Acclaimed Quebecois director Jean-Marc Vallée (whose last film, C.R.A.Z.Y., is one of the most successful Canadian films of the past decade) returns with The Young Victoria, a delicate and profoundly romantic look at England's last golden age.
Starring Emily Blunt as the queen who went on to symbolize the entire British Empire, the film follows Victoria's early struggle to succeed her uncle as the ruler of England, a quest blocked by her mother, the Duchess of Kent (Miranda Richardson), whose odious “adviser” is Sir John Conroy (Mark Strong).
Widowed at a young age, the duchess has been convinced by Conroy that she must protect Victoria's health at all costs and keep her away from the court in order to preserve her own position – despite the vocal complaints of King William IV (Jim Broadbent, in a very amusing turn), Victoria's uncle, who clearly wants his niece to follow in his footsteps. When Victoria is finally crowned, she's entirely unaware of the potential ramifications of her actions and allows herself to be misled by the dashing Lord Melbourne (Paul Bettany), who may be using her youth and inexperience to further enhance his own position. Enter Prince Albert (Rupert Friend), who almost immediately charms Victoria by refusing to stick to the script given him by his scheming and Machiavellian relations. As their love for one another grows, crucial questions remain unanswered: will Victoria listen to Albert's counsel or will her loyalty to Melbourne win out?
The Young Victoria gives us an insightful portrait of the often ruthless machinations that characterized the dealings between royal families, a world where matters of the heart took a back seat, patriotism and family loyalties were labyrinthine in their complications, and battles for leverage and position poisoned even mother-daughter relationships. But Vallée's film is also a true romance; from their very first meeting, we sense a mutual bond between Victoria and Albert, despite the restrictions placed on their interactions. Theirs was moreover a modern romance, it seems, and as they found solutions to the politics that complicated their love, they also developed forward-thinking approaches to some of the social issues of their time. Beautifully directed and exquisitely acted, The Young Victoriais a memorable, sophisticated and very charming exploration of English history.
Jean-Marc Vallée was born in Montreal and studied film at L'Université de Montréal. His short films include
Stéréotypes (93),
Les Fleurs magiques (95) and
Les Mots magiques (98). His first feature,
Liste noire (95), was nominated for nine Genie awards in 1996. His other features are
Los Locos (97),
Loser Love (99),
C.R.A.Z.Y. (05) and
The Young Victoria (09).