Willy/Milly
Dir. Paul Schneider, 1986, USA, 90 mins, 35mm
Special introduction by filmmaker and archivist Jenni Olson
Imagine an ABC Afterschool Special with a queer sensibility and a sophisticated sense of humor and you might arrive at Willy/Milly. A young Pamela Adlon (then Seagall) stars as a teenaged girl who gets her wish and magically transforms into a boy. As Willy, Milly gets a taste of what life is like for the opposite sex: his girlfriend develops a different kind of interest in him, as does his new pal Alfie… Playing extensively on homoerotic potential and having fun with traditional gender roles, the film disappeared from view following a brief release in 1986—and has been unseen theatrically since. With an outstanding Patty Duke as Milly’s mother.
Part of the Coming Out Again program–an ongoing series in collaboration with Quad Cinema that surveys lesser-known landmarks of LGBTQ film history.
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