In & Out (1997)

A midwestern teacher questions his sexuality after a former student makes a comment about him at the Academy Awards.

Director:

Frank Oz

Writer:

Paul Rudnick

Stars:

Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Tom Selleck

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 7 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Kline	...	Howard Brackett
Joan Cusack	...	Emily Montgomery
Tom Selleck	...	Peter Malloy
Matt Dillon	...	Cameron Drake
Debbie Reynolds	...	Berniece Brackett
Wilford Brimley	...	Frank Brackett
Bob Newhart	...	Tom Halliwell
Gregory Jbara	...	Walter Brackett
Shalom Harlow	...	Sonya
Shawn Hatosy	...	Jack
Zak Orth	...	Mike
Lauren Ambrose	...	Vicky
Alexandra Holden	...	Meredith
Lewis J. Stadlen	...	Ed Kenrow
Deborah Rush	...	Ava Blazer

Storyline

All of Greenleaf, Indiana is watching this year's telecast of the Oscars as Hollywood heartthrob and local boy made good Cameron Drake has been nominated for his first ever Best Actor Oscar for his latest movie role as a gay soldier. Cameron's high school English teacher Howard Brackett is overjoyed when Cameron wins the award and mentions Howard's contribution in his acting life. That joy turns to horror when Cameron mentions to the worldwide audience that Howard is gay, especially horrific to Howard as he is engaged to fellow teacher Emily Montgomery, a woman with self-esteem issues as she had battled weight issues most of her life before she lost seventy-five pounds for the wedding. Howard's life is totally disrupted as Hollywood media descends on Greenleaf in order to get Howard's story. The rest of Greenleaf also openly wonders if Howard is indeed gay, as he exhibits many stereotypical gay tendencies, such as being neat, and loving music, dancing, poetry and Barbra Streisand. His...

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Plot Keywords:

screwball comedy | school teacher | watching television | teacher as protagonist | man | 

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Taglines:

An out-and-out comedy.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some strong language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 September 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

¿Es o no es?

Filming Locations:

Pompton Lakes, New Jersey, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$35,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$15,019,821, 21 September 1997

Gross USA:

$63,856,929

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$83,256,929

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paramount Pictures, Spelling Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Howard (Kevin Kline) being a dedicated fan of Barbra Streisand is a recurring joke throughout the film, and in this film, Bob Newhart plays the school principal who has to decide the fate of Howard's job, amid a lot of controversy and press. In 1970 Bob Newhart played a school administrator in the Barbra Streisand film On a Clear Day You Can See Forever (1970), where he had to decide on the fate of Professor Marc Chabot's job (portrayed by Yves Montand), amid a lot of controversy and press.

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Goofs

The Oscars are awarded in the late March or early April, yet corn is shown growing unseasonably high and students are shown graduating. The weeds by the side of the road when they "meet at the intersection" are foxtails and they are dry and brown which puts this at an actual time of Sept. or so.

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Quotes

Emily: Is everybody gay? Is this a Twilight Zone?

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Crazy Credits

During the end credits, the cast is dancing to "Macho Man" and goofing off at Berniece and Frank's wedding reception.

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Connections

Referenced in Friends: The One with the Free Porn (1998)

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Soundtracks

The Name Game
by Lincoln Chase and Shirley Ellis

User Reviews

Hilarious depiction of prejudice against homosexuals

In & Out starring Kevin Kline, Tom Selleck and the town of Greenleaf, Indiana is a movie about homosexuality.........and the way we think about it(at least in an exaggerated kind of way)....

Kline is excellent as the teacher who has a hard time coming out and being truthfull to his soon-to-be wife Cusack. Selleck gives a good performance as the TV-reporter who tries to make Kline come out about his homosexuality, being gay himself knowing that denial isn't the right answer.... What's so funny about the movie is some of the prejudices the people from Greenleaf cherish.....apparently you're gay if you own a Barbara Streisand collection (and no! She was not too old to do Yentl!) and you're apparently also gay if you ride a bicylce!

The movie is a wonderful example of taking on prejudice and doing it in an extremely funny way....hilarious! The end where Kline is finally true to himself and afterwards rewarded by the town and his students is predictable but nevertheless compliments a good movie...