Tootsie (1982)

Director:

Sydney Pollack

Writers:

Don McGuire (story) and
Larry Gelbart (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

17 December 1982 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Desperate, he took a female role and became a star. If only he could tell the woman he loves.

Plot:

An unemployed actor with a reputation for being difficult disguises himself as a woman to get a role in a soap opera.

Plot Keywords:

Actor | Love | Reputation | Friend | Actress

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 27 wins & 22 nominations

Cast

Dustin Hoffman	...	Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels
Jessica Lange	...	Julie Nichols
Teri Garr	...	Sandy Lester
Dabney Coleman	...	Ron Carlisle
Charles Durning	...	Leslie 'Les' Nichols
Bill Murray	...	Jeff Slater
Sydney Pollack	...	George Fields
George Gaynes	...	John Van Horn
Geena Davis	...	April Page
Doris Belack	...	Rita Marshall
Ellen Foley	...	Jacqui
Peter Gatto	...	Rick
Lynne Thigpen	...	Jo
Ronald L. Schwary	...	Phil Weintraub
Debra Mooney	...	Mrs. Mallory
Amy Lawrence	...	Amy
Kenny Sinclair	...	Boy
Susan Merson	...	Page
Michael Ryan	...	Middle-Aged Man
Robert D. Wilson	...	Stage Hand
James Carruthers	...	Middle-Aged Man
Estelle Getty	...	Middle-Aged Woman
Christine Ebersole	...	Linda
Bernie Pollack	...	Actor #1
Sam Stoneburner	...	Actor #2
Marjorie Lovett	...	Salesgirl
Willy Switkes	...	Man at Cab
Gregory Camillucci	...	Maitre d'
Barbara Spiegel	...	Billie
Tony Craig	...	Joel Spector
Walter Cline	...	Bartender
Suzanne von Schaack	...	Party Girl
Anne Shropshire	...	Mrs. Crawley
Pamela Lincoln	...	Secretary
Mary Donnet	...	Receptionist
Bernie Passeltiner	...	Mac
Mallory Jones	...	Girl #1
Patti Cohane	...	Girl #2
Murray Schisgal	...	Party Guest
Greg Gorman	...	Photographer
Anne Prager	...	Acting Student
John Carpenter	...	First Actor
Bob Levine	...	Second Actor
Richard Whiting	...	Priest
Jim Jansen	...	Stage Manager #2
Susan Egbert	...	Diane
Kas Self	...	Acting Student
Tom Mardirosian	...	Stage Manager
Richard Wirth	...	Mel - Technical Director
Gavin Reed	...	Director
Annie Korzen	...	Autograph Hound
Ibbits Warriner	...	Autograph Hound
Lois De Banzie	...	Autograph Hound (as Lois de Banzie)
Stephen Prutting	...	Autograph Hound (as Stephen C. Prutting)
Carole Holland	...	Autograph Hound
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tobin Bell	...	Waiter (uncredited)
Phillip Borsos	...	(uncredited)
Cassandra Danz	...	Hoffman Look-Alike at TV Audition (uncredited)
Jim Dratfield	...	Acting Student (uncredited)
Paul E. Guskin	...	Pavel, Waiter in Russian Tea Room (uncredited)
John Kapelos	...	Actor at Party (uncredited)
Gene Shalit	...	Himself (uncredited)
Andy Warhol	...	Himself (uncredited)
Joyce Worsley	...	Shocked Bystander as Dorothy Grabs a Cab (uncredited)

Directed by
Sydney Pollack

Writing credits
Don McGuire		(story) and
Larry Gelbart		(story)
Murray Schisgal		(screenplay) and
Larry Gelbart		(screenplay)
Robert Garland		uncredited
Barry Levinson		uncredited
Elaine May		uncredited

Produced by
Charles Evans	....	executive producer
Sydney Pollack	....	producer
Dick Richards	....	producer
Ronald L. Schwary	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Dave Grusin

Cinematography by
Owen Roizman		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Fredric Steinkamp
William Steinkamp

Casting by
Toni Howard
Lynn Stalmaster

Production Design by
Peter S. Larkin		(as Peter Larkin)

Set Decoration by
Thomas C. Tonery		(as Tom Tonery)

