Sunday, October 21, 2001 (June 21, 2001)

In the four or so years that I've been contributing writings to local gay magazines, both the folded Rainbow Community News and [now defunct - ed.] LIPP, I have written about a wide range of subjects that I've considered important, from coming out to the gay male experience in the Holocaust. However, I NEVER got as many e-mail responses (over a dozen) than I did with the article in the last issue of LIPP, "11 Feel-Good Gay and Lesbian Movies." A couple of people e-mailed top say that they liked it (always appreciated - thanks!), but many people were upset that their favorite movies were left out, including "And the Band Played On," "Longtime Companion," "Philadelphia," "Desert Hearts," etc., plus a few others that I've never seen ("Doing Time On Maple Drive," "Maurice"). I e-mailed back that I appreciate ALL comments, and explained as best I could why some movies weren't included: "Longtime Companion," for example, was one of the first gay movies I'd seen and is indeed well-made as well as important. But due to its subject matter (the early days of the AIDS epidemic), I wouldn't consider it a "feel-good" movie. A few women contacted me via e-mail or informed me at the Parade that I didn't include enough lesbian movies. I responded that the simple reason was: Many of the lesbian-themed films that I'd seen were dramas like "High Art" or "Desert Hearts." Granted, they may have had comedic touches, but I wouldn't classify them as "feel-good."

For this issue, and at the request of someone who shall remain anonymous(!), I devoted this entire article to lesbian-themed films-- the feel-good, the important, and the favorites of many who e-mailed me. Because I'd never recommend a movie that I didn't watch, I spent many hours sweating in front of a hot VCR. But I guarantee you'll like any of these-- or I'll refund your rental charges! (Just kidding!)

1. CHUTNEY POPCORN (2000, unrated) No diss to Madonna, but everything that her comedy/drama "The Next Best Thing" tried to be, this thoroughly charming independent film is. When Reena, an independent Indian-American lesbian artist, learns that her sister cannot get pregnant, she offers to become the surrogate mother. Reena succeeds in getting pregnant. But what happens when Reena's sister changes her mind? How does Reena's Caucasian lover Lisa (played by "Law and Order"s Jill Hennessy, who is believably both feminine and tough at the same time) react? And where does the baby's father fit in? For some "Wedding Banquet"-style generational and culture clash, throw in an old-fashioned Indian mother who still can't quite accept Reena's lesbianism and the idea of artificial insemination. "Chutney Popcorn" is a fabulous mix of comedy and drama, with a diverse cast of realistic characters-- no stereotypes-- and an important lesson about REAL family values. Recommended for both couples and group viewing.

2. I'VE HEARD THE MERMAIDS SINGING (1987, unrated) Picture a redheaded, quirky, Woody Allen-like lesbian, and you'll get the idea of Polly (played by Sheila McCarthy), the main character in this low-budget comedy. Polly is an amateur photographer, a daydreaming romantic, and not-very-skillful temp secretary who gets a job working for Gabrielle, a sophisticated art gallery curator. Attracted to Gabrielle's French accent and elegance, Polly finds herself falling in love with her boss-- who unfortunately is shallow, pretentious, and undeserving of her employee's affections. Gabrielle's younger lover Mary appears on the scene to further complicate matters. Does Polly get to act upon her feelings for Gabrielle? Watch this and find out! "I've Heard the Mermaids Singing" is fun, with just a touch of dark comedy thrown in. Written and directed by Patricia Rozema, who went on to direct 1994's WHEN NIGHT IS FALLING.

