Horrible, fascist and poorly acted

Good start, but then it gets ruined

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

The filmed version of the 1995 Broadway production of the 1982 movie "Victor/Victoria" (previously a German and later British 1930's film) was a strange choice for TV broadcasting. Given the availability of the "practically perfect" (to quote another Julie Andrews movie made into a Broadway musical), "V/V" seems about as necessary as another version of "A Christmas Carol". The filmed production of the stage show is done professionally, but it only indicates what a mediocre show it was for the stage, as well as a sad opening and closing to Henry Mancini and Blake Edwards' stage career.The 1982 boldly went where no other movie musical had dared to go, taking homosexuality in movies away from such recent embarrassments as "Can't Stop the Music" and "Cruising". However, thanks to 1983's "La Cage Aux Folles" (in development at the time of the release of the original "V/V" movie), what came to the stage over a decade later was as dated as "The Floradora Girls" and is presented in the tradition of Blake Edwards' most forced comedies.The depiction of homosexuality in the original movie was daring yet not obnoxious or out of place in the film's 1920's Parisian setting. Other than a few overly bitchy queens (commonplace in the world of female impersonators anyway), there was really little to offend, and straight audiences accepted "V/V" for the entertainment it was. Unfortunately, by 1995, an overly political correctness took over what 10 years ago would have been more daring and different, and settled into a stage musical without the delightful bite of the original.Any production of "V/V" is going to be compared to the performance of its Oscar nominated leading lady, Julie Andrews, and fortunately, for the TV production, she gets to repeat her role. In the decade between the original movie and stage production, she didn't seem to age a bit, and at 60, she is still amazing as both Victoria Grant and her male alter-ego, a Polish Count named Victor. While the high notes of "Le Jazz Hot" are no longer there, that doesn't matter a bit. She is still fantastic, and a shining light as a rather overly dressed lampshade. Michael Nouri, as King Marshan, also does excellent work, and gives a wonderful performance as a masculine gangster who questions his own masculinity in the song "Is the Woman I Love a Man?", the best new song in the show.However, the performances of Rachel York and Tony Roberts don't come anywhere near those of Lesley Ann Warren and Robert Preston from the movies. Warren spoofed every single dumb blonde in the movies up to that point (most notably Jean Harlow's not so dumb one in "Dinner at Eight"), yet York gets really bad new material that makes you want to see the character get soap in her mouth. "Paris Makes Me Horny" has rightfully been classified as one of the worst songs in a Broadway show ever. Roberts takes the showy role of Toddy and tramples it into one of the most boring homosexuals in entertainment history. He takes Preston's best lines and throws them away like a used coffee filter. Tody shouldn't be totally flamboyant or he could be extremely despicable, but he shouldn't be duller than dishwater, either.Other funny lines are transfered from the gay chorus boys to the elderly hag escorted by Tody's ex, and loose their punch. The new songs don't move the plot along; They say in three minutes what the characters said in two sentences. "Le Jazz Hot" gets a French Latin Quarter/New Orleans feel, but the wait for Andrews to enter takes too long. "Louis Says" is not a bad replacement for "The Shady Dame From Seville" and gives the production one of its rare feelings of being near or at the Moulin Rogue.Overall, "Victor/Victoria" is a missed opportunity that is a pale attempt to repeat the success of "La Cage Aux Folles". Two revivals later of that Jerry Herman/Harvey Fierstein/Arthur Laurents musical haven't dimmed the impact that show had on the political climate of Broadway, but "V/V" seemed almost unnecessary. The set, which opens and closes like a doll house, is an extraordinary technical achievement. I highly recommend watching the movie first and giving this one a shot if you are, as I am, a huge fan of Julie Andrews.

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.

I had no idea a Broadway version of Victor Victoria existed until I just happened to see it on a shelf at our local video rental store. Having seen the film version in 1982 and being a fan of Julie Andrews, I couldn't wait to get home to view it. Jule Andrews did a remarkable job, tirelessly going through 2 long acts, and at the age of 60! Even her dancing seems improved over the years. I loved her pre-curtain and intermission talks too. I felt I was right there in a front row. At first I thought Tony Roberts would not be as good as Robert Preston in the film version, but he came through with a lovable portrayal of Toddy, the gay drag queen. In the film, Preston did a spoof of Le Jazz Hot near the end that I thought was a bit over the top, in horrible drag and also appeared exhausted. Sadly he died not long after, a great loss. Blake Edwards so improved on this scene by having both Victoria and Toddy appear together in gorgeous gowns. Costumes and scenery were remarkable and the late Henry Mancini music, especially Crazy World, is so memorable and can bring tears to the eyes. All the rest of the cast including some great dancing and choreography have left a marvelous record of this performance. Thanks to them for a wonderful evening of viewing.

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.