Costume Design by
Ruth Morley

Makeup Department
Joseph Coscia	....	hair stylist (as Joe Coscia)
C. Romania Ford	....	makeup artist (as C. Romaina Ford)
Tony Marrero	....	hair stylist
George Masters	....	makeup designer: Dustin Hoffman
Dorothy J. Pearl	....	makeup artist: Jessica Lange (as Dorothy Pearl)
Dorothy J. Pearl	....	makeup designer: Dustin Hoffman (as Dorothy Pearl)
Toni-Ann Walker	....	hair stylist: Jessica Lange (as Toni Walker)
Allen Weisinger	....	makeup artist: Dustin Hoffman

Production Management
Gerald R. Molen	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ann Egbert	....	dga trainee
David McGiffert	....	assistant director
Joseph P. Reidy	....	second assistant director (as Joseph Reidy)

Art Department
William Lucek	....	scenic artist
Jimmy Raitt	....	property master

Sound Department
Rick Alexander	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Dick Alexander)
Les Fresholtz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Les Lazarowitz	....	sound mixer
Tod A. Maitland	....	boom operator (as Tod Maitland)
Tom McCarthy Jr.	....	sound effects
Arthur Piantadosi	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don S. Walden	....	sound effects (as Don Walden)
Philip Rogers	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Michael Green	....	first assistant camera
Brian Hamill	....	unit still photographer
Mike Miller	....	key grip (as Michael Miller)
Richard Quinlan	....	gaffer (as Dick Quinlan)
Scott Rathner	....	second assistant camera
Bob Rose	....	key grip
Steve Stafford	....	camera operator
William H. Steiner	....	camera operator (as Bill Steiner)
Garrett Brown	....	Steadicam operator (uncredited)
Raymond Fortune	....	electrician (uncredited)
Charles Meere III	....	electrician (uncredited)
Kenji Takama	....	camera intern (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Jennifer Nichols	....	costumer: women
Franke Piazza	....	costumer: men
Bernie Pollack	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Don Brochu	....	assistant editor
Jill Savitt	....	assistant editor
Nancy Weizer	....	assistant editor
Wayne Fitzgerald	....	editor: montage (uncredited)

Music Department
Else Blangsted	....	music editor
George Doering	....	musician (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Harold 'Whitey' McEvoy	....	transportation captain (as Whitey McEvoy)
Patrick Hogan	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Renee Bodner	....	script supervisor
Carey Bozanich	....	production assistant
Sally Brim	....	production assistant
Stephanie Brooks	....	production assistant
Crin Connolly	....	assistant: Sydney Pollack
Justin Cooke	....	production assistant
Jonathan Filley	....	location manager
Lee Gottsegen	....	assistant: Dustin Hoffman
Ann Guerin	....	unit publicist
Harriette Kanew	....	assistant production office coordinator
Tony Lani	....	production assistant
Peter Lombardi	....	assistant auditor (as Pete Lombardi)
Bruce Patterson	....	production office coordinator
Ken Ryan	....	auditor
David Sardi	....	production assistant
Karl F. Steinkamp	....	production assistant (as Karl Steinkamp)
Ezra Swerdlow	....	location manager
Gary Vermillion	....	production assistant
Tommy Burns	....	production assistant (uncredited)
Alan Jacques	....	projectionist (uncredited)
Tom Schurke	....	video playback engineer (uncredited)
Holly Woodlawn	....	technical advisor (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Columbia Pictures Corporation (as Columbia Pictures) (presents)
• Mirage Enterprises (as Mirage/Punch Production)
• Punch Productions (as Mirage/Punch Production)
• Delphi Films (as Columbia - Delphi Productions)

Distributors

• Columbia Pictures (1982) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Film (1983) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1983) (Finland) (theatrical)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS) (pan and scan)
• American Broadcasting Company (ABC) (1985) (USA) (TV)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures International Video (1990) (Germany) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• Criterion Collection, The (1992) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1995) (USA) (VHS) (laserdisc)
• Egmont Film (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Nelonen (1998) (Finland) (TV)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1990) (Finland) (TV)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Egmont Entertainment (2002) (Finland) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Nordic (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Films de Argentina (2008) (Argentina) (all media) (re-release)
• LK-TEL (2008) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Nordic (2008) (Finland) (DVD) (2 disc edition)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (USA) (DVD)
• Warner-Columbia Films (1983) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (Italy) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar Italia
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (DVD)
• Columbia TriStar (Brazil) (VHS)
• Esselte Video (????) (Finland) (VHS)
• LK-TEL (198?) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Nordisk Film (2002) (Sweden) (DVD)
• RCA/Columbia Pictures Home Video (USA) (laserdisc)

