The Mudlark *** (1950, Irene Dunne, Alec Guinness, Andrew Ray) – Classic Movie Review 10,316

Director Jean Negulesco’s 1950 British film The Mudlark stars the American actress Irene Dunne, who was a shock choice as Queen Victoria, but she is fine, emoting away in her cotton-wool cheeks and rubber cladding.

Andrew Ray, son of radio and stage comedian Ted Ray, in his film début aged 11, plays young orphan scavenger Wheeler, who worms his way into Windsor Castle in 1875 London and sees that Queen Victoria is amused by the cockney kid, as were Fifties audiences by this whimsical movie.

Ray charms and Alec Guinness entertains as Benjamin Disraeli, who is trying to persuade the widow of Windsor out of the seclusion of her post-Prince Albert mourning. But there is a boring subplot about lady-in-waiting Lady Emily Prior (Beatrice Campbell) waiting for guards officer Lieutenant Charles McHatten (Anthony Steele). The 20th Century Fox studio takes the cameras on a pretty tour of Windsor Castle, The Tower of London and the Houses of Parliament.

Nunnally Johnson’s screenplay is based on the novel by Theodore Bonnet.

Guinness has a tour-de-force of an unbroken, single take of nearly seven minutes of impassioned dialogue in a speech to Parliament.

Another famous person’s child also appears: Patricia Hitchcock.

Alas it is shot in Black-and-White when it cries out for colour.

It was an Oscar nominee for Best Costume Design, Black-and-White (Edward Stevenson, Margaret Furse).

Dunne had been nominated for five Oscars, but not this time.

Also in the cast are Constance Smith, Finlay Currie, Edward Rigby, Beatrice Campbell, Wilfrid Hyde White, Raymond Lovell, Marjorie Fielding, Ronan O’Casey, Edward Rigby, Kynaston Reeves and Patricia Hitchcock.

Victoria’s story is also told in Victoria the Great (1937), Sixty Glorious Years (1938), Mrs Brown (1997) and The Young Victoria (2009).

Andrew Ray fell in movies by chance at the age of 10 when was screen tested and chosen after his older brother Robin Ray proved too tall for the role. ‘My education really stopped at 10,’ he said. ‘How can you go back to school and remain unchanged when you’ve suddenly become a film star?’

It was shot at Denham Studios, Buckinghamshire, England.

It was premiered in London on 30 October 1950.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,316

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