To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar
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| To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar | |
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| Directed by | Beeban Kidron |
| Produced by | G. Mac Brown |
| Written by | Douglas Carter Beane |
| Starring | Patrick Swayze, Wesley Snipes, John Leguizamo |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | September 8, 1995 |
| Running time | 109 minutes |
| Language | English |
| All Movie Guide profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar is a 1995 Hollywood film, starring Wesley Snipes, Patrick Swayze, and John Leguizamo. Other co-stars include Stockard Channing, Blythe Danner, Arliss Howard, Jason London, and Chris Penn. The film's title refers to a totemic autographed photo of Julie Newmar that the trio carries with them on their journey.
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[edit] Cast
- Wesley Snipes as Noxeema Jackson
- Patrick Swayze as Vida Boheme
- John Leguizamo as Chi-Chi Rodriguez
- Stockard Channing as Carol Ann
- Blythe Danner as Beatrice
- Arliss Howard as Virgil
- Jason London as Bobby Ray
- Chris Penn as Sheriff Dollard
[edit] Plot outline
After Vida Boheme (Swayze) and Noxeema Jackson (Snipes) win a major New York drag contest and a trip to Hollywood, Boheme persuades Jackson to take along the inexperienced 'drag princess' Chi-Chi Rodriguez (Leguizamo) with them. The duo trade in their plane tickets for cash and buy a beat-up old Cadillac and set off for Los Angeles.
While on the road they are pulled over by homophobic and racist Sheriff Dollard (Chris Penn), who sexually assaults Vida. Naturally he discovers she is not female, and in the confrontation he is knocked unconscious. The ladies think he is dead, and they leave him behind. While recovering from the incident at a rest stop, their car breaks down. A young man from the local small town of Snydersville happens by, and they take refuge in a bed & breakfast owned by Carol Ann (Stockard Channing) and her abusive car-repairman husband, Virgil.
The three remain trapped in the town for several days as they await a car part's arrival. While there they are confronted with racism and small-mindedness, though none of it actually revolves around their gender as everyone believes them to be women. Chi-Chi is nearly gang raped by a group of rednecks, who also confront Noxeema. She of course, handles it in a ladylike, yet completely effective manner involving her carefully-kept (and sharp,) manicured nails. Ultimately Vida encourages the girls to do what they can to be positive, and the group sets about to improve the lives of the townspeople. This includes makeovers and assistance in organizing the yearly Strawberry Social.
Meanwhile Sheriff Dollard is being ridiculed by his colleagues, who believe he was knocked out by a female. He goes on a rampage in search of the drag queen who accosted him, equipped with a list of places to look entitled "Places for Homos", which reads:
- 1. flower shops
- 2. ballet schools
- 3. flight attendants lounges
- 4. restaurants for brunch
- 5. antique shops
Vida becomes acutely aware of Carol Ann's abuse at the hands of her husband when she finds her sobbing in the kitchen after being beaten. Shortly thereafter the three queens overhear a violent fight, and Vida intervenes, and throws Virgil out of the house. The next day Virgil runs into Dollard at a bar (Dollard this time is strongly hinted in a rant to be himself a little gay). The two realize that their problems are being caused by the same person, and they head back to town. Dollard accosts the town, insisting that they turn over the drag queens.
The townspeople, who only now realize the true gender of their new friends, rise to the occasion. One by one they come out of their homes and confront Dollard, each one claiming to be a drag queen, a la Spartacus. Dollard is humiliated and flees. The Strawberry Social commences, and shortly after Carol Ann repairs the car and the girls are sent on their way. Ultimately they make it to Los Angeles, where Chi-Chi wins the title of Drag Queen of the Year, the crown presented by Julie Newmar herself.
[edit] Critical response
Swazye earned a nomination for the "Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical" Golden Globe Award, and Leguizamo garnered a "Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture" Golden Globe nomination.
[edit] On the set
The opening and closing scenes were filmed in New York City featuring dozens of New York's local drag performers and underground stars in small roles or as featured extras. Included in the mix were RuPaul, Joey Arias, Lady Bunny, Miss Understood, Candis Cayne, Flotilla DeBarge, Clinton Leupp aka Miss Coco Peru and the late Quentin Crisp. The three stars had previously spent some time in the local drag scene while researching their roles. The ending scene of the movie, the anticipated Miss Drag Queen USA contest was actually filmed at The John S. Phipps Estate in Old Westbury, New York, now colloquially known as Old Westbury Gardens. The mansion is cinematically most famous as the mansion of the aunt of Ryan Phillipe's character in Cruel Intentions. Much of the rest of the film was shot in Loma, Nebraska, as well as nearby Lincoln and Omaha.
Robin Williams also has a cameo early in the film as the queens' friend John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt. Julie Newmar, the obsession of the main characters, also makes a cameo appearance along with Naomi Campbell. Michael Vartan of Alias fame appears as Tommy, one of the rude boys in Snydersville.
[edit] Trivia
- The Dorothy Dandridge bio-pic of which Wesley Snipes' character dreams was later made in 1999 as Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, starring Halle Berry, whom Snipes dated.
[edit] See also
