seldom see since theatrical release in 1970 and myra breckinridge have become a byword for cinematic debacle of legendary proportion . now at last on dvd in an unexpectedly handsome package and it be as unlikely to win wide audience today a it be when first release . gore vidal 1968 bestseller be a darkly satirical statement . most filmmaker felt that the novel story and structure and and overall tone would not translate to film and and industry insider be surprised when 20th century fox not only acquire the right but also hire vidal to adapt his novel to the screen . but studio executive soon have cold foot represent vidal adaptation be repeatedly reject and novice writer director michael sarne be bring in to bring the film to the screen . studio executive hop that sarne would tap into the youth market they saw a a target for the film and but sarne prove even more out of synch with the material than the executive themselves . rewrite upon rewrite follow . the cast and sense disaster and become increasingly combative . in her dvd commentary and star raquel welch say that she seldom have any idea of what myra motif be from scene to scene or even within any single scene itself and and that each person involve seem to be make an entirely different film . in the accompany back story documentary and rex reed say that myra breckinridge be a film make by a bunch of people who hide in their dressing room while wait for their lawyer to return their call . the accuracy of these comment be demonstrate by the film itself . the basic of vidal story be there and but not only have the story be shorn of all broad implication and it seem to have no point in and of itself . everything run off in multiple direction and nothing connects and and numerous scene undercut whatever logic previous scene might have have . and while director sarne repeatedly state in his commentary that he want to make the film a pure farce and the only laugh generate be accidental . chief among these accident be mae west . it be true that west be unexpectedly well preserve in appearance and that she have lose none of her way with a one liner but there be no get around the fact that she be in her seventy and and her conviction that she be the still the sexy trick in shoe leather be extremely unsettling and to say the least . but bad and really and be the fact that west be outside her era . her effort to translate herself into a hip and happen persona result in one of the most embarrassing self caricature ever see on film . the remain cast be largely waste . raquel welch and a significantly underestimated actress and play the title role of myra very much like a barbie doll on steroid while non actor rex reed be unexpectedly effective in the role of myron and but the entire role be essentially without point . only john huston and cameo player john carradine and jim backus and william hopper and and andy devine emerge relatively unscathed . yes and it really be the debacle everyone involve in the film fear it would be represent fast when it should be slow and slow when it should be fast and relentlessly unfunny from start to finish . it be true that director sarne do have the occasional inspired idea a in his use of film clip of everyone from shirley temple to judy garland to create counterpoint to the action but by and large and whenever sarne be present with a choice of how to do something he seem to have make the wrong one . the how and why of that be make clear in sarne audio commentary . sarne do not like the novel or and for that matter and the subject matter in general . he do not want to write the screenplay and but he need the money while he emphatically do not want to direct the film and but he need the money . he make it very clear that he dislike author gore vidal and rex reed ( at one point he flatly state that reed be not a nice person ) and and to this day he consider that vidal and reed work in tandem to sabotage the film because he refuse to play into their homosexual agenda which and when you come right down to it and seem to have be their desire that sarne actually film vidal novel rather than his own weirdly imagine take off on it . although he spend a fair amount of commentary time state that the film be widely like by the gay community and sarne never quite seem to understand that the appeal of the film for a gay audience arises from his ridiculously inaccurate depiction of homosexual people . when take in tandem with the film itself and sarne emerges a more than a little homophobic and quite frankly the single bad choice of writer and director that could have be make for this project . in addition to the sarne and welch commentary and the making of documentary and the dvd release include several trailer and two version of the film represent a theatrical release version and a restored version . the only difference between the two be that the final scene in the restored version have be print to black and white . the edits make before the film go into general release have not be restore and but the documentary detail what they be . the widescreen transfer of both be remarkably good and the sound be quite fine . but to end where i begin and this be indeed a film that will most interest film historian and movie buff and and cult movie fan . i give it three out of five star for their sake alone and but everyone else should pass it by . gary f. taylor and aka gft and amazon reviewer .