The Young Victoria (2009)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Jean-Marc Vallée

Writer (WGA):

Julian Fellowes (written by)

Release Date:

6 March 2009 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | History | Romance

Plot:

A dramatization of the turbulent first years of Queen Victoria's rule, and her enduring romance with Prince Albert. |

Plot Keywords:

Queen Victoria | Character Name In Title

Cast

Emily Blunt	...	Young Victoria
Rupert Friend	...	Prince Albert
Paul Bettany	...	Lord Melbourne
Miranda Richardson	...	Duchess of Kent
Jim Broadbent	...	King William
Thomas Kretschmann	...	King Leopold of Belgium
Mark Strong	...	Sir John Conroy
Jesper Christensen	...	Baron Stockmar
Harriet Walter	...	Queen Adelaide
Jeanette Hain	...	Baroness Lehzen
Julian Glover	...	Duke of Wellington
Michael Maloney	...	Sir Robert Peel
Michiel Huisman	...	Ernest
Genevieve O'Reilly	...	Lady Flora Hastings
Rachael Stirling	...	Duchess of Sutherland
Morven Christie	...	Watson
Josef Altin	...	Edward Oxford
Tom Brooke	...	Man on Soap Box
Michaela Brooks	...	Young Victoria Age 11
Grace Smith	...	Young Victoria Age 5
Sophie Roberts	...	Lady Portman
Charlie Clarke	...	The Newsboy
Robert Cambrinus	...	Kammerrher Turner
Tom Fisher	...	Lord Chamberlain
Shaun Dingwall	...	The Footman
Alice Glover	...	Duchess of Montrose
David Horovitch	...	Sir James Clark
Jo Hartley	...	Landlady
Bernard Lloyd	...	Archbishop of Canterbury
Johnnie Lyne-Pirkis	...	Earl of Derby
Iain Mitchell	...	Speaker
David Robb	...	Whig Member
Malcolm Sinclair	...	Charles Kemble
Thomas Michael Voss	...	Dance Master
Julie McDonnell	...	Lady in Waiting
Liam Scott	...	Duke of Sussex
Mark Beesley	...	Opera Singer
Richard Quine	...	Opera Singer
Nick Chopping	...	Footman
Kelly Dent	...	Cupid / Riding Double 'Victoria'
Mark Henson	...	Falling Bishop
Dominic Preece	...	Officer of Escort
Peter White	...	Apprehending Pedestrian
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Princess Beatrice	...	Lady in Waiting (uncredited)
Danny Dalton	...	Prince of Prussia (uncredited)
James Fiddy	...	Footman (uncredited)
Rowley Irlam	...	Footman (uncredited)
Tony Jeeves	...	Police man (uncredited)
Ruth Leah	...	Elvira - Opera singer (uncredited)
Len Woodcock	...	Pedestrian (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean-Marc Vallée

Writing credits (WGA)
Julian Fellowes		(written by)

Produced by
Sarah Ferguson	....	producer
Elisabeth-Ann Gimber	....	line producer
Elisabeth-Ann Gimber	....	post-production producer
Tim Headington	....	producer
Graham King	....	producer
Denis O'Sullivan	....	co-producer
Anita Overland	....	co-producer
Martin Scorsese	....	producer
Colin Vaines	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Ilan Eshkeri

Cinematography by
Hagen Bogdanski

Film Editing by
Jill Bilcock
Matt Garner

Casting by
Susie Figgis

Production Design by
Patrice Vermette

Art Direction by
Paul Inglis		(supervising art director)
Chris Lowe
Alexandra Walker

Set Decoration by
Maggie Gray

Costume Design by
Sandy Powell

Makeup Department
Ursula Adelhelm	....	daily makeup trainee
Francesco Alberico	....	hair stylist
Corinne Bossu	....	makeup dailies
Mandy Gold	....	crowd makeup artist
John Henry Gordon	....	hair stylist
Jo Grover	....	crowd makeup artist
Sharon Holloway	....	crowd makeup artist: dailies
Kristyan Mallett	....	prosthetics designer/supplier
Cara Parry	....	daily makeup trainee
Tinks Reding	....	dailies makeup artist
Maralyn Sherman	....	dailies hair stylist
Maralyn Sherman	....	dailies makeup artist
Jenny Shircore	....	hair designer
Jenny Shircore	....	makeup designer
Rachael Speke	....	crowd hair/makeup artist: daily
Julia Vernon	....	chief hair stylist: crowd
Julia Vernon	....	chief makeup artist: crowd

