Saving Private Tootsie (2002, Thailand)

A Thai passenger plane crashes near the border, and in fact comes down in territory where rebels are carrying out guerrilla warfare. Several of the passengers are gay and transsexual; the Thai army send a small team in to rescue them, and because of the political sensitivity of helping these minorities, a promised helicopter is cancelled, and they have to make their way out on foot. The transwomen are hardly dressed for a trek, of course.

One of the soldiers is seriously homophobic, and has a grudge because his son has refused to follow him into the army, and instead "wants to find a husband".

The rescued group are exceedingly bitchy and antagonise their rescuers in a most un-ladylike way, and there is mutiny in the air. When the fighting starts, some of the soldiers think it would be easier to kill "the fags" and thereby make their own escape more straightforward.

Some of the dialogue is quite difficult for Western audiences to warm to, but you have to put that down to cultural differences, and treat it as a jungle rescue film.

HF October 2003

This Page: Saving Private Tootsie Return to Alphabetical Index Page Return to Home Page

Hazel Freeman's International Transgender Film Guide is maintained by

Jenni Olson

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!