Thursday, November 3, 2011

Album Review: "Victor/Victoria" (1982 Film Soundtrack)

"Victor/Victoria" (1982 Film Soundtrack)
Henry Mancini

Henry Mancini is best known to me as the composer of "Moon River" and "The Pink Panther" theme, both written for memorable movies by Blake Edwards. "Victor/Victoria" is Edwards's 1982 film highlighting the talents of his wife Julie Andrews as well as Robert Preston and James Garner . Mancini contributed the score, with musical numbers set in the gay nightclubs of Paris. The lyrics are by Leslie Bricusse.

None of the numbers have become as well known as "Moon River," but I think "Le Jazz Hot" is an excellent showpiece for Andrews and I've never tired of hearing it. "You and Me" is also quite good, helped along by the extraordinary vocal talents of Andrews and Preston. Now Preston is gone and Andrews no longer sings. No one has really taken their place.

"Chicago, Illinois," Leslie Ann Warren's song, doesn't do much for me, and I think it compares unfavorably with the Hot Box Girls songs from "Guys & Dolls," which it weakly resembles. The CD by itself, a few highlights aside, is not that much fun to listen to all the way through, but the score does work very well as part of the movie, and after all that's exactly what scores are supposed to do.


"Le Jazz Hot" from "Victor/Victoria"
Julie Andrews


"You And Me"
Julie Andrews and Robert Preston



 
"Chicago, Illinois"
Lesley Ann Warren





More Mancini:
"Moon River"
Audrey Hepburn
Breakfast at Tiffany's


The Pink Panther (1963)
Main Title


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