Tootsie (1982)

Director: Sydney Pollack                              Writer: Larry Gelbart & Elaine May
Film Score: Dave Grusin                              Cinematography: Owen Roizman
Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Jessica Lange, Teri Garr & Dabney Coleman

Tootsie is one of the great films in the history of cinema. Another instance when everything came together in a perfect way, actors, director, screenplay, to create a film that defies all logic. Dustin Hoffman as a woman? You couldn’t get any more ridiculous than that, and yet it not only works, it’s brilliant. A large part of that success must go to the screenplay by Larry Gelbart, who had worked on the M*A*S*H television series for years, and Elaine May who would go on to adapt The Birdcage. The humor in the story is so genuine, so character driven, that it emerges naturally and that it makes it all the more enjoyable. There’s no physical humor either, which I absolutely love. All the humor comes from the situations, which winds up making Tootsie a fantastic and totally unique romantic comedy.

Dustin Hoffman plays a difficult to work with actor who is finding work impossible to come by because directors don’t want to work with him. Finally, in desperation, he auditions for a soap opera . . . as a woman. His screen test is actually quite moving and he gets the job. The only one who knows about the deception is his playwright roommate, Bill Murray in a terrific supporting role. Unfortunately he falls in love with one of the show’s stars, Jessica Lange, who becomes his closest “girlfriend.” Hoffman wants to use the money from the soap to finance the production of Murray’s play. He and Teri Garr, who he has fallen into an accidental relationship with, are going to star in the play. But when the production company picks up their option on him for another year, he can’t see any way out of working for the rest of his career as a woman or, more importantly, being able to have a “normal” relationship with Lange.

Another thing that makes the film work so well is that Hoffman plays it completely straight. There was a tradition of farcical cross-dressing roles at the time from the Tom Hanks-Peter Scolari sitcom Bosom Buddies all the way back to Billy Wilder’s Some Like it Hot. That would have ruined this film. Not only does the seriousness make his performance more believable within the film, but the supporting cast who buy into it don’t come off as dimwits. It’s an incredibly smart way to go. Director Sydney Pollack, in addition to his primary chores, takes on the small but crucial role of Hoffman’s agent and is magnificent. Jessica Lange is slightly ditzy, but makes it work as Hoffman’s love interest and took home an Oscar for her work. Dabney Coleman, however, is perfect as the demanding soap director who can’t shake the feeling that there’s something wrong with the female Hoffman.

Dave Grusin provides a nice score, early eighties, before the heavy synthesizer influence. Singing vocals on a couple of numbers is Stephen Bishop. The soundtrack is a good one, still riding the seventies sensibilities that made both musicians stars. In terms of Academy Award recognition, the film was given ten nominations, in all of the major categories except supporting actor and best actress--which, of course, would have been Hoffman. Apparently Hoffman and Pollack went round and round during the production and the result is well worth the effort. Tootsie is not only one of the great comedies of all time, it’s a brilliant film, and seemingly has not aged a bit. It is still as relevant as the day it was released. It’s worthy of inclusion on anyone’s top twenty list, and is certainly on mine