Product Details

• Actors: Emily Blunt, Rupert Friend
• Format: AC-3, Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: English
• Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
  
• Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Studio: Sony Pictures
• DVD Release Date: April 20, 2010
• Run Time: 105 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (182 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001C4AFOY
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,082 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
  • #52 in Movies & TV > DVD > Romance
• For more information about "The Young Victoria" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend star in the lavish historical drama, THE YOUNG VICTORIA. Resolved to establish her authority over those who rule in her stead, a young and inexperienced Queen Victoria (Blunt) draws strength from the love of Albert (Friend), the handsome prince who’s stolen her heart. Based on the courtship and early reign of England’s longest-serving monarch, THE YOUNG VICTORIA is a majestic tale of romance, intrigue and power.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

67 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great film, mostly historically accurate, January 22, 2010

By 

Mama on the Go (Rocky Mountains) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Young Victoria (DVD)

I thoroughly enjoyed this film! Emily Blunt gave a stunning performance as Victoria, but Rupert Friend totally steals the show as Albert, in many ways a much more challenging role, I think. Albert was a complex, private person and his relationship with Victoria is all the more interesting, because while he dutifully pursued marriage with Victoria as his destined "career", he did not expect to fall in love or to be loved in their marriage. Friend does a marvelous job of portraying a very reserved, rational man suprised by his own powerful feelings, and of showing Albert's very dry but keen sense of humor. Many biographers/historians have suggested that Albert did not love Victoria as she did him, but I think this has much more to do with Albert's reserved, Germanic public persona than any historical reality, as is amply demonstrated in his letters and Victoria's journals. Friend does a marvelous job of revealing an Albert who loved Victoria deeply and was willing to make great sacrifices for her, but who also had the strength to stand up to her strong will and fiery temper, and not be pushed around. Both actors obviously did their homework on Victoria and Albert and I think very much captured the essence of their personalities. I also very much enjoyed Jim Broadbent and Harriet Walter's marvelous, feisty performances as King William and Queen Adelaide.

One aspect of the film I found a bit jarring was the portrayal of Victoria's relationship with King Leopold and Baron Stockmar as being rather distant and hostile. While Victoria was quite determined to live her own life and not be a pawn in their (or anyone else's) political schemes, she actually had a very affectionate relationship with her uncle Leopold both before and after her marriage, and Stockmar was a lifelong friend and confidant of both Victoria and Albert and helped them through many of their early marital difficulties. Their manipulative attitude toward Albert and their obsessive focus on grooming him for marriage to Victoria was historically accurate, and Rupert Friend's portrayal of the young Albert's attitude toward their "training" is one of the funniest parts of the film.

I highly recommend Stanley Weintraub's biographies of both Victoria and Albert for those wanting the real historical background for the film. Sarah Ferguson's book Victoria and Albert: Life at Osborne House is also a well-researched and beautifully illustrated book about their marriage and family life.

There is a bit of minor chronological rearrangement to cram about 5 years of historical material into less than 2 hours, for which I think Julian Fellowes can be easily forgiven, and some slight embellishment of real events for dramatic effect (eg Prince Albert did attempt to shield Victoria in the assassination attempt but was not actually shot, Albert was not present at Victoria's coronation) but I didn't find it detracted from the story. Much of the script is actually verbatim historical record (King William's drunken outburst at the banquet, Conroy's attempt to force Victoria to sign an order making him Regent) and Fellowes included these bits unaltered, to his credit--they are fabulously dramatic, just as they are.

Costuming is gorgeous and well-researched, the film is a visual treat. A real must-see!

41 of 43 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank you, February 8, 2010

By 

Elizabeth Smailes "Liber Gma" (Canyon Dam, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Young Victoria (DVD)

Movie critics seem to brush over the section of movie goers that can't get enough of well done period dramas. The week before I saw YV I watched Avatar. Now, the critics love Avatar--new visual feats, jump scenes, apparent sex and vilification of the political right. What the critics hate is a beautiful well made film with monogamous relationships, real violence and a hero that actual existed. I suppose critics love the imaginative and spur the real, an interesting commentary on our society and its relationship to the beautiful.
This is the best period drama since the 6 hour Pride and Prejudice.

29 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Acting, sets, and costumes DIVINE, but plot fell a little short, April 22, 2010

By 

KitKate (Charlottesville, VA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Young Victoria (DVD)

As others have mentioned, the costumes and scenery alone are worth watching the movie for. The acting is wonderful, Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend are passionate and emotive.

The problem stems from messy, unresolved plot holes. A lot of relationships are left undeveloped, and as a result I found it hard to emotionally connect to any minor characters enough to care about their plot threads. When you have such an amazing ensemble cast (Miranda Richardson, Mark Strong, Paul Bettany, Jim Broadbent, etc.) not making the most of them seems almost shocking. Their parts came and went without much ado.

I would have liked to see a bit more development in the romance between Victoria and Albert; the film did a great job showing their correspondence and how excited each was when receiving a letter from the other, but failed to include more than one or two little moments together before expecting the audience to believe in their grounded love for one another.

The driving conflict seems to be Victoria finding her footing despite ill advice, youth, and inexperience; her and Albert's common desire to help the disenfranchised is a great strength, but is never mentioned again after Victoria and Albert are married. They are never seen to do the work that seemingly brought them together.

With just a few little moments added, a few strings tied, a few characters given proper send-offs, it COULD have been utterly moving...but I suspect many of the scenes that would have made this film great rather than good are hiding on the cutting room floor. I can only hope for a Director's Cut at some point!