A midwestern teacher questions his sexuality after a former student makes a comment about him at the Academy Awards.A midwestern teacher questions his sexuality after a former student makes a comment about him at the Academy Awards.A midwestern teacher questions his sexuality after a former student makes a comment about him at the Academy Awards.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 7 wins & 18 nominations total
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Storyline
All of Greenleaf, Indiana is watching this year's telecast of the Oscars as Hollywood heartthrob and local boy made good Cameron Drake has been nominated for his first ever Best Actor Oscar for his latest movie role as a gay soldier. Cameron's high school English teacher Howard Brackett is overjoyed when Cameron wins the award and mentions Howard's contribution in his acting life. That joy turns to horror when Cameron mentions to the worldwide audience that Howard is gay, especially horrific to Howard as he is engaged to fellow teacher Emily Montgomery, a woman with self-esteem issues as she had battled weight issues most of her life before she lost seventy-five pounds for the wedding. Howard's life is totally disrupted as Hollywood media descends on Greenleaf in order to get Howard's story. The rest of Greenleaf also openly wonders if Howard is indeed gay, as he exhibits many stereotypical gay tendencies, such as being neat, and loving music, dancing, poetry and Barbra Streisand. His cause is not helped in that his and Emily's relationship has not yet been consummated. The one person not concerned is Emily, who trusts Howard. As Howard continues to deny being gay to his family, friends and colleagues, he begins to examine himself hypercritically if only because if others believe he's gay, there may be some merit to the claim, as well as because of an incident that occurs with Hollywood reporter Peter Malloy, who is doing a week-long piece on Howard leading up to his and Emily's wedding. But Cameron Drake may be able to provide some overall perspective to what is happening to Howard and the frenzy he has caused. —Huggo
- Taglines
- An out-and-out comedy.
- Genres
- Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
- Rated PG-13 for sexual content and some strong language
- Parents guide
Did you know
- TriviaMatt Dillon's outing of his teacher in his acceptance speech is based upon Tom Hanks' real-life acceptance speech at The 66th Annual Academy Awards (1994) for his Oscar for Philadelphia (1993), in which he thanked a gay teacher.
- GoofsThe timing referred to in the film is way off. The celebration dinner before the wedding is held in the daytime before the Oscars. At the dinner, Howard states that he is getting married on Sunday, in three days. The Oscars are never held on Thursday, they have been held either Sunday or Monday. Meanwhile, this is a short time before high school graduation, which is in late May or early June. The Oscars are now being held in January or February.
- Quotes
[while listening to the "How to Be a Man" tape]
Voice on tape: Repeat after me: Yo!
Howard Brackett: Yo!
Voice on tape: Hot damn!
Howard Brackett: Hot damn!
Voice on tape: What a fabulous window treatment!
Howard Brackett: What a fabu...
Voice on tape: That was a trick!
- Crazy creditsDuring the end credits, the cast is dancing to "Macho Man" and goofing off at Berniece and Frank's wedding reception.
- ConnectionsFeatured in At the Movies: Fire Down Below/In and Out/Julian Po/Bang (1997)
- SoundtracksEverything's Coming Up Roses
Written by Stephen Sondheim and Jule Styne
Performed by Ethel Merman
Courtesy of Columbia Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing
Top review
not bad
I didn't care for this at first, but it is really a funny movie. Kevin Kline is his usuall good self as an english teacher who is outed at the Academy Awards by a former student, and he is due to get married soon. Wilferd Brimley is hilarious as Klines dad & Tom Selleck as an openly gay reporter steals almost every scene he is in. Its not one of my favorites, but its better than alot of other "gay comedys".
helpful•60
- jimjam20-2
- Jan 17, 2002
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $35,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $63,856,929
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $15,019,821
- Sep 21, 1997
- Gross worldwide
- $63,856,929
- Runtime1 hour 30 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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