The Art of Being a Woman: Hollywood style

Understanding a woman is hard; ask any man. Being a one is harder; ask any Woman. But there is no question that being a woman has a lot of perks. As Gilda Radner put it, “I’d rather be a woman than a man. Women can cry, they can wear cute clothes and they are first to be rescued off the sinking ships.” As we come to the International Women’s’ Day, a day specially reserved for celebrating the womanhood, and joys of being a woman, it can be observed that quite a few of Hollywood’s leading gentlemen echo Radner’s thoughts. Here is looking at those men, who kept aside their “machoism” and embraced their feminine sides.

Shawn and Marlon Wayans in White Chicks

White Chicks: Two bumbling FBI agents – men, black – infiltrate a high society fashion scene to bust a kidnapping racket as “White Chicks”.
Best Line: “It not ‘just’ a hand bag, it’s Prada.”





John Travolta in Hairspray




Hairspray: Although the movie has nothing to do with it, it still is rather funny to watch John Travolta, in a fat suit, as a regular woman Edna Turnblad, mother to a pleasantly plump daughter Tracy. The movie is about racial integration in 1962 television and accepting yourself the way you are. Way to go, John!





Robin Williams in Mrs. Doubtfire


Mrs. Doubtfire: After a bitter divorce and failed custody battle, Robin Williams disguises himself as a female housekeeper to secretly spend time with his children.
Best Line: “My first day as a woman, and I’m getting hot flashes!”

Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon

with Marilyn Monroe in

Some Like It Hot

Some Like It Hot: Joe and Jerry are two musicians who, after witnessing a mob hit, flee the state in an all female band disguised as women. Here Joe aka Josephine falls in love with Sugar while a millionaire Osgood falls head-over-heels for Daphne aka Jerry.
Best Line: “What are you afraid of? No-one's asking you to have a baby!”

Dustin Hoffman in Tootsie

Tootsie: Micheal Dorsey is an out-of-work actor who teaches an acting school. When his student-cum-lover cannot get selected at an audition for not being sassy enough, Micheal becomes Dorothy Micheals, a sassy loud mouthed woman who not only gets the role, but somehow manages to woo the lead actor and his the lead actress’ father, a girl who *he* is in love with.
Best Line: [after revealing himself as a man on live network show] “And I'm not mentally ill, but proud, and lucky, and strong enough to be the woman that was the best part of my manhood. The best part of myself.”



Alistair Sim in
Belles of St. Trinians


Belles of St. Trinians: Alaistair Sim plays the role of headmistress Milicent Fritton of St. Trinians, an all-girls school for social misfits. The girls here are more interested in learning about “handling” the big, bad world than learning to make their place in it. He also reprised this role for its 1957 sequel Blue Murder at St. Trinians.
Best Line: [after an explosion has occured in the Chemistry room] “Oh dear. I told Bessie to be careful with that nitro-glycerine!”



 

Rupert Everett in
St. Trinians


St. Trinians: Rupert Everett takes on the role of Principal of St. Trinians Camilla Fritton, in the 2007 movie and its sequel St. Trinians – The Search for Fritton’s Gold in 2009. Movie is about a school of social misfits or as they call themselves “Defenders of Anarchy”, who have to protect their school from closure by the Ministry of Schools, headed by Colin Firth.
Best Line: “Don't you think I make a remarkable queen?”




Nathan Lane in
The Birdcage

 Finally, one of my favorites, The Birdcage: This is a great movie all-together. But Nathan Lane as “Ms.” Albert, the drag queen married to a gay drag club owner Armand (Robin Williams), playing a “regular” housewife for their son’s future in-laws is just precious.
Best Line: “Maybe, I’m just an old-fashioned girl, but I pity the woman who’s too busy to take care of her man.”