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I’ve been watching a lot of films about transgender characters lately and I was wondering what some of your fav films are? I’ve noticed there aren’t many films made about cross dressers specifically. Casa Susanna and A Chance to Dress are two of my favourites. What are some films that stick in your mind as great films about gender bending?
Okay - I'll start the ball rolling 🙂
'Priscilla, Queen of the Desert' (topical at the moment) has got to be up there; so much better than 'To Wong Fu, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar'.
Eddie Redmayne got a lot of stick for playing a transgender character in 'The Danish Girl', but I think that he did it very well ... and it was a very good film.
And what about 'The Crying Game'?
Ellie x
*Ellie wonders how long it will be before someone mentions 'Some Like It Hot'*
@ellyd22 Thanks for getting the ball rolling Ellie. Those are classics and great choices. I’ll start a list and add it to the end of the thread.
Lea
@ellyd22 Oh my goodness, The Crying Game! I was a young cis man, in support of LGBTQ+ rights but also a clueless Midwesterner from a small conservative gaming community.
I lusted after the main character and then the camera panned down her body for the Big Surprise. I was instantly confused and terrified. Arousal had never gone off a cliff like that before.
Had the writers intended to shock the audience into deep thought? Looking back, it was a turning point that planted an invisible seed inside me. I’m letting it grow at last! Gimme a dress and a camera! 🤣
@kristacrawford1967 You Go girl! We could change the world with a dress and a camera!
@leainvancouver Hi Lea
Too Wong Foo is a standout for me, especially the opening scence with Patrick Swayze where he says "Ready or not, here comes mama.." That scene always comes into mind when I start dressing.
There is a little know British film called Just Like a Woman. It stars Julie Walters and Adrian Pasdar. It's definately worth watching as it goes through the highs and lows that we experience all the times. Rocky Horror is another inspiration, I do have a whole outfit (Can't share) whenever we go and see the show live.
Not so much a complete film or TV series, I came across a clip of an American comedy called Radio News. It involves a works Halloween party. There is a slight edge to it where one of the main characters calls out their "costume" and then throws curveball by the end.
These stand out as the main ones for me.
Sending hugs,
Samantha 
@leainvancouver I thought to myself, wasn't there a crossdresser type of character in Crocodile Dundee? Yes, there was - Gwendoline.
Unfortunately, that character was played by Anne Carlisle, a CIS woman.
'The Crying Game' is one of my favorites. So is 'Too Wong Fu'. I loved 'Dallas Buyers Club' when I saw it shortly after its release. It's past due for a re-watch. A film that often gets overlooked is 'Tangerine'. It follows two trans sex workers on a riotous adventure in Los Angeles. It's like nothing you've seen before.
/EA
@emilyalt Those are classics! Thank you Emily. It’s been so long since I saw it. I don’t recall a transgender character in Dallas Buyers Club. Its time I revisited it!
@leainvancouver Again, not a movie about crossdressing, but one that has a crossdressed character, Frank Sinatra's Lady In Cement has a crossdressed cop, played by Pat Henry.
Just the kind of character that Hollywood usually would create.
@harriette I’m coming to see that cross dressing and transgendered characters pop up everywhere and kind of invisible. Many of these movies don’t show up in lists of films with transgendered characters. In fact all the lists are incomplete.
@leainvancouver Oh, there are lots of other movies with crossdressing characters, not necessarily with the headliner names that most of us can recognise, but are in the movie as a scene or in the plot.
Ronald Reagan in This Is The Army didn't crossdress, but the armed forces certainly put on stage shows of one sort or another that included crossdressed characters. This movie included. Over the centuries, the Japanese did it. The Greeks did it. Shakespeare did it.
Glenn Close played a gutless pirate, in Robin Williams' Hook.
War and spy movies are a breeding ground for crossdressing, too. I am trying to remember a Charlton Heston movie that had some soldiers dress in a female disguise.
@harriette You're right Harriette, crossdressing is well known in certain genres like comedy and in wartime sketches. In Shakespeare time there were no female actors so men had to play the part. As you said, often the crossdresser wasn’t the main event, but they are there all the same. It makes searching for these movies difficult. It’s nice to know that we’ve always had a presence in popular culture whether acknowledged or not.
@leainvancouver Hurricane Bianca (2016)
It's a comedy with the main character in drag.
@leainvancouver I believe that there is a sequel to this, too, although I haven't seen it yet. Check out IMDb.
Hi Lea, My wife and I both love and watch Connie and Carla, Paris is Burning, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and To Wong Foo. I also like The Crying Game and Boy meets Girl. Thanks for this fun question. Marg
You've given me three more for my watch list 🙂
(Connie & Carla, Paris is Burning, Boy Meets Girl).
Ellie x
@harriette Cillian Murphy (yes, Oppenheimer!) plays a similar role in "Peacock". In both these movies, Cillian Murphy presents as a very attractive young crossdresser, very impressive.
