''Tootsie'' (1982) Film Analysis By KayeCee Austin

Going back over my deluge of academia essays I’d written over the years in my film studies/psychology/management concentrations—I realized I want to share some of that content!

With one of my degree concentrations being in Interdisciplinary Studies, I enjoy learning about all facets of the world/human behavior. Most of all, I ADORE sharing my thoughts on subject matter OTHERS bring to my attention or blatantly inquire my opinion.

Okay, here we go!

For these first few articles, I’m going to share some of my Film School essays! Mind you, the film choices I speak about in the following article (series) were chosen by my school’s syllabus—nonetheless, I enjoyed pondering on each project AND sharing my thoughts. In the future, I’m going to choose films I personally found intriguing to add to my “Film Analysis Series”. 

Oh, and you get to indulge in a few free film/entertainment studies courses given by me without having to attend film school! Nice huh?!

Hmmm...Let’s start with the piece I was asked to write on the 1982 film, “Tootsie” starring Dustin Hoffman.

“Tootsie” Film Analysis

Initially I’d forgotten about the film, Tootsie. I’d watched it at around ten years old and remember only really enjoying it since it seemed to give an inside view regarding life on a soap opera set. Back then my siblings and I enjoyed watching soap operas with our parents so this film was right up my alley. I enjoyed films like this both for pure entertainment value as well as the transformational journeys that the characters in most mainstream films have to undergo.

Breaking down the film into its three act structure and determining the elements within the film that make up the story (good or bad) has opened my mind to much more than the simple view of the film I had at ten years old. 

Additionally, prior to this review, I watched a video that had gone viral explaining the impact that making the film actually had on the actor, Dustin Hoffman. This analysis is allowing me to find more aspects, conventions and themes of the film I had never uncovered. In an American Film Institute (AFI) interview, Dustin Hoffman explains that prior to making the film, a conversation with one of his friends was one of the turning points in deciding to not just play the role; but to make it meaningful to female and male viewers alike.

The question that was posed to him was:

''How would your life have been different had you been born a woman?'' He urged Dustin not to think in terms of what does it feel like to be the opposite gender. Hoffman was finally able to answer this question two years later—but the answer came in an unexpected way. He speaks about how the preliminary make-up tests he had to undergo were shocking when he realized that he ‘‘wasn’t more attractive”. He immediately saw the answer to how his life would have been different. The reason he finally decided to take on the role was due to the fact that he realized that his character is an interesting woman but that due to ‘‘brainwashing from society’’ if he had met himself dressed as a woman at a party he would’ve never given himself the time of day. 

This was profound to me and my interpretation of the interview is that Hoffman realized that society’s standards of visual beauty can make or break a woman’s chances and opportunities in life. 

Re-watching this interview again recently somehow made it easier for me to break down the elements that make a good story. In order for a story to be not just good but meaningful, it must have seven major elements. They are: 

(1.) A Setting

(2.) A Plot consisting of A Three Act Structure also known as Beginning, Middle and End

(3.) A Protagonist (character) (4.) An Antagonist (character) (5.) Conflict

(6.) Stakes (7.) Theme

Within the film, the Setting is 1980s New York City --showcasing an extension of the Hollywood culture. The Location is mostly in a 1980s workplace environment & climate on a daytime soap opera set. Interactions between the main character Michael Dorsey (Dorothy Michaels) occur at his home in the city and on the set of his soap opera, Southwest General. 

The Plot within this film is broken down into three acts known as a Three Act Structure. A plot consists of the key events within the story. At ten years old I would have simply called the structures what many know a movie consists of: a Beginning, Middle and End. 

The Three Act Structure of visual storytelling is actually broken down into three main worlds known as (1.) Ordinary World (2.) Special World (3.) Return To Ordinary World. 

Within The First Ordinary World we will always observe these elements within a film:

(a.) Call to adventure (the inciting incident)

(b.) Refusal

(c.) Meeting with the mentor (internal or external)

(d.) Crossing the threshold (making the decision to go on the journey, committing to their desire, wants and needs)

Within The Special World we will always observe these elements within a film:

(a.) Tests, Allies and Enemies

(b.) Approach to Inmost Cast (the character going internally to analyze desires, stakes, problems, etc.)

(c.) Ordeal (the midpoint- the best or worst that can happen to the character.)

(d.) Reward (seizing the sword)

Within The Second Ordinary World we will always observe these elements within a film:

(a.) The Road Back (life getting back to as normal as it can after the journey.)

(b.) The Resurrection 

(c.) Return With Elixir

A plot also deals with Character and Story Development also known as an Arc. A character’s arc is defined based on how they take action upon their goals. The character is defined by the choices he or she makes throughout the story arc. This story arc will allow the characters to have:

(1.) Beliefs & Convictions

(2.) Goals & Desires

(3.) Motives

(4.) Wants & Needs

(5.) Reasons to take action on All of The Above.

