Ladies or Gentlemen

Originally broadcast on the Starz cable network, Kevin Burns' documentary Ladies or Gentlemen provides an overview of cross-dressing in U.S. cinema. Most of the attention is focused on men in drag, ranging from comedy shenanigans to the warped stereotype of the homicidal transvestite (on the less-covered subject of women dressing as men, much of the material focuses on Marlene Dietrich's fashion sense). The usual suspects are present: Tony Curtis talks about his experiences making Some Like it Hot, John Waters recalls working with Divine, and Tim Curry reminiscences about The Rocky Horror Picture Show, while director John Landis and writers Camille Paglia and Michael Musto also offer funny and pithy observations. Plenty of memorable clips are served up from Shakespeare in Love, Ed Wood, Psycho, and Dressed to Kill, along with moments from the stinkers She's the Man and White Chicks (curiously, no mention is made of Linda Hunt's Oscar-winning performance as a male in Year of Living Dangerously, while Hilary Swank's Oscar-winning performance in Boys Don't Cry is very briefly glimpsed in a few quickly flashed publicity stills). While not a terribly in-depth exploration of the subject, Ladies or Gentlemen is nevertheless a diverting celebration of gender-bending in the movies. Recommended, overall. Aud: P. (P. Hall)