Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Victor and Victoria Blu-ray Movie Review

A must-see musical classic with a first-rate performance by Renate Müller

Victor and Victoria is a charming must-see musical produced by Eduard Kubat (Jugend, Alarm in Peking) and Alfred Zeisler (The Amazing Quest of Ernest Bliss, Vacationing from Oneself). The exceptionally entertaining musical is about the importance of pursing one's dreams. The film is remarkably good and was later remade by the great Blake Edwards (The Pink Panther, The Pink Panther Strikes Again). Victor and Victoria was even turned in to a Broadway production. Despite many rebooted versions, the original film stands as an essential cinematic achievement. Don't miss it.

An aspiring actress with an immense talent for singing tunes, Susanne Lohr (Renate Müller) dreams big of becoming a star sensation. With no connections to speak of, Susanne wonders how she might be able to break in to the business of the theatrical stage. Turning from a career as a little-known singer, she has new hope in dream show-partner Viktor Hempel (Hermann Thimig). As the pair decide to join forces to take the industry by storm, Susanne dresses up as a man to fool the industry in to making her the next big star. Can Susanne survive the gender-swap commotion and make her dreams come true?

At the heart of the musical is the stirring performances by the ensemble cast. The lead performance by Renate Müller is especially invigorating to watch unfold. As the character of Susanne Lohr is faced with pretending to be a man to find success in the industry, the film finds itself as an early Feminist production. Müller is exceptional in the role and provides the character with a special charm and grace that permeates every scene. Hermann Thimig plays opposite Müller with the kind of craftsmanship too few actors bring to comedic roles. Thimig is funny, daring, and experimental with his role.

The production is a fantastic accomplishment. The production design by Artur Günther (The Battle of Bademuende, The Saint and Her Fool) and Benno von Arent (Love Must Be Understood, An Ideal Spouse) gives the entire experience an extra sense of weight and vigor. The sets are accomplished throughout the feature-film (while the set layouts showcase the quirky nature of the environment). Clearly, the designers had enormous ambitions in every scene of the production.

Another element of the production which is worth praising is the first-rate costumes by Luise Leder (Flower of Hawaii), Ida Revelly (A Tremendously Rich Man), and Willy Schlick (Der Kaiser von Kalifornien). I especially appreciate how the costumes were handled for Renate Müller while in clothing designed for me. The approach seems bold and confident. An early Feminist effort.

A musical for all ages.

The music score composed by Alfred Zeisler (A Soldier's Love Is True Indeed, Once a Great Lady) is enjoyable and charming. The songs featured throughout Victor and Victoria are a blast to experience. There is something magical about the music and the vibrancy it brings to the storytelling. The music score is consistently upbeat and melodic while the songs are creative fun. Outstanding.

The choreography by Sabine Ress (The Making of a King, The Eternal Waltz) provides Victor and Victoria with a sense of style and originality that speaks volumes of the entire production. During comedic numbers (and dramatic scenes), the staging of the dancing and rhythm of the actors was exceptional. The entire film shines because of the expertly handled choreography.

Edited by Arnfried Heyne (Don't Get Your Knickers in a Twist, The White Horse Inn), Victor and Victoria is a consistently entertaining spectacle. There is never a dull moment. The film finds an incredibly distinctive voice from the beginning and never loses grasp of that sense of originality. Something just “clicked” about the production and editor Heyne wisely finds the right balance to showcase.

The cinematography by Konstantin Irmen-Tschet (The Man Who Wanted to Live Twice, Our Flags Lead Us Forward) is impressive black-and-white. The film has a keen visual sensibility that was enticing to see explored. The visuals are key to cinema and musicals are especially reliant upon the power to impress. Victor and Victoria is a beautiful looking film.

Written and directed by Reinhold Schünzel (Catherine the Great, All for Money), Victor and Victoria is a classic in every sense of the word. The filmmaking is top-notch and the performances are dynamite. Schünzel brought his storyline to life with exceptional clarity: the journey to finding true success is in never giving up. Victor and Victoria is a must-see musical.

Victor and Victoria Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, the classic Victor and Victoria is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in an aspect ratio of 1.19:1 full frame. The film looks surprisingly good for a film of its age. The transfer on the release showcases the natural beauty of the black and white cinematography. There are a number of positive elements to the presentation. Detail is quite strong and the scan looks pleasantly sharp throughout. The scan is free from overbearing damage, blemishes, and the like. The only disappointing elements are occasional thin scratches and imperfect blacks. Given the age of the production, the scan was enormously satisfying and a pleasure to watch in high definition.

Victor and Victoria Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release features the original German audio in uncompressed PCM mono. The lossless sound presentation is a decent encode for the original audio track. The presentation never sounds too overbearing or harsh on the ears. The track might lack the degree of fidelity of a modern film production but the overwhelming majority of the audio is effective for the presentation. For a vintage musical, the sound is solid and never too harsh. There are no major issues with regards to pops, clicks, hiss, and warps. The audio is enjoyable throughout. The English subtitles are also quite pleasing and are free from any egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Optional English subtitles are provided.

Victor and Victoria Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by Gaylyn Studlar

Victor and Victoria Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Victor and Victoria is a remarkably charming musical. Fans of the genre should make sure to check out this gem. The direction is fantastic, the screenplay is charming, and the performances are remarkably bold. The film even feels like it carries a Feminist spirit (which is a nice thing to find in such an early classic). A remarkable gem. The Blu-ray from Kino Lorber features a strong video-audio presentation and comes highly recommended.