Tootsie (1982)

4 out of 4

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, Bill Murray, Sydney Pollack, Dabney Coleman, George Gaynes, Charles Durning, Geena Davis

Director: Sydney Pollack

Time: 119 mins

I didn't really think Tootsie was a great comedy when I first saw it in the mid-80s. Sure, it was funny in parts, but there were many spots where the jokes weren't exactly flowing. I had expected a laugh-a-minute movie, but most of the humour seemed to come from the title character ad-libbing his (or is that her?) lines in the soap opera he/she is starring in. With subsequent viewings, however, I have grown to appreciate the smart, witty script (by Larry Gelbart and Murray Schisgal), the superb direction (by Sydney Pollack), and, most of all, the great acting by Dustin Hoffman and his co-stars. Like Groundhog Day, Tootsie improves with each viewing, as the nuances of the lines and the situations the characters get themselves into become funnier and funnier.

The film also provides a painfully accurate reflection of the acting profession, in general, as well as star Hoffman's reputation as a difficult person to work with. Hoffman plays Michael Dorsey, a method actor in New York whose own belief in how he should perform his parts has often landed him in hot water. Though he is well-regarded, he is only able to find work in commercials and plays staged in regional towns. After a heated argument with his harried agent, George Fields (played brilliantly by director Pollack), who states that no one will hire him, Dorsey transforms himself into Dorothy Michaels, character actress. "Her" strong will wins him a part in Southwest General, a soap opera, where he meets co-stars Julie Nichols (Jessica Lange) and John Van Horn (George Gaynes). Dorothy's assertiveness increases her poularity and the show's ratings, but complications arise when Michael falls for Julie, Julie's father Les (Charles Durning) falls for Dorothy, and John Van Horn serenades him outside his apartment! How will he get out of this predicament?

Men-dressed-as-female comedies have been done before and since, most notably in Some Like It Hot (1959) and Mrs Doubtfire (1993). Tootsie develops the comedy slowly but surely, with an absolutely hilarious segment near the end when all the different threads collide in sidesplitting fashion. There is also a very funny sequence near the start when Michael (as Dorothy) accosts his unsuspecting agent at the Russian Tea Room. While it is not the funniest film in history, Tootsie's humour is pleasurable and a joy to sit through again and again. It rarely resorts to farce, relying mainly on the clever situations and complications that arise from the ensuing chaos. Indeed, though there are plenty of the usual (and expected) gender-bending jokes, it is the realistic treatment of an actor's desire to make it, no matter how, as well as occasional biting social commentary on the roles of men and women in society and the workplace, that makes Tootsie believable and involving. Let's face it - the storyline is preposterous, but we forget about it because the film is funny and so well-made.

Difficult or not, Dustin Hoffman is one of the great actors of the last thirty years. He is an actor's actor, and his portrayal of Michael/Dorothy makes us believe a man could deceive everyone into thinking he's a woman. His performance is so good one sometimes forgets he is effectively playing two characters here. Jessica Lange won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her role, though I think she was one of the least impressive of an impressive cast. The other supporting characters are all great, including Teri Garr's insecure actress, Bill Murray's droll roommate, and Dabney Coleman's deceitful director, but it is Sydney Pollack himself who is the most memorable. He appears in a couple of the film's funniest scenes, and there appears to be a degree of truth when he lambasts Hoffman for being difficult. It's a pity he wasn't nominated for a Best Supporting Actor award that year. For star spotters, look for an early role from Geena Davis.

Tootsie's soundtrack also adds to the sense of fun. A mixture of jazzy, upbeat instrumentals by Dave Grusin, and one standout song, "It Might Be You" (sung by Stephen Bishop), the soundtrack is just one highlight in a film full of highlights. Also, for comparison buffs, note the similarities between the final scene in Tootsie and the final scene in Sea Of Love (starring Al Pacino, an actor of similar stature, both physically and acting-wise, to Hoffman).

Tootsie was a huge success for its time, reaping nearly $180m in North American box office receipts alone. It hasn't dated one bit, and like a fine wine, actually improves with age. I feel confident in saying that it will be remembered in years to come as one of the finest comedies of all time, if not already. Get hold of it on DVD and watch it.

(c) Joe Wong (30 June 2001)