To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995)

Three drag queens travel cross-country until their car breaks down, leaving them stranded in a small town.

Director:

Beeban Kidron

Writer:

Douglas Carter Beane

Stars:

Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, John Leguizamo

Nominated for 2 Golden Globes. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wesley Snipes	...	Noxeema
Patrick Swayze	...	Vida
John Leguizamo	...	Chi-Chi
Stockard Channing	...	Carol Ann
Blythe Danner	...	Beatrice
Arliss Howard	...	Virgil
Jason London	...	Bobby Ray
Chris Penn	...	Sheriff Dollard
Melinda Dillon	...	Merna
Beth Grant	...	Loretta
Alice Drummond	...	Clara
Marceline Hugot	...	Katina
Jennifer Milmore	...	Bobby Lee
Jamie Harrold	...	Billy Budd
Mike Hodge	...	Jimmy Joe

Storyline

After jointly winning a local drag queen pageant in New York City, Noxeema Jackson and Vida Boheme win the right and are given the round trip airfare to compete in the Drag Queen of America pageant in Hollywood, California. Noxeema sees herself as the next Dorothy Dandridge, who bucked the trend of most black American movie actresses of her time by never playing the slave house maid. Vida's style reflects her past of growing up in upper class suburban Pennsylvania. One of their fellow New York City contestants, Chi-Chi Rodriguez, is a straight-talking, but naive and inexperienced drag queen. Seeing that Chi-Chi needs some drag queen confidence (despite her bravada), Vida and a reluctant Noxeema decide to cash in their plane tickets and buy an older model Cadillac convertible and drive to Hollywood with Chi-Chi. Their drive takes them through much of the country where alternate lifestyles are less tolerated than they may be in New York City or Los Angeles. The three have an extended ...

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Plot Keywords:

drag queen | on the road | new york city | title directed by woman | domestic violence | 

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Taglines:

Attitude is everything.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for subject matter involving men living in drag, a brief scene of spousal abuse and some language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Italian

Release Date:

8 September 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

To Wong Foo

Filming Locations:

7764 Dodge Street, Omaha, Nebraska, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$9,019,180, 10 September 1995, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$36,474,193

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$47,774,193

Company Credits

Production Co:

Universal Pictures,Amblin Entertainment

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

DTS DTS-Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The drag queens in the two pageant scenes are actual drag performers. Besides RuPaul, other well-known queens featured were Lady Bunny, Candis Cayne, Coco Peru, Hedda Lettuce, and Lady Catiria.

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Goofs

Vida knocks over container of sugar cubes on table at outdoor cafe; in next shot, container and cubes have disappeared.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Vida Boheme: Ready or not, here comes mama!

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Crazy Credits

Noah Kidron Style .... Best Baby (Noah was born to director Beeban Kidron on the last day of filming).

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Connections

Referenced in Battle of the Blades: Episode #2.11 (2010)

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Soundtracks

Who Taught You How
Written by Crystal Waters, Eric Kupper
Performed by Crystal Waters
Crystal Waters appears courtesy of Mercury Records

User Reviews

Purely entertaining and very funny

I think Patrick Swayze was incredible in this movie. For a male actor to make you believe he really is a female in mind and body is a large undertaking and he did this for the entire length of the movie. I was entertained from beginning to end, and I also saw Priscilla and liked this just as much. Robin Williams has a little cameo at the beginning that is hilarious, and Stockard Channing does a great job as a small town abused wife. Great movie to watch on a weekend afternoon when you just want to escape and laugh!