| Victor Victoria | |
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Theatrical release poster |
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| Directed by | Blake Edwards |
| Produced by | Tony Adams Blake Edwards |
| Based on | 1933 script by Reinhold Schünzel |
| Starring | Julie Andrews James Garner Robert Preston Lesley Ann Warren |
| Music by | Songs: Henry Mancini Leslie Bricusse (Lyrics) Score: Henry Mancini |
| Cinematography | Dick Bush |
| Editing by | Ralph E. Winters |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
| Release date(s) | March 16, 1982 |
| Running time | 132 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $28,215,453 |
Victor Victoria is a 1982 musical comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer that involves transvestism and sexual identity as central themes. It stars Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Karras, and John Rhys-Davies. The film was produced by Tony Adams, directed by Blake Edwards, and scored by Henry Mancini, with lyrics by Leslie Bricusse. It was adapted in 1995 as a Broadway musical. The film was nominated for seven Academy Awards and won the Academy Award for Original Music Score. It is a remake of Viktor und Viktoria, a German film of 1933.
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In 1934, Carroll Todd, aka Toddy, a middle-aged gay performer at Chez Lui in Paris, sees Labisse, the club owner, auditioning Victoria Grant for position of a singer. After the audition, Labisse drily writes her off. Victoria responds to this by breaking his wine glass just by her voice. Toddy is impressed. Later, a commotion caused in his show causes Labisse to fire Toddy. It is revealed that both Toddy and Victoria are completely broke. Toddy sees Victoria eating a sumptuous meal at a diner later and broaches a conversation with her. She tries to evade paying the money by planting a cockroach in her dinner, but when another customer sees the cockroach on her own leg, a commotion breaks out.
The duo run out, after which they enter Toddy's home. Victoria explains that she was the leading lady of a touring company owned by her ex-husband and that she is divorced. Victoria is forced to spend a night in his apartment on discovering that her clothes have shrunk in the rain. Toddy gives her the clothes of Richard, a young hustler and Toddy's occasional rent boy. Next day, Richard shows up to collect his material, after being hurt in brawl that resulted from Toddy's performance at Chez Lui the night before. Victoria, whom he has not seen, punches and kicks him out. Toddy quickly comes up with a plan - presenting Victoria as a man to Andre Cassell, a successful agent in Europe.
Toddy introduces her as Count Victor Grazinski, a gay Polish female impersonator and his new "boyfriend." Andre buys it and a show is staged. Among the guests are King Marchand, a shady club owner in Chicago, who has ties with the mob. He comes to the show with his moll Norma Cassidy and his burly bodyguard Bernstein aka Squash. The show becomes a hit, but King Marchand is skeptical about "Victor's" real gender. After Norma riles him too much, King sends her back to America. He sneaks into "Victor's" suite and his suspicion is confirmed. He decides to keep this a secret and plays along. He invites Victoria and Toddy to Chez Lui, where they are now welcomed with respect. Another commotion breaks out there, resulting in the arrest of Squash and Toddy, among other people.
King and Victoria run away, whereupon he declares that he doesn't mind if Victor is a man. Victoria tells him the truth and they end up having sex in his suite. Here, Norma thinks that King is having an affair with "Victor" and tells this to Sal Andretti(Norman Chancer), King's partner. Meanwhile, Squash returns to the suite and catches King with "Victor" in bed. King tries to explain, but soon receives a shocker himself - Squash reveals himself to be gay. Meanwhile, Labisse hires a P.I., Charles Bovin, to investigate Victor. Victoria and King break it off when they realize that their relationship cannot work. During another Victor performance, Labisse recognizes who "he" really is. Meanwhile, Sal shows up, demanding King to transfer his share of the empire under Sal's name, to which he readily agrees.
Victoria now realizes that she still loves King and decides to give up the charade. Just then, Squash arrives at the suite and informs the duo of the development. Victoria turns up as Victor one last time, just as King is about to sign the papers. Squash holds Sal's men at gunpoint while Victoria takes Norma into another room. Norma runs out screaming after learning the truth. Later, King is at the club again, while Victoria turns up in her real form and sits beside him. Meanwhile, Cassell is informed by an Inspector that Labisse has lodged a complaint that Victor is actually a woman. Cassell lets the Inspector in, but he comes out telling that Victor is indeed a man. Inside, King is stunned to learn that Victor is performing, even though Victoria is still by his side.
It is revealed that Toddy is dressed as a woman and performing a number performed by Victoria earlier. Toddy performs miserably, evoking laughter from the public (thereby hinting that "Victor's" career is officially over), King, Squash and Victoria. The film ends with King, Squash, Victoria, Cassell and the public clapping enthusiastically for "Victor". "Victor" throws a rose from his bouquet, which is caught by Squash.
The vocal numbers in the film are presented as nightclub acts. However, the lyrics or situations of some of the songs are calculated to relate to the unfolding drama. Thus, the two staged numbers Le Jazz Hot and The Shady Dame from Seville help to present Victoria as a female impersonator. The latter number is later reinterpreted by Toddy for diversionary purposes in the plot, and the cozy relationship of Toddy and Victoria is promoted by the song You and Me, which is sung before the audience at the nightclub.[1]
The film's screenplay was adapted by Blake Edwards (Andrews' husband) and Hans Hoemburg from the 1933 German film Viktor und Viktoria by Reinhold Schünzel. According to Edwards, the screenplay took only one month to write. There was also a 1935 remake named First a Girl, made in the United Kingdom and directed by Victor Saville, about a woman who stands in for a female impersonator and becomes a hit. Julie Andrews watched the 1933 version to prepare for her role.[2]
Victor/Victoria currently holds a 96% 'fresh' rating on review aggregate website Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus "Driven by a fantastic lead turn from Julie Andrews, Blake Edwards' musical gender-bender is sharp, funny and all-round entertaining."[3]
Victor/Victoria won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Adaptation Score. It was nominated for:
American Film Institute recognition
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