The Legend of Lylah Clare (1968)

Slow film about lesbian relationships based in the film industry. Films set in film studios often indicate a self-indulgent approach.

The female lead is about to do a trapeze act for shooting, and dismisses the stunt double (right), who walks away in a peculiarly masculine way.

But there may be more transgender relevance than that; a researcher's description of the film is: "Kim Novak plays Elsa Brinkman, an actress hired to portray the late Lylah for a movie, and seems to become posessed by the lesbian’s ghost. There is a brief scene of Lylah’s lover cross-dressing."

HF February 2003

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