Production Management
Hermione Ninnim	....	production manager
Pierre Thériault	....	post production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Joey Coughlin	....	third assistant director
Henry Forsyth	....	third assistant director: crowd
Sarah Hood	....	third assistant director: visual effects unit
Olivia Lloyd	....	second assistant director
Samar Pollitt	....	second second assistant director
Deborah Saban	....	first assistant director
Toby Spanton	....	additional third assistant director

Art Department
Bruce Bigg	....	property master
Graham Caulfield	....	drapesmaster
Charlotte Crosbie	....	assistant buyer
Laura Dishington	....	graphics
Dean Fisher	....	stand-by prop
Sarah Forbes	....	assistant production buyer
Bruce Gordon	....	head sculptor
Martin Kane	....	stand-by props: additional photagraphy
Rhian Nicholas	....	stand-by art director
Catherine Palmer	....	junior draftsman
Sandra Phillips	....	assistant art director
Carly Reddin	....	art department assistant
Matthew Robinson	....	assistant art director
Jim Stanes	....	graphic artist
Kate Venner	....	production buyer
Jackie Yau	....	production buyer: additional photography

Sound Department
Daniel Bisson	....	sound recordist
Michelle Cloutier	....	dialogue editor
Tom Deane	....	adr mixer
Gavin Fernandes	....	sound re-recording mixer
James Gibb	....	sound assistant
Louis Gignac	....	sound re-recording mixer
Peter Gleaves	....	adr mixer
Jim Greenhorn	....	production sound mixer
Benoit Leduc	....	adr recordist
Simon Meilleur	....	foley artist
Mireille Morin	....	adr supervisor
Martin Pinsonnault	....	sound designer
Martin Pinsonnault	....	supervising sound editor
Vincent Riendeau	....	assistant re-recording mixer
Christian Rivest	....	sound effects editor
Jean-François Sauvé	....	sound effects editor
Lionel Strutt	....	adr coordinator
Tristan Tarrant	....	boom operator
Philip Young	....	adr recordist
Rick Gould	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Stuart Brisdon	....	special effects supervisor
Mark Haddenham	....	special effects senior technician
Terry Palmer	....	special effects technician
Nigel Wilkinson	....	special effects technician

Visual Effects by
Genevieve Boisvert	....	visual effects producer
Marc Cote	....	visual effects supervisor
Nicolas Daniel	....	Lustre assistant
Veronique Derval	....	digital compositor: Fake Studio
Vincent Dudouet	....	motion graphic artist: Fake Studio
Julie Fallu	....	visual effects coordinator: Fake Studio
Sabrina Foisy	....	visual effects coordinator: Fake Studio
Nicolas Gaffiero	....	CG artist: Fake Studio
Jean-Francois Gallant	....	CG artist: Fake Studio
Patricia Gaumond	....	CG artist: Fake Studio
Kate Hazell	....	first assistant director: visual effects unit
Gael Hollard	....	digital compositor
Sarah Hood	....	third assistant director: visual effects unit
Nicolas Houle	....	on-set compositor
Alex Jadfard	....	lead compositor: Fake Studio
Heston Labbe	....	matte painter: Fake Studio
Evelyne Leblond	....	digital compositor: Fake Studio
Martin Lipmann	....	compositing supervisor
Martin Lipmann	....	compositing supervisor: Fake Studio
Pascal Lortie	....	CG artist: Fake Studio
Jean-Philippe Lucas	....	digital compositor: Fake Studio
Christian Paradis	....	cg supervisor
Martin Perron	....	systems administrator
Patrick Tasse	....	digital compositor
Sylvain Theroux	....	CG supervisor: Fake Studio

Stunts
Robin Earle	....	stunt rigger
Rob Inch	....	stunt coordinator
Rowley Irlam	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
John Arnold	....	key grip
Jacob Barrie	....	daily second assistant camera: "b" camera
Matthew Butler	....	electrician
Wailoon Chung	....	electrician
Chris Clarke	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
David Cozens	....	first assistant camera: "a" camera
Ian Franklin	....	rigging gaffer
Mark Funnell	....	best boy
Sam Kite	....	key rigging electrician
Oliver Loncraine	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Tim Molema	....	second assistant camera: "a" camera
Paul Molloy	....	electrician
Robert Patzelt	....	camera operator: "b" camera/Steadicam
David Penfold	....	first assistant camera
David Wall	....	chief rigging electrician
Jimmy Wilson	....	gaffer
Sally Wright	....	central loader

