Today’s movie is a
biographical drama with a scene that happens on November 9. Watch it tonight
and enjoy.
VICTORIA AND ALBERT
Albert, younger son of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and
his brother Ernest visit the young Princess Victoria of Great Britain. Various
people suggest a marriage between them However, she thinks he’s too stuffy and
he doesn’t want to be just a consort. Victoria visits her uncle, King William
IV, who blasts her domineering mother. The King sends her a letter, which her
mother’s secretary Sir John Conroy grabbed out of her hand mortally offending
Victoria. Victoria is forced to decline the King’s offer of a £10,000 a year
pension. Victoria becomes queen. Two years later her uncle Leopold, King of
Belgium visits and she agrees to receive Ernst and Albert. When she sees him again,
Victoria immediately falls hopelessly in love. She proposes to him and he
accepts, even though as he later acknowledges, he does not love her. They are
married. They disagree about Albert’s role. There is an attempted assassination
and Princess Vicky is born. A young boy sneaks into Buckingham Palace and Albert
is put in charge, displacing Victoria’s former governess, Countess Lezhen. Lord
Melbourne loses the election and Robert Peel becomes Prime Minister. Albert
works behind the scenes to get Mr. Standish, husband to a lady in waiting,
beloved by Victoria and despised by Peel, made an ambassador in Vienna, thus
avoiding potential conflict over her retention. Prince Edward is born on November 9, 1841. [2:06:56 to 2:08:08]
Vicky gets sick and conflict over her treatment causes Countess Lezhen to
‘retire’. Albert starts to assist Victoria with state business. 10 years later
Albert pushes through the Great Exposition of 1851 and at its opening Victoria
publicly praises Albert. He is so touched that he finally tells Victoria that
he loves her causing her delight. 10 more years pass and Victoria and Albert
despair of the Prince of Wales, who smokes, doesn’t study and dallies with
showgirls. Albert gets sick and dies to the great grief of Victoria.
A mostly true biopic. Victoria’s mother did act like that
and Victoria and Albert did fight about his place. Albert was the one who
introduced the Christmas tree to England.
Victoria by Stanley Weintraub (Truman Tally Books,
New York, 1987) p. 197
Director - John Ermant
Producer - David Cunliffe
Screenplay - John Goldsmith
Awards - The film won the Outstanding Costumes for a
Miniseries, Movie or Special Emmy. It was also nominated for the Outstanding
Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or in a Movie (Rigg) Emmy.
Running Time - 3
hours 20 minutes
Released - October 20, 2001
Starring -
Victoria Hamilton as Queen Victoria
Jonathan Firth as Prince Albert
Peter Ustinov as King William IV
Diana Rigg as Countess Lezhen
Copyright by Ivan Walters in 2014
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