Victor Victoria (1982)

A struggling female soprano finds work playing a male female impersonator, but it complicates her personal life.

Director:

Blake Edwards

Writers:

Blake Edwards (screenplay), Hans Hoemburg (concept)

Stars:

Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston

Won 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 18 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Julie Andrews	...	Victoria Grant
James Garner	...	King Marchand
Robert Preston	...	Carole "Toddy" Todd
Lesley Ann Warren	...	Norma Cassady
Alex Karras	...	'Squash' Bernstein
John Rhys-Davies	...	Andre Cassell
Graham Stark	...	Waiter
Peter Arne	...	Labisse
Herb Tanney	...	Charles Bovin (as Sherloque Tanney)
Michael Robbins	...	Manager of Victoria's Hotel
Norman Chancer	...	Sal Andratti
David Gant	...	Restaurant Manager
Maria Charles	...	Madame President
Malcolm Jamieson	...	Richard DiNardo
John Cassady	...	Juke

Storyline

In 1934 Paris, trained coloratura soprano Victoria Grant (Dame Julie Andrews), a native Brit, can't get a job as a singer and is having trouble making ends meet. She doesn't even have enough money for the basics of food and shelter. Gay cabaret singer Carole "Toddy" Todd (Robert Preston) may befall the same fate as Victoria, as he was just fired from his singing gig at a second-rate club named "Chez Lui". To solve their problems, Toddy comes up with what he considers to be an inspired idea: with Toddy as her manager, Victoria, pretending to be a man, get a job singing as a female impersonator. If they pull this scheme off, Toddy vows Victoria, as her male alter ego, will be the toast of Paris and as such be extremely wealthy. That alter ego they decide is Polish Count Victor Grazinski, Toddy's ex-lover who was disowned by his family when they found out he was gay. The Count auditions for the city's leading agent, Andre Cassell (John Rhys-Davies), who, impressed, gets him a gig ...

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Plot Keywords:

singer | cross dressing | paris france | gender disguise | remake | 

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Taglines:

The disguise surprise comedy of the year!

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Genres:

Comedy | Music | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

The costume worn by Julie Andrews in the number "The Shady Dame From Seville" is the same costume worn by Robert Preston at the end of the movie. The costume was made to fit Preston, and then, using a series of hooks and eyes at the back, it was drawn in tightly to fit Andrews' shapely figure. Additional black silk ruffles were also added to the bottom of the costume to hide the differences in height. It's a pleasure to watch the costume being purposefully damaged by Preston. Now in a private collection, the rips and tears are still present. The fabric is a black and brown crepe, with fine gold threads woven into it, which when lit, appears to have an almost wet look about it.

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Goofs

In the one scene when King turns on the radio, the sound comes right on. In the old tube radios of the day it would have to warm up before the sound appears.

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Quotes

Victoria: [singing] Crazy world / Full of crazy contradictions, like a child, first you drive me wild / And then you win my heart, with your wicked art / One minute tender, gentle, then temperamental as a summer storm / Just when I believe your heart's getting warmer / You're cold and you're cruel, and I, like a fool / try to cope, try to hang on to hope...
Victoria: Crazy world / Every day the same old roller coaster ride, but I've got my pride / I won't give in, even though I know I'll never win / Oh, how I love ...

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Crazy Credits

Herb Tanney (Charles Bovin), who frequently collaborated on Blake Edwards films, is credited as "Sherloque Tanney", suiting his role as a detective in the film.

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Connections

Remade as Victor/Victoria (1995)

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Soundtracks

Gay Paree
(uncredited)
Music by Henry Mancini
Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Performed by Robert Preston

User Reviews

Highly enjoyable transgender comedy with Andrews and Preston at their best...

Paris in the '30s is the setting for this screwball sex comedy wherein JULIE ANDREWS, for the sake of being employed, takes a job as a woman pretending to be a man pretending to be a woman--figure that one out. Then we have a great moment when ROBERT PRESTON does an imitation of Julie singing "The Shady Dame from Seville" in drag--yes drag--the actor who played such sturdy romantic leads in the '40s and '50s is hilarious as a gay blade who hooks up with Julie during a restaurant scene in which she plants a cockroach in her plate to avoid paying for dinner.

That's the kind of romp this is. And it's extremely witty, with JAMES GARNER as Julie's romantic interest who hasn't figured out why he's so attracted to "the shady dame" when she's supposed to be a man.

First-rate sets and cinematography in color, and while none of it really makes any sense, the song and dance routines are fabulous with some great tunes by Henry Mancini. LESLEY ANN WARREN gives a priceless performance as a bird brained vamp in her Oscar nominated supporting role.

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French

Release Date:

19 March 1982 (USA)

Also Known As:

Victor Victoria

Filming Locations:

Pinewood Studios, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$139,634, 21 March 1982

Gross USA:

$28,215,453

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$28,229,046

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Buckhantz-NMC Company, Peerford Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

134 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1