3. BAR GIRLS (1994, rated R) Did you ever go out to a bar one night and create a flow chart in your mind like "OK - he/she slept with him/her, who was also with him/her, who slept with him/her..., etc." It's a not-always-pleasant feeling which reminds us about how our community can seem VERY small sometimes, and demonstrates the tangled sexual webs we sometimes weave. With that in mind, we enter the world of "Bar Girls," a romantic comedy about a group of 20-something, attractive lesbians in L.A. who congregate at West Hollywood's famous "Girl Bar." (This bar got some attention a few years ago when it was mentioned on the "Donahue Show," back when "lipstick lesbians" were all the craze.) Like "Go Fish," this independent flick was one of the first in a new wave of lesbian movies where the characters don't deal with COMING out, but rather with BEING out. At the center of the story is Loretta, a writer on a TV cartoon series who falls for the exotic, African-American aspiring actress Rachael. What happens when fabulously butch policewoman J.R. enters the picture and gets eyes for Rachael? You haven't even begun to guess! "Bar Girls" was criticized upon its release for depicting these lesbians as being catty, calculating, overly frisky, and too quick to pick fights in bars. Maybe. But the movie is also fun, spunky, and sometimes sadly realistic of how sex can complicate matters of the heart. Blink and you'll miss a cameo by Chastity Bono! Recommended for a movie night with a group of friends.

4. SERVING IN SILENCE: THE MARGARETHE CAMMERMEYER STORY (1995, made for TV) Groundbreaking TV movie which told the real-life story of Colonel Margarethe Cammermeyer, the highest-ranking military official to be discharged from the Army for being gay or lesbian. Cammermeyer, played by Glenn Close, was a 26-year veteran (and mother of three grown children) with a spotless service record and Bronze star who casually mentioned that she was a lesbian during a routine security clearance screening. The telefilm, available on video, depicts her struggle to be reinstated-- which she was, eventually, in 1994. But before she could fight for her right to stay in the Army, the Colonel had to come to terms with her own sexuality-- which, as the movie depicts well, she wasn't completely comfortable with. Judy Davis plays the Colonel's quirky artist lover, Diane, who helps her make that journey. The women make one of those odd couples in which the two are very opposite yet strangely believable. There's also a discreet kiss between the two that was considered quite controversial at the time. Aside from that, the movie is really quite tame-- it WAS made for TV, after all. Considering that this movie is based on fact, it's fascinating-- and a must for those interested in gay and lesbian history.

5. THE KILLING OF SISTER GEORGE (1968, rated R) Rated X when it was first shown, this long (almost two and a half hours) British film was considered a "breakthrough" upon its release, being one of the first movies to deal with the lesbian subculture. It is also believed to be one of the first to have scenes shot in a real-life lesbian bar, the Getaway Club in London. The story involves a middle-aged, butch, blunt-spoken lesbian actress June (played by Beryl Reid) who believes the soap opera character she plays on TV, Sister George, may be "killed off." The movie explores June's strange, somewhat sadomasochistic relationship with her younger, childish, feminine lover Childie (played by Susannah York)-- which is deteriorating, partially due to June's alcoholism and domineering personality, partially due to the entrance of a sophisticated, predatory older lesbian (played by Coral Browne) with eyes for Childie. A soap opera in every sense of the word, with its love triangle, high drama (which easily veers into camp with a modern audience), and some comedic touches. This film was out-of-print and nearly impossible to find for years, but was re-released on video last year. A not-always-pretty look at how lesbians were depicted in the cinematic past.

6. HIGH ART (1998, rated R) I have a personal issue with Ally Sheedy. She went on sick leave and missed the last few performances of the off-Broadway play "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," in which she was scheduled to play the lead. Louis Trapani and I had tickets for one of those nights. Damn! One of my friends suggested, "Maybe Ally took her role in 'High Art' too seriously!" Hmmm... In "High Art," Sheedy plays Lucy, a fallen, heroin-addicted lesbian artist whose chance encounter with blonde, naive editor art magazine editor (Radha Mitchell) results in a love affair-- and a personal conflict within Lucy's new girlfriend, who up until then was sexually involved with a man. Ally Sheedy, whose portrayal of Lucy won her an award and revitalized her fading acting career, is fabulously butch and believable. The ending is a downer, but both Sheedy's and Mitchell's performances are no less than astonishing.

