The talented "Victor" sings and dances "his" way to the Parisian heights, complicated only by the fact that he/she is captivated by King Marchand ( James Garner), an American hotshot who can't believe he, in turn, is attracted to a man. After only a moment's hesitation, Victoria is onboard and so begins an adventure in deception, daring, and endurance. Paris is a veritable paradise for female impersonators, and with Victoria's voice the two could join forces, create "Victor," and set the city ablaze. Fortuitously, Toddy has heard Victoria sing, and when the two meet for the first time while in the process of scamming a restaurant for a meal, Toddy is hit with what will turn out to be a brilliant idea. Enter "Toddy" Todd ( Robert Preston), another newly jobless candidate for life among the destitute. She can't find a job, has been evicted from her shabby hotel room, and hasn't eaten in days. Victoria Grant ( Julie Andrews) is a down-on-her-luck soprano in VICTOR/VICTORIA. So now, when I re-watch this movie, I use my '80s genre' lens so when Toddie says, 'When I decided to become a homosexual,' I'm actually hearing him say, "When I came to recognize who I truly am."Īnd of course, Julia Andrews is at her absolute best in this movie, at 47 years of age! Until Victor/Victoria, such a thing was literally unheard of. And not only that but it also shows the inner struggle of the main masculine character King when he's questioning his own sexuality due to his experience with finding himself intensely attracted to another 'man'. However, since then it's also been brought to my attention how, for its time period, that being the early 80s, it was the first moment in mainstream Hollywood cinema as far as showcasing anything LGBT goes, which was literally centerstage for most of the movie. I totally get how LGBTQia+ youths can watch this movie today and be completely insulted by Toddie proclaiming when he 'decided to become a homosexual.' because I felt the same way about 15 years ago when I first heard that line and I instantly winced. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Despite the fun, engaging characters and top-notch music, the subject matter makes this for older and mature kids only. Alcoholic beverages are consumed in numerous scenes, in clubs, at home, in restaurants, and there's some cigar and cigarette smoking as well. There is frequent profanity ("s-t," "ass," "piss off"), and there are insults ("old queen," "fairy," "queer, "faggot"). Though sexual roles are at the heart of every scene, actual sex is restricted to scenes of couples (gay and/or straight) in bed together, kisses, references to impotence and orgasms, and lots of revealing clothing - both on and off stage. Slapstick violence (nightclub brawls, some solid punches, black eyes, and bloody noses) accompanies the wide-eyed picture of Paris at night in 1934. It portrays gay men both in and out of the closet, drag queens, a smattering of homophobia, and, at its core, a heterosexual woman fighting for her personal rights. It's light in spirit, as well as both funny and earnest in its plea for acceptance of individual differences. Set in a world of nightclubs, lavish hotels, and exhilarating music, the film looks at homosexuals, cross-dressing, women's roles, and all kinds of love. Parents need to know that Victor/Victoria is a musical-comedy-romance about a young woman who pretends to be a man working as a female impersonator.
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