Plot: What’s it about?
Michael Dorsey (Dustin Hoffman) is a talented actor to be sure, but his stubborn nature has burned more than a few bridges in his career. It seems that his reputation follows him to all of his auditions, as it has been a while since his last good assignment. His agent has all but given up on Dorsey’s career, but Michael keeps pushing ahead and soon, he will need to find work and as soon as possible. He now finds himself in desperate need of serious cash, which means he has to formulate a plan quick, since he has no chance to gain a role as Michael Dorsey. This is what inspires his most ambitious role ever, as he dons a wig, makeup, and a dress to become Dorothy Michaels, a female performer. His turn works like a charm and soon enough, Dorothy lands a part in a soap opera and becomes a smash success. But when Michael falls in love with his female costar, he is forced to balance his options to choose the right decision, which is going to be hard no matter what in this case. Will Michael choose to keep his new found success, or will he risk it all to chase after his potential true love?
There have been several men in drag movies over the years, from Some Like It Hot to To Wong Foo…, but I think Tootsie features some of the finest moments. I don’t think it is the best movie ever to feature a man in women’s clothes, but Dustin Hoffman gives the all time greatest in drag performance, that’s for sure. Hoffman’s blockbuster turn is backed by such names as Jessica Lange, Teri Garr, and Bill Murray however, so the entire cast is strong here. This movie just seems to have a positive energy to it and also, all the elements seem to fall into place here, very good work all around. From Hoffman’s excellent leading role to Sydney Pollack’s ample direction to the superb makeup & costume work, it all comes together well to form the whole in Tootsie. Some moments have less punch than they used to, but most of the film still holds up well, not too dated at all, to be honest. The idea of a man in women’s clothes isn’t as outlandish as it was at the time, but the film works just as well and in the end, that is what matters. This disc offers a great new transfer and sound mix, but lacks the extras I’d like to have seen. I sense a special edition down the road, but fans will still want to pick this release up, to enjoy until the new edition arrives.
His career is filled with memorable performances, but Dustin Hoffman really shines when he takes on an unusual role, such as in Tootsie. He seems to adapt to the more quirky roles well and here, he certainly gets the chance to tackle a stretch character. I can’t say he looks good as a woman, but Hoffman handles the transition well, even taking on some mannerisms better than expected. But his exterior is just the start here, as Hoffman also makes sure his emotional depth is used, especially in a few very vital scenes, that just play to perfection. We’ve come to expect excellence from Hoffman and once again here, he more than lives up to our expectations. You can also see Hoffman in such films as Rain Man, Wag the Dog, Kramer vs. Kramer, Midnight Cowboy, Straw Dogs, and The Graduate. The cast also includes Jessica Lange (Cousin Bette, Titus), Bill Murray (Caddyshack, Rushmore), Dabney Coleman (WarGames, Young Doctors In Love), Teri Garr (A Simple Wish, After Hours), Geena Davis (Thelma & Louise, Cutthroat Island), and Charles Durning (State and Main, One Fine Day).
Video: How does it look?
Tootsie is presented in a 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with a full frame edition included on the disc’s flip side. I was expecting a solid, though dated image here, but I was very surprised with the results. I did detect a little grain at times, but this is still the finest this film has ever looked on home video. The colors retain their natural scheme, with bright hues and accurate flesh tones, though a little soft at times. No issues on contrast either, solid black levels and no hint of detail loss, solid work indeed. This is not a perfect visual presentation, but the image is very good and an improvement over previous editions.
Audio: How does it sound?
This release includes a new Dolby Digital 5.1 track, but also houses the original mono, in case that’s more your speed. I commend Columbia/Tristar for including the original mix, as many consumers will be pleased indeed. The new 5.1 mix is a very natural one, with no forced surround use I could detect, which is excellent. The surrounds don’t get pumped all the time by any means, but the music is very rich and a few scenes have nice depth here. The dialogue is well presented also, no real complaints to be made. This disc also includes a French language option, as well as subtitles in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Thai, Chinese, and Korean.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes some talent files, but no other bonus materials. The Criterion laserdisc had a commentary track and behind the scenes piece, but I guess it was a pipe dream to hope they’d be included on this release.
