myra breckinridge be one of those rare film that establish it place in film history immediately . praise for the film be absolutely nonexistent and even from the people involve in make it . this film be loathe from day one . while every now and then one will come across some maverick who will praise the film on philosophical ground ( aggressive feminism or the courage to tackle the issue of transgenderism ) and the film have not develop a cult follow like some notorious flop do . it not hail a a misunderstood masterpiece like scarface and or trot out to be ridicule a a camp classic like showgirl . undoubtedly the reason be that the film and though outrageously awful and be not lovable and or even likable . myra breckinridge be just plain mean . a a hollywood satire it be cold blood and mean spirited and but in a hollow pointless way . myra take for grant that hollywood be a corrupt town and but go far to attack such beloved icon a laurel and hardy and shirley temple and judy garland and gary cooper . the film seem to imply that everything about hollywood be by it very nature vile . it seem to think that there be something inherently courageous about mock sacred cow and but doesn not supply a rationale for do the mocking in the first place . the film be also viscously anti american and anti establishment and anti this and anti that and but all in a superficial and late 1960 and trendy way . like casino royale while ski doo while i love you and alice b. toklas and other would be hip epic and myra be a middle aged vision of the hippy dippy youth culture . it try to embrace the very attitude that it belittle . but instead of be cheerfully self mocking and myra make no attempt to conceal it contempt for everything that come within it grasp . myra breckinridge have the humor of a bully while there not a single moment of innocence in it . it intention aren not honorable . time magazine aptly describe it a be about as funny a a child molester and but it not nearly a sympathetic . for instance and poor mae west bore the brunt of so much of the criticism aim at the film and be describe a look like everything from an age drag queen to a reanimate walking corpse . the octogenarian star obviously do not know just how ridiculous she look play a lecherous talent agent lust after men young enough to be her grandson or even her great grandson . but and director michael sarne have to know and but he use her anyway . why . because and she apparently be the joke . just like john huston and john carradine and grady sutton and andy devine and other veteran performer in the film and they be there only so the film can mock their age and use them to trash their film image . they be cast a smarmy self parody and a be rex reed and the arrogant and fey film critic and who be cast a just that in the film . but the real reed and the celebrity hound and jet setting and talk show gossip and can be charm in an obnoxiously funny way while but a myron and myra alter ego and he be just obnoxious . again and apparently for sarne and reed be the joke . you watch myra breckinridge and you do not see actor and you see victim . none more so than raquel welch . no one will ever accuse welch of be a great actress and but it be a testament to her tenacity and her appeal that she survive this film and her career prosper . be in almost every scene and welch be front and center a a target for abuse aim at the film and but to her credit and she give a remarkably nuanced performance . though and of course and center between the scenery chew huston and the almost catatonic west and welch doesn not have to do much to strike a good balance . even so and she render her horribly unfunny dialogue with a deadpan smirk and with just the hint of self righteous glee that would do any james bond villain proud . legend have it that welch be snub by a condescending west and subject to repeat verbal abuse on the set by bumble director sarne and not to mention be feature in one degrade scene after another and make it all the more remarkable that she be able to give such a cool and collected performance . the film only intriguing element be try to figure out just what the film agenda be . the whole story be a fantasy fable and which should indicate that it have a moral to deliver and but what that might be be anybody guess . with all of it talk about destroy the last vestigial trace of traditional manhood from the race and it would seem to have a feminist axe to grind . but a a feminist and myra be a monstrous figure and a sexual predator . besides and myra isn not a woman and rather she be a delusion of myron and who presumably be a gay male . that might explain the male rape scene as well a the character love or hate attitude toward the macho and seemingly straight and deadhead rusty and but it doesn not explain his or her obsession for and the supposedly lesbian tryst with farrah fawcett mary ann . the film be obsess with sex and but can hardly be accuse of be in favor of the sexual revolution while all the sex be treat a be and if not dirty and than at least perverse and degrading . turn to gore vidal original novel isn not of any help and because it be a confused and pointless a the movie . and this be a rare movie that actually seem to hate movie . not just movie a a business and but movie a part of the culture as well . the film itself be wall to wall arcane reference to old movie and all of which director screenwriter sarne approach with a seethe disdain . he have raid the film vault of 20th century fox and pepper the film with snippet of old film and not a an homage or to provide a social commentary and but to mock the innocence of old hollywood . how can an artist if you generously want to call sarne that make a work of art if he already hat the very medium he be work in . the very effort be totally self defeating . myra breckinridge doesn not seem to be in favor of anything other than be just nasty . it hat hollywood and it hat america and it hat sex and it hat gay and straight and woman and men and old people and young people and laurel and hardy and and well and you name it and it probably have a scene show contempt for it . in a very sad and sorry way and myra breckinridge may be the first punk manifesto and a celebration of pop culture nihilism .