Casting Department
Brendan Donnison	....	voice casting
Kirsty Kinnear	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Sheara Abrahams	....	costume assistant
Jennifer Alford	....	costume maker
Emma Brown	....	costume maker
Charlie Copson	....	costume maker
Marco De Magalhaes	....	wardrobe master
Yvonne Duckett	....	costume supervisor
Caroline Fallon	....	costume coordinator
Annie Hadley	....	costume cutter
Liberty Kelly	....	costume maker
Liz Krause	....	costume trainee
Linda Lashley	....	costume maker (as Linda Duffield)
Jane Law	....	costumes: Emily Blunt & Rachael Sterling
Pernilla Lindfors	....	costume maker
Cavita Luchmun	....	costume maker
Tracey Millar	....	costume assistant
Joanne Mosley	....	costume trainee
Lisa Robinson	....	costume maker
Georgiana Sayer	....	wardrobe assistant
Debbie Scott	....	assistant costume designer
Kirsty Wilkinson	....	wardrobe mistress

Editorial Department
Adrian Murray	....	second assistant editor
Joe Parisella	....	digital color timer
Alex Seymour	....	editorial production assistant
Jonathan Taylor	....	first assistant editor

Music Department
Christoph Bauschinger	....	music editor
Christine Bergren	....	music legal
Andy Brown	....	conductor
Andy Brown	....	music contractor
Maureen Crowe	....	music supervisor
Jessica Dannheisser	....	additional orchestrations
Jay Duerr	....	music editor
Chad Hobson	....	musician
Elisa Kustow	....	music production coordinator
Stephen McLaughlin	....	music producer
Jeff Toyne	....	orchestrator

Transportation Department
Paul Allen	....	unit driver
Alan Canty	....	driver: Paul Bettany
Darren Fenny	....	unit driver
Dean Moran	....	transportation captain
Pete Newman	....	driver
William Pidgley	....	unit driver

Other crew
Caridad Angus	....	stand-in Emily Blunt
Kim Armitage	....	script supervisor
Danielle Bennett	....	crowd runner
Mally Chung	....	assistant location manager
Daniel-Konrad Cooper	....	assistant: Hagen Bogdanski
Lynsey Cosford	....	daily location assistant
Tom Crooke	....	location manager
Emma Davie	....	unit publicist
Andrew Gwyn Davies	....	assistant production coordinator
Sophie Dunn	....	location marshall
Wendy Ellerker	....	production accountant
Synnöve Godeseth	....	assistant location manager
Tania Gordon	....	floor runner
Michael Groom	....	assistant to director
Elizabeth Hagan	....	assistant to producer
Steve Hart	....	location manager: addiional photography
Dan Hillsdon	....	first assistant accountant
Martin Joy	....	location manager
Matthew Lee	....	assistant coordinator
Jill McCullough	....	dialect coach
Jack Murphy	....	choreographer
Joanna Nicola	....	food styling assistant
Denis O'Sullivan	....	production executive
Charlotte Piddington	....	production secretary
Guillaume Poulin	....	electronic dusting
Lee Robertson	....	assistant location manager
Andy Scott	....	production assistant
Jonathan Scott	....	production coordinator
Toby Spanton	....	key floor runner
Alistair Thompson	....	production accountant: additional photography
Rebecca Wolf	....	second assistant accountant

Production Companies

• GK Films

Distributors

• Audio Visual Enterprises (2009) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Nordisk Film (2009) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Paradiso Entertainment (2009) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Shaw Organisation (2009) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Momentum Pictures (2009) (UK) (all media)
• Nordisk Film Theatrical Distribution (2009) (Finland) (all media)
• Pinema (2009) (Turkey) (all media)

Special Effects

• Fake Studio (cgi and post-production)

Other Companies

• Access Bookings  accommodation sourcing
• Audiolink Radio Communications  walkie talkies
• Casting Collective  extras casting
• Mayflower Studios  ADR recording studio
• Movie Lot, The  unit security

MPAA:

Rated PG for some mild sensuality, a scene of violence, and brief incidental language and smoking.

