Welcome to Screen Gems, our weekend dive into queer and queer-adjacent titles of the past that deserve a watch or a re-watch.Maybe we’re just pining over all the classy ladies wearing new shoes to Easter church services this weekend, but for some reason, we have heels on our minds.What better way to celebrate and have a bit of catharsis than watching a movie all about heels and queerness?Before Kinky Boots conquered Broadway and made Billy Porter into a star, the story began life as a little-seen indie film in 2005.
As directed by Julian Jerrold, the story remains essentially the same. A struggling shoemaker named Charlie (Joel Edgerton) fights to keep his family business afloat in rural England.
On a visit to London, a chance encounter leads Charlie into the presence of Lola/Simon (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a professional drag queen.
Charlie finds drag shoes fascinating and comes up with a wild scheme: his shoe factory will begin to produce high-heeled shoes and boots aimed at a drag queen market.