Tryon Fine Arts Center will conclude the 2018-2019 “Destinations” Film Series with the New York City based comedy “Tootsie” on Tuesday, May 7. The movie will be shown at 7:00 p.m. and will be preceded by a soirée, serving New York themed dishes at 5:30 p.m. Reservations are required for the soirée. 

The 1982 comedy stars Dustin Hoffman as an actor who has gained a reputation of being difficult to deal with. Desperate for work, he dresses up as a woman and auditions for a female role in a television soap opera and gets the part. The film was directed by Sydney Pollack and includes a strong supporting cast, including Jessica Lange (who received the Oscar for her role), Teri Garr, Dabney Coleman, Charles Durning, George Gaynes, Geena Davis (in her first film role), Doris Belack, and Bill Murray, who, as an inside joke, asked not to be in the credits. 

While Lange’s was the only Oscar the film received, it was given nine other Academy Award nominations, including those for Best Picture, Best Actor, and Best Director. It won the Golden Globe Award for Best Picture, Best Actor (Hoffman), and Lange again won Best Supporting Actress. 

The film was a huge box office success and was well-liked by the critics, including Roger Ebert, who said ”Tootsie” is the kind of Movie with a capital M that they used to make in the 1940s, when they weren’t afraid to mix up absurdity with seriousness, social comment with farce and a little heartfelt tenderness right in there with the laughs. The movie also manages to make some lighthearted but well-aimed observations about sexism.”  

The film is rated PG. 

Audience members, both ladies and gentlemen, are invited to take part in a light-hearted Tootsie look-alike competition as part of the evening’s activities. A prize will be awarded to the most convincing depiction. 

For more information about this event, including reservations, visit tryonarts.org or call 828-859-8322. 

– Submitted by Michelle Flemming