@margprodue Thank you Marg, there are a few I haven’t watched in a dog’s age. Is Connie and Carla a series?
While we’re at it we might as well add great TV series to the list.
Lea
Lea
@leainvancouver Ok Lea and Ellie and all the other stay up late kids, I'll tell you the Connie and Carla story. It's a 2004 movie written and starred in by Nia Vardalos, so it's not a TV series. Other stars in it are Toni Collette and David Duchovny. It was one of the first movies underwritten by Tom Hanks and while costing 5 million to produce made about 250 million. It's just a fun movie that my wife and I love to watch about 4 times a year even though some critics have pronounced it as tasteless. I can't tell you more without being a spoiler. Get some popcorn and drinks and have fun watching with a bunch of friends. Marg
@margprodue Awesome! Thanks Marg. I haven’t seen it, let alone heard of it. It’s on the list!
Staying with tasteless but going lower budget there are the films of John Waters, starring Divine: the iconic Pink Flamingoes; Hair Spray; Polyester; Cecil B. Demented and more if you are a fan of his. And while we are in the Karnival kamp ground, we must give a nod to the master of ceremonies, Ed Wood, with the 1953 Glen or Glenda, starting herself. 😉
@leainvancouver Ha Ha Lea, I've seen almost all of them. I might be tasteless but I'm not cheap. lol Marg
Some Like It Hot! LOL!
@karla1958 Ellie was probably thrumming her fingers on the table waiting for your message so it’s good you didn’t keep her waiting too long! 😃
My proposals are:
Tacones lejanos (High Heels) of Pedro Almodovar. With Miguel Bose as Letal. Spain. Almodovar is a genius.
Then The Crying Game. El juego de las lágrimas. Starring Stephen Rea, Miranda Richardso,Jaye Davidson and Forest Whitaker. United Kingdom and Japan.
Also K11 with Kate Del Castillo as Mousey and Goran Visnjic. The depressing life in a dangerous criminal cell for transgenders. Director Jules Stewart had proposed the role of Mousey to his daughter Kristen, but she was conflicted by the Twilight Saga and ended up with Kate, who was phenomenal. USA.
Azul y no tan rosa (no English name asd far as I know it means Blue but not so pink). The film addresses topics such as homosexuality, transsexuality, gender violence and homophobia. With Guillermo García, Nacho Montes and Hilda Abrahamz as transsexual Delirio Del Rio- Venezuela. 2014. Goya Award for Best Ibero-American Film.
Gisela
@firefly Gracias for adding some great Spanish language contributions. I’ve watched some wonderful films from Spain and South America (with subtitles). They seem more ready to address the topic than many other counties in the mainstream. I’ll add them to the list.
Lea
You are welcome. I found a Chilean film that has been recommended to me, Una mujer fantástica (A fantastic woman), but I haven't seen it yet. It was the winner in the best foreign language film category at the 90th Academy Awards.
@firefly Una Mujer fantastica sounds like it must be really good. I’ll send you a list of some of the Spanish language films I’ve seen. Many of them are rather sad unfortunately.
Lea
Many of them [movies] are rather sad unfortunately.
I don't understand the reason behind making movies about sensitive subjects, such as related to sex or relationships, to usually be so toxic. Anything that goes against normal society gets punished.
The one example that first comes to mind is The Ice Storm. It's a tragic story around swinging. They couldn't make it a happier story even though many swingers are happy.
@firefly it's an amazing film. , doesn't get the recognition it deserves especially in its own country
Dear All,
A very moving film about a transgender girl, called “Girl” is a really good, thought provoking film. However, the film has been criticised by some transgender writers for the way it depict gender dysphoria and self harm.
I want to see film “The new girl friend” but so far haven’t had the time - anyone seen it?
Hugs
Christine
@christineth I haven’t see Girl or The New Girlfriend but I will seek them out. I want to watch all the films in my list. It’s already at about 35 so far. 🙏
Just to throw some slightly obscure movies on the topic. These are not my favourite films just ones i remember.
Dressed to kill with Michael Cainne and Angie Dickinson. Good movie though very little crossdressing admittedly but its there.
Stardust. A British film with a good cast and Robert De Niro in a role you wont see very often. Its quirky but a good watch.
M Butterfly A real classic
Flawless Again with Robert De Niro
Tootsie
Mrs Doubtfirel
Yentl
Transamerica
There are many films on the subject or have our lifestyle portrayed more than you think. I watched a Carry on film the other day and crossdressing plays a big part in lots of those films albeit comedy.
Jane D
First let me say, I’m old, so back when I was a youngster there was no internet to share crossdressing, so the film that I remember was Some Like it Hot. I watched it so many times. Back then you had to watch it on the tv, since there weren’t tapes, so it was usually a long time between viewing. I so wanted to be Tony Curtis or Jack Lemmon so that I could just walk around like they did without anyone caring.
