I learned two things watching Myra Breckenridge. One is that Rex Reed was once a beautiful man and the other is that John Huston doesn't give a rat's ass what movie he's in. Don't believe me? Double feature this with Tentacles and you'll get my drift. Other than that, this mind blowing time waster is just that… a waste of time.

I never read the critically acclaimed Gore Vidal novel this movie was based on so maybe I missed the point, but the movie Myra Breckenridge waffles in limbo somewhere between mediocrity and just plain crap.

The story: Myron Breckinridge (Reed) is a transsexual attempting to live out his feminine desires as well as seek revenge through the bombshell character he's created, Myra (Raquel Welch). First stop - ruining his mean ol' uncle Buck Loner (Huston) and gaining control of Buck's acting school that was rightfully Myron's. Somewhere along the way, Mae West shows up and does a cover of the Otis Redding tune "Handle." Tom Selleck makes an appearance as the hunk that gets to screw Mae. Farrah Fawcett puts in some good work as the ingénue about to be lustfully seduced by Myra along with her beau, played by a dimwitted looking Roger Herren. Somehow, this all works into Myra's plan for world domination before she reveals her, uh, assets to a court of law.

Talibano's deepest fantasy, brought to life in brilliant color.

Not nearly as fun as Beyond the Valley of the Dolls and not nearly as silly as The Lonely Lady, Myra Breckenridge manages to take an allegory about the constraints of sex and the allure of Hollywood and make them seem about as interesting as a wet paper bag. Shirley Temple actually sued the filmmakers for using one of her songs in the opening credits. Smart girl…

For you masochistic types, 20th Century Fox's DVD of Myra Breckenridge is a treat. Beautifully remastered, there are also two commentary tracks. One features the ageless Raquel Welch and the other is with the director Michael Sarne. Also included is the AMC Backstory documentary. In this cool little special you'll find all involved hold the novice Sarne in contempt which may explain the separate commentaries. Otherwise, you're better off watching paint dry instead of watching this unentertaining air bubble.

(Click Here for DVD's Technical Specs)

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