Review of film: “THE YOUNG VICTORIA” [ = CIFF Report # 16 re 45th ]

2009, 12-09:

Review of film:  “THE YOUNG VICTORIA”  [ = CIFF Report # 16 re 45^th ]

This constitutes my original Report # 16 on the 45th Chicago Int'l Film Festival:  The Fest had 3 “Red Carpet” Specials with Cocktail Receptions following the film involved.  The Opening Nite special movie (at a fundraiser rate of $ 100-150) was “MOTHERHOOD” (which I reported on in Report # 7), & the Centerpiece film (at $ 50-100 as a fundraising effort) was “PRECIOUS” (Reported on in my # 12)…

…  The last such special was the CLOSING-nite film, “THE YOUNG VICTORIA” (at $ 100) on 10-22-09.  The film was produced by Martin Scorcese & Graham King, and was written by OSCAR-award-winning scriptwriter Julian Fellowes…

…  Normally, the closing-nite film is attended by some special GUESTS involved with the making of the film (often with a Q&A after the screening)…

…  But, altho there was scuttlebutt that some such guests were originally SCHEDULED for attending the event this year, NONE of them actually finalized their acceptance or showed up (& thus --  since I especially wanted to report on a Q&A -- I did NOT attend the film on that day, waiting for a later advance screening, which is the basis of the Review I’m now enclosing below):

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Review of film:  “THE YOUNG VICTORIA”

Director: 

Jean-Marc Vallée.

Writers: 

Julian Fellowes.

Starring: 

Emily Blunt

Rupert Friend

Paul Bettany

Miranda Richardson

Jim Broadbent

Thomas Kretschmann

Mark Strong

Jesper Christensen

Harriet Walter

Jeanette Hain

Julian Glover.

MPAA Rating: 

PG for some mild sensuality, a scene of violence, and brief incidental language and smoking.

Quotes: 

“ When I marry, I will please myself. ”

“ …  won’t shed English blood for foreign ” involvements

“ …  like a China doll, walking over a precipice. ”

“ I play it with you in my heart. ”

“ Every suitor will come with strings attached. ”

“ Master the rules of the game, until you can play it better than THEY can. ”

“ It’s your life, Albert--  LIVE it! ”

“ I am expecting a very LARGE family! ”

“ Never forget:  you are first a COBURG! ”

“ A man who has no work becomes RIDICULOUS! ”

“ I neither seek nor invite your advice. ”

“ I will not have my rule usurped! ”

 

MY rating: 

8.5 of 10 stars (based on an advance screening of the 100–minute film).

     They named an Age after her, but this is the “BEFORE” part of the “After”

British Queen Victoria was born in 1819.  By the time she died at 81 in 1901, she had reigned longer than any other British monarch (namely, 63 years & 7 months).  She was around for so long, & Britain was so globally powerful during that period, that the late 1800’s are known as the “VICTORIAN Age” after her…

…  Her image in today’s mindset tends to be one of a sort of “frumpy”-looking old lady.  But, this fascinating film concentrates on her EARLY years & how she BECAME Queen...

…  King William IV had no direct heirs.  His brother, Prince Edward (Duke of Kent), had married Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld in Germany, and they had one daughter, Victoria --  the subject of this movie (portrayed by EMILY BLUNT)…

…  As the film story begins, Victoria’s father had died, & her life was in the control of her mother, the Duchess of Kent (MIRANDA RICHARDSON) & her “advisor”, Sir John Conroy (MARK STRONG), who consistently tried to “brow-beat” her into doing things the way THEY wanted--  namely, to appoint her mother as “REGENT” to eventually rule “FOR” her if she were to inherit the crown before the “legal” age of 18…

…  The King (JIM BROADBENT) was very FOND of young Victoria, loving her independent spirit--  but couldn’t stand her mother and the machinations of Sir John, & kept trying to STOP them in their efforts to have a Regent appointed.  (Yes, even then, Politics had a frequently UGLY “head” that kept being raised!)…

…  Complicating the political situation is the fact that the brother of Victoria’s mother is King LEOPOLD of Belgium (played by THOMAS KRETSCHMANN), also from the House of Saxe-Coburg & eager to see that his House has CONTROL of the British monarchy as it did in other countries such as Portugal…

…  Thus, he also backs the idea of Victoria’s appointing her MOTHER as Regent.  He consequently urges a nephew, Prince Albert (RUPERT FRIEND) to try to COURT Victoria, which Albert does…

…  Victoria’s life is so lonely & “isolated” in her residence, she’s required (by her mother) to hold HANDS with a woman whenever she walks down or up the stairs…  But, despite her upbringing & seeming frailty, Victoria grows up very STRONG in will & REBUFFS the abusive efforts of Sir John and her mother…

…  In time, the King dies, & Victoria --  who by this time was over the age of 18 (& thus not “requiring” any Regent) is declared the Queen (in 1837).  She’s the first monarch to reside in Buckingham Palace… 

…  To thwart the continuing noxious efforts of her mother & Sir John, she’s assisted by Prime Minister Lord Melbourne (PAUL BETTANY), who inveigles her to have people loyal to HIM in her household… 

…  While Melbourne’s actions aren’t destructive to her reign, her level of support to him eventually angers the PUBLIC when she doesn’t readily accept a NEWLY-elected Prime Minister & what he wants in the way of household help for her & the like…

…  Feeling that their will is being “ignored” in the Constitutional Monarchy, the general public grows restive and violent in opposition to her conduct…

…  ALBERT (Rupert) keeps writing & visiting & encouraging her in life, acting INDEPENDENTLY of the wishes of (uncle) King Leopold (who admits at one point that he’d “planned” Victoria’s marriage into his House for “20 years”)… 

…  When Victoria sees Albert is good-hearted & caring towards her, she eventually allows him to MARRY her.  While they’re very happy in general & he tries to encourage PROGRESS in the country, some strains arise when Victoria tends to be overly “controlling” of the household & the way the country is run… 

…  Will Victoria learn to accept wise COMPROMISES in life and politics?…  Will the once-alienated public grow to LIKE her again?… 

…  This film covers a lot of “ground” & is an Engaging & very well-acted telling of the historical story (with especially fine work by Emily Blunt as the self-reliant & growing Victoria…

…  She’s being touted for a possible OSCAR nomination for her role, & is deserving of that recognition)…  [NOTE:  she did NOT get nominated--  tho the film won an Oscar for best COSTUME Design, & lost out on 2 other “Technical” categories it was nominated for…]

(…  As an aside:  Victoria and Albert eventually had 9 children, whom she married off into at least 8 other Royal Houses of Europe-- + loads of grandchildren who tended to do the same…  Victoria was with Albert for 22 years, until he died at age 42.  His “influence” lived on, in the way she worked to improve education, welfare & industry for the masses in the U.K…. )…

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