The Sunday Salon: Watching Young Victoria (2009)

Last Sunday, I talked about watching Victoria and Albert. Today I'm going to be talking gushing about the movie Young Victoria. How much do I love Young Victoria? Well, I've seen it four times since the first week of March! IF I owned it, well, I'm sure the number would be even higher. For I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE and adore this movie!!! What do I love about this movie? Well, it might be simpler to ask what I don't love about this movie! I'm not sure I could think of anything either. Sure, I suppose, it goes a little over-the-top in places when it comes to DRAMA. I think they wanted it to be as DRAMATIC as possible. But some of the places in the movie where I thought it could have been a little too exaggerated to be true, well, I've found supported in biographies. Like the scene where her uncle, William IV, throws a temper tantrum at his birthday celebration when he screams at Victoria's mother in front of everyone. In the biography I'm reading Becoming Queen Victoria, I read about this and it has his words...and, yes, they got it right. So I've decided not to overthink the drama. To just take this movie as it is, to love it for what it is. And that won't be hard, trust me.

 What this movie has is what Victoria and Albert fall short on, ROMANCE. The Young Victoria is a giddy-making, oh-so-romantic, oh-so-magical, practically-perfect-in-every-way film. If you want romance, you'll get plenty of it in The Young Victoria. For this film shows these two falling deeply in love with each before they're married. It shows them spending a good amount of time together. Probably more time together than what is historically true--based on the opening chapters I read in We Two. But their scenes together are just so wonderful--like when they're playing chess, when they're dancing, when he's teaching her archery, or when soon after they meet he holds her hand going up the stairs (for that is a 'rule' in place, Victoria cannot walk up stairs (or down stairs) without someone (usually her governess or another lady of the household) holding her hand). The movie also highlights their correspondence. (Here's an example of the romance.)

One of the great strengths of the movie--beyond the acting, the writing, the sets and costumes--is the music. I just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the music. The score is by Ilan Eshkeri. And it is beyond wonderful. I didn't think it possible for me to love a film score more than I loved Much Ado About Nothing (by Patrick Doyle)...but Young Victoria is by far my favorite and best score ever. It makes every scene that much better. I have listened to the soundtrack so many times!!!! (One example of the music.)

Watch The Young Victoria

• If you want to watch a great movie
• If you love costume/period dramas
• If you love romance and drama

© 2012 Becky Laney of Becky's Book Reviews