7. BOYS DON'T CRY (2000, rated R) Was Brandon Teena a transsexual? Was he a lesbian who believed that the only way he could find sexual fulfillment was by posing as a man? We will never know for sure, and in a way these questions are not important. What IS important is that Brandon Teena was murdered solely for who he was-- the essence of a hate crime. Hillary Swank deservedly won Best Actress Award at the Oscars for her portrayal of Teena Brandon, the Nebraska girl who became Brandon Teena as part of a search for what many believe was all she really wanted: the love of a woman. Unlike other heavy-handed docudramas, the script doesn't portray Brandon as a saint-- like all of us, he had flaws. But he was sweet and charming enough to earn the affections of several girls. Although most people will walk away from this movie remembering nothing except the sheer brutality and violence, we can also look at the film for its tender depiction of love between Swank and Chloe Sevigny (nominated for Best Supporting Actress). The Brandon Teena saga was also told in a well-made documentary format in THE BRANDON TEENA STORY (1997, unrated). When this documentary was shown at the Cinema Arts Centre at the Long Island Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in 1999, the theater was absolutely silent when the film was over. Incidentally, BOYS DON'T CRY featured actor Matt McGrath, who took over for Ally Sheedy in "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" when Ally Sheedy dropped out!

8. IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK 2 (2000, rated R) Originally shown on HBO, this trilogy of tales takes a look at the lives of lesbians in America through three different time periods, with each segment named after the year it takes place. "1961" features the always-accomplished Vanessa Redgrave as an older lesbian who loses her partner (played by Marian Seldes) to a stroke. Because this was the era where gay and lesbian love was "the love that dare not speak its name," Redgrave is forced to grieve in silence, and deal with her deceased lover's family descending upon the house and its contents like vultures, unaware of the relationship that Seldes and Redgrave shared. It's a sad story, and difficult to watch at times. In "1972," the filmmakers explore a love relationship between two college-aged lesbians-- the feminine Michele Williams and the butch Chloe Sevigny (quite a change from her role in BOYS DON'T CRY). This segment addresses the issues of lesbians who don't tolerate diversity within their own community (Williams' friends aren't too willing to accept her new girlfriend), as well as the role of peer pressure among young lesbians. In the last segment,"2000," Sharon Stone and Ellen DeGeneres play a lesbian couple trying to have a child. This vignette, directed by Ellen's ex Anne Heche, successfully blends comedy and drama. DeGeneres displays her usual self-depreciating humor, while a hyperactive Stone is both funny and believable as Ellen's lover. The final scene (I'm not giving it away) ends the film on a much-welcomed happy note, with the two lovers dancing around their kitchen at some good news. I was dancing right along with them!

9. THE CHILDREN'S HOUR (1961, unrated) This was the first major Hollywood film which dealt with lesbianism-- and given the time it was made, the word "lesbian" was never even mentioned. The late Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine play Karen and Martha, two women who operate a girls' boarding school. Their lives are shattered when a vindictive little girl, in a snit about something, accuses the two women of being lesbians. The results are community outrage (Parents pull their girls from the school.), problems between Karen and her fiancee, and Martha actually coming to terms with her own sexuality-- which leads to a tragic finale. This black-and-white classic was very representative of the way lesbians would be depicted in the cinema for years to come: if visible at all, lesbians were always painted as tragic, lonely, neurotic, or just in need of a man to "cure" them. The self-loathing that MacLaine's character feels may seem dated today-- but unfortunately, the vestiges of that self-hatred, imposed by society, still exist to challenge our self-esteem as gays and lesbians.

10. GIA (1998, unrated and rated R versions) Another HBO original movie, "Gia" is a docudrama based on the wild and unfortunately short life of Gia Carangi, who went from being a teenager in working-class Philadelphia to an in-demand supermodel with a fondness for heroin. Her exotic, voluptuous looks broke the rules of the modeling world, which was dominated at the time mainly by skinny blondes. Gia, played by Angelina Jolie in a showy, star-making performance, was a lesbian who made no apologies for her in-your-face sexuality-- and sexual appetite. This film depicts the up-and-down relationship between Gia and her long-suffering blonde girlfriend, played by Elizabeth Mitchell. The sex scenes-- and there are many, especially in the unrated version-- are explicit but not exploitative. The two women are depicted as really caring about each other. Gia had the unfortunate distinction of being the first female celebrity to die from AIDS. An ultra-stylized, provocative drama about a woman who was described as "Too beautiful to die, too wild to live."

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