AFI (2007) • AFI-069
Tootsie
1982 • Sydney Pollack
ABOUT THIS FILM
RUNTIME
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FAMOUS QUOTE
“I was a better man with you, as a woman, than I ever was with a woman, as a man.”
Sydney Pollack’s comedy follows talented but notoriously difficult actor Michael Dorsey, whose impossible reputation leaves him unable to find work. Desperate for a role, he reinvents himself as Dorothy Michaels and lands a part on a daytime soap opera, only to discover that living and working as Dorothy changes how he sees the people around him—and himself. Dustin Hoffman’s performance balances precision, warmth, and comic control, while the film turns its farcical premise into a sharp exploration of performance, gender expectations, and professional respect. Clever, humane, and emotionally grounded, Tootsie remains one of Hollywood’s most intelligent and beloved comedies.
Why it matters
- Tootsie uses a high-concept comic premise to examine sexism, identity, and workplace behavior with more emotional intelligence than most mainstream comedies of its era.
- Dustin Hoffman’s performance and Sydney Pollack’s direction give the film an unusual balance of sharp satire, romantic complication, and genuine character growth.
- Its influence can be felt in later comedies that try to combine broad humor with serious social observation rather than treating the two as opposites.
Watch for
- Hoffman’s dual performance, especially the subtle differences between Michael and Dorothy in posture, timing, and emotional presence.
- How the film uses the soap-opera setting to satirize performance, ego, and gendered expectations in both show business and everyday life.
- The way comedy gradually gives way to self-recognition, as Michael’s disguise forces him to confront how women are treated around him.
- Sydney Pollack’s supporting performance and the ensemble’s reaction shots, which keep the farce grounded in believable human frustration and affection.
Vibe
ComedyGender PerformanceWorkplace FarceRomantic ComplicationsActor’s EgoFeminist AwakeningSoap-Opera SatireIdentity MasqueradeWarm Humor1980s Manhattan
AFI RANK
1998: #62
2007: #69
▼Moved down 7 spots