Runtime:

Germany:100 min (European Film Market)

Country:

UK | USA

Language:

English

Certification:

Ireland:PG | USA:PG | Finland:K-7 | Netherlands:12 | Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/12 | Norway:7

Filming Locations:

Arundel Castle, Arundel, West Sussex, England, UK

Company:

GK Films

Trivia:

Producer Sarah Ferguson's daughter, Princess Beatrice of York, has a small role in the film as one of Victoria's ladies in waiting. Beatrice is a great-great-great-great-granddaughter of Queen Victoria.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The opening titles mention "England", but "Britain" or "The United Kingdom" would have been accurate descriptions of the country.

Quotes:

Young Victoria: [to the Council] I am young, but I am willing to learn, and I mean to devote my life to the service of my country and my people. I look for your help in this. I know I shall not be disappointed. Thank you.

Movie Connections:

Version of Victoria & Albert (2001) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Only You B Love

Beautiful, memorable but most of all, human.

The 63 year reign of Queen Victoria is perhaps one of the most documented and popularly known historical reigns in British history. On the one hand, her story lacks the theatrics of earlier royals thanks to a change in social climate and attitudes, and on the other her story is one that perpetuates because it is notably human. Taking on the earlier years of her life where the budding romance between herself and the German Prince Albert was taking forefront, director Jean-Marc Vallée who has only until recently remained in the unbeknownst shadows of the industry here takes Victoria's story and captures that human element so vital to her legacy. It's a story that feels extremely humble considering its exuberant background, and yet that's partly what gives it a distinct edge here that separates it from the usual fare.

Taking a very direct and focused approach that centres in on a brief five or so year period between her ascension and marriage to Albert, The Young Victoria does what so little period pieces of this nature offer. Instead of attempting a sprawling encapsulation of such a figure's entire life, Vallée instead opts to show one of the lesser known intricacies of Victoria's early years which are easily overlooked in favour of the more publicly known accolades. The result is a feature that may disgruntle historians thanks to its relatively flippant regards to facts and the like, yet never to let document get in the way of extracting a compelling story, writer Julian Fellowes sticks to his guns and delivers a slightly romanticised yet convincing portrayal. Vallée takes this and runs, making sure to fully capitalise on those elements with enough restraint to maintain integrity in regards to both the history involved and the viewer watching.

A major part in the joy of watching The Young Victoria play out however simply lies in the production values granted here that bring early 1800's Regal Britain to life with a vigorous realism so rarely achieved quite so strikingly by genre films. Everything from the costume designs, sets, hair styles, lighting and photography accentuates the grandiose background inherent to Victoria's story without ever over-encumbering it. Indeed, while watching Vallée's interpretation come to life here it is very hard not to be sucked in solely through the aesthetics that permeates the visual element; and then there's the film's score also which works tremendously to further the very elegant yet personal tones that dominate Fellowes' script. Entwining the works of Schubert and Strauss into Victoria and Albert's story not only works as a point of reference for the characters to play with, but also melds to the work with an elegance and refrain that echoes composer Ilan Eshkeri's original work just as well.

Yet for all the poignant compositions, lush backdrops and immaculate costumes that punctuate every scene, the single most important factor here—and indeed to most period dramas—are the performances of the cast and how they help bring the world they exist in to life. Thankfully The Young Victoria is blessed with an equally immaculate ensemble of thespians both young and old that do a fantastic job of doing just that. Between the sweet, budding romance of Victoria (Emily Blunt) and Albert (Rupert Friend) and the somewhat antagonistic struggles of her advisors and the like (spearheaded by a terrific Mark Strong and Paul Bettany), the conflicts and warmth so prevalent to Fellowe's screenplay are conveyed perfectly here by all involved which helps keep the movie from being a plastic "nice to look at but dim underneath" affair so common with these outings.

In the end, it's hard to fault a work such as The Young Victoria. It's got a perfectly touching and human sense of affection within its perfectly paced romance, plus some historical significance that plays as an intriguing source of interest for those in the audience keen on such details. Of course, it may not take the cinematic world by storm and there lacks a certain significance to its overall presence that stops it from ever becoming more than just a poignantly restrained romantic period drama; yet in a sense this is what makes it enjoyable. Vallée never seems to be striving for grandeur, nor does he seem content at making a run-of-the-mill escapist piece for aficionados. Somewhere within this gray middle-ground lies The Young Victoria, sure to cater to genre fans and those a little more disillusioned by the usual productions; beautiful, memorable but most of all, human.

- A review by Jamie Robert Ward (http://www.invocus.net)