Salina Art Center

When Americans today hear “Queen Victoria,” we’re likely to recall our impressions of the “Victorian Age” and link the British monarch to notions of class consciousness, social intolerance, sexual repression, and suffocating corsets. Film lovers might conjure an image of Dame Judi Dench as Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown, dressed in black and looking depressed and sour-faced and judgmental. Many historians would assert that Queen Victoria was not the stone-hearted moral crusader of the popular imagination, an image encouraged by the portraits of the queen in later years. It’s hard to think of such a formidable personage as being human, much less a teenager—and subject to the romantic heartbreaks and social pratfalls typical of teenagers—but director Jean-Marc Vallee provides an intriguing and different view of the famous figure. Young Victoria isn’t a “revisionist” take that turns the queen-to-be into a 21st century proto-feminist dressed up in 19th century costumes. Vallee’s portrait is modulated to provide a more rounded view of Victoria, giving moviegoers insight into the political forces pushing and prodding her before she became ruler of what was the world’s greatest empire—at the age of 18. Obviously, Victoria had to grow up in a hurry, like a lot of today’s child celebrities; she was born in a spotlight and had to deal with seducers, users, parasites, and backstabbers practically since birth. If she seems a little strained, a little angry at the world, in the portraits made in the latter part of her more than 60 years’ reign, it’s certainly understandable. Part of what makes Young Victoria enjoyable is that we get to meet the heroine at a stage of her life when she’s still relatively carefree, open-hearted, child-like, and innocent in the ways of the world. She hasn’t fully realized the full extent of the awesome power she’ll wield if she succeeds her uncle, King William (Jim Broadbent), after his death. Meanwhile, Sir John Conroy (Mark Strong) wants to keep Victoria from ever attaining that power by convincing her mother, the Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson), to appoint him regent if William dies before Victoria turns 18. King Leopold of Belgium (Thomas Kretschmann) pushes his decent, likeable nephew Albert (Rupert Friend) toward Victoria for a potential marriage alliance: both Victoria and Albert are resistant at first, but surprisingly, they do fall in love. Watching and waiting is the charming, cynical, but devious Lord Melbourne (Paul Bettany), who has his own plans. Director Vallee skillfully balances poignant romance and political intrigue. Also helping make the film so compulsively watchable is screenwriter Julian Fellowes, who demonstrated with Vanity Fair and Gosford Park that he can make manipulation among the upper classes into entertaining, smart, literate cinema. He does another masterful job with Young Victoria, but doesn’t focus so much on the power struggles that he ignores characterization: and Emily Blunt, the luminous young actress who plays Victoria, is truly the heart and soul of the film. She has flaws and idiosyncrasies that any parent with a teenager (or anyone who remembers being a teenager) will recognize, but she also has an inner toughness and resilience that shows that she is ready for the throne, despite her youth and the adults who continually condescend to her. Emily Blunt creates one of the most memorable female characters in recent years, an even more remarkable feat because her task is to bring warmth and energy and likeability to a cold, intimidating, fierce-looking image from history books—but remain true to Queen Victoria’s strength and courage as well. Ms. Blunt’s performance is the keystone of an excellent ensemble cast, and the driving force behind Young Victoria’s fascination for contemporary audiences.