Kaffeine Buzz
reviews independent and foreign films,
in addition to reporting the latest buzz behind
Colorado's film festivals.
The Young Victoria (Jean-Marc
Vallée)
“Queen Victoria has never been remembered
for her youth, but for her seemingly never ending
old age: her years of mourning, her black dress,
her dour expression, her iconic stature. One might
wonder, ‘Was she ever a girl?’”
– “Becoming Victoria” by
Lynn Vallone.
Yes indeed. The Closing Night film for
the Starz Denver Film Festival, “The
Young Victoria,” takes us back to a point
in Queen Victoria’s history that has been
somewhat overshadowed by what Queen Victoria became
after Prince Albert, her husband, her business
partner, and dare I say, soulmate, passed.
This is the story of the “rose of England”
(Emily Blunt, "Devil Wears
Prada," "Gideon's Daughter") who
through a variety of circumstances—this
person had died, this person didn’t have
more children, her parents didn’t have time
to have a son before her father died—was
the next in line for the crown after her uncle,
King William (Jim Broadbent,
"Crying Game," "Bullets over Broadway,"
"Hot Fuzz") died.
Victoria was a teenager, who lived a highly sheltered
life thanks to her mother, Duchess of Kent (Miranda
Richardson, "Empire of the Sun,"
"Gideon's Daughter"), and John Conroy
(Mark Strong, "Oliver Twist,"
"RocknRolla"), the man in their life
that in a sense, took over after her father, Duke
of Kent, died.
If you don’t know the background of who-was-who
going into the film, it is a bit confusing. But
director Jean-Marc Vallée and screenwriter
Julian Fellowes fill in the blanks in
a highly entertaining and engaging way.
Victoria, through the support of her uncle King
William, is empowered to break free from the binds
of control under her mother and Conroy, much like
most teenagers are when they reach a certain age.
But in this scenario, we are definitely rooting
for her, seeing right through the transparent
motives the Duchess and Conroy have as they see
their power slipping via Victoria’s independence.
But she is still young and naïve, not always
able to detect the other motives of the many others
that surround her, and that’s where her
cousin Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (Rupert
Friend, "Pride and Prejudice") came
in as one who saw her in a different light, to
stand beside her, to help her learn the game of
chess, both literally and metaphorically.
Aside from Sofia Coppalla’s “Marie
Antoinette,” never have I seen such a period
piece that is so heavily laden with contemporary
flair. The characters, conflict, and timeless
facets of the human psyche could have easily played
out in today’s modern society as it did
over 150+ years ago, pomp, circumstance and regality
not withstanding. (I’m wondering if one
of the film’s producers, Sarah Ferguson,
had any influence on this.)
Albert could have been one of the first husbands
in history to believe in women’s liberation,
had it existed back then. During the courtship,
they went dancing (the waltz), discussed their
tastes in music (opera and symphony), and laughing
from their inside jokes. Marrying for love and
not strictly by breeding was also an act of defiance.
Taking his place along side Queen Victoria after
they were married, there were also the husband-wife
spouts of a newly wed couple, each vying for power
within the relationship, albeit a bit more complicated
given her place on the thrown.
Albert replaces what had been Victoria’s
lifeboat, her personal secretary Lord Melbourne
(Paul Bettany, "A Knight's Tale," "A
Beautiful Mind") who had both simplified
her life and caused great political conflicts
via his own interests, becoming her Rock of Gibraltar.
Seeing Melbourne being put in his place; I wanted
to yell “Yes!” as if my soccer team
had just scored.
The scenery within the royal walls and gardens
is breathtaking; the costumes, elaborate and amazing;
the flow and rhythm of dialogue was a rollercoaster
of emotion, from intriguing to funny to emotional.
And the subtle touches—the hair rising slowly
on the Duchess’ arm as her daughter, miles
away, nearly escapes with her life—should
be applauded.
