Victor/Victoria

From Freepedia

Victor/Victoria is a 1982 musical comedy film. It tells the story of a struggling female singer who, unable to find work, pretends to be a man to get the job as a female impersonator in 1920's Paris. It stars Julie Andrews, James Garner, Robert Preston, Lesley Ann Warren, Alex Karras and John Rhys-Davies.

The screenplay was adapted by Blake Edwards and Hans Hoemburg from the 1933 German film Viktor und Viktoria by Reinhold Schünzel. It was produced by Tony Adams and directed by Blake Edwards.

The movie won the Academy Award for Best Music, Original Song Score and Its Adaptation or Best Adaptation Score. It was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Robert Preston), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Julie Andrews), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Lesley Ann Warren), Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design and Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material from Another Medium. The film was later adapted into a stage production in which Julie Andrews reprised her role as Victoria.

Andrews also starried in a musical stage adaptation of Victor/Victoria, with a score by Henry Mancini expanded from his film score. The stage production opened on Broadway on October 25, 1995, and played 735 performances.

Spoiler warning: Plot or ending details follow.

The film touches on themes of gender roles, gay tolerance, and human dignity.

Julie Andrews' character Victoria Grant meets Carol "Toddy" Todd (Preston) as she is scheming to plant a cockroach in her food at a fancy restaurant to get her meal for free. She cannot find work as a nightclub singer because of her wholesome image, but Toddy has a plan. Victoria will pretend to be a man, and get a job as a female impersonator. Toddy will pretend to be her gay lover and introduce her to his contacts in the nightclub scene.

Soon Victor Grezhinski (Victoria's new persona) is the toast of Paris. As money and fame start to turn her (and Toddy's) lives around, an additional complication arises. King Marchand (James Garner), an American gangster and nightclub owner, finds himself at first repelled and then strangely attracted to Victor.

Victoria must come to terms with what she really wants out of life: to be true to herself, giving up her career and fame in Paris to be with the man who loves her, or continue with her double-performance and risk losing Marchand.