Remembering Vida Boheme

by Christopher Beckwith

As America mourned the passing of Patrick Swayze, I noticed that recognition of his ground-breaking role as Vida Boheme in ‘To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar’ was noticeably absent. I was surprised and a little saddened because the move made a big impression on my life and is still one of my favorites.

‘To Wong Foo’ was a light-hearted feel good movie with a subliminal message of tolerance.  Patrick Swayze played Vida Boheme, the matriarch of an unlikely trio of drag queens that travel from New York City to Hollywood to participate in the ‘Drag Queen of America’ contest.  It was a landmark role and arguably Patrick Swayze’s most demanding.

The 1995 movie was a critically acclaimed box office hit grossing nearly $50 million.  That alone is validation but ‘To Wong Foo’ gave us so much more.  The story touches on everyday issues from self-esteem and acceptance to domestic abuse and fidelity.  Not only was the movie entertaining, it spoke to a segment of our community, transgendered women, who for so many years had felt completely disenfranchised.

The appeal of the movie was the artistry of three mainstream heterosexual actors who seamlessly portrayed the philosophy of the transgender lifestyle without the auspices of gay sexuality.  In addition to the inspirational aspect, the film intentionally shed light on the actual normalcy of gay and transgendered people.  It gave viewers a chance to see the human side of a demographic that they might otherwise never know.

The beauty of ‘To Wong Foo’ was it captured the essence of drag life through three improbable yet totally believable actors.  Patrick Swayze (Vida Boheme), Wesley Snipes (Noxeema Jackson) and John Leguizamo (Chi-Chi Rodriguez) embraced the far-reaching challenge of bringing these characters to life.

As with all drag queens, the lead characters are unequivocally more female than any genuine woman.  But as men, they exploit their forcefulness to elevate the splendor that is womanhood to a higher level.

One of the many touching scenes was when a teary Vida confronts Stockard Channing’s character Carol Ann after another of her husband’s violent attacks.  She says, “Honey, do you like ever not cry in this room?” This is before Vida literally kicks Carol Ann’s husband’s ass right out the front door.

The simplistically complex plot has our heroines defending the ‘natural’ women in the story subsequently giving these women a new sense of self.  Their empathy for these women teaches them that they deserve much more than the men in their lives have been willing to offer.  The drag queens ultimately walk away with a more acute sense of femininity and self-pride.

This movie is a National treasure that has something for everyone. The writing is brilliant with some of the wittiest lines in cinematic history.  The movie also takes on homophobia in an engagingly humorous way while leaving viewers with a better understanding of their own biases.

Probably one of the least memorable and yet most powerful moments in the film is early on when the threesome pull up to Vida’s childhood home.  Her mother steps outside to investigate but once she notices that the driver is her estranged son, she quickly rushes back into the house.

Another noteworthy scene is one of an argument between Vida and Chi-Chi.  As the spat intensifies, Chi-Chi tells Vida, “…you’re not a queen because you rule people or you sit on a throne baby.  You’re a queen because you couldn’t cut it as a man so you had to put on a dress!  As Vida charges toward Chi-Chi, her wig gets snagged on a hanger and the moment of realization in her eyes is painfully priceless.

There was no shortage of cunning lines in this charming work of art.  A couple of my favorites are when Chi-Chi Rodriguez says, “Can’t I just stay a princess?  They’re so much younger than Queens.” or the even funnier, “Go on Vida and talk to him, you speak honkey!”

Wesley Snipes also had his share of bright moments as Noxeema Jackson, the most memorable being his explanation of the different levels of ‘transgenderdom’ to Chi-Chi.  He states, “When a straight man puts on a dress and gets his sexual kicks, he is a transvestite.  When a man is a woman trapped in a man’s body and has a little operation, he is a transsexual.  When a gay man has way too much fashion sense for one gender, he is a drag queen.  And when a tired little Latin boy puts on a dress, he is simply a boy in a dress!”

Vida, on the other hand, often made light of her insecurities.  At one point in the film, she says, “When my father would call me cruel names, it was just because of his sense of humor.”

When asked about the role of Vida Boheme, Patrick Swayze responded, “It was an opportunity to create a character who was truly an angel.  I thought playing a drag queen was a big ol’ lark, and I’d play a big old queen but in rehearsal it didn’t work.  I realized her job was to be the heart of this movie.  Miss Vida stands for every drag queen on the planet or for anyone who has been misunderstood.  It turned out to be the most emotional thing in my entire career and I’m pretty proud of it.”

As my personal tribute to Patrick Swayze, all that I have left to say is that Vida was much more than a ‘gringa with a pinga!’ Rest in peace Grande Dame!

NBJC Blogger Christopher Beckwith is the author of the ground-breaking debut novel What’s In It For Me?  His opinions are his own and do not necessarily reflect positions of the National Black Justice Coalition.