Then much later Tootsie was made which had Dustin Hoffman starring. It was really my first memory of a male actually going all out glam to actually look like an attractive female. Again, I so wanted to do that and dress up in full glam, but unfortunately it wasn’t until many years later that I had the chance.
@jennconn Well Jennifer, the wait was worth it, because you look so good. If I compare your photos to Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie, there is simply no competition. You look so feminine and ladylike. Dustin is of course a great actor, but despite all the professional makeup artists he had available to him, it did not quite work for me…but looking at you, wow. Maybe you should be in movies!
Hugs
Christine
@christineth thank you Christine, I am truly humbled. I didn’t see that comment coming.
@jennconn Thanks Jenn, I recall those days. I had the pleasure of meeting Tony Curtis in his later years when he became a painter of some notoriety. I attended his show at one of Toronto’s Yorkville galleries. He was still outrageous and quite a character.
an exhibition of his work in a gallery in Toronto’s Yorkville. He was quite outlandish, a real character.
Someone may have mentioned this one already but I didn’t see it. Kinky boots is one of my favorites!
@shadowqueen Thank you Anna Beth. No one has mentioned Kinky Boots yet. Its a great film.
@leainvancouver Oh Anna Beth, We loved it too. We first saw it on broadway years ago. Wow, what a performance!
I'm not really a movie goer but the two big ones I think of have already been mentioned and they are Pricilla Queen of the Desert and Tootsie. However there was a movie released in 2014 called Carlotta about an Australian who transitioned in the 80's and tells the story of her growing up in the 60's through to being accepted as the girl she is by the community. She is so respected she was even on "This is Your Life" here in Oz. It wasn't a bad movie. Well worth a watch.
@oliviac Carlotta is a brilliant film and a great period piece. It was done with such care and attention to detail. It is a great coming of age story, which there are few of in the crossdressing world. The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert is of course a classic and a lot of fun to watch.
Just Like a Woman a British flick with Adrian Pasdar and Julie Walters
@gisellereeves Thank you Giselle, I’ve heard it’s good. Are there other UK or European films you liked?
I recently watched Red Island at the cinema, not a CD film as such but a young boy starting to question his sexuality in a very macho society. There is a beautiful scene where his mum gives him a pair of tights for a fancy dress that's very well done.
@samanthaxxxx I love it! ❤️ it sounds like my life. I’ll track it down. Thank you Samantha.
The world according to Garp is worth looking for , from the book by the great Johm Irving , John Lithgows character is brilliant, by far Robin Williams best film !
@samanthaxxxx I love John Lithgow! Is Robin Williams in drag in the world according to harp? If so he’s played several roles in drag, and a gay nightclub owner in the birdcage.
it’s actually amazing how many transgender characters there have been in popular culture. They don’t register as “transgender films” if you search for them. It’s really important to have those characters out there as it creates more acceptance for us.
@leainvancouver John Lithgow plays the trans part, how he never won an Oscar I don't know, he comes out with some great lines ! Robin Williams does appear as a woman in the film at one point .It's a film with many talking points!
@samanthaxxxx I’ve read a few of Irving’s books but I must have missed that one. I’ll be sure to put the film in my list. Thanks Samantha!
@leainvancouver He's one of my favourite authors , A prayer for Owen Meaney is my favourite, I've not read much of his recent stuff sad to say.
Hi, not a CD film but I love Bagdad Cafe and watching it now to brighten up a cold day in London x
it’s actually amazing how many transgender characters there have been in popular culture.
Sort of related... there are probably more transgender people in our lives that we could ever know. So many crossdressers never come out even to our closest friends or family.
For example, someone in an all-male on-line group that I was with, last week, made two comments that I had to bite my tongue on. One was about "blow it up your skirt". If only he knew what I was wearing at that exact time. 🥳
@harriette You're right Harriette, no one has any idea how many of us are out there, and not that I mean many of us are “not out” there. 😉
Hi girls, I've seen Just Like A Woman, Some Like it Hot, Mrs. Doubtfire, Tootsie, and Girl. But the ones that hit me hard because of my own transition, and being intersex, are "Just Charlie" and "Any Body", a feature length piece following four intersex people. There are actually quite a few well done documentaries about intersex people and all we've had to deal with.
Hugs,
Ms. Lauren M
@reallylauren Hi , will look up Just Charlie and Any Body , thanks for recommendations x
@reallylauren Great additions Lauren. I’m planning to include intersex films as many intersex people go through many of the same issues of gender identity as cross dressers and trans do. I include them in what I refer to as the middlesex. XXY is a good doc on intersex.
Hi, Wonder Boys is a good one with a fantastic cast , and an amazing Michael Cavadias as Robert Downeys "friend".Its one of the warmest, wittiest life affirming films I've ever seen, and just look at the cast !! And Marilyn Monroes jacket! If you can get to watch it please do or I will refund your money!!
@samanthaxxxx Awesome film, thank you Sam! I appreciate your money back guarantee. 😃
