Victor/Victoria - A Movie Review

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"Victor/Victoria" is a British-American musical-comedy that was released in 1982. The screenplay was written by Blake Edwards and Hans Hoemburg (concept) based on a 1933 script by Reinhold Schunzel for the 1933 German film Viktor und Viktoria. It was adapted in 1995 as a Broadway musical. The movie was directed by Blake Edwards. The budget for the film was $15 million; and the box office receipts were $28.2 million. Preston, Andrews and Warren were nominated for an Academy Award; and the Best Original Sound Score won the Academy Award. CAST Julie Andrews - Victoria Grant/Count Victor Grazinski James Garner - King Marchand Robert Preston - Carroll "Toddy" Todd Lesley Ann Warren - Norma Cassidy Alex Karras - "Squash" Bernstein John Rhys-Davies - Andre Cassell Graham Stark - Waiter Peter Arne - Labisse Malcolm Jamieson - Richard Di Nardo The year is 1934 in Paris. The movie opens with Richard Di Nardo, a young gay hustler, leaving the bed of gay middle-aged Carroll "Toddy" Todd. Richard dresses, steals some money and leaves the apartment. Later Toddy, a performer at Chez Lui, sees Labisse, the club owner, auditioning a thin, obviously hungry soprano, Victoria Grant, a British national. Labisse writes her off. Victoria counters by hitting a note that shatters his wine glass. That night Richard comes to Chez Lui as part of a straight foursome. Toddy is jealous and incites a fight by insulting Richard and the women in his group. Police raid the club and shut it down. Labisse fires Toddy and bans him from the club. Walking home he spots Victoria eating in a restaurant. She invites him to join her. They are ordering multiple courses and wine and neither has the means to pay for it. Toward the end of the meal Victoria attempts to dump a cockroach out of her purse and onto her salad; but it's not in her purse. All of a sudden everyone starts screaming and jumping up. The cockroach is crawling on people and there is pure chaos in the restaurant. Victoria and Toddy run out into the rain and over to Toddy's apartment. The rain has shrunk Victoria's cheap clothing; so Toddy invites her to stay over. The next morning Richard comes over to collect his things. Victoria is wearing his clothes and hiding in the closet. When it sounds like Richard might hurt Toddy, Victoria rushes out of the closet and ambushes Richard and kicks him out. All of a sudden Toddy has an epiphany. They could pass Victoria off as a female impersonator to Andre Cassell, the most successful agent in Paris. A woman playing a man playing a woman? Just how believable would that be? Well, Victoria ends up starring in a hit show...the audiences love her/him. Would you like to find out how it ends? Then you will have to watch the movie. The casting was great in this film from Norma the ditzy blonde to the shady King Marchand to Victoria herself. Julie Andrews' range is amazing; and you will enjoy her performances. I give this movie my recommendation. This movie is rated PG. If you would like to read more of my movie reviews, just click on the green bar above marked "movie review". Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons (Julie Andrews)