Other Companies

• Dolby Laboratories  sound post-production
• Effective Sound Unlimited  sound effects
• Pacific Title  titles and opticals
• Toni Howard & Associates  casting

Also Known As:

Runtime:

116 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Canada:13+ (Quebec) | UK:15 (video rating) | Canada:AA (Ontario) | USA:PG (re-rating on appeal) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | UK:PG (original rating) (cut) | USA:R (original rating) | South Korea:All | Brazil:Livre | Singapore:PG | USA:TV-MA (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Chile:14 | Finland:S | France:U | Netherlands:AL | Norway:7 | Peru:14 | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

Hurley Mountain Inn, Hurley, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Dustin Hoffman first got the idea to do this film while working on Kramer vs. Kramer (1979). He felt his character in that film had to be both a mother and a father, so he started thinking about how to play a man and a woman. Several scripts, several writers and a few directors later, this was the result.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Dorothy and Julie are practicing their lines, her baby is sitting near her facing Dorothy in one shot, camera goes to Dorothy and then snaps back and the baby is facing in the other direction.

Quotes:

Michael Dorsey:[fussing over selecting an outfit for dinner] This is our first date, I just want to look pretty for her.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Zomergasten: Episode #22.4" (2009)

Soundtrack:

It Might Be You

Funny AND intelligent.

There is so much more to this film than Dustin Hoffman running around in a dress trying to act like a woman. Tootsie is one of the most intelligent comedies I've ever seen. It is perfectly cast, well-layered, and full of surprises.

Dustin Hoffman plays Michael Dorsey. He seems to know everything about acting except how to stay employed as an actor. In an early montage we see him auditioning for numerous plays where he is either too old, too young, too short, simply not the right guy for the part, or in some cases impossible to work with. We also see him trying to teach his craft to some young wannabe actors, and working at a restaurant to pay the bills. After a hilarious argument with his agent, he is simply told "No one will hire you!" The very next shot has Hoffman in drag walking down the street to an audition for a soap opera part his friend (Terri Garr) was unable to land. So intent is the chauvinistic director (Coleman) on casting a woman that looks tough enough for the part of a hospital administrator, Hoffman is denied without so much as a reading. He responds with a hilarious tirade that opens the door to his television career. Hoffman lands the part, and is soon winning over fans all over the country.

While Hoffman finds it wonderful to be working regularly, his personal life is understandably put to the test. He alienates Garr, is constantly made fun of by his roommate (Murray) and falls in love with one of his co-stars (Lange) who of course cannot learn his secret or he's out of a job. Things are further complicated when two older men fall in love with him. It would be pointless to try and describe some of the awkward situations he finds himself in. You must see the movie to experience them for yourself.

The film is so well-cast it's incredible. There are so many fine actors at work here that it almost becomes a contest of who can steal the scene first. Murray gets his share with his improvised lines. His lamenting of the state of his plays during a party scene will have you howling. The icing on the cake was director Sydney Pollack agreeing to play Hoffman's agent. They only have a few scenes together, but they are the film's best.

Tootsie is head and shoulders above other films I've seen that deal with men in women's clothing. Mrs. Doubtfire for example was all slapstick without much heart. In the end it tried to redeem itself in that department and just got way too sappy. Tootsie also wisely holds back in the feminism department. Although Hoffman's Dorothy Michaels is clearly a woman who inspires others to stand up for themselves, he is advised to tone it down by Pollack in one scene. Hoffman feels his Dorothy character should be doing specials and giving advice and whatnot, but Pollack reminds him, "You have NOTHING to say to women, Michael." In other words, you're lucky you've gotten away with the stunt up to this point, now you should be looking for a way to get out.

Overall Tootsie is wonderful experience. It made a fortune when released, and is still very relevant today. Don't miss it! 10 of 10 stars from the Hound.