A huge hit for a young Helen Hayes in 1935, this was an Emmy winning triumph for Julie Harris in 1961, and I was surprised that she hadn't done this on stage. In fact, outside of two brief returns of Hayes to this role on Broadway, it hasn't had a revival on the great white way since. Harris goes from peppy young girl to the plump old lady audiences picture Queen Victoria to have always been, and it's only in the final scenes that viewers see that look.
The first part of the color television film focuses on her efforts to find a consort, torn between cousins Ernest (Louis Edmunds) and George (James Donald) whom she chooses. They have a ton of marital troubles (mainly on her busy schedule and misunderstandings that lead to jealousy), and then she's widowed at a young age. I would have liked to see more decision making by her as Queen, but the play has been greatly edited.
In other major supporting roles are Pamela Brown (excellent as her mother), Felix Aylmer and Basil Rathbone, and the beautiful production design also stands out. Each scene comes with a frame like image that adds to the passing of time in her lengthy reign. Perhaps it's time for this historical chestnut to get a new production, especially since another queen has broken the record. England may have only had six queens in its long history, but that's over 200 years with a female monarch on the throne.
The first part of the color television film focuses on her efforts to find a consort, torn between cousins Ernest (Louis Edmunds) and George (James Donald) whom she chooses. They have a ton of marital troubles (mainly on her busy schedule and misunderstandings that lead to jealousy), and then she's widowed at a young age. I would have liked to see more decision making by her as Queen, but the play has been greatly edited.
In other major supporting roles are Pamela Brown (excellent as her mother), Felix Aylmer and Basil Rathbone, and the beautiful production design also stands out. Each scene comes with a frame like image that adds to the passing of time in her lengthy reign. Perhaps it's time for this historical chestnut to get a new production, especially since another queen has broken the record. England may have only had six queens in its long history, but that's over 200 years with a female monarch on the throne.
