I was a bit hesitant over this lesbian-themed romantic comedy--the trailer made it look like a gay meet-cute--but it caught me off-guard with its wit and wisdom.

Barbed, restless, and fatally-compromised as it is, this lesbian-themed drama of two athletes goes where most films made today fear to tread. The candor between the two women (and their teammates) is frank and disarming, and probably turned off more audiences in 1982 than it turned on. Still worth-seeing, with the intricacies of an open gay relationship prickled with humor and bite.

The gay male relationships (and feelings) in "Big Eden" are honestly portrayed--for both a dramatic and a low-keyed comedic affect--and the small town surrounding is unusual. I'm not sure the match-ups at the finale are convincing, but at least the protagonist gets his man (and nobody stares or throws any rocks).

The lesbian asides in "Showgirls" were most probably meant to titillate straight men, but gay audiences claimed the picture early on. It's a relief there's no sturm-and-drang over who's kissing who on-screen...the creaky "All About Eve"-styled plot takes precedence over the sexual conquests. Still, it's a lollipop of a movie, loose and amoral, and the gay subtext bubbles nicely under the surface.

Set in 1930s France, Blake Edwards' drag comedy is a big, bawdy delight aimed at sophisticated straight audiences, yet with a wink to gay viewers. Julie Andrews dons a tuxedo and everyone (improbably) believes she's a man, but the laughs are there. Plus, Robert Preston (as the proverbial gay best friend) does the queer-crowd proud.