Brash Schemes and Big Dreams Drive Liz Carmichael in HBO Doc Series THE LADY AND THE DALE

By BILL HARRIS Special to The Lede Perhaps it’s best to start with the basics regarding the new four-part HBO documentary series THE LADY AND THE DALE, the first two episodes of which debut Sunday, Jan. 31 only on Crave. “The Dale” was an innovative, fuel-efficient, three-wheel car that supposedly was going to revolutionize the auto industry during the energy crisis of the 1970s. “The Lady” was a brash businesswoman named Liz Carmichael who was pushing the project with infectious enthusiasm. When pointed questions started to be asked about the technology behind the car, as well as some red-flag financial peculiarities with Liz’s company, the media eventually learned that Liz was a transgender person. The tone of the coverage became more salacious and vicious, and Liz subsequently suffered unnecessary humiliations during her court battles. But Liz was also, undoubtedly, a con artist and criminal, many times over. She spent virtually her entire life on the run from the law – literally – with her loving family in tow. In her day, Liz’s prime goals were to take on the “Big 3” auto-makers, get rich and famous, and avoid prison. But when modern audiences see THE LADY AND THE DALE, many will likely recognize Liz to be a groundbreaking figure in multiple ways. The simple fact that so few people know about Liz is what prompted directors Nick Cammilleri and Zackary Drucker, as well as producers Jay and Mark Duplass, to tackle the complex tale. “I was like, ‘I’ll bet the book on this is incredible’ – so I went to Amazon, and there was no book,” said Cammilleri during a virtual panel session. “Then I was like, ‘I’ll bet the movie and subsequent documentary are even better.’ And there was nothing. I remember having this moment where I was like, ‘Oh, I’m going to end up having to do this, aren’t I?’ Every chapter of her life could probably be someone’s full life.” Jay Duplass added, “I think when Nick first brought us this idea, honestly, our first reaction was similar to his, which was, ‘Is this real?’ You look it up, and you can’t really find that much. Obviously, we were riveted by her, and her story. She’s one of the most fascinating human beings to ever live on planet Earth.” Liz and her car did get the occasional blast of publicity, both positive and negative – such as “The Dale” appearing as an item up for bid on THE PRICE IS RIGHT in 1974, and a 1989 episode of UNSOLVED MYSTERIES that led to police apprehending Liz. But the simple fact of limited visual material prompted the innovative use of animation in THE LADY AND THE DALE. “Speaking candidly, the freedom of narrative filmmaking is just a hell of a lot easier than documentary filmmaking, because you can sculpt, and shape, and lie, and manoeuvre,” Mark Duplass said. “With documentaries, you are beholden not only to what the empirical truth is, but what footage you have, particularly archival footage. As relatively well documented as Liz’s life was for that time, and for her being a trans figure, there are certainly gaps. And so early on in the process, this idea was floated about using animation as a storytelling tool, to not only cover some informational gaps, but also to allow more of an emotional connection.” THE LADY AND THE DALE is both mind-blowing – in terms of the audacious schemes Liz concocted as she and her family lived their lives largely off the grid – and inspiring. “Fast forward to 2021, and trans identities are kind of at the centre of the culture wars,” Drucker said. “I think trans folks represent a modernizing world, a world of new possibility, where our life experiences are not dictated by our biology. And we’ve taken that to a place that, I’m sure, Liz would not have been able to imagine. When Jay called me about this project, I thought, ‘Why this story?’ As trans folks, we often have our own shortlist of archetypes and heroes, and I had a lot to learn, truthfully. I think the spirit of Liz Carmichael was actually banging on Earth’s door, demanding her story be told respectfully, and with the dignity she was not given in her lifetime.” billharristv@gmail.com @billharris_tv