Tootsie
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Tootsie is a 1982 comedy film, which tells the story of a talented, but volatile actor whose reputation for being difficult makes him unemployable. In desperation, he goes to extraordinary lengths to land a job. It stars Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning, Bill Murray, Sydney Pollack, George Gaynes, Lynne Thigpen, and Geena Davis.
The movie was adapted by Larry Gelbart, Barry Levinson (uncredited), Elaine May (uncredited) and Murray Schisgal from the story by Gelbart and Don McGuire. It was directed by Pollack.
The movie ranked #62 on the American Film Institute list of greatest American movies of all time and #2 on its list of greatest comedies, and has been deemed "culturally significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. This film is number 82 on Bravo's 100 Funniest Movies.
Synopsis
Michael Dorsey (Hoffman) is a respected, talented and perfectionist actor on the verge of turning forty. Nobody wants to hire him anymore because he is so difficult to work with. Not having worked in four months, he eventually hears of an opening in a soap opera from his friend Sandy Lester (Garr), who is trying out for the role. In desperation, he cross-dresses, auditions as 'Dorothy Michaels' and gets the part.Michael thinks it's just a temporary job to pay the bills, but he proves to be so popular as a feisty hospital administrator that, to his dismay, the producers sign him up to a longterm contract. Dorothy is such a hit that she is even featured on the covers of a number of well-known magazines.
Complicating things even further, he is strongly attracted to one of his co-stars, Julie Nichols (Lange). When he makes tentative advances (as Dorothy), Julie tells "her" that she likes her, but not in a romantic way. She is already in an unhealthy relationship with the amoral, sexist director, Ron Carlisle (Coleman). To complicate things, Julie tells 'Dorothy' that Michael Dorsey is "talented, but a jerk." Now, he cannot even attempt to pursue a relationship with her as Michael.
Meanwhile, Dorothy has her own admirers to contend with, an older male cast member, John Van Horn (Gaynes), and Julie's widowed father, Les (Durning). Michael's roommate, writer Jeff Slater (Murray), and his agent, George Fields (Pollack), are in on the masquerade and watch in amazement as the situation barrels out of control.
Michael finds an ingenuous way to extricate himself. In a rare, live soap episode, he unmasks himself, revealing that he is actually the character's brother, who took her place to avenge her, just the sort of weird plot twist soaps are noted for. This gives everybody a more-or-less graceful way out. Julie is so shocked and outraged, she slugs him in the stomach (when the cameras are turned off). But Michael touchingly confesses that "...I was a better man with you as a woman than I ever was with a woman as a man." and she eventually forgives him.
Academy Awards
| Award | Person | |
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Jessica Lange | |
| Nominated: | ||
| Best Actress in a Supporting Role | Teri Garr | |
| Best Actor | Dustin Hoffman | |
| Best Director | Sydney Pollack | |
| Best Cinematography | Owen Roizman | |
| Best Editing | Fredric Steinkamp William Steinkamp | |
| Best Original Song (It Might Be You) | Dave Grusin Alan Bergman Marilyn Bergman | |
| Best Picture | Sydney Pollack Dick Richards | |
| Best Sound | Arthur Piantadosi Les Fresholtz Rick Alexander (as Dick Alexander) Les Lazarowitz | |
| Best Original Screenplay | Larry Gelbart Murray Schisgal Don McGuire | |
See also
External link
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