The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Synopsis
Terence Stamp skilfully plays Bernadette, a transsexual beginning to feel her age (centre); Hugo Weaving (left) is Tick/Mitzi, a heterosexual drag performer, and Guy Pearce is the outgoing gay Adam/Felicia.
It all starts when Bernadette (left) and Tick/Mitzi are at the funeral of a close friend; both are feeling down and in need of a change. The two have a bond of understanding, and Tick discloses that he has the chance of a theatrical booking ... would Bernadette like to take part? The snag is that it's in Alice Springs in the interior of Australia.
Against Bernadette's better judgment, they take the irresponsible Adam/Felicia with them; however he manages to buy a clapped out coach from some Swedish tourists, by conning some cash from his mother, so at least their transport problem is solved. The coach is named Priscilla.
On the first part of the journey, they settle down and start to express their own personalities. Bernadette is melancholic and introspective transsexual, and Tick is moody too, thinking of his wife and small child, with whom he hasn't had much contact. Adam is in high spirits and intentionally gets on the nerves of the other two.
The Australian outback is vast and thinly populated. After sleeping on the bus for the first night, they stop on the long, featureless road, to take this in.
Eventually they come to a town, so they do some sightseeing. Bernadette tries to blend in, but the other two feel some release from the journey's tedium in dressing outrageously. Heads turn in amazement.
They go to a bar for a drink, but the female proprietor won't serve them. (You can see why she was dubious, though, can't you.)
The resulting argument is resolved by a drinking contest, between the proprietor and Bernadette. Bernadette eventually wins.
The next morning they are ready to leave, but someone in the town has marked their disapproval by spray painting the bus.
The bus breaks down in the middle of the desert; they have breakfast while they work out what to do.
After the whole day and the night, Tick manages to get a mechanic to come out to rescue them.
The mechanic is Bob, and he takes a liking to Bernadette. After he has repaired the bus, he decides to go along with them for the ride.
At a hick town stop-off, Adam gets high and goes out as Felicia looking for boys. Inevitably she gets a lot of trouble instead, and has to be rescued by Bernadette.
As they approach Alice Springs, Tick starts to think more about his family; he hasn't fully disclosed that he has a wife and son in Alice Springs; the wife is the owner of the saloon where they will be performing. The meeting is poignant, but the son has a very mature idea of what the significance of his Father's profession is.
The first performance takes place; after all, that's what they came for.
Bob calls on Bernadette with some flowers, taking her a bit by surprise.
Between performances, they all go for a picnic.
The trio of drag performers reach their pinnacle on Kings Canyon, a beauty spot outside Alice Springs.
The performances are over, and they are all loading their gear on the bus to return home, but at the last minute Bernadette declares that she is staying on; a poignant moment as she finally finds happiness and lives happily ever after with Bob (Bill Hunter).
HF September 1999
 |
This Page:
The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
|
Hazel Freeman's
International Transgender Film Guide
is maintained by |
 |
|
and hosted at |
|
Visitors from the US and Canada can help support this site by shopping for LGBT DVDs using this WolfeVideo.com affiliate link.
The commission we earn from your purchases will directly support the continued existence of this website. Thank you!
