Victor/Victoria (1995)

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

I generally agree with the commenter who left a comment titled "TRAVESTY", with the exception of their final few sentences.The hotel spy-caper farce was idiotic and insulting, but the role of Toddy was cast well.A filmed stage play or musical can be a wonderful thing. But this one failed before the cameras ever arrived, because it wasn't a good stage experience to begin with.Similar to the 1933 film, nobody was ever going to mistake this Victoria for a man or boy. They should have found an actor who actually could pass for either sex. Breast-binding probably isn't possible if you're supposed to belt out songs, but that doesn't mean you give up and cast Dolly Parton.I did like the plot tweaks of the stage version, compared to the 1982 film. Things seemed to be clearer, with a positive message that must have been thrilling for some in the audience. But at the same time, so much was wasted on pointless dance numbers, and songs about nothing. Then instead of acting a scene, too much exposition had to be sung as if reading from a book.Don't waste you time. Watch the 1982 film.

I think Blake Edwards and the cast of Victor/Victoria knew that Robert Preston would not be around much longer...he was already very ill (and looks it, even sweating a bit near the end.) That last number looks somewhat improvised and I think was a loving tribute to Preston that they got him to do this bit. It makes me cry every time I see it, watching this great actor have fun. It does not appear to have been pre-recorded (except for the orchestra). Everything about that last scene appears to have been done in one take, with cutaways to show audience reaction in the Paris nightclub. The scene, which ends the movie, doesn't really relate to the plot... it is a remarkable Hollywood inside bow to Robert Preston. More than likely, only director Blake Edwards or his wife Julie Andrews could shed more light on this great moment and what happened on the set of Victor/Victoria near the end of the life of a fantastic actor.

This video of the stage production of "Victor/Victoria" preserves what is likely to be the last Broadway performance of a living legend of the musical theater - Julie Andrews. Complications from vocal chord surgery performed not long after Dame Andrews left this production damaged her singing voice, probably permanently. The opportunity to see her in this historic Broadway performance should therefore not be missed by any of her fans.The show isn't perfect. It gets off to a bit of a slow start with a moody opening number, "Paris By Night," then it takes a while for the story to unfold. There is a bit more exposition than is necessary, and the show really doesn't get into full swing until Julie and company's notable "Le Jazz Hot." From that point on, however, "Victor/Victoria" accelerates, and the laughs come quickly and often.The energy boost is thanks in large part to the comic genius of Drama Desk Award Winner Rachel York as the dizzy blond gangster moll, Norma Cassidy. She takes the Oscar-winning role created in the 1982 movie version by Lesley Ann Warren and makes it her own. She finds the vulnerable core underneath the crass exterior and turns Norma into a lovable lunatic. Her timing is perfection, and the unexpected little twists in her delivery and physicality delight at every turn. She almost steals the show, but not quite. What she does accomplish, however, is to give Ms. Andrews a venerable foil. When the two of them are onstage together, the chemistry is electric. They have a tango toward the end of the first act that is one of the funniest pieces of choreography ever staged.All the dance numbers are stellar, in fact. Credit goes to Rob Marshall, who has now become famous for his direction of the Academy Award winning movie adaptation of "Chicago." Every bit of choreography sizzles as the audience watches and wonders just which dancers are men and which are women.While Michael Nouri as Victor/Victoria's love interest, King Marchan, may be considered the weak link in this cast (he just doesn't have the befuddled charisma that James Garner had in the movie), he sings and acts well enough to carry his share of the load. Tony Roberts is wonderfully droll as Victor's gay mentor, Toddy, and Greg Jbara is quite likeable as King's bodyguard, Squash. He offers up more than one surprise during the course of the evening.By the time the last laugh is had, the audience is on its feet cheering for a landmark performance by one of the musical theater's all time greats. This reviewer has to agree with Ms. Andrews' own comments about Victor/Victoria. The entire show, and in particular cast member Rachel York, were egregiously overlooked by the Tony's.

A Broadway Musical filmed and broadcast on television as performed on stage is a dicey business with the best of material. I cite Sondheim's original production of "Into The Woods" or the equally enthralling production of his "Sweeny Todd". Both were produced very well for television with the latter receiving Emmy Noms and a win for George Hearn. The idea of transmitting Blake Edward's ill conceived and poorly executed stage version of his movie masterpiece "Victor Victoria", is so tragic as to be almost laughable. This smoking pile of dung, which landed on Broadway in the early 90s, served only to taint the memory of his finest film and to ruin the beautiful voice of one of our most beloved performers. The fact that it enjoyed nearly a year's run is a testament to the love that audiences still have for Julie Andrews and not due in any part to the "Quality" of the show. It was that love for Miss Andrews, and only that, which drew me to the theatre to see the show. I was so disappointed in the extreme with the entire debacle that, though I had received a free admission, I was tempted to go to the box office and demand a refund. When an established musical work comes to Broadway, it is required that no less than 8 new pieces of music be created in order for the show to be considered for the seasonal awards. Herein, the loss of Henry Mancini was blow from which the show obviously never recovered. Leslie Bricusse, the executer of Mancini's musical estate, took on the full responsibility of converting the pleasant score they had created for the film. This composer has had a long and well-respected career usually acting in the capacity of EITHER composer or lyricist. In taking on both, his work has suffered and this piece was a tragic example. The casting of Tony Roberts in the role created by Robert Preston was a mistake of mythic proportion (Where was Dick Van Dyke??) and with very little exception; Blake Edward's stage direction was flat and uninspired. The hotel Farce sequence with cast members diving under beds and through doorways and into closets was the only exception. Avoid it like the plague and rent Mr. Edward's and Ms. Andrew's finest hour - the original 1982 film.