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The Young Victoria Movie Poster

CAST
EMILY BLUNT
RUPERT FRIEND
PAUL BETTANY
JIM BROADBENT
JESPER CHRISTENSEN
JEANETTE HAIN
THOMAS KRETSCHMAN
MIRANDA RICHARDSON
RACHAEL STIRLING
MARK STRONG
HARRIET WALTER

WRITTEN BY
JULIAN FELLOWES

PRODUCED BY
SARAH FERGUSON
TIM HEADINGTON
GRAHAM KING
MARTIN SCORSESE

DIRECTED BY
JEAN-MARC VALLEE

GENRE
BIOGRAPHY
DRAMA
HISTORY
ROMANCE

RATED
AUSTRALIA:PG
UK:PG
USA:PG

RUNNING TIME
100 MIN

LINKS
IMAGES
MOVIE POSTERS
TRAILERS & CLIPS

THE YOUNG VICTORIA (2009)

The Young Victoria is a lavish yet never gaudy look at the initial years of Queen Victoria’s reign.

It is also a love story between the Queen and her Prince Albert, that depicts how the two overcame political influence and manipulation to become man and wife, and the latter an influential monarch.

The role of Victoria is handled superbly by rising thesp Emily Blunt. It is the type of meaty role deserving of Blunt’s talents, and she delivers with a subtly engrossing performance as the stubborn yet sensitive young sovereign.

Victoria is introduced as a prisoner in her own palace, under pressure to relinquish her title to the throne by her mother (Miranda Richardson), and her mother’s advisor, the vile Sir John Conroy (well played by Mark Strong).   

After the death of King William (Jim Broadbent), Victoria is crowned Queen. The weight of her new role, along with the presence of vipers and vultures ready to strike at any misstep, leads her to look for guidance from various suitors and allies.

Yet it would be the idealist Prince Albert -played by dashing young actor Robert Friend who wooed Michelle Pfieffer in Cheri – that would steal her heart, and become her closest confidant since he too knows what it is like to be a chess piece in a game of politics.      

Where as Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth films focused on the relationship between religion and the monarchy, The Young Victoria focuses on the fascinating political power plays during Victoria’s reign. Enter Paul Bettany as Prime Minister Lord Melvin, chief advisor and wannabe suitor whose allegiance with the Queen brought on a scandal early in her reign.

Oscar winning scribe Julian Fellowes successfully weaves the films political sub-plots along with the Queen’s personal struggles to create an informative and absorbing biopic, which is deftly brought to life by Canadian filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallee.

Supporting roles are superbly played by a bevy of fine British talent, with standout performances by Paul Bettany, Miranda Richardson, and Jim Broadbent who almost steals the film with a drunken rant during a royal dinner.   

Above all, The Young Victoria is an attractive film. While many period pieces overwhelm with flashy production design in order to get attention –much like a matador waving a red flag in front of a bull - the stellar art direction found here is luscious, yet never vulgarly so. Call it a costume drama that is just as rich in its story as it is in its tapestry.

***1/2
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