Saw Young Victoria the other night at the Esquire – always one of my favorite places to go. Like the whole flavor of Clifton, the walk-iness of it, the scale. And the Esquire is such a comfy theatre – no huge lines, sitting too close or too far. Just good.
And Young Victoria was just delightful. Her mother’s anxiety about everything, and then her deferring to the de facto wicked step father. They actually woke her in the middle of the night, trying to get her to sign away her right to be queen, in favor of allowing her mother to be regent. One shudders to think what a disaster that would have been!
Much of the film was about she and Albert – their initial meeting, their courtship and marriage. The German Prince Albert prepping up on Victoria’s tastes in opera and dance, and trying to say just the right thing during their first meeting – until she bursts his little balloon, letting him know she’s on to that trick.
When Victoria’s uncle, King William, dies, she becomes Queen Victoria, and chooses Prime Minister Lord Melbourne as her principal advisor – a pretty good guy, but definitely not bipartisan, so the government is always a struggle. Albert comes to the coronation, he and Victoria really fall in love, but she will only listen to Melbourne. Did I mention she was very headstrong?
Eventually, Melbourne causes her enough trouble that she asks Albert to return. This time, he is determined to stay. Under the rules of queenship, evidently, he is not allowed to propose – she must be the one proposing. Which eventually happens, as really a joint proposal by each to each.
I’m not going to tell you any more. But you love this film, one of these wintry evenings!
P. S. Victoria and I share our birthday – as does Bob Dylan. : >