Sixty Glorious Years [Queen of Destiny] *** (1938, Anna Neagle, Anton Walbrook, C Aubrey Smith, Felix Aylmer) – Classic Movie Review 8036

Director Herbert Wilcox’s colourful 1938 royal historical drama sequel Sixty Glorious Years [Queen of Destiny] stars Dame Anna Neagle as Queen Victoria again in the gorgeously photographed Technicolor follow-up to the 1937 black-and-white hit Victoria the Great, which starts where that left off, as Victoria tells an unsympathetic Parliament about her engagement to her German cousin Prince Albert.

Sixty Glorious Years is more of the same really – episodes from the home life of Victoria and Prince Albert (Anton Walbrook) – with the same strengths (mainly the performances and, less so, the script) and weaknesses (a sometimes wobbly production). Sixty Glorious Years is very properly British and quite fascinating. Among the excellent cast of stalwarts, C Aubrey Smith and Felix Aylmer are endearing as the Duke of Wellington and Lord Palmerston.

It is again written by Robert Vansittart, Miles Malleson and Charles de Grandcourt, and shot by Freddie Young. As usual, Malleson writes himself a role, this time as Wounded Soldier,

Also in the cast are Walter Rilla, Charles Carson, Lewis Casson, Pamela Standish, Gordon McLeod, Henry Hallatt, Wyndham Goldie, Malcolm Keen as William E Gladstone, Frederick Leister, Derrick de Marney as Benjamin Disraeli, Joyce Bland as Florence Nightingale, Frank Cellier, Harvey Braban, Aubrey Dexter, Stuart Robertson, Olaf Olsen, Marie Wright, Laidman Browne and Jack Watling (uncredited minor role).

Sixty Glorious Years [Queen of Destiny in the US] is directed by Herbert Wilcox, runs 95 minutes, is made by Imperator, is released by RKO, is written by Robert Vansittart (dialogue and scenario), Miles Malleson and Charles de Grandcourt, is shot by Freddie Young, is produced by Herbert Wilcox, scored by Anthony Collins and designed by Lawrence P Williams.

Apparently, however, it premiered in the US at Radio City Music Hall in December 1938 under its original British title of Sixty Glorious Years.

The two Queen Victoria films were so popular in the US that RKO and Wilcox made a production and distribution deal that led to his Nurse Edith Cavell (1939) being produced in Hollywood.

The two films were re-edited in 1943 as a third film, Queen Victoria.

The Austrian actor Anton Walbrook (1896–1967) was born Adolf Wohlbrück in Vienna. You can see why he changed his name for the movies.

Felix Aylmer reprised his role as Lord Palmerston in The Lady with a Lamp (1951), with Anna Neagle as Florence Nightingale.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Classic Movie Review 8036

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