When I was a kid, before I was deep into movies, I could still identify a particular kind of physical comedy attached to the name Blake Edwards. Maybe it was because nobody else was even doing slapstick, certainly not with his level of scale, but I didn’t have to look hard to connect the comic destruction of Pink Panther films with some of the hilarious visuals here. I like how the film was ahead of its time in regard to positive gender politics. What was funny about it then, mainly people who are uncomfortable and reactionary to drag and homosexuality, is still good to laugh at now.
This would be a cool film to work on, and the brilliant ensemble cast isn’t the main reason why. Neither is getting to watch Edwards stage his visual gags. For me, it would be the recreation of 1930s Paris. The Oscar nominated Art Direction by Tim Hutchinson and William Craig Smith (Excalibur) create a backdrop of rain-slicked streets, smoky jazz clubs, mirrored dressing rooms, and grand hotel interiors. The Oscar nominated Costume Design by Patricia Norris covers everyone is tailored tuxedos, sequined gowns, and feathery stage ensembles. Victoria’s transformation into Count Victor lets the costume team play with details that balance authenticity with theatrical exaggeration.
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