Outrageous!
Robin Turner (Craig Russell) is a young gay hairdresser who watches a female impersonator perform in a Toronto nightclub. Robin quotes: "I'm not that desperate... not yet". Meanwhile, Liza Connors (H…
Outrageous!
Robin Turner (Craig Russell) is a young gay hairdresser who watches a female impersonator perform in a Toronto nightclub. Robin quotes: "I'm not that desperate... not yet". Meanwhile, Liza Connors (Hollis McLaren), Robin's best friend is seen walking out of a home for the mentally insane where her mother had her committed because she always cried. Robin lets Liza stay with him at his apartment until she can find a place for herself. She mentally suffers because she believes "the bone-crusher", an imaginary being, won't leave her alone. "We'll lick it together", Robin tells her. Liza's psychologist allows Liza to stay with Robin when she assures him that their relationship is not of any sexual nature. He insists that she not become pregnant in her state and prescribes birth control pills for her. But Liza meets and has sex with a guy and doesn't take the pills. Robin is unhappy with his job and his brief sexual relationships with "normal" gay men. Liza tells him to get out of his rut by doing something "dazzling." She convinces Robin to enter a drag queen contest with his friend Perry (Richard Easley). Robin dresses up as the actress Tallulah Bankhead and is offered a club date at no pay doing female impersonations. When Liza finds out about the arrangement, she tells Robin: "Do your act for all us crazies." Robin nervously does the club act and is a big hit as Bette Davis. Sometime later, Liza is thrilled to learn that she is pregnant because according to her: "It proves I'm alive". Meanwhile, Robin's gay boss fires him because their salon clients have learned that Robin does female impersonations. However, Robin gets an offer to do his act at the Jack Rabbit club in New York City... for real money. Robin is afraid to take the job offer because he might have to move to New York for good... and leave Liza behind while she has her baby. Liza and her friend Martin (Allan Moyle), whom she knew from the mental hospital, accompany Robin to the train station to see him off and to assure him that they will be all right together. As soon as the train leaves, Liza feels the presence of "the bone-crusher." Robin arrives in New York at Grand Central Station and takes a taxi to the Jack Rabbit. Bob (David Meilwraith), the taxi driver, turns out also to be gay and a part-time talent agent. He agrees to represent Robin for a cut of his earnings. That evening, Robin debuts at the gay club and does well impersonating Mae West. Eventually, Bob gets Robin a tryout at an uptown middle-class nightclub. Robin is a hit performing for this mixed gay/straight audience which results in Bob arranging a good contract for him there. Although he can afford better, Robin rents a small apartment in a freaky neighborhood so Liza will feel comfortable staying with him. Back in Toronto, Martin stabs someone in a fight and is put in jail. Liza is now alone although she keeps writing her short stories in a book she always carries with her. She stays with her friend Jo (Helen Shaver), a book editor, who tells her that she will try to get her short stories published so Liza can have a steady income. However, Jo soon finds Liza too hysterical take care of her. Another few months later, Liza's baby is stillborn. As a result, Liza has another mental breakdown and becomes catatonic. Her lesbian friend Anne (Andree Pelletier) take her home to her apartment, but even Anne cannot help her recover. Robin and Bob drive to Canada to visit Liza where they learn about her mental breakdown and visit her. Despite that Robin and Anne do not get along with each other and constantly argue about everything, Anne agrees to let Robin take Liza to New York because Anne realizes that Robin is Liza's only hope for recovery. Once in New York, Liza starts to come out of her daze. She goes to the Jack Rabbit one evening and watches Robin put on his show. Afterwords in his dressing room, Liza tells Robin that among all the friendly gay men there she no longer feels the presence of "the bone-crusher." "He will show up. Everyone does" says Robin jokingly. He tells Liza that she is not dead inside like she thinks, but very much alive. Robin tells Liza that she will never be completely normal, but that she is 'special' and can have fun making a living by writing her short stories among eight million other crazies in New York City. The film ends with Robin and the smiling Liza walking out of the dressing room and joining all of the other male customers in the Jack Rabbit nightclub. They all dance.
