• Rating:
• Genre: Musical
• Movie Type: Showbiz Comedy, Comedy of Errors
• Themes: Gender-Bending, Actor's Life, Assumed Identities
• Director: Blake Edwards
• Main Cast: Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Karras
• Release Year: 1982
• Country: US/UK
• Run Time: 133 minutes
• MPAA Rating: PG

Plot

On the verge of starvation in 1930s Paris, erstwhile entertainer Victoria (Julie Andrews) is rescued by gay cabaret performer Toddy (Robert Preston). What she needs to succeed, opines Toddy, is a gimmick. What if she becomes a male impersonator? Better still: what if she becomes a male impersonator, pretending to be a female impersonator? As "Victor/Victoria," s/he becomes the toast of Paree, and an object of fascination for big-time Chicago gangster King Marchan (James Garner), who can't quite understand the teasing sensations he experiences whenever watching her in action-especially since he, like everyone else, assumes that she is a he. Enjoyable though the stars of Blake Edwards' comedy may be, the film is stolen by Lesley Ann Warren, who won an Oscar nomination as King's screechy-voiced moll, and Alex Karras as King's chief henchman, who, assuming that his boss is "that way," literally comes out of the closet. Victor/Victoria was a remake of the 1931 German film Viktor und Viktoria, which had previously be reworked in 1937 as the Jessie Mathews vehicle First a Girl. In 1996, Victor/Victoria was transformed into a Broadway musical, again directed by Edwards and starring Andrews. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Review

This witty, energetic film is one of the best and most memorable efforts in the accomplished career of Blake Edwards. The story's fusion of screwball comedy and musical review is a potentially unwieldy combination, but Blake Edwards manages to make it work with a thoughtful script that weaves rich characterizations into a carefully-constructed but sprawling plot that gives them room to breathe. Victor/Victoria is lengthy but never feels overlong thanks to Edwards' stylish work behind the camera: he excels at crafting complex slapstick setpieces but shows equal skill with the film's many rousing musical numbers (the highlight is a stunning cabaret number called "Le Jazz Hot"). His work is ably supported by the film's handsome production values, which include a dazzling Henry Mancini score full of memorable cabaret tunes and excellent cinematography by Dick Bush that adds just the right veneer of Hollywood glamour. However, the true appeal of Victor/Victoria lies in the magnificent performances that add heart to its combination of style and wit. Julie Andrews finds the right combination of vulnerability and cynicism to make her demanding double role work, Robert Preston brings warmth and razor-sharp verbal wit in equal measure to his role as her protector, and James Garner is a subtle delight as the mobster who is forced to reevaluate his concept of masculinity. The film also features plenty of scene-stealing supporting performances, especially Lesley Ann Warren's turn as King's oversexed mistress and Alex Karras' deadpan work as King's surprisingly sensitive and perceptive bodyguard. All these elements jell together beautifully to create a film that manages to work as a valentine to the screwball comedy and musical genres while also adding thoroughly modern theme of social and sexual tolerance into the mix. As a result, Victor/Victoria manages to feel classic and progressive all at once and this duality makes it one of Blake Edward's finest cinematic achievements. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide

Cast

• Julie Andrews - Victor/Victoria
• James Garner - King Marchan
• Robert Preston - Toddy
• Lesley Ann Warren - Norma
• Alex Karras - Squash

John Rhys-Davies - Cassell; Graham Stark - Waiter; Peter Arne - Labisse; Sherloque Tanney - Bovin; Jay Benedict - Guy Langois; Norman Chancer - Sal; Simon Chandler - Chorus Boy; Maria Charles - Madame President; Neil Cunningham - Nightclub Master of Ceremonies; Joanna Dickens - Large Lady in Restaurant; David Gant - Restaurant Manager; Matyelock Gibbs - Cassell's Receptionist; Christopher Good - Stage Manager; Malcolm Jamieson - Richard; Olivier Pierre - Langois' Companion; Michael Robbins - Hotel Manager; George Silver - Fat Man with Eclair; Tim Stern - Desk Clerk Third Rate Hotel; Elizabeth Vaughan - Opera Singer; Sam Williams - Chorus Boy; Vivienne Chandler - Chambermaid; John Cassady - Juke; Paddy Ward - Photographer; Stuart Craig Turton - Boy Friend to Actress; Bill Monks - LeClou; Geoffrey Beevers - Police Inspector

Credit

Tony Adams - Producer; Leslie Bricusse - Composer (Music Score); Leslie Bricusse - Songwriter; Dick Bush - Cinematographer; Harry Cordwell - Production Designer; Harry Cordwell - Set Designer; Blake Edwards - Director; Blake Edwards - Producer; Blake Edwards - Screenwriter; Paul Engelen - Makeup; Peter Frampton - Makeup; Tim Hutchinson - Art Director; Henry Mancini - Composer (Music Score); Rodger Maus - Production Designer; Pat Norris - Costume Designer; Paddy Stone - Choreography; Ralph Winters - Editor; Harry Frampton - Makeup; Roy Charman - Sound Mixer; Mary Selway - Casting; William Craig Smith - Art Director

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