This week's movie was TOOTSIE--the hilarious, thoughtful, amazingly acted story of a great actor whose temperament has so alienated him from those he's worked with that it makes him unemployable. As a last resort, he decides to try out for a woman's part on a soap opera, which he gets and which makes him very famous. The problem is, he's now stuck pretending to be a woman.
My musical clues in the playlist for this film were: "Lola" by the Kinks, and "Something's Telling Me It Might Be You," by Steven Bishop, which is actually the Tootsie theme song. (When Sue wrote in with her right answer, she even mentioned having a Tootsie flashback hearing that song on the blog but at that point hadn't matched it up with the quotes. Bummer, Sue!) And my clue about "same predicament" as another WTB movie recently was referring to the cross-dressing comedy trope that is in Some Like It Hot.
Anyway, you have to see this film if you haven't! Bill Murray is Hoffman's roommate, Jeff, who writes really weird plays (which is what one of the clues was about). Hoffman also tells this horny old actor who plays a doctor on the soap opera that Jeff is his boyfriend/lover as a way to get the doctor from constantly hitting on him. Hence the clue I gave (and one of my favorite lines of the whole movie) "Does Jeff know?" which this actor says to Hoffman shortly after the big scene in which Hoffman publicly reveals himself to be a man. The first clue I gave about someone calling himself a "has been" is between this old actor and Dustin's woman character.
Some other great things in the movie are Hoffman's friendship with Teri Garr who plays this totally non-confident actress. The "I don't take that crap from friends, only from lovers" scene I reproduced is between those two. Also the central love story between Hoffman and Jessica Lange is terrific. She takes to Hoffman's woman persona and they become best friends, while, of course, he is totally in love with her in his own male heart. The pick-up line quote I gave is him (as a man) meeting her at a party and trying to pick her up with the exact words she had told him when he was playing his woman role that she wished some dude would just lay on her rather than trying to be clever and cute. One sweet/funny/sad part is that Lange's father actually falls in love with Hoffman as a woman. It ends up kind of neat, but it's pretty interesting as it unfolds. Also, the movie's underlying theme is the growth of Hoffman's character to being less of a prick as he learns lessons about life and people from walking in another character's shoes.
Anyway, SEE IT! Or SEE IT AGAIN! It's awesome. I apologize to those out there who may not have had the pleasure yet. I kind of figured it would at least have to have been something shown at Casa Phister before, as it's such a classic.
Congratulations George! You beat Emily by 21 minutes. (Ouch, Em. I've been there.) Sue got it a few hours later, which is when I think she finally could get on the computer again after work (that aspect of your work sucks huge, Sue). All three of our correct guessers expressed "kicking themselves" that they didn't get it earlier in the week kinds of feelings. Sue had made a good guess on Wednesday given the clues by that point. Cat made a good guess Friday and would have won if it had been correct as it was 48 minutes before George's winning answer came in.
Anyway, take it away George! You now officially have the lead in the standings, baby!
17 comments:
Ah nuts.
This is on my list of movies to see already. Too bad I didn't decide to do it earlier, it would have been fresh on my mind. Good job Gramps!
Wooohoo! I won. Nuts to you all. Ha, I love this movie and have seen it a few times, but I couldn't really place the quotes Dan dug up until the very last giveaway one. I,m glad I can use the computer at work a little.
Man, I was seriously going to guess this movie even though I have never seen it. I should have! The cover and title always looked so lame I just couldn't do it.
Too funny, Matt. Agree about the cover and title, but it was also the 80s, so pretty much everything was lame. (Yeah, I said it, people. And I'm willing to defend my position.)
No I agree. Pretty much everything except MJ was pretty lame in the 80's. Not that I lived in them that long. :)
Well, I'm going to give you a little flack about everything being lame in the 80's. I've heard so many teenagers lately say that they wished they grew up in the 80's and that the 80's were awesome. But, I have to agree that the movie cover is a lot lamer than the movie. It's a great movie (which I haven't seen since the 80's), but I do remember really liking it. I was in Toronto all week and never checked the clues, but looking at them, I don't think I would have gotten it anyway! Very fitting that Dad would win. He loves this movie.
Those teenagers who say that to you Amy don't know about the 70s, decade of the best music by far. Clothes and hair styles totally sucked for both, but I prefer the earthiness and carefreeness of the 70s to the perkiness and poofiness of the 80s. Yes I like and admire the talent of Michael Jackson, but it has been an acquired taste. In many ways, I like his Jackson 5 era the best (and it came in the 70s). Plus we're still paying for the evils of 80s Reaganomics and the rise of the Bush gang. My really cool cousins managed to transcend the 80s and I got married and we had Alex in the 80s, but at least in terms of cultural contributions I don't see many reasons to see it as more than a lost decade.
Forgot to add a big to most of what I said above...
Just noticed my profile picture: late 70s hair baby! How can anyone argue against that evidence?!
This picture reminds me of Uncle Rico. haha. "If the coach would have put me in, we would have took state. I would have gone pro..."
80's? It brought us the best AFP moments ever! It was definitely the most awkward decade. Everyone was like, "are you sure this is cool??"
You are totally right, Matt! Definitely the best Awkward Family Photos are the ones from the 80s!
Also right that the coach didn't appreciate me. One slight difference in my case though in that it was the drama coach. But, for sure, I coulda been a huge star!
(And I am still angling to be a "big" star. I keep telling Richard Dutcher to be sure to audition me to play Willard Richards if he ever gets going again on his Joseph Smith film.)
Funny how we are, now in this decade, seeing hair and clothing styles from both the 70's and 80's. Some people are forever "stuck" in either decade. You have GOT to see the hair on a lady who works at our Walmart. I cannot quite staring at her when I see her. It is feathered back so much and glued with hairspray. She is definitely stuck in the late 70's. I know I will find a Trans Am or Camero in the parking lot which belongs to her. Anyway, the 80's were good to me. Most of my High School years, met and married Scott, and had 2 babies, Haley and Sarah, in the 80's. I also love the Jackson 5 era, but, who can argue with the success of "Thriller"? Yes, AFP material. But, I almost have to argue that the 90's were worse. Hair styles were hideous and the Cosby sweaters and leggings? Come on.
Oh I agree, the 90's are WAY worse when it comes to fashion. So so bad.
The fiftys were the worst! Rolled up Levis, white tee shirt with rolled up sleves covering a pack of Cigs. Ducktail hair or a flattop. Check out Grease. They didn't call it Grease for nothing. Vaseline or Pomade in the hair. See "Oh, Brother, where art thou".
I think the 50's are cute!
Man Dad, I totally agree with Haley. I think the 50's style is the best!
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