Review of Victoria the Great

The life of England's second-longest reigning monarch is followed through a series of vignettes from her ascent to the throne in 1837 to the Diamond Jubilee of 1897 that celebrated her sixtieth year as Monarch. The film was made a century after the coronation of 18-year old Princess Alexandrina Victoria and, not unexpectedly for a pre-WW2 British film about the royal family, is very reverential. Victoria reigned over a rapidly evolving British Empire (she became 'Empress of India' in 1879) during a century of massive global political and social change, so as a biography, the 110 minute film was destined to be superficial and other than in passing references, little mention is made of the major historical events of the era. As in her life, major figures from British history come and go, such as the Duke of Wellington, Sir Robert Peel, Lord Melbourne Lord Palmerston, William Gladstone, Benjamin Disraeli, and throughout the actors portraying them are fine and 'convincing'. Anna Neagle remains a bit 'pretty' for the Queen as she ages, and although an effort is made to age the actress accordingly for her final scenes as a 78-year old woman the results are not particularly convincing. Anton Walbrook is very good as Prince Albert and the segments of him coming to England to meet the young Queen (his cousin) and his later chafing at his role of Royal Consort who was expected to distance himself from politics are (IMO) the best parts of the film. The recreations of historical events such as the coronation are interesting, with lots of pomp and stirring music and the black and white cinematography is very good (the dramatic change to technicolour for the Jubilee was undercut somewhat by 'Silver Screen' inserting a commercial break at the junction). More interesting as a period-piece piece of film-making than as an actual biography of 'Victoria Regina' but well worth watching. 'Victoria the Great' was made when England was still the dominant world power and is about a beloved Queen under whom the Empire expanded to its greatest extent, so anyone expecting even a hint of 'mea culpa' for the less desirable aspects of colonialism and empire-building will be disappointed.