Films like Tootsie (1982) and Victor/Victoria (1982) belong to genre that is called gender farce which is a subgenre of comedy films. More often than not they portray people who have to pretend to be someone else, most of an opposite sex, in order to overcome some life obstacles. Thus Tootsie and Victor/Victoria present viewer with light and entertaining farce that depicts the silly situation with cross-dressing and living a double life. However, besides witty and humorous remarks lay serious topics of gender identity and roles which are dressed in irony and sarcasm. Moreover, both directors manipulated and played with the notion of gender perception in show business as well as in society; therefore portraying sexual minorities, males and females from completely different angles. In Tootsie and Victor/Victoria serious issues are unveiled through deception in order to open viewer`s eyes and broaden the perception of gender. Unveiling is not only a climax in these films, but also a restatement of themes and ideas put into discussion at the beginning of films. In order to see how unveiling in cross-dressing films restates and highlights theme of biased gender roles and perception one should analyze the main characters of Tootsie and Victor/Victoria.
It should be mentioned that the protagonist of Tootsie Dorothy Michaels (Dustin Hoffman) and main heroine of Victor/Victoria Count Victor Grazinski (Julie Andrews) are similar in their life positions as well as in revealing theme of gender perception. They are both stubborn and devoted to their professions. Moreover, strong characters and dedication to their jobs bound protagonists of both films and their identities, making them realize their poor, limited social position: Michael, who impersonates Dorothy is a talented character actor and a perfectionist who refuses to follow senseless orders from the detectors which causes him awful reputation among actors. He becomes a victim of his temper; therefore creating the role of the unbearable actor in the society. In Victor/Victoria main heroine, also, faces demarcation of her identity caused by her perception of her job duties. She wants to be who she is a gifted opera singer and nothing less. As can be seen Victoria and Michael are bound by their egos and roles they envision themselves in. They long to make everything right and reach their goals following all rules, but life is not an order but a chaos. In attempt to survive, they decide to deceive society and make the best of the chaos. Being artistic people they decide to enter the world of show business through the back door, turning their own lives into bright performance. The irony in their actions is that in order to fulfill themselves and reach their dream goal they are forced to become someone else. Their pursue of dreams brings them to the heights, but at the same time parts from their gender.
Their characters are obviously strong-willed and determined which create a binary effect in portraying these protagonists. For instance, in Tootsie Dorothy`s hot temper, assertiveness and determination along with feminine clothes, put her in the position of a feminist who acquired some of ‘men`s’ traits of character. Due to her attire she is viewed not like a person with strong will and temper, but as someone who acts not like a ‘real’ woman or lady. Her outfit and behavior evoke controversial feelings in her co-workers because her cloths signal that she has to act ‘feminine’ but her conduct destroys all their expectations thus questioning gender roles and emphasizing on individuality rather than on belonging and following gender patterns. By the same token Victor causes bewilderment and misunderstanding by his looks. His gender dictates him to be tough and masculine in everything starting from clothes and ending with actions. Moreover, protagonist of Victor/Victoria is more complicated and evokes more discussions compared to Tootsie because Victor`s character touches theme of homosexuality and open desire to dress like a woman thus embracing and highlighting one`s feminine side which goes hand in hand with the masculine. Victor`s way of dressing and combining men`s attire with makeup or other feminine accessories distorts perception of gender roles and look therefore reconstructing notions of women and men clothes. From his stage unveilings and looks one sees that attire for men or women is brought to the new level, which states that piece of fabric and accessories cannot define person`s true nature. Division on boy`s and girl`s outfit cannot define them as male or female because these notions are way more complicated and cannot be ruled by elements of cloths.
With this their transformation comes better understanding of gender identity as well as gender roles played in the society. Being a talented actor Michael skillfully and easily transforms into Dorothy, who is a mixture of his character and ‘feminine’ traits of character that are implied by society. Literary walking in the shoes of a woman Michael more and more discovers and develops his feminine side, thus distorting such notions as roles and gender perception. He is forced to look at this world from women`s perspective which broadens his perception of the sexes and reveals his own limited envision of male and female roles. Through Dorothy Michael shows that gender roles and perception of women are old fashioned and artificial because personality is more important than gender. However, the division between the sexes plays significant role in society which reminds a game where participants of the two teams have to wear a specific set of clothes in order to highlight their belonging. This action of wearing ‘male’ or ‘female’ elements of cloths only limits a person. Thus, Dorothy illuminates that gender is nothing compared to the personality that is hidden underneath the sex and way of dressing. His life in a woman`s ‘body’ reveals all issues that women have to deal in the society like: inequality, objectified treatment from men, submissiveness and social oppression along with dictatorship to be weak and follow gender roles.
It should be mentioned that in Victor/Victoria theme of homosexuality is more lightened than in Tootsie. Victoria`s friend Toddy (Robert Preston) reveals gay`s position and treatment in the society. Moreover, through his conversations with Victoria and his other speeches viewer may see how biased people are in judging person`s gender and sexuality. Remarkably, that Toddy is also a victim of his role of a ‘queer’ that society dictates to him; however, he accepts and embraces; for instance, the incident at the beginning of the film when he was dramatically fired from cabaret gives a suggestion that he blindly follows role of an ‘old queer’. He realizes that society does not see his inner world and essence that are broader than gender roles and restrictions. His identity with his gender is altered, which creates another social pattern of behavior more often than not hostilely accepted by heterosexual people. Thus, this film illuminates vices of gender and sexuality perception more deeply that Tootsie because it depicts weak sides of men who are by statistic more homophobic than women. It should be mentioned that theme of cross-dressing is tightly interlaced with homosexuality and gender identity in Victor/Victoria drawing more attention to liberty in identifying oneself as a woman or man. Cross-dressing totally destroys the notion of gender in the society, making it vague and unimportant. However, such actions of wearing clothes of the opposite sex evoke laughter in the society. More often than not it shocks people, therefore making them question such actions and the notion of gender identity respectfully.
Moreover, King`s admiration and attraction to Victor highlights importance and predominance of personality over the gender. However, gender roles and social norms limit his perception of males as well as females. His social status and possibly upbringing prevents him from objective analysis of this situation, making it unacceptable to think things like that. Thus biased acceptance of sexual minorities as well as the socially dictated inability to see personality first instead of gender are put into discussion in Victor/Victoria.
Significantly that in both films main character's extent their world perception, not through absorbing absolutes and ultimate wisdom but through deception. Their lies bring better understanding of all that chaos that revolves around them because they have the opportunity to evaluate life from several perspectives. Their emergence into the chaos of social norms and pretend illuminate all the farce and grotesqueness that is present in real life. Witty remarks and ironical jokes entertain the viewer as well as plant seeds of doubt of gender identity and roles. Through cross-dressing directors completely blurred lines between sexes, leaving the only inner world of their characters. Remarkably, that putting dress or suits on both protagonists were putting chains of gender roles. With a proper outfit they begin to acquire a particular set of behavior patterns that are ‘predominant’ for males or females. However, their initial position and sex make them question treatment and role of women and men. These two films are an allegory of gender perception that puts an emphases on statement that in order to understand somebody one should walk in one`s shoes first.
Moreover, unveiling of the main character's reestablishes theme of biased treatment of gender by society, thus once more highlighting its inability to look beyond gender. In both films main characters were again put into the roles that society wants from them. However, this experience gives them the opportunity to broaden their understanding of gender that leads to re-thinking relationship between people.
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