A fascinating deconstruction of history, culture and identity, “No Ordinary Man” raises many crucial questions — and answers them so thoughtfully — that it moves beyond entertainment into the realm of essential text. It belongs, equally, in theaters, streaming queues and classrooms.
Filmmakers Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt begin with the story of mid-century jazz musician Billy Tipton, who seems to be an ideal candidate for a traditionally formatted biographical documentary. But their goal isn’t to tell one man’s story, even if that man was “born a woman,” to reference the exploitative approach of previous tellings of his life. Tipton’s secret was revealed after his death in 1989, when EMTs removed his clothing. No one, including four successive wives and three children, had any idea that he had been assigned female at birth.
As we see in impactful footage from breathless talk shows that refer to him as a “jazzy gender-bender,...
Filmmakers Aisling Chin-Yee and Chase Joynt begin with the story of mid-century jazz musician Billy Tipton, who seems to be an ideal candidate for a traditionally formatted biographical documentary. But their goal isn’t to tell one man’s story, even if that man was “born a woman,” to reference the exploitative approach of previous tellings of his life. Tipton’s secret was revealed after his death in 1989, when EMTs removed his clothing. No one, including four successive wives and three children, had any idea that he had been assigned female at birth.
As we see in impactful footage from breathless talk shows that refer to him as a “jazzy gender-bender,...
- 7/16/2021
- by Elizabeth Weitzman
- The Wrap
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.