Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
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A gender-reassigned rock singer follows her former protégé on tour while grappling with her past and her search for her 'other half'.
The story
After undergoing a botched sex reassignment surgery in East Germany to marry an American soldier, Hansel becomes Hedwig. Following the separation from her husband and the fall of the Berlin Wall, Hedwig forms a rock band and begins mentoring a shy teenager named Tommy Speck. However, the relationship sours when Tommy steals her music to become a successful rock star. The film follows Hedwig and her band, the Angry Inch, as they shadow Tommy's tour, exploring Hedwig's history and her internal struggles while she pursues a copyright lawsuit.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Hansel Schmidt, a gay East German teenager, undergoes a botched sex reassignment surgery to marry an American soldier, Luther, who wants her to leave the Communist East as his wife. Left with a 'one-inch mound of flesh' and the name Hedwig, she moves to Kansas. After Luther leaves her for a man and the Berlin Wall falls, Hedwig forms a rock band and mentors Tommy Speck, a teenager she trains in music. Tommy eventually steals her songs to become the rock star 'Tommy Gnosis.' Hedwig and her band, the Angry Inch, follow his tour while playing in failing seafood restaurants. Throughout the journey, Hedwig reflects on her life and the Platonic myth of human beings being split in two. After her band abandons her, Hedwig reconciles with Tommy. Following a car accident that makes her famous and tanks Gnosis' popularity, she performs in Times Square. The film ends in a surreal space where Hedwig realizes she created her 'other half' from within herself, eventually performing in solidarity with 'all the misfits and losers' before walking into the street.
- First release year
- 2001
- Runtime (minutes)
- 92
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; German
- Directors
- John Cameron Mitchell
- Writers
- John Cameron Mitchell · writer; Stephen Trask · writer
- Cast and characters
- John Cameron Mitchell · Hedwig; Andrea Martin; Michael Pitt · Tommy Gnosis; Miriam Shor
- Genres
- musical; comedy; drama
- Themes
- identity; self-discovery; artistic theft; longing; gender reassignment
- Tone and mood
- emotional; poignant; rock musical
- Setting
- East Germany, Junction City, Kansas, and Times Square during the late 20th century.
- Premise and plot tags
- musical; comedy-drama; LGBTQ+; independent; rock musical
- Source material / true-story basis
- John Cameron Mitchell's and Stephen Trask's 1998 stage musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch
- Reception
- The film received largely positive reviews from critics and audiences, developing a devoted cult following despite a limited box office performance.
- Awards and nominations
- Best Director · Sundance Film Festival · win; Audience Award · Sundance Film Festival · win; Best Actor – Motion Picture Musical or Comedy · Golden Globe · nomination
- Production trivia
- John Cameron Mitchell had to shave constantly during the film shoot.; The film's release was affected by the September 11 attacks.; The studio initially objected to a 'drag' performance on The Rosie O'Donnell Show.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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