The third element that a story must have is a Protagonist. Our protagonist is Michael Dorsey, an intelligent, aggressive, talented -yet very highly unemployable actor—due to his semi superiority complex and sense of entitlement. His traits notably work to his advantage when he takes on playing the character of Dorothy Michaels on the daytime soap opera, Southwest General. Throughout the film, we find out that ultimately the character Michael (as a spoiled actor) was initially taking for granted what women like his friend Sandy and his love interest Julie were striving to obtain and or maintain. In the first act of the film Michael is driven by a desire to simply act. His inability to get work has made him desperate. To make matters worse his friend Sandy has lost her motivation as an actress after not getting the role on Southwest General.

Michael sees how great she is and needs her to be a part of their friend Jeff’s play so with the stakes being higher than just himself—he takes drastic measures and dresses up as a middle aged woman he later names Dorothy Michaels. He auditions for the soap opera role and wins it. 

The Fourth element, or the Antagonist in this film are both Michael’s inner persona as well as his love interest Julie’s two timing boyfriend who also happens to be his boss, Ron. Ron not only treats Julie badly but has established a culture within the workplace in which women are treated as objects and spoken to anyway someone sees fit to do so. Michael as Dorothy and technically being his true self does not stand for it. This ultimately makes Ron the antagonist within the film. Michael’s inner persona to me is also an antagonist due to the fact that he must contend with both who he is pretending to be and who he truly is. This causes much internal and external conflict for Michael.

A Conflict stands in the way of the character’s goals. Conflicts can be both internal and external. Internal can consist of doubt, fear, guilt and beliefs. External can be other people, material goods and situations that are out of the character’s control. Michael’s as well as the conflict that occurs within many of the interpersonal relationships within the film in my eyes can be boiled down to socialization. I know many have challenged the movie in the past by stating, “only when a man speaks up regarding injustice, is it taken seriously.” Although that may be true, unfortunately many have been socialized thanks to media—to only listen when the words are coming from a man. For example, although they have a special place in our hearts--many of us grew up listening to advice from Mr. Rogers, Levar Burton on Reading Rainbow, the plethora of male characters on Sesame Street and the male voiceovers on over 90 percent of the commercials we watched as children and teenagers. 

Additionally many of the sportscasters, television correspondents and political/military individuals we receive advice and news from were/are men. 

All of our lives we are being told what to do by masculine figureheads so this is why many of us respond to more authoritative and confident individuals in our interpersonal interactions. Michael’s sense of entitlement and superiority complex in the beginning of the film technically make sense. The media has shown him 1000 times over that he has a voice and when he speaks everyone should not only listen but take him seriously. This is why, even in a dress and a wig he remains himself. However, in doing so, he unknowingly challenged the Women Should Be Seen And Not Heard status quo that existed prior to and in the 80s even more than it does now. Moreover, additional conflicts within the film arise within the interpersonal relationships Michael forms as he attempts to pull off playing the Dorothy Michaels character.

The Stakes within the film are what a character stands to lose or risk. Michael’s need to see his friend Jeff’s play come to life on stage starring his friend Sandy and himself was the inciting incident that led him to create the character Dorothy Michaels. He had reached a point of desperation and probably did not really think he would win the part. However as head strong as he was, I feel he wanted to know within himself that he had exhausted all avenues before giving up on his friends Jeff and Sandy and ultimately himself. As he continues as Dorothy the stakes become higher. He must continue to play the character in order to pay his bills, save Jeff’s play as well as continue to see Julie (his co-star) and new bestie. To make matters worse, he realizes that through daily interaction with Julie and witnessing how she is being treated by her boyfriend Ron; he is falling for her.

Lastly, the Theme within the film is the central truth or the idea that drives the film forward. For me the themes that I took away from the film are:

(1.) When you love who you are and are true to yourself, you inspire others to do the same.

Michael’s love and confidence for his true self as well as his craft as an actor shone through thus allowing others to pick up on it and become better for having met Michael as Dorothy.

  (2.) You are what you wear.

When Michael became Dorothy, there were times when he would slip into being what was expected of him as a woman. In the 80s the role of a woman was to be subservient and not contradict anything a man stated to her. Dorothy at times attempted to do this in order to play the role to keep the peace (and keep up her charade) in many situations.

The final take away that I gleaned from this film was the theme:

(3.) When we take on a task with a mindset to help others, we ultimately help ourselves in the process. It may sound cliche but cliches are time tested. Simply put, this means they work.

Michael set out to help his friends Sandy and Jeff but along the way helped almost everyone in his life become a better version of themselves ultimately making him a better actor and human being.

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