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The First V&A

The Young Victoria may not be the most romantic of films, thanks to a bit too much of the politics and cat-fighting that went on in the queen's teens, but it is an interesting look at the monarch as a young woman, and how her famous love affair with her husband Prince Albert began.

Emily Blunt is very persuasive in the lead role, playing Victoria with a kind of weary earnestness that I liked a lot. Beneath the rigid manners and the corsets was a very human young woman being beseiged on all sides as everyone tried to control her and through her the power of the British monarchy. Rupert Friend is quite good as Prince Albert, poor guy, although even with the convincing accent and facial hair I was constantly flashing back to him playing Wickham in the 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice. There is no real spontaneity to the love story, of course, but the fact that these two came together and got married is pretty incredible, considering all the odds stacked against them.

This movie won an Academy award for the costumes, so if you like Victorian fashions, this is the one to watch. Available on Netflix.

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