Outrageous!
Comedy,Drama
Film Details
Robin Turner (Craig Russell) is a young gay hairdresser who watches a female impersonator perform in a Toronto nightclub. Robin quotes: "I'm not that desperate... not yet".
Meanwhile, Liza Connors (Hollis McLaren), Robin's best friend is seen walking out of a home for the mentally insane where her mother had her committed because she always cried. Robin lets Liza stay with him at his apartment until she can find a place for herself. She mentally suffers because she believes "the bone-crusher", an imaginary being, won't leave her alone.
"We'll lick it together", Robin tells her. Liza's psychologist allows Liza to stay with Robin when she assures him that their relationship is not of any sexual nature. He insists that she not become pregnant in her state and prescribes birth control pills for her.
But Liza meets and has sex with a guy and doesn't take the pills. Robin is unhappy with his job and his brief sexual relationships with "normal" gay men. Liza tells him to get out of his rut by doing something "dazzling." She convinces Robin to enter a drag queen contest with his friend Perry (Richard Easley).
Robin dresses up as the actress Tallulah Bankhead and is offered a club date at no pay doing female impersonations. When Liza finds out about the arrangement, she tells Robin: "Do your act for all us crazies." Robin nervously does the club act and is a big hit as Bette Davis. Sometime later, Liza is thrilled to learn that she is pregnant because according to her: "It proves I'm alive".
Meanwhile, Robin's gay boss fires him because their salon clients have learned that Robin does female impersonations. However, Robin gets an offer to do his act at the Jack Rabbit club in New York City... for real money.
Robin is afraid to take the job offer because he might have to move to New York for good... and leave Liza behind while she has her baby. Liza and her friend Martin (Allan Moyle), whom she knew from the mental hospital, accompany Robin to the train station to see him off and to assure him that they will be all right together.
As soon as the train leaves, Liza feels the presence of "the bone-crusher." Robin arrives in New York at Grand Central Station and takes a taxi to the Jack Rabbit. Bob (David Meilwraith), the taxi driver, turns out also to be gay and a part-time talent agent. He agrees to represent Robin for a cut of his earnings.
That evening, Robin debuts at the gay club and does well impersonating Mae West. Eventually, Bob gets Robin a tryout at an uptown middle-class nightclub. Robin is a hit performing for this mixed gay/straight audience which results in Bob arranging a good contract for him there.
Although he can afford better, Robin rents a small apartment in a freaky neighborhood so Liza will feel comfortable staying with him. Back in Toronto, Martin stabs someone in a fight and is put in jail. Liza is now alone although she keeps writing her short stories in a book she always carries with her.
She stays with her friend Jo (Helen Shaver), a book editor, who tells her that she will try to get her short stories published so Liza can have a steady income. However, Jo soon finds Liza too hysterical take care of her. Another few months later, Liza's baby is stillborn.
As a result, Liza has another mental breakdown and becomes catatonic. Her lesbian friend Anne (Andree Pelletier) take her home to her apartment, but even Anne cannot help her recover. Robin and Bob drive to Canada to visit Liza where they learn about her mental breakdown and visit her.
Despite that Robin and Anne do not get along with each other and constantly argue about everything, Anne agrees to let Robin take Liza to New York because Anne realizes that Robin is Liza's only hope for recovery. Once in New York, Liza starts to come out of her daze. She goes to the Jack Rabbit one evening and watches Robin put on his show.
Afterwords in his dressing room, Liza tells Robin that among all the friendly gay men there she no longer feels the presence of "the bone-crusher." "He will show up. Everyone does" says Robin jokingly. He tells Liza that she is not dead inside like she thinks, but very much alive.
Robin tells Liza that she will never be completely normal, but that she is 'special' and can have fun making a living by writing her short stories among eight million other crazies in New York City. The film ends with Robin and the smiling Liza walking out of the dressing room and joining all of the other male customers in the Jack Rabbit nightclub. They all dance..