The Tin Man

Soldier’s Girl

winchell.jpgLast night I watched Soldier’s Girl, a TV movie based on the true story of U.S. Army soldier Pfc. Barry Winchell. Winchell was murdered in Tennessee by a fellow Army soldier who suspected that Winchell was gay. In reality, Winchell was in love with a pre-operative transsexual, Calpernia Addams, and therefore he didn’t fit neatly into one category.

I became intrigued by this movie after seeing a clip of it on the Golden Globes a couple of weeks ago (it received three nominations). It’s available on Netflix. It’s dramatic — simultaneously brutal and uplifting — and Lee Pace, who plays Calpernia, is terrific. I highly recommend it.

Here’s a great summary of the case that was based in part on an interview with Calpernia.

5 comments

1 Jere 2/03/04 at 7:11 PM

Is Lee Pace a man or a woman? It’s always interesting to see if MTF trans-sexuals are played by men in drag or actual women.

2 Tin Man 2/04/04 at 9:55 AM

Lee Pace is a man. He was wearing prosthetic breasts that looked remarkably real. The DVD has a documentary about how they made him into a woman.

3 Nicky 12/19/04 at 1:55 PM

really a grate movie i saw it in gay bombay flim fest in India(mumbai)..
its really touching story.. i saw every guys and gals were crying when this guy got killed..
Nicky

4 David Ehrenstein 12/19/04 at 8:13 PM

Barry Winchell was played by Troy Garrity who is the son of Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden.

5 Kris J. 7/18/05 at 6:44 PM

This movie has been such a trageic journey for me…I really LOVE this movie, not because of the cute ACTORS, but cuz of the message…Transgender people all over, i bet feel that this movie should be a symbol of LOVE…YOU can never tell what the world has to offer, and this movie brings it all in one lovely story. I thank Calpernia Addams for telling her story, and Troy Garity for being barry! it takes a lot of guts to play a gay guyz roll! one last thing, i hope one day,, i become a WOMAN! love alwayz kris!