SixtyGloriousYearsisanexerciseinthecreationoficonography,bothforVictoriaanditsstar,AnnaNeagle(whosubsequentlybecameknownas'RegalNeagle').JustasElizabethIcommissionedartiststocreateflatteringiconicimagesforpublicconsumption,sothisfilmperformsasimilarfunction,forNeagleismorebeautifulthanthereallifeVictoria.Controversialevents(suchasthe'Irishproblem')areomittedandunpleasantaspectsofVictoria'scharacter(herpetulance,arrogance,favouritismand'righttoprivilege')areglossedoverasendearinglittle'whims'.Albertactsasamoderatinginfluencewhenshegoestoofarbbb
ThefilmfollowedayearafterthehighlysuccessfulVictoriatheGreat(d.HerbertWilcox,1937).AgainthescreenplayisbyMilesMallesonandRobertVansittart,andmanyofthesupportingcast(thecreamofactingtalentofperiod)repeattheirroles,thistimeforthecolourcameras.ThiswasthefirstfulllengthTechnicolorfilmofcinematographerFreddieYoung,whocapturesthespectacleofroyalweddings,grandballsandopulentinteriors,withscenesactuallyfilmedatroyalpalaces.Vividbattlescenes,setinAlexanderKorda'sempireterritory(SevastopolandtheSudan),rivalthoseinTheFourFeathers(d.ZoltanKorda1939).
Thetitlemusicsetsthetone:aregalchoirsingsoverashotofthecrown.Elgar's1901'PompandCircumstance'marchisheardduringthediamondjubileecelebrationsand,asVictoria'scoffinliesinstate,thefilmconcludeswithAnthonyCollins'statelymusicaccompaniedbythetextofRudyardKipling's'Lestweforget'.CombinedwiththeemotionalappealofscenesofVictoriaconnectingwithher'ordinaryfolk',thisisstirringstuff.
Thefilmconnectswithcontemporaryeventsof1938.ThereleaseoftwocelebratoryroyalfilmswasintendedtoboostpublicaffectionforthemonarchyinthewakeofEdwardVIII'sabdication.Anglo-Germanrelationswereanothertouchysubject.Withanotherwaronthehorizon,influentialvoiceswantedappeasement,andthefilmcouldbeseentofitthatagenda.VictoriaherselfwasofmainlyGermandescent,nicknamed'thegrandmotherofEurope',whileAlbertisa'goodGerman',charminglyplayedbyAntonWalbrookasacultured,decentman.
SixtyGloriousYearsnowseemsundulyformalandreverential.HadmoviesexistedduringVictoria'sreign(theyonlyemergedattheend)thismighthavebeenthekindoffilmproduced.UnlikeMrsBrown(d.JohnMadden,1997),itisallsovery'Victorian'.
RogerPhilipMellor