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Tootsie
1982
When theatrical mastermind Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) finds himself blacklisted by just about every producer in the acting business, he decides to thwart the entertainment industry by disguising himself as an older woman and auditioning for a daytime soap opera. Dorsey arrives for the audition in a dress and makeup. .. Read more
| Starring | Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman |
|---|---|
| Director | Sydney Pollack |
| Genres | Comedy |
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Tootsie
When theatrical mastermind Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) finds himself blacklisted by just about every producer in the acting business, he decides to thwart the entertainment industry by disguising himself as an older woman and auditioning for a daytime soap opera. Dorsey arrives for the audition in a dress and makeup. Calling himself Dorothy Michaels, he/she gives an astonishing screen test and is hired on the spot by the show's executive (Dabney Coleman). Dorsey is an overnight sensation with the show's fans, but as his secret career escalates, his relationship with his girlfriend (Teri Garr) suffers. Soon Dorsey finds a new romantic interest at work with his co-star, Julie. The only problem is, Julie thinks Dorsey is a woman and it's not long before she's trying to fix up Dorothy with her single father.
In the tradition of Mel Brooks's THE PRODUCERS, Sydney Pollack's TOOTSIE is a rich, funny, complex film. In featuring Hoffman as the smock-wearing protagonist, its boldness exposes movie-goers to the hilarious challenges faced by a modern cross-dresser. At the same time, the film promoted tolerance for transgendered people. Hoffman is unforgettable as the actor so desperate for work that he'll dress as a woman to get it, and supporting players Geena Davis and Bill Murray create plenty of comedy relief to help the plot along.
| Starring | Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Geena Davis, Sydney Pollack, Charles Durning, Bill Murray |
|---|---|
| Director | Sydney Pollack |
| Studio | UNIVERSAL |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 51 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Comedy |
| Language | English |
| Dubbed | French, German, Italian, Spanish |
| Subtitles | Arabic, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, Greek, Hebrew, Hungarian, Icelandic, Italian, Norwegian, Polish, Portuguese, Romanian, Spanish, Swedish, Turkish |
| Released | DVD: 10 Dec 2001 Production year: 1982 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (3)
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One of the highlights of Dustin Hoffman's illustrious career, this cross-dressing comedy drama avoids all the obvious pitfalls and manages to make some pertinent comments on the role of women within both showbiz and society. Hoffman's Dorothy Michaels is a wonderfully realised creation and testament to the actor's painstaking preparation for a part. Director Sydney Pollack judges the shifts of tone to perfection, but special mention should be made of his clever pastiche of daytime soaps. Nominated for ten Oscars, the film landed only one — a best supporting statuette for Jessica Lange, who pipped co-star Teri Garr for the award.
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As with Genevieve and Whisky Galore, an unlikely comedy subject makes an instant classic. It's all in the handling.
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Most helpful member's review
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7 out of 7 people found this review helpful
Dustin Hoffman's greatest performance
'Tootsie', funnily enough, is a film with balls. The idea of an out-of-work actor becoming a woman in order to revive his career may seem completely cliched nowadays, but Dustin Hoffman is electrifying to watch. When a man, he perfectly encapsulates frustration and determination; when Tootsie, he transforms these traits into a positive force for gender relations.
I would say, however, that the film's greatest strength is its greatest flaw. The comedy works well at the start, but by the half-way point it begins to drag, wading knee-deep into a contrived romantic sub-plot. Its heart is in the right place, and the script is far superior to crass farce such as 'Mrs Doubtfire', but the vivacity of Hoffman's performance highlights the need for a tighter pacing.
Thankfully the finale is a brilliantly executed surprise, and avoids the preachiness of subsequent films of this ilk. It may not be entirely realistic, or have the sympathetic characters that such a comedy would require nowadays, but 'Tootsie' is an eminently watchable and funny satire. It's just a shame that the film can't extend the dynamism it gives to its eponymous hero (ine?) to the piece as a whole. -
Most recent members' review
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2 out of 2 people found this review helpful
All time classic
Great film. This film ages reasonably well. Not a hilarious film, but a good chuckle and some great moments in it. Well worth watching. Hofmann as Tootsie is quite superb. Just goes to show what an increadibly versatile actor he really is.
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News and features
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Gelbart's grudge over Tootsie credit
- 12 Oct 2009
Late screenwriter Larry Gelbart accused Dustin Hoffman of refusing to give him credit for writing Tootsie. Gelbart died last month (Sep09) after a battle with cancer but in an interview conducted a year before his passing, he blamed the actor for declaring it was his pal Murray Schisgal who conceived of the 1982 comedy, about an entertainer who dresses as a woman to find work. But Gelbart, who won an Academy Award for co-writing the film, was adamant the idea for the screenplay was his own. He Read more
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Tootsie
When theatrical mastermind Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) finds himself blacklisted by just about every producer in the acting business, he decides to thwart the entertainment industry by disguising himself as an older woman and auditioning for a daytime soap opera. Dorsey arrives for the audition ...
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