First A Girl U

Did you know that one of the best 1930s musicals was made in the UK? This sly and sparkling comedy about a shop girl who pretends to be a boy in order to perform on stage as a female impersonator is a joy to watch.

A rarely seen British adaption of the 1933 German film Viktor und Viktoria (later remade as Victor and Victoria and similarly reworked in Shakespeare in Love) First a Girl stars Jessie Matthews (Evergreen), one of the era’s biggest British stars. She and Sonnie Hale were a successful screen partnership in British cinema, and this is their most polished collaboration.

Victor Saville’s film mixes its clever conceit with risqué comedy and impressive song-and-dance numbers (including the fabulous, feather-trimmed performance of ‘Everything’s in Rhythm with My Heart’) to thoroughly entertaining and surprisingly transgressive effect.

Everything you need for your big screen musical fix!

Screening as part of BFI Musicals! The Greatest Show on Screen, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery, BFI Film Audience Network and ICO.