Glen or Glenda
| Glen or Glenda | |
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Theatrical film poster
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| Directed by | Edward D. Wood, Jr. |
| Produced by | George Weiss |
| Written by | Edward D. Wood, Jr. |
| Starring | |
| Music by |
William Lava (uncredited) |
| Cinematography | William C. Thompson |
| Edited by | Bud Schelling |
| Distributed by | Screen Classics |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $20,000 (adjusted by inflation: $179,030) |
Glen or Glenda is a 1953 American drama film written, directed by and starring Ed Wood (credited in his starring role as "Daniel Davis"), and featuring Bela Lugosi and Wood's then-girlfriend Dolores Fuller. The title was originally I Changed My Sex! and is often given as Glen or Glenda? but the question mark is not present in the film itself.
The film is a docudrama about cross-dressing and transsexuality, and is semi-autobiographical in nature. Wood himself was a cross-dresser, and the film is a plea for tolerance. It is widely considered one of the worst films ever. However, it has become a cult film due to its low-budget production values and idiosyncratic style.
The film begins with a narrator, called The Scientist (Bela Lugosi), making cryptic comments about humanity. He first comments that humanity's constant search for the unknown, results in startling things coming to light. But most of these "new" discoveries are actually quite old, to which he refers to as "the signs of the ages". Later, the scene turns to the streets of a city, with the narrator commenting that each human has his/her own thoughts, ideas, and personality. He makes further comments on human life, while sounds accompany some comments. The cries of a newborn baby are followed by the sirens of an ambulance. One is a sign that a new life has begun, the other that a life has ended.
This last comment starts the narrative of the film. The life which has ended is that of a transvestite named Patrick/Patricia, who has committed suicide. A scene opens with his/her corpse in a small room. Within the room is an unidentified man who opens the door to a physician, a photographer, and the police. A suicide note explains the reasons behind the suicide. Patrick/Patricia had been arrested four times for cross-dressing in public, and had spent time in prison. Since he/she would continue wearing women's clothing, subsequent arrests and imprisonment were only a matter of time. So he/she ended his/her own life and wishes to be buried with his/her women's clothing. "Let my body rest in death forever, in the things I cannot wear in life."
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Wikipedia