I've always loved movies
about court intrigue especially when it comes to queens and kings like
Elizabeth, Eleanor, Victoria, Henry the VIII usually played by such out sized
stars as Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn, Cate Blnachard, Judi Dench, Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton and
Charles Laughton. What goes/went on behind the scenes was more interesting than
personal relationships.

The picture that most of us carry of Queen Victoria
is of a rotund, dour, cheerless monarch who upon the death of her husband went
into a lifetime of mourning--unless you believe in the story of 'Mr. Brown'. The
story in "The Young Victoria" takes place before all this happens, when Prince
Albert and Victoria fall in love.

Yes there is that court
intrigue of Victoria's mother, and the mother's lover, trying to 'rule' the
daughter from when she is made queen at the age of 18 until she turns 25 by
becoming her official regent but that is not to happen as Victoria, though
young, is strong and knows what she wants. There is more policeman but this
film, more than anything, is the love story of two young people where the role
reversal could have destroyed the relationship before it even started.

Here the man has to wait for the woman to ask him to
marry her and, of course, he will never earn what she does and will never be as
important as the queen to whom he will always have to play second fiddle.

We follow the couple from
when they first meet to their playing of chess and their first waltz and the
blossoming of young love because this is what the film is about: a love story.
There are all the trappings of a costume drama such as the luscious gowns,
dinner tables that seem to go on for miles, beautiful horses, green landscapes
and not to forget the men behind the scenes battling for power but these are
secondary to the romance that the audience comes to believe in.
I've always
loved movies about court intrigue especially when it comes to queens and kings
like Elizabeth, Eleanor, Victoria, Henry the VIII usually played by such out
sized stars as Bette Davis, Katherine Hepburn, Cate Blnachard, Judi Dench, Peter
O'Toole, Richard Burton and Charles Laughton. What goes/went on behind the
scenes was more interesting than personal relationships.

The picture that most of
us carry of Queen Victoria is of a rotund, dour, cheerless monarch who upon the
death of her husband went into a lifetime of mourning--unless you believe in the
story of 'Mr. Brown'. The story in "The Young Victoria" takes place before all
this happens, when Prince Albert and Victoria fall in love.

Yes there is that court
intrigue of Victoria's mother, and the mother's lover, trying to 'rule' the
daughter from when she is made queen at the age of 18 until she turns 25 by
becoming her official regent but that is not to happen as Victoria, though
young, is strong and knows what she wants. There is more palace maneuvering but
this film, more than anything, is the love story of two young people where the
role reversal could have destroyed the relationship before it even
started.

Here the man has to wait
for the woman to ask him to marry her and, of course, he will never earn what
she does and will never be as important as the queen to whom he will always have
to play second fiddle.

We follow the couple from
when they first meet to their playing of chess and their first waltz and the
blossoming of young love because this is what the film is about: a love story.
There are all the trappings of a costume drama such as the luscious gowns,
dinner tables that seem to go on for miles, beautiful horses, green landscapes
and not to forget the men behind the scenes battling for power but these are
secondary to the romance that the audience comes to believe in.

The acting is first rate
with Emily Blunt's continuing track to success which came to the foreground in
The Devil Wears Prada and Rupert Friend as Prince Albert is her equal in the
acting department and provides the necessary chemistry to make the film work.
The supporting cast, with Miranda Richardson in the familiar role as the not so
nice mother, are all first rate. The behind the scenes crew whether it is
costuming, scenery, photography or music all deliver.

The movie is as pleasant
to watch as the young leads and though there is not the drama that was provided
by a Bette, Katherine, Judi, etc., this is not that kind of picture being a love
story not a court intrigue tale.

The acting is first rate with Emily Blunt's
continuing track to success which came to the foreground in The Devil Wears
Prada and Rupert Friend as Prince Albert is her equal in the acting department
and provides the necessary chemistry to make the film work. The supporting cast,
with Miranda Richardson in the familiar role as the not so nice mother, are all
first rate. The behind the scenes crew whether it is costuming, scenery,
photography or music all deliver.

The movie is as pleasant to watch as the young leads
and though there is not the drama that was provided by a Bette, Katherine, Judi,
etc., this is not that kind of picture being a love story not a court intrigue
tale.