Transgender Film and Video
Today we bounce around in time and visit films from the silent era and a couple of modern features. The Drag in Cinema column was begun back in the 1990s by TGF contributor Laurie Sheril. I’ve tried to keep it reporting on the use of drag in films but as the art of movie making caught up with the understanding of transgender issues more transgender actresses are taking on transgender roles and while now and then a male star may play a crossdressed role it’s not as common as it was. Drag in Cinema is becoming Transgender Film and Video. We’ll still cover any instances of drag but will be including the work of transgender actresses as well. Now on with the show!
Jackie Coogan disguised as a girl.
A Boy of Flanders 1924
The film is based on an 1872 book titled A Dog of Flanders. The film takes liberties with the plot as laid out in the book and the dog becomes a supporting player. When his mother and grandfather die, little Nello (Jackie Coogan) is left all alone in his village. The only one who will befriend him is Alois (Jean Carpenter), the young daughter of Baas Cogez (Lionel Belmore), the richest man in the village. Cogez drives Nello away, and he is befriended by a dog he calls Petrasche (Teddy, the dog who appeared in Mack Sennett comedies ). When Cogez’s barn burns to the ground, Nello is blamed. To avoid being sent to an orphanage Nello adopts a feminine disguise.
Mickey Daniels (far right) in drag.
Our Gang Dresses Up
Mickey Daniels was signed by Hal Roach in 1921 and was a regular in the popular Our Gang comedies during the silent era of the series, between 1922 and 1926. In 1926 he pretended to be a girl in an Our Gang short titled Baby Clothes. The plot has Mr. and Mrs. Weedle put in danger of being caught by their rich uncle who they’ve been conning into giving them money to support their two children. Two children who don’t exist. The Weedles, in desperation hire the Our Gang kids to fill the roles and Mickey has to be the girl.
Fatty Arbuckle
Arbuckle as Miss Fatty.
The original obese comedy star played the daughter of a mothball magnate in Miss Fatty’s Seaside Lovers (1915). In the one-reel film, which Arbuckle also directed, the fashion challenged young woman goes with her family to a resort by the sea, where she ends up in the water. Among the suitors who valiantly attempt to rescue her is a then unknown Harold Lloyd. Lloyd would, of course, do his own drag stunts over the years, but never played a female character.
Assassination Nation 2018
This film, billed as a dark comedy, takes place in the fictional town of Salem, which falls into chaos and violence after a computer hacker leaks personal secrets about many of its residents. Lily Colson is a high school senior who regularly hangs out with her three best friends, Bex Warren and sisters Em and Sarah Lacey. The girls attend a party and Bex hooks up with her crush Diamond. After sex, Diamond tells Bex to keep their hookup a secret, since Bex is transgender. Bex is played by trans actress Hari Nef. Mayor Bartlett (Cullen Moss) happens to be a crossdresser but is a known anti-LGBTQ candidate. A hacker learn that and pictures of Bartlett engaging with male escorts while dressed up in women’s clothing are sent to the entire town. At a press conference the mayor publicly commits suicide.
Hari Nef (L.) with costar Abra.
Just Charlie 2017
Hari Gilby as Charlie.
Harry Gilby is a young British actor best known for portraying J.R.R. Tolkien as a youth in the 2019 film Tolkien. In Just Charlie he plays the title character. Charlie is a teenage trans girl who loves to play football (Known as soccer to Americans) and is so good she has already been recruited by a team. Unfortunately it’s a men’s team and she wants to play on a women’s team. The film looks at Charlie coming to accept herself and put aside worries that her family will never understand her. Gilby was nominated for Most Promising Newcomer at the British Independent Film Awards 2017 for his role in the film.
And that’s a wrap! See you next time.
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Category: Transgender Fun & Entertainment
About the Author (Author Profile)
Angela Gardner is a founding member of The Renaissance Transgender Assoc., Inc., former editor of its newsletter and magazine, Transgender Community News. She was the Diva of Dish for TGF in the late 1990s and Editor of LadyLike magazine until its untimely demise. She has appeared in film and television shows portraying TG characters, as well as representing Renaissance on numerous talk shows.Subscribe
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