QUEEN, THE

(director: Frank Simon; cinematographers: Robert Elfstrom, Frank Simon, Ken van Sickle; editors: Fred Shore, Geraldine Fabrikant; cast: Bernard Giquel, Jack Doroshow (narrator/ Flawless Sabrina), Andy Warhol, Rachel Harlow/Richard, Crystal LaBeija; Runtime: 68; MPAA Rating: NR; producers: Don Herbert, Si Litvinoff; Kino Lorber/TCM; 1968)

“Takes you behind the scenes of the 1967 national drag queen contest held in NYC’s Town Hall.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz

In his debut feature film as director, Frank Simon’s (“Weekend of a Champion”) cinema verite LGBTQ documentary takes you behind the scenes of the 1967 national drag queen contest held in NYC’s Town Hall. You get a peek into how the drag queen community operated during those times.

The cultural event was sponsored by George Raft, Huntington Hartford (the Woolworth heir) and Edie Sedgwick. The jury included songwriter Jerry Leiber and writers Terry Southern and George Plimpton. The guest juror was the artist Andy Warhol.   

The performers are seen in raw footage of them meeting in an apartment when arriving from different parts of the country for the contest, of them chatting in dressing rooms and competing at rehearsals.

The 24-year-old Jack Doroshow, who uses the stage name the Flawless Sabrina, organized the contest and acts as narrator and event host. He clues us in on how competitive the contest was and how getting the right look and having the right beauty should lead to winning the pageant.

The contest winner was Richard, the 18-year-old whose stage name is Rachel Harlow (Miss Philadelphia), a protege of Jack’s–which caused tension with the Black contestant Miss Crystal, who pulled the race card as to why she lost.

This curiosity film offers a special moment of history for the gay community.

It played at the Cannes Film Festival.

REVIEWED ON 3/30/2025  GRADE: B-
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