Michael off, and the echoes of the clashes between Sidney Pollack and Dustin Hoffman? His friendship with Jeff and encouragement of his writing? The long friendship with Sandy and his helping her with the audition? Making her angry and expressing her rage? His discussions with George? The quick sketching in of Michael and his relationships? His motivation for becoming Dorothy?

7. The transition to Dorothy and the sequence of him walking the streets unrecognised? The clothes used, make up, wig etc.? The physical characteristics and audiences sharing those ? shaving, make up? The walk, the voice? The humorous incidents where his masculinity took over? The arrival at the television studio? His aggressive behaviour as Dorothy, the abuse of Ron, discussions with the producer? The test and his being accepted? The contract? The details with the soap opera? acting, the improvisation? Audiences enjoying the soap opera conventions and the parody? Dorothy making more of them than the script? Ron and his reaction, accepting Dorothy? The producer and the contracts? John and his lecherous attitudes? The glamour girl in the dressing room and her warnings? The friendship with Julie and her help? Dorothy's developing the character in the soap opera and asserting feminist attitudes? The gradual popularity - via autographs for Julie and then for Dorothy? The glamorous collage of Dorothy photographed and on magazine covers? Michael becoming Dorothy? in terms of buying dresses, deciding what to wear, make up etc? The perception from the woman's point of view of what went on in the TV studio? Ron and the clashes, Ron and his kissing all the girls? Michael's disgust with Ron as regards Julie? Falling in love with her? Dorothy as Julie's friend, support, discussions?

8. Michael experiencing what it was to be a woman - the put downs by Ron, the titles e.g. Honey and Tootsie? Jeff as the observer? His puzzle, warnings? Sandy and her mods and Michael trying to cope, his being late for appointments? His realisation of his deceiving Sandy but not wanting to hurt her, and Ron's echoing these words? Problems of coping with the two characters? Questions of timing, e.g. John arriving, singing in the street, his being brought up, his attack on Dorothy? The irony of Jeff’s coming in and John's apologising to him rather than to Dorothy and saying nothing happened? The repercussions with Julie - especially with the weekend, sharing the room etc.? The friendship with Les and enjoying his company, at home, outings, dancing? The proposal? The continued dilemma and Michael wanting George to get him out of the contract? The legal repercussions? George's patience - especially in view of the cafe sequence where Michael tested out George as Dorothy with its consequent comedy?

9. Julie: in herself, ordinary young girl, drinking problem, Amy, unmarried, relationship with Ron? Her anxiety with Ron? Love for her daughter? Devotion to her father? The discussions with Dorothy, the rehearsals and her growing to rely on her, the weekend and the shared experiences on the farm, meals, the room and Julie's explanation of her childhood? The growing friendship and her fear of lesbian tendencies, her fear about Dorothy? Her withdrawing from Dorothy and breaking off? Her hope that Dorothy would have married Les? Her reaction to the truth? Her cutting off from Michael? The final reconciliation?

10. The contrast between Julie and Sandy? Julie as the actress in the soap opera and popular yet unhappy? Sandy and her moods, her locking herself in rooms , acting, self-analysis, love and pain? The cliches of the moody actress? The night with Michael and its unexpectedness? The dinner and his non-arrival? Her following him. suspicion about the box of chocolates. her pain, anger, professionalism and breaking off? Her criticisms of Dorothy as actress? The truth and her watching the television? An accurate sketch of a moody, would-be actress?

11. Jeff as the off-Broadway author, his talk, writing, his being the motive for Michael's getting the money, the birthday party for Michael and his friends? Pseudo-intellectual discussions? His puzzle, warning Michael, supporting him? Encounter with John? The final crisis with Sandy?

12. Sidney Pollack's presentation of the harassed agent, fighting with Michael, being tested by him in the restaurant, discussing his contracts?

13. Ron as the chauvinist? Work as a director, his treatment of the cast, carrying on with the girls? Julie wanting to break off with him and the hurting repercussions? His theory about seduction and his repeating Michael's words? His reaction to the truth?

14. The soap opera and its details and the parallels with what was happening for the characters in their own lives? John as the has-been lecherous old man? The glamour girl? The producer and her efficiency?

15. Charles Durning's style as Les? Support of his daughter? Growing friendship with Dorothy, the quiet sharing. the outing, the proposal? The meeting afterwards and the bond of friendship?

16. The situation, law. fraud? The build-up to the live-action show? Michael's skill in using the exaggerations of soap opera to make the revelation of his real character? Everybody's reaction?

17. The subsequent happenings: the encounter with Les, the meeting with Julie and the final reconciliation?

18. A satisfying blend of visual humour, verbal humour, humorous situations and characters? Charm and delight along with the serious?