Victor/Victoria (1982)

In 1930s Paris, a struggling singer is convinced by a new friend to impersonate a gay Polish drag queen. She becomes a popular gender-bending performer, but the act gets tricky when a Chicago gangster catches her eye.

• Directed & written by Blake Edwards

• Starring Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, & Lesley Ann Warren

• Costume Design by Patricia Norris

• Nominated for numerous Oscars & Golden Globes, including the Academy Award for Costume Design

I recently rewatched this camp classic musical with a friend and was instantly reminded of the queer magic instilled in this film. Compelling storytelling, visually playful, and simultaneously (surprisingly) of the time and ahead of the curve. Julie Andrews gives an incredible performance as Victoria and Victor that transcends the outdated understandings of gender & sexuality embedded in text. Not only does Victoria prefer to live publicly as Victor, but her love story with a tough guy mobster is such a tender layer to her gender-questioning journey. Victoria and Toddy's friendship as performers, gay men in the public eye, and confidants is joyous. The 1980s screenplay, of course, is problematic in contemporary queer discourse; passing for another gender is viewed as deceptive at times, but Victoria is never deemed a villain. The film fluctuates between this flawed (and dangerous) logic and celebrating the grey area of gender and sexuality. This ambiguity works well in Victor/Victoria as a 1930s period piece written in the 1980s, and it's a balance that, frankly, many contemporary movies/shows lack. I found the playfulness and celebration of queer performance a ray of light in these current culturally and politically regressive times. Maybe it’s time for a remake?

(Just kidding, unless… Janelle Monae, are you avail?)

Lesley Ann Warren is perfect as a squeaky voiced chorus girl and elevates the camp factor. Robert Preston is fantastic as Victoria's openly gay confidant and manager, Toddy. James Garner humanizes his mobster character navigating a new life in the public eye as a gay man in love with a female impersonator. Again, it's kind of shocking this story was being (retold) in the 1980s.

I understand musicals can be a hard sell for some (hi Dad) but all the musical numbers are contained to the fictitious stage, meaning characters aren’t “randomly singing for no reason.” I don’t understand hate toward musicals (is there no MAGIC in your heart?) but in case that’s a deal breaker, know that it’s warranted or whatever.

Yes, “iconic” is overused but I don’t care. The costumes are iconic. Julie is a stylish dandy straight out of a J.C. Leyendecker illustration. Lesley Ann Warren’s burlesque look (drawn above) is a deliciously tacky frilly pink ensemble that I unfortunately need. Not to mention her platinum blonde do. Costume designer Patricia Norris’ other credits include Days of Heaven, Scarface, and she collaborated often with David Lynch.

Trivia!

• Director Blake Edwards and Julie Andrews were married and frequent collaborators.

• Peter Sellers was initially eyed for the role of Toddy but died before the film was cast.

• The Spanish style dress worn by Julie Andrews and Robert Preston is the same garment. Hook and eye clasps were used to change the shape to fit both performers.

• The story was adapted from the 1933 German film Viktor und Viktoria and so far there have been 5 adaptations.

• Originally, the Chicago mobster love interest, played by James Garner, was supposed to fall in love with Victor before it's revealed that she is a woman pretending to be a female impersonator. Blake Edwards chickened out and included the scene where she discloses her "real" gender.

• Julie has a four octave vocal range, from low “male” tenor to high “female” soprano notes. She breaks a few glasses with that high note.

• The film was adapted into a Broadway musical starring Julie Andrews. Liza Minelli and Raquel Welch were understudies.

Recommend?

Victor/Victoria is a must see for fans of cult classics and queer cinema. It's just so fun and surprising! Sometimes I'll just watch Lesley Ann Warren's burlesque number on youtube and scream (go look it up now!)