Cleo/Leo

My review was written in April 1989 after watching the movie on New World video cassette.

The screen's current body-switching craze receives an effective variation in "Cleo/Leo", a direct-to-video feature satirizing male chauvinism.

Scott Baker sports all the familiar cliches as a sexist businessman, who falls in the river after being chased by an irate redhead on the street who doesn't like his insulting comments.

Director Chuck Vincent glosses over the fantasy gimmick, as hero emerges from the drink as a woman, Jane Hamilton. She's a foul-mouthed and unaware at first that a transformation has taken place.

Through this role reversal, Hamilton learns the error of her/his ways as guys make moves on her. The technique of a recent similar film, New World's George Burns vehicle "18 Again", is used as Baker's voice is voiced over from time to time as an alter ego to Hamilton's ongoing expanding consciousness.

Pic effectively capsules archaic sexual attitudes and stereotyping, though it fails to achieve the humor and nuttiness of a forebear like Thorne Smith's "Turnabout", the Hal Roach 1940 feature that's ripe for an update.

What makes the film work is an enthusiastic performance by Hamilton (a/k/a Veronica Hart), getting a nice showcase here in her 20th feature assignment for Vincent. Baker is okay in a briefer role.

Former porn star Ginger Lynn Allen has her best crossover role to date, both sexy and sympathetic as Hamilton's roommate.

Gender switching is one area that Hollywood has never been willing to explore. Even Blake Edwards could not get a studio to examine this concept with any validity. However, a porn film maker used his resources to put together an excellent cast in support of a whimsical story, which is told well. Although many in the cast had experience in pornography, this film is not of that nature. (Unless you consider nudity to be pornography, in which case this film probably would not appeal to you.)

What happens when a male chauvinist pig finds himself in the body of a sexy girl, and then discovers that the company that he built up is being taken over by one of his buddies, who is only interested in siphoning off as much money as he can? How does a male chauvinist pig deal with the feelings having a woman's body creates?

The film explores concepts of sexuality, gender stereotypes, and romance intelligently and with feeling. Jane Hamilton provides an excellent performance as a man trapped in a woman's body, who, at first, is oblivious to any change. Alan Naggar excels in portraying the slimy grease ball who is out to milk every penny from Leo's company. Scott Baker does a wonderful job of portraying a masculine yet sensitive blue collar worker, who falls in love with Cleo.

To my mind, this film is far superior to the gender swap film 'Switch', much more believable, entertaining, and sensuous.

Essentially the same story Blake Edwards released two years later ("Switch" (1991)) told by a cast of B-movie actors, scream queens and ex-porn stars. In my opinion it's actually the better of the two movies. Deeply flawed don't get me wrong, but far better then Edwards' go at the same subject.

Written and directed by Chuck Vincent (also well known for his XXX origins), "Cleo/Leo" is far bolder then most gender switching comedies. I think it must have grown out of Vincent's need to have a late night premium cable friendly T&A showcase that he could sell more so then any artistic drive. But for whatever the reasons may be, sexists Leo, trapped inside the desirable body of Cleo, goes farther then most and as a result actually ask more questions of him/her self then most. Side by side against it companions in the vary small genre of reincarnated sex change centered comedies this little movie is at times surprisingly unflinching, and funny to boot.

Don't get me wrong, as I said its flaws are many, and worse still this seldom re-released video is very hard to find. So don't kill yourself looking for it, and more importantly don't kill me if you find it disappointing. But it is a cute B-movie and worth the watching time if you some times like your comedies cheesy, cheap, and adolescent.

This movie will be a very pleasant surprise, for anyone willing to find the very obscure VHS. The entire cast puts tremendous effort into having fun with this one, and it shines through in every scene. "Cleo Leo", although featuring several porn stars, is NOT a porn movie. It is a very entertaining comedy, that contains some nudity that actually makes sense for a change, by that I mean this is not simply the gratuitous girls pole dancing in a strip club type nudity. This odd romance has some tender moments, and even more hilarious moments. Cleo Leo puts a whole new twist on the battle between the sexes, and is highly recommended viewing. - MERK

Well, it was modern in 1989. I was 17 years old when this film was airing on Cinemax. I watched it every time it came on. I thought it was funny and the acting was great. Only years later when I found it on Youtube and made my husband watch it with me, did I realize it was full of adult stars. They were fantastic. Some films don't hold up over time. I thought this one did. If you are lucky enough to find it